Journal Notes

Did you know that Pawnee Bill and May Manning Lillie, the stars of the Wild West Show, weren’t just entertaining audiences—they were also pioneers in bison conservation? 🦬 As part of their show, they transported a herd of bison, and their love for these majestic animals grew into a passion that led them to create the largest privately-owned collection of pure-blood bison in the world!

Their dream home at Blue Hawk Peak became a bison conservatory, helping spark the movement to preserve bison in the U.S.

Read all about their remarkable love story, their wild adventures, and their contributions to bison conservation in “The Sharpshooter and the Showman” by Chris Enss!

#NationalBisonMonth #WildWest #BisonConservation #AmericanHistory #TakingYouPlaces #bookstagram

📕 “The Sharpshooter and the Showman: May Lillie, Pawnee Bill, and their Wild West Show”
✒️ @chrisenssauthor
📚 Available at your local bookstores, museums & gift shops from Farcountry Press, an independent, family-owned, award-winning book publisher based in Helena, Montana!

Enter now to win a copy of

Meet the Kellys:

The True Story of Machine Gun Kelly and His Moll Kathryn Thorne

“This book is such a fun look at a terrible time in American history, the Great Depression and the gangster era. Reads like a novel but every word is true. A masterpiece.” David Crow, bestselling author of The Pale Faced Lie.

Enter to win a copy of the hardback book or an audio book

July 15! For one day only, grab your e-book copy of

Meet the Kellys: The True Story of Machine Gun Kelly and His Moll Kathryn Thorne

at a special sale price—available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever e-books are sold!

History lovers are invited to the Nevada County Historical Society’s upcoming speakers event for a captivating presentation by Chris Enss on her book Meet the Kellys: The True Story of Machine Gun Kelly and His Moll Kathryn Thorne.

When: Thursday, July 17th, 2025 at 7:00 PM.

Where: The Sierra Presbyterian Church located at 175 Ridge Road, Nevada City.

Gangsters. Lovers. Legends. Meet the Kellys—the bootlegging, bank-robbing, husband-wife duo known as “Machine Gun” Kelly and Kathyrn Thorne—who masterminded one of the most infamous kidnappings in American crime . . .

How did a small-time, hip-pocket bootlegger become one of the most notorious gangsters in the country? For George “Machine Gun” Kelly, the answer was simple: a woman. Her name was Kathryn Thorne, a charming, strong-minded beauty who had family connections in the crime world—and big ambitions for the tall, handsome bootlegger. By the time she met Kelly, she was already an experienced criminal herself, divorced twice, and ready to marry a man who could give her the posh life she always dreamed of. With that in mind, she bought Kelly his first machine gun. And the rest is history . . .

George Kelly wasn’t a natural-born gangster and never carried a weapon bigger than a revolver. But Kathryn changed all that. Like a mobbed-up Lady Macbeth, she pushed her husband to commit greater crimes, introducing him to her friends in the underworld and convincing him to join in a series of bank robberies. Soon, the Kellys were living large, with a house in Texas, expensive jewelry, the works. But it wasn’t enough, and eventually the couple hatched a daring plot to kidnap oil tycoon Charles Urschel. Their plan worked. They collected the ransom—and captured the attention of the nation, the world . . . and the FBI.

A shocking story of ambition and greed, crime and punishment, Meet the Kellys offers a fascinating portrait of a reluctant gangster named after a machine gun and a scheming moll as driven as Bonnie Parker and Ma Barker. A must-read for true crime fans.

Admission: FREE and open to the public, this event lasts one hour. Free refreshments offered after the presentation. For more information, call or text Daniel Ketcham at (530) 477-8056

Enter now to win a copy of

Meet the Kellys:

The True Story of Machine Gun Kelly and his Moll Kathryn Thorne

American gangster George Kelly Barnes (1895 – 1954), aka Machine Gun Kelly, with his wife Kathryn at their trial for the kidnapping of businessman Charles F. Urschel, at the Federal Court in Oklahoma City, 9th October 1933. Kelly has a bump on his head after being hit with a pistol butt during an altercation on his arrival at court. Kelly and his wife pleaded guilty and were sentenced to life imprisonment. (Photo by FPG/Archive Photos/Getty Images)

“This was a compelling and informative listen that offered a deep and often surprising look into the lives of Machine Gun Kelly and his wife, Kathryn. The story of the kidnapping, the aftermath, and the ripple effects on those connected to them was both sobering and fascinating. It’s the kind of story that stays with you—one that invites you to reflect on history, resilience, and the complexity of the people behind the headlines.

