Now How Cool is This?

We have yet another milestone in El Paso history coming up. Ironically, it is also a personal one.

November 20^th, 2010 sees the centennial of the beginning o f the Mexican Revolution. Porifiro Diaz had been president of Mexico pretty much since 1874. Under his regime, foreign investors had developed the resources of Mexico, and built miles of railroads. All this came at a price. While the richer got richer, the poor became poorer. There had been rumblings of discontent, even an aborted revolt as early as 1894. In the election of 1908 Diaz actually had a worthy opponent. Francisco Madero was the son of a wealthy family. He actually cared about ALL the people of Mexico, not just the rich. When Madero became too much a threat, Diaz had him jailed. Upon his release, Madero realized that there was not a peaceful way to make changes. He planned and organized. There were skirmishes and fights with Federal forces. Then Madero set the date. The Revolution would begin on November 20^th, 1910.

The Mexican Revolution would have a great impact on El Paso. The city of Juarez sat on the northern terminus of the only north-south railroad running the length of the country. It was a vital embarkation point for arms and supplies. The merchants in El Paso were more than willing to provide those arms and supplies… for a price. To keep the fighting contained in Mexico, the U.S. government set more troops to patrol the border. Overnight FT Bliss went from a sleepy brigade sized post to a facility housing over a division sized force.

The personal milestone? On November 20th,2010, the centennial of the Mexican Revolution, I turn 50 years old. Now how cool is that?

November 2010

Yesterday was an interesting day for this old gunslinger. I have a long list of honey do's, plus one invite I just had to attend. Of course, I got the call from Sue Taylor about a Boyscout Troop wanting a down and dirty tour of downtown. So at 9:00 I was at the Museum, scraping off the "good" stuff to make it suitable for 12 year olds. That said I did have fun with the gentlemen from Troop 164. They asked good questions and seemed to have a good time.

The big event was a reception held for a dear friend down at 5 Points. November 6th marked the 80th birthday of author, historian and story teller, Leon Metz. Leon has had quite a career. Born and raised in West Virginia, as with most of us, he was brought to the Pass of the North by the military. In Leon's case it was the Air Force. After his hitch in the Air Force, Leon worked at Chevron, later working for Mayor Tom Westphall. The Leon became the first archivist at the University of Texas, El Paso. He had the privilege of working with such literary/ history greats as Haldden Braddy, Dr. Timmons, John O. West, Doc Sonnichsen, Chris Fox, and Carl Herztog. Along the way, Leon began writing himself, and the rest is history.

I have most of Leon's books on my selves here at"Gun Fight Central". Most folks remember Dark Angel of Texas, Dallas Stoudenmire, John Selman, and of course El Paso Chronicles. Two that are often over looked are Desert Army: the story of Ft Bliss, and Border. By and far, I find that Border is the best of Leon's work, followed by Dark Angel of Texas. For those of you that didn't know, or don't remember, Deen Underwood wrote a biography on Leon back in 1995. Contact her or her husband Ham for information about getting a copy. And before I forget about it, I want to thank Ham Under wood for the use of his photos for this issue of Gunfight Central.

One of the things Cheryl wanted us to do was to write a quick note on a 3x5 card, with any special memories we have of Leon that we'd like to share. I got to thinking about it, and Cheryl wouldn't let me use 4 or 5 packets of the darned things. As I think about it, I wasn't the only one. I do have some very special memories. Through Leon I met Chuck Parson, and my membership into the Wild West Hertiage Association. Plus learned not to let Leon drive.

I can mark the first time I met Leon Metz almost to the hour. It was just after 7:00, August 19^th, 1995. We were in attendance at the Centennial celebration for the Demise of John Wesley Hardin at the Hacienda restaurant. At the time I had not transitioned to Old West stuff yet. I was still very active in the Horse Cavalry Association’s Memorial Troop, specializing in the Mexican Revolution and the Punitive Expedition. Leon was waiting for Dark Angel of Texas to be released. I had been listening to Leon’s radio show every Thursday since I can remember, and was a frequent caller. I was usually pointing out anniversaries of various events during Pershing’s operations in Mexico. What really struck me upon introducing myself was that Leon treated me like a long lost friend right from the start. We chatted about this and that, about history in general, and the event. It was a pleasant evening. That is how Leon Metz is, everyone is a long lost friend, you just did not know it.

Two years later, I decided to actually sit down and write a real book. There were quite a number of volumes on the shelves concerning the Civil War and Indian War period Cavalry. There are not any reference volumes dealing with what the everyday “Joe” faced in Mexico during the Punitive Expedition of 1916. I decided to write that missing book. Of course to explain the why and how of the expedition, one has to cover the revolution and events leading up to Pancho Villa’s raid on Columbus.

I roughed out my outline, and actually got three chapters written. Then I asked Leon to go over it and tell me what he thought. I would be lying if I did not admit I was more than a little miffed when he returned my manuscript. Poor Leon, after using up one red pen with in the first 25 pages, he gave