Coming Summer 2012 Sam Sixkiller was one of the most accomplished lawmen in 1880s Oklahoma Territory. And in many ways, he was a typical law-enforcement official, minding the peace and gunslinging in the still-wild West. What set Sam Sixkiller apart was his Cherokee heritage. Sixkiller’s sworn duty was to uphold the law but he also read more…

1908 – Young Mannie Clements and Elmer Webb were hatching some sort of skulduggery in the Coney Island Saloon in El Paso, TX.  Mannie was shot in the head and killed during that conversation by persons unknown.  The shooting may have been in connection with a racket to import Chinamen into the United States.

During the California Gold Rush (1848-1850), New York outfitters advised prospective miners that a pair of Colt revolvers was a necessary addition to their equipment. Given the condition of the State right now some would say a pair of Colt revolver would still be a necessary item to carry. One of the best gifts I read more…

1876-Clay Allison and his brother John were whooping it up at a dance in Las Animas, CO. when the Allison brothers got out of control.  Deputy Sheriff Charles Faber came in and shotgunned John.  Clay shot Faber through the hearts and rode off two other deputies before surrendering to the county sheriff.  John recovered and read more…

Family loyalties involve certain obligations. They are duties we perform out of love, as this simple story illustrates: One of two brothers fighting in the same company in France fell by a German bullet. The one who escaped asked permission of his officer to go and bring his brother in. “He is probably dead,” said read more…

By 1030pm on Friday evening I finally completed the additional chapters needed for the mail-order bride book and sent them off to the publisher. I hope that’s the last on that subject for a while. I need to concentrate on completing the book about women outlaws of the Mid-west. I’m woefully behind on that book read more…

Support Your Local Sheriff uses as the basis for its comedy the many clichés that have become part and parcel of the Western genre.  Whether it’s the town dominated by a tyrant, the never-missing gunfighter, the absolutely pure hero, the chaste but unchased maiden , the growth of the territory – they’re all dealt with read more…

On this in 1901 Harvey Logan got into a fight in a pool hall in Knoxville, TN.  He pistol whipped his opponent and shot three policemen and was wounded himself before leaving town.  He got thirty miles before being capturded by more cops and some hounds.  Also on this day in 1883 – the gambler read more…

Desperate brides, dental surgery and death threats…the last two days have involved a bit of all three areas and then some. Every time I submit the new book about mail order brides I am told by the editor that I’m 4 or 5 thousand words short. So I write a few more chapters and turn read more…

The hardest aspect of writing is writing. I spend the day reviewing the research I’ve done on a particular individual and desperately try to create an original way to tell their story. That’s what I hope to do with Victoria Woodhull today. My goal is eight pages by the days end. I am anxious to read more…