He was not a killer in the ranks of Clay Alison. "Wyatt Earp Wasn't the Fastest Gunslinger in the West and That Didn't Matter" Wyatt Earp was famous mostly because he said, himself, that he was famous. His gravestone is said to read: Clay Allison. Hardin replied with a shot to Bradleys head and one to his chest. Billy Claiborne ran as soon as shots were fired and was already out of sight. Though, in the end that doesn't register a smudge on Earp's reputation as the quintessential American gunfighter. Tops, Masterson said, is a steely will and the ability to use that to your advantage. Within moments, seven of the bandits were dead or dying on the ground and Davis's pistols were empty. Levi Richardson Gunfighting in Dodge City. Doc Holliday and Billy the Kid both wore badges as lawmen at least once. sweet number onemy dad gave me the middle name of Wesley because of John Wesley Hardin. "[81] The main character Caleb in the video games Blood and Blood II: The Chosen is also a former Old West gunfighter. Robert Olinger Killer With a Badge. Hickok was playing poker when he was shot in the back of the head by a gambler named Jack McCall, supposedly in retaliation for a prior insult. Gunmen Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Bass Reeves, Commodore Perry Owens, and Luke Short all died of natural causes, living out their lives on reputation and avoiding conflict in secluded retirement. ', "When it comes to gunfights, the idea is to stay alive, not necessarily draw fast. As time went on single-shot, muzzle-loading weapons were replaced by repeating guns like the revolver, shotgun and breech-loading rifles such as the 1873 [43] Gunfighters Jim Levy and Tom Carberry became infamous for participating in at least two quick draw duels in their lifetimes. Wyatt has been portrayed in a number of films and books as a fearless Western hero. The mob formed in front of the Free Masons hall and walked to the jail two blocks away. There were also a few historical cowboys who were actual gunfighters, such as the Cochise County Cowboys who participated in the bloody 1879 Skeleton Canyon massacre. He was known for carrying two pistols in holsters strapped to his chest, which he claimed facilitated the quick draw, and he used them to gun down three more people in various gunfights soon after his flight. [1], In the days of the Old West, tales tended to grow with repeated telling, and a single fight might grow into a career-making reputation. The bit about not understanding how an honest straight up man like Wyatt was his friend is very interesting. "Having said that, there was this sense of a reputation of dangerous men with a gun. Earp's fellow lawman and general Old West badass Bat Masterson once said that speed in a gunfight is probably the least important factor in winning. Inspired by the "Man with No Name" and other spaghetti-western characters, he himself is detached or unsympathetic, often reacting as uncaring or angry at signs of cowardice or self-pity, yet he possesses a strong sense of heroism, often attempting to help those in need, a morality much seen in Westerns. Laurel first met Hardy in 1927. Stoudenmires luck would not last forever, though, and in 1882 he was killed when a discussion between he and a group of his enemies escalated into a gunfight in which he was shot three times. [citation needed], Another well-known duel in the American West happened in Fort Worth, Texas, and was known as the Luke Short-Jim Courtright Duel. Hardin walked away but was later confronted by Bradley, who shot at Hardin and missed. Bank robbertom horn was an indian hunter and bounty hunter?? Ive enjoyed the info and discussion. And that's when Wyatt Earp stepped into Western lore. In fall of 79 he want to Tombstone where his older brother, Virgil was policemen. The [28] Gunfighters in history did fight Native Americans. ), Billy the Kid only killed like four people, Some say 4, Some say 9, and some say 20+ (21 or 22 ish). Behind him is the gun-toting priest named Nicholas D. Wolfwood, who carries with him a heavy machine gun and rocket launcher shaped like a cross. Mose Roberts, boarding with the family, jumped out of a side window with a pistol. One of those killed was an innocent Mexican bystander. They arranged to walk toward each other at 6 pm. James Butler Hickok is one of the most famous gunmenof the Old West. I guess that a good-olde Hispanic gunfighter cannot make this list. [22] The most notable and well-known took place in the states/territories of Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Where is Elfego Baca. According to Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp was one of the few men I personally knew in the West in the early days whom I regarded as absolutely destitute of physical fear. [citation needed], These fights were usually close-up and personal, with a number of shots blasted from pistols, often resulting in innocent bystanders hit by bullets gone wild. After a number of run-ins with the law, the Kid was again captured and sentenced to death, but he managed to escape after he got a hold of a weapon and gunned down the two men guarding him. It didnt happen. He then went back to the saloon. This only marked the beginning of what would be a bloody campaign for Stoudenmire as sheriff. Unlike other violence-themed gunslingers, Vash carries a Shane-like pacifist attitude, and avoids killing men, even dangerous enemies. That year he opened a dental office in Atlanta. Sam Bass was born on July 21, 1851, in Mitchell, Indiana. After severalsuch robberies, Bass and his gang decided to rob the Union Pacific gold train from San Francisco, collectingmore than$60,000. Ive been in several gunfights, people have no idea how scary it is when your trading rounds with someone trying to kill you. [52] Clay Allison and Ben Thompson had well-deserved reputations. So when they went to arrest the Cowboys at about 3 p.m., they expected the Cowboys to be unarmed. Theres a big difference between a gunfighter and a killer, most of those guys were killers. Short shot him in the chest, killing him. Hickok has the distinction of being one of the few gunfighters to ever participate in a real Western-style quick-draw duel, when he killed a man named Davis Tutt, Jr. over a dispute concerning gambling debts. After that, he was just a gambler and knockabout. So Andy Blevins (aka Cooper) ambushed and killed John Tewksbury and Bill Jacobs in revenge. Wyatt could scrap with his fists, and had often taken all the fight out of bad men, as they were called, with no other weapons than those provided by nature.. Robert Clay Allison was born to Jeremiah Scotland Allison, a Texas cattle rancher and Presbyterian minister, and Mariah Ruth Brown Allison on September 2, 1841, in Tennessee. In many cases, the term gunfighter was applied to constables. Cradling his Winchester rifle in his arm, Sheriff Owens knocked on the Blevins' door. "[47], After his brother Virgil was maimed in an ambush and Morgan was assassinated by hidden assailants, the men suspected of involvement were provided alibis by fellow Cowboys and released without trial. The list is missing Kid Curry/Harvey Logan. Among them was civilian Billy Dixon, who made one of the longest recorded sniper kills, by shooting an Indian off his horse almost a mile away with his Sharps rifle, during a standoff in the Second Battle of Adobe Walls. His days of bloodshed finally came to an end in 1909, when he was arrested for the murder of a U.S. Marshall. After a mob of some forty people broke into the prison, Miller and three other outlaws were dragged to a nearby barn and lynched. propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('toptenz_sticky_1'); }); 10 Unexpectedly Weird Ancestors of Animals Living Today, 10 Things You Thought Were Silent (But Actually Make Strange and Terrifying Noises), 10 Terrifyingly High Mortality Rate Statistics. [1], Another classic bit of cinema that is largely a myth is the showdown at high noon, where two well-matched gunslingers agree to meet for a climactic formal duel. In the saloon, Frank sat down at a long table, Richardson turned around and took a seat at the same table. In 1858, he became a constable in Monticello Township, and several years later he joined the Russell, Waddell & Majors Freight Company, the owners of the Pony Express. Cowboy Fast Draw World Championship Shooting Less than a year after these incidents, he would kill as many as six more men in gunfights while in the line of duty, eventually gaining a reputation as one of the most feared lawmen in Texas. He stabbed one of them to death; the other he disarmed by knocking the knife from his grasp and slicing off his nose and a finger of his right hand. WebBass Reeves (1838-1910) was a famous Old West lawman. how about Jesse James? He was buried in Round Rock Cemetery, and the road to the cemetery was later named Sam Bass Road. [7], Western gunslinger heroes are portrayed as local lawmen or enforcement officers, ranchers, army officers, cowboys, territorial marshals, nomadic loners, or skilled fast-draw artists. WebFastest Gun that ever lived Don Hamilton 5.38K subscribers Subscribe 172K 5.4M views 9 years ago Amazing Fast Draw.- Draw and shot in less than 2/100's of a second. Several members of the prosecution and men who had testified against Miller were mysteriously killed. After more killings over the next three years, Hardin was captured by the Texas Rangers and sentenced to25 years at Texas State Prison in Huntsville. Over the next several years, Allison was reported to have killed several men over disagreements, and in one case he decapitated a man and brought the severed head into a saloon. But the Dodge City gunfighter told Courtright to "go to Hell," and that he could do anything that was necessary to take care of his business. [78], Gunfighters have also been featured in many video games, both in traditional Old West and in contemporary and future settings. Doc hollidy, kid curry, Luke short and dave matter should be on there before half those guys. A+. I love the sitebut wish to heaven I could correct it's many SPELLING errors. He was buried in Alleyton Cemetery in Colorado County, Texas. The O.K. rob Campbell not dentistry) a hard reputation was a definite benefit. The son of a Methodist preacher, Hardin displayed a capacity for violence early on in life when he stabbed a fellow student in the schoolyard at the age of 14. That 30-second throwdown, which came to be known as William H. Bonney, was born in 1859 in New York City to Patrick McCarty and Catherine Devine. [57] Ben Thompson, best known as a gunfighter and gambler, was a very successful chief of police in Austin, Texas. Ferd Patterson Living and Dying by the Gun. No kidding John Wesley Hardin made 40 or more counts, although, some of it is just hearsay. Corral, at least in part because he was the only one who was not wounded or killed. He escaped and killed the men guarding him. After several years of working as an officer of the law, he moved to Dodge City along with his brother. Definitely agree that Hardin is the deadliest, almost all were head on gun fights with armed gun fighters and law men, and well documented. 44 was empty. This is the Ned Christie posse. He never killed a man that did not need killing.. Marshal Virgil Earp had considerably more experience with weapons and combat as a Union soldier in the Civil War, and in law enforcement as a sheriff, constable, and marshal. Bass killed Williamson County Deputy Sheriff A. W. Grimes. Doc Holliday has also been credited with wounding and shooting a pistol out of saloon owner Milt Joyce's hand when he tried to brandish it at Holliday. There are different categories shooters can compete in. "Go to fighting or get away! He was buried on his ranch, and later his remains were moved to Pioneer Cemetery in Uvalde, Texas. This respect for one another is why most famous gunfights were rarely two or more well-known gunmen matched up against one another, but rather one notable gunman against a lesser-known opponent or opponents. [citation needed], On April 14, 1881, lawman Dallas Stoudenmire participated in a gunfight in El Paso, Texas which many dubbed the Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight, in which he killed three of the four fatalities with his twin .44 caliber Colt revolvers. They moved to Idaho, opened a saloon, and mined for gold. [13] Ed McGivern dispelled the myth of the inaccuracy of pistol fanning by shooting tight groups while fanning the revolver. [citation needed], Quick draw and hip shooting was a rare skill in the West,[17] and only a handful of historically known gunslingers were known to be fast, such as Luke Short, John Wesley Hardin, and Wild Bill Hickok. That means he's better than Wild Bill, Wyatt Earp, John Wesley Harden (about whom his contemporaries said he "could get out a six-shooter and use it quicker than a [citation needed], Usually, when a gunman was hired by a town as town marshal, they received the full support of the townspeople until order was restored, at which point the town would tactfully indicate it was time for a change to a less dangerous lawman who relied more on respect than fear to enforce the law. Together they bought a ranch near the Pecos River. Three of the cowboys were killed in the fight, and everyone except Wyatt was wounded. But the absolute, without-a-doubt, hands-down, fastest gun in the West? Bottom line is nobody can confirm all these guys kills. Who killed John Wesley Hardin? [1] They rarely took undue risks and usually weighed their options before confronting another well-known gunman. Earp was on the police force of Wichita until he was released over a dispute . The book was mostly made up by Lake from embellishments of Earp, himself and his wife. In 1877 he argued with and killed a blacksmith. Your list is worthless without him in the top 3 at least! the OK Corral. King Fisher had great success as a county sheriff in Texas. [4] Clay Allison (18411887), a notorious New Mexico and Texas gunman and cattleman, originated the term "shootist". Might as well replace Ringo with Holliday. Miller was never convicted for any of the deaths. Hence, it is the Sundance Kid who is better known. "He is a man who never smiled or laughed. And you don't get much more stress than when somebody's shooting at you.". I have always been fascinated with Billy The Kid, Although i dont want to glamorize what these men did in their time it certainly was a time to die with their Cowboy Boots on. Hickok got his start as a constable and rider for the Pony Express, but he gained a reputation for being handy with a gun after he killed outlaw David McCanles with a single bullet from 75 yards away. Degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery from Pennsylania College of Dental Surgery. Often their reputation was as much "self-promotion" as anything else; such was the case of Bat Masterson. When he was 15, he attempted to join the Confederacy to fight in the Civil War, but he was discharged when his true age was revealed. In Western films and books, young toughs often challenge experienced gunmen with the hopes of building a reputation, but this rarely happened in real life. the OK Corral. Here are the top 10 real-life deadly gunslingers from the wild west era. Colton White was the protagonist of 2005's best-selling western video game Gun. It's "High Noon." [31], The famous lawman Wyatt Earp gave an account of having participated in a duel once during his vendetta. [72], Many Japanese manga and anime have also adopted the western genre. Most of the time he did satisfactory at his job. Hickok was supposedly holding a pair of Aces and Eights at the time, a combination now known as the Dead Mans Hand., Known for his mercurial personality and violent temper, Clay Allison was a gunfighter who is remembered as one of the most notorious and downright deranged outlaws of the Old West. After three months on the run, he was killed when Sheriff Pat Garrett and two deputies shot him to death in 1881. It is not known who fired the first shot, but Wyatt's bullet was the first to hit, tearing through Frank McLaury's belly and sending McLaury's own shot wild through Wyatt's coattail. Holliday then drew his pistol and shot Gordon at long range with one shot. Hickock was acquitted of all charges, having claimed self-defense. Gordon wanted her to stop working. [27] Less than a year after these incidents, he would kill as many as six more men in gunfights while in the line of duty. After an argument with the other gang members, Fisher killed three of them, took over as the leader, and killed seven Mexican bandits. One of the most downright murderous figures of the Old West, Jim Killer Miller was an assassin and gunfighter who is credited with killing at least 14 people, though legend has it that the number is somewhere closer to 50. 15 of the most infamous and deadly gunslingers in history (15 Photos), Known for his unpredictable personality and violent temper, Clay Allison was a gunfighter who is remembered as one of the deranged outlaws of the Old West. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, on Oct. 26, 1881. The group was unfazed by their new classification as bandits, and proceeded to go on a killing spree, gunning down three people in the course of just three days, including a sheriff and his deputy. 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