Crossing the Line

Johnny Owens used trickery to arrest an outlaw.

Johnny Owens was the sheriff of Weston County, based out of Newcastle, Wyoming (photo) in the early 1890s. He was good with a gun—and his brain. One story says that he chased an outlaw until the suspect crossed the county line. The bad man stopped and invited Owens to step across and join him in a smoke, which the lawman did. They talked until Owens went to his horse; the outlaw followed and, in doing so, crossed back into Weston County. Owens promptly arrested him. They both had a good laugh on the ride back to Newcastle.