The author approached the subject with care and insight, and the narration brought an added layer of depth that made the experience all the more engaging. I found myself thinking about the people involved long after the audiobook ended.

This was more than just a true crime story—it was a powerful exploration of human experience.” Happy Amazon Reviewer

Meet the Kellys:

The True Story of Machine Gun Kelly and his Moll Kathryn Thorne.

Available at bookstores everywhere!

Enter now to win a copy of

Meet the Kellys:

The True Story of Machine Gun Kelly and his Moll Kathryn Thorne

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a page turner

Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2025

“The KELLYS come to life in a new biography by Chris Enss. Discover the back story of MACHINE gun KELLY in this page turner.” Reviewer Andrew Horowitz

Enter now to win a copy of

Meet the Kellys:

The True Story of Machine Gun Kelly and his Moll Kathryn Thorne

5.0 out of 5 stars Wild West Shows

“A historically well written (complete with extensive Footnotes) yet entertaining book on May Lillie, Pawnee Bill, and their Wild West Show. Book develops background of Wild West shows and their business practices. Good development of romance and marriage of May and Gordon (Pawnee Bill), she was an audience member who thought “he was a funny looking man”. Gordon was a horseback rider and trick shooter in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show who thought “May was the prettiest girl he’d ever seen”. The show operated seasonally.

Gordon had meet Blue Hawk from the Pawnee Reservation in the show and made good on his promise to visit him. Gordon became proficient in the Pawnee language and was given the name “Little Bear” ‘

After their marriage they would move to Gordon’s ranch near Willington, Kansas. May had always lived in the city. The ranch was located in the Pawnee Indian Agency, later to be known as Pawnee, Oklahoma. The heartbreak of losing their 6- week-old son and May almost losing her life would set the stage for May traveling with the show.

The book details their travels with the Show, their eventual forming of their own show and the various business problems they encountered. May was a major part of the popularity of the show, she was an expert Horsewoman and Businesswoman. Gordon early on was interested in Bison preservation and would grow his herd to be one of the largest pure blood Bison herds in the US. Gordon worked with Theordore Roosevelt to sponsor legislation for a Bison Preserve. This did not pass but a portion of the Wichita Reservation was designated a National Game Preserve for Bison.

Gordon and May would also built a historic Wild West Town on their Ranch that was open to visitors. The Pawnee Bill Ranch Historic Site and Museum is still open to visitors. Excellent book for history of The Wild West shows , early history of Bison Preservation and a great read!”

Thanks to True West Magazine for listing the Sharpshooter and the Showman as a recommended summer read!

Enter now to win a copy of

Meet the Kellys:

The True Story of Machine Gun Kelly and his Moll Kathryn Thorne

Kathryn Kelly, wife of gangster George “Machine Gun” Kelly (Original photo has no negative date or photo credit, published 08/03/1986 in The Daily Oklahoman)

Tune in to Zone 7 Cold Case as Crime Scene Investigator Sheryl McCollum sits down with bestselling author and private investigator Chris Enss to dig into the real story of Kathryn Thorne—the woman who didn’t just stand beside Machine Gun Kelly but helped build his legend. They discuss Kathryn’s sharp mind, bold choices, how she planned a headline-making kidnapping, and even called J. Edgar Hoover herself. Sheryl and Chris also explore the early days of the FBI, the origin of the term “G-Man,” and how the courtroom became Kathryn’s stage.

https://www.crimeonline.com/2025/06/27/the-outlaw-queen-kathryn-thorne-and-the-making-of-machine-gun-kelly/

“I listened to this yesterday on my work commute. It ended WAY too soon! I could have listened to hours of y’all chatting! I honestly didn’t want it to end! Guess I am gonna have to read the book now and hope that you have her on again soon! It was a brilliant interview! Wonderful! Thank you!” Elizabeth Deschesne Godard

Enter now to win a copy of

Meet the Kellys:

The True Story of Machine Gun Kelly and his Moll Kathryn Thorne

Thanks to True West Magazine for the review of 

The Sharpshooter and the Showman

Meet the Kellys: The True Story of Machine Gun Kelly and Kathryn Thorne. Don’t miss Zone 7 tomorrow with author and Wild West expert Chris Enss! @chrisenssauthor

Work a cold case alongside investigator Sheryl “Mac” McCollum, Director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute. Every week, Sheryl dives into her cold case files alongside accomplished guests to look for clues into unsolved murders, missing people, and more. This ain’t just a podcast but a war room. Sheryl opens her cold case files, her heart and her little black book! You will quickly realize Zone 7 is not a place but a lifestyle!

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-zone-7-with-sheryl-mccoll-106023288/