Ned Christie & Book Signings

In doing the research for the book about Cherokee lawman Sam Sixkiller I’ve come across a lot of information about Cherokee outlaw Ned Christie. Christie was a blacksmith who lived near Tahlequah, Oklahoma in the 1880s and 90s. He sold guns, stole horses, and ran whiskey. In 1885 Christie drove away a lawman who attempted to take him into custody. For the next seven years, a state of siege existed between Christie and the government. On this day in 1892, a posse of federal Marshals assaulted Ned Christie’s fort and two of them were wounded. The posse then tried to set Ned’s fort on fire but they just burned down an outhouse. Then they tried to dynamite him out but that failed too. Finally they gave up. Christie’s outlaw days would soon come to an end however. Deputy Wess Bowman found Christie in the woods near his fort. The two drew on one another and the Deputy shot Christie in the head. Sam Maples, whose father had been killed by Christie in Tahlequah in 1885, emptied his revolver into Christie’s lifeless body. People are driven to do desperate things when justice is a long time coming. For a while now my brother’s tremors have been so bad he can’t hold a fork or spoon. Parkinsons is a horrible disease. Because he can’t hold a fork or spoon he can’t feed himself. The prison is suppose to be getting medicine to him soon, but in the meantime, he’s forced to eat by putting his face into his plate. It‘s heartbreaking and some days I don’t think I’m going to make it. I almost wish I didn’t know. The only thing that keeps me moving forward at times are the books. I’m off this week to do a series of signings in Arizona. I’m getting the Spirit of the West Alive award on Saturday, October 16th in Phoenix. I’m grateful, but would trade it all to save my brother.