A Political Dispute

Billy Bailey lost more than the vote…

Billy Bailey wandered into Newton, Kansas (photo) in 1871, probably at the end of a cattle drive. He had a reputation as a gunfighter, so Bailey was quickly hired as a special policeman, charged with overseeing the local election. But that led to trouble. On August 11, he got into an argument—ironically over politics–with fellow Special Policeman Mike McCluskie. A fistfight evolved into a gunfight and Bailey took two slugs in the chest, dying the next day. McCluskie was deemed to have fired in self-defense and went free.