This Day…

1875-The ever fractious Panch Griego killed three cavalrymen in a disput over cards in Lambert’s Saloon in Cimarron, New Mexico.

1887-The Swan Land and Cattle Company of Wyoming, only four years old, declares bankruptcy following the devastating winter of 1886-87.  The demise of the huge livestock corporation is symbolic of the Depression that will grip the cattle industry on the Great Plains during the next 10 year.  Over this period the number of cattle in Wyoming alone will decline from 9 million head in 1886 to only 3 million by 1895.

1881-in Galeyville, Arizona Jim Wallace got tired of Curly Bill Brocious giving him sass all day and shot him in the neck.  The bullet exited through Curly Bill’s cheek and knocked out several teeth.  It was a serious wound, but Curly Bill survived and left the territory after he recovered.

1895-The outlaw Little Bill Raidler, killed a townsman, Joe Seaborn, during a bank robbery by the Doolin Gang in Southwest City, Missousi.  The same shot hit Joe’s brother, Oscar.

1822-William Becknell leaves from Franklin, Missouri, on what will be his second trip to Santa Fe.  This time he takes 21 men and three wagons.  The expeditions peioneers the Cimarron Cutoff, a shorter but much more hazardous route than the better-watered ‘Mountain Route’ of the Santa Fe Trail.

1881-Texas Rangers Jeff Milton, J.M. Sedberry, and L.B. Wells heard shooting in the Nip and Tuck Saloon in Colorado City, TX.  A scuffle ensued with the troublemaker, W.P. Patterson, and gunplay erupted that resulted in the untimely demise of Mr. Patterson.

1883-Marshall Henry Brown had to shoot a fractious Pawnee named Spotted Horse for causing a disturbance in Morris’ grocery store in Caldwell, Kansas Spotted Horse lived two hours after being shot four times, once in the head.

1877-Frank Freeman and Charlie Bowdre were whooping it up in Lincoln, N.M.  Freeman got himself arrested for shooting a cavalryman in the head, but he escaped custody on his way to Fort Stanton.  This colorful affray had nothing to do with the bloody Lincoln County War that erupted in 1878.

1963-Hollywood manager Dick Baxter enter show business.  He represented many famous cowboy and cowgirl actors and actresses, but no on as beloved as Dale Evans.

1748-In the Ohio territory, the agents sent out from Pennsylvania, Croghan and Weiser, win a treaty with the Ohio River Valley Indians-an important first step to establishing a free flow of trade.