Jim Masterson isn’t as well known as his brother Bat, but he actually spent more time in law enforcement than his older sibling; about 17 years. His...
Was Jesse James fighting to bring back the Confederacy?
J. Stiles has won two Pulitzer Prizes for his last couple of books—one about Cornelius Vanderbilt and the other about George Armstrong Custer. His...
There Must be Something in the Water…
What is it about my Indiana home that seemed to breed Old West types—often bad guys? Try these on for size: John Ringo. Montana lawman/outlaw Buck...
Dangerous Dan
Some have called Grant County (NM) Deputy Sheriff Dan Tucker “Dangerous Dan.” And his gun notches are estimated at somewhere in the double digits....
No Revenge for Frank Hamer
The story goes that Frank Hamer was working for Dan McSween around 1900. The rancher asked the 16-year-old to kill someone for him; Frank refused....
Gold-Hungry Ghosts in Bannack
Bannack, Montana was a great boomtown of the Old West. Founded in 1862 at the time gold was discovered in the area, it soon had a population of an...
Double Crossin’ Duelist
Outlaws Harry Tracy (photo) and Dave Merrill were more than partners—they were brothers-in-law, with Tracy marrying Merrill’s sister. They...
Accusing the Deadly
In June 1863, Montana lawman D.H. Dillingham started thinking that other deputies were involved in a series of robberies. Buck Stinson...
Match that Lit the Civil War
The Kansas-Nebraska Act may have been the match that lit the fuse of the Civil War. Some claimed the law was an effort by gutless bureaucrats to...
Scene Stealers
It’s one of the most iconic—and perhaps morbid—photos of the Bandit War. Captain Monroe Fox and two other Texas Rangers have lariats around the dead...
An Extraordinary Life
Herman Lehmann lived an extraordinary life. In 1870, the 10-year-old was kidnapped by Apaches near Mason, TX. He lived with them for about seven...
The Loss of a National Treasure
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...