January 6th, 2010

On this day in 1875, the notorious Doc Holliday was still recovering from a violent new year’s eve party. Doc and a surly bartender emptied their revolvers at one another in a Dallas saloon. Nobody was hurt. Alcohol may have been a factor. Also on this day in 1913, Josie Bassett (Bassett was a female rancher. She and her sister “Queen” Ann Bassett are known for their love affairs and associations with well known outlaws, particularly Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch) was mourning the death of her husband. On the 3rd of January she poisoned her spouse, Nig Wells, with strychnine in Lynwood, Wyoming. She was trying to sober him up after a 4 day bender by unknowingly serving him coffee in the wolf bait cup. In other news, I hope to finish chapter five of the Elizabeth Custer book today and use the rest of the week to schedule research trips to Oklahoma to learn all I can about a lawman named Sam Sixkiller. It seems like I’m running out of month very quickly. In addition to the Midwest trip planned I’ll be traveling to LA and possibly Montana. I need more January! Two newspapers reviewed the Buffalo Bill book and articles about the tome will be published in the Sacramento Bee and the Cody Enterprise next week. All indications are that the reviews are favorable. I’m pleased with the way the book turned out and hope it does well. I’m happy to send the press review copies, all you need do is ask.