There used to be an interactive map online, which kept track of extra-judicial killings. You could focus in on specific areas, or move a slider, which produced results over time. California may actually have surpassed Texas in the number of lynchings, many of which took place at sites where gold had been found—and ‘foreign’ miners, meaning anyone who wasn’t white—made up the vast majority of victims.
There are many popular distortions about the Old West. Even the use of the term "cowboy" in Arizona changed at some point in time.
Author Henry Bishop arrived to Tombstone little after the famous duel in 1881 - the famous K. Corral gunfight - and wrote =>
"The term cow-boy, once applied to all those in the cattle business indiscriminately, while still including some honest persons, has been narrowed down to be chiefly a term of reproach for a class of stealers of cattle, over the Mexican frontier, and elsewhere, who are a terror in their day and generation."
Oh, yes they did! In Douglass, Kansas there was a pretty organized horse thieving ring. Everyone in town knew who they were. They hung three and shot two.
The horse thieves had paid off local law enforcement. The people in the area had to take things into their own hands.
All those arrested for the hangings and shootings were pardoned by the Governor after a very well thought of man who ran a trading post wrote the Governor to tell him how bad the situation had gotten, how local law e were on the take, and that the individuals they killed were known murderers.
A great read - dispelling a myth that I had long believed since watching the western 'flicks' in my boyhood. By co-inky-dink - just finished watching 'Lawmen, Bass Reeves' (Neflix) in which Donald Sutherland plays Judge Parker with assured ease. Nice understory of Reeves's confliction of working for a judge who would hang for the smallest of crimes. Thanks for posting - unlike some pieces on Substack which report history and feel like wading - I found yours had a lovely light and easy flow - a pleasure to read.
Perhaps Americans were tired of the extremity of Old English law and took the view that this was not the old world so let it go. Again it was the powerful and rich in the old and new worlds who were responsible for much of the violence and death for their own gain.
Great read. Dime store novels and the winning of the West are full of old hyped reporters adding lots of shoot-em-up BS to eastern newspapers.
There used to be an interactive map online, which kept track of extra-judicial killings. You could focus in on specific areas, or move a slider, which produced results over time. California may actually have surpassed Texas in the number of lynchings, many of which took place at sites where gold had been found—and ‘foreign’ miners, meaning anyone who wasn’t white—made up the vast majority of victims.
Good article. I learned some things. Thanks.
There are many popular distortions about the Old West. Even the use of the term "cowboy" in Arizona changed at some point in time.
Author Henry Bishop arrived to Tombstone little after the famous duel in 1881 - the famous K. Corral gunfight - and wrote =>
"The term cow-boy, once applied to all those in the cattle business indiscriminately, while still including some honest persons, has been narrowed down to be chiefly a term of reproach for a class of stealers of cattle, over the Mexican frontier, and elsewhere, who are a terror in their day and generation."
Judge Isaac Parker???
Oh, yes they did! In Douglass, Kansas there was a pretty organized horse thieving ring. Everyone in town knew who they were. They hung three and shot two.
The horse thieves had paid off local law enforcement. The people in the area had to take things into their own hands.
All those arrested for the hangings and shootings were pardoned by the Governor after a very well thought of man who ran a trading post wrote the Governor to tell him how bad the situation had gotten, how local law e were on the take, and that the individuals they killed were known murderers.
Grand theft auto
A great read - dispelling a myth that I had long believed since watching the western 'flicks' in my boyhood. By co-inky-dink - just finished watching 'Lawmen, Bass Reeves' (Neflix) in which Donald Sutherland plays Judge Parker with assured ease. Nice understory of Reeves's confliction of working for a judge who would hang for the smallest of crimes. Thanks for posting - unlike some pieces on Substack which report history and feel like wading - I found yours had a lovely light and easy flow - a pleasure to read.
Perhaps Americans were tired of the extremity of Old English law and took the view that this was not the old world so let it go. Again it was the powerful and rich in the old and new worlds who were responsible for much of the violence and death for their own gain.
. . . In the belief that they will be more dead!
This was great thank you. Had never heard of the Johnson County was just ordered O’Neal’s book
Great article. Hollywood really had me believing there were lots of people hung for horse theft! Thanks for the knowledge and keep up the good work!
I appreciate these articles