Dr. Joe Medicine Crow died on Sunday in Montana. He was an amazing man--a medicine man, a war chief, a leader, a WWII vet and hero, a teacher, a...
The Loss of a National Treasure
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Mark Boardman
Stopping Sam Bass
James Gillett had been a noted Texas Ranger for three years when he led a group of Rangers to Round Rock, TX in July 1878. The plan—head off the Sam...
The Death of Jim Talbot
Jim Talbot—real name James Sherman—finally got his. In 1881, he engineered a huge gunfight in Caldwell, KS that killed lawman/mayor Mike Meagher...
Bank Robbery at Round Rock
Jim Murphy joined the Sam Bass Gang in 1878 and almost immediately got arrested (so did his dad). Jim struck a deal—betray Bass (photo) in exchange...
The Graham Family vs the Tewksbury Family
Around 1880, the Graham and Tewksbury families were friends and neighbors in central Arizona. The soon ended in arguments over possible rustling,...
Bub Meeks and Butch Cassidy
Bub Meeks was like Butch Cassidy—a Mormon, born in the 1860s in Utah, and on the hunt for adventure. So it’s understandable they would hook up. In...
One of the Toughest Lawmen in the West
Mike Meagher was one of the toughest lawmen in the West. At age 28, in 1871, the Irish born Meagher was appointed marshal of cowtown Wichita,...
Tom Horn’s Gun
Tom Horn was famed as a gunman. But gun ignorance did him in. He was awaiting execution for the murder of Willie Nickell when he and a pal broke out...
Wyatt Earp’s Wild Times in Nome
Wyatt and Josie Earp tried their hand at Alaska in 1899, following the gold rush to Nome where they opened (with Charlie Hoxie) the Dexter Saloon. ...
The Wild West of James D. Horan
James D. Horan was a prolific writer, a New York newspaperman who also penned history, historical fiction and novels (more than 40 books total). He...
Frank Reno Didn’t Get the Last Laugh
February 1868. Frank Reno (photo) and members of his Indiana gang traveled to Iowa to rob county treasuries. Over the course of a few weeks, they...
John Reno’s Biggest Mistake
Train robber John Reno made a big mistake when he got drunk in early 1867. He and pal Frank Sparks were imbibing in a Seymour, Indiana saloon owned...