Demise of Wes Hardin

As August draws on, we find that the month is almost as busy as April in El Paso's Old West Heritage.

In 1890, Fat Alice Abbott was feeling her age, and sold out her establishment on Utah St to Tillie Howard.Tillie had begun her career as a Caboose Girl at age 12, and had been working the business ever since. She immediatly establish a new standard of decor and elegance in El Paso's Reservation. By mid August, Gypsy Davenport had sold out to Tillie as well.

It was about this time in 1891 that Killin Jim Miller was appointed as Deputy Sheriff under Bud Frazier in Reeves County. This was the beginning of a feud between Miller and Fraziet that would bring them to El Paso in 1895.

Which brings me to my newest rant and rave. On the Leon Metz Show this morning, the guests were Melissa Sargent, and Patricia Kiddney and they wanted to talk the Demise of Hardin and the meeting of the Secret Hardin Society the 19th. It's a fun event, and a great fund raiser for the Concordia Heritage Association. In a way though, I do miss the bad old days when Bobby McNellis was still around.

It was a time when just us idiots would gather, come hell or high water, pour out a shot of whiskey, and toast Wes and his history. There'd be plenty of broken glass around the grave, and we'd head for home. Remember one year, it was a raining and a thundering, and there just four of us die hards out there in the pitch black night. In those days, it was advertised. Folks would just be there. of course the toast would be at 11:02, the approximate time Constable John Selman shot Hardin in the back of the head. Like I said that was back in the day.

Now these days there's a $5.oo admission, despite the order from El Paso County Commissioners Court ( hey they call it admission in their own press releases.) And once again, Ms Kiddney displayed just how shallow her history is. She has portrayed Helen Beulah M'Rose, Hardin's last paramour, for at least 10 years now. One would think she'd keep the details straight about Beulah's previous common law husband's death straight. Maybe I'm asking too much of someone attempting to portray historical figures.

Now my teachers, especially Guy Lafitte, always taught me, to do a first person impression, you have to have a depth of detail. One has to know the situation surrounding the Character, and the intimate details of the person. If you're portraying a gambler, good lord know the games the gambler dealt! If he was a gun man, have a decent knowledge of how to shoot. Iffn you're portraying a prostitute, know the details of the business. This especially true if you are accepting donations or money for your appearances.

Here in town, one of the best programs going seems to be the Living historians at the Magoffin Home Historic site. These folks know the house and the family inside and out. A visitor normally doesn't catch one of these folks off guard with unusual questions.

Well that's enough for one night. Keep your powder dry.


Special post coming up Thursday Night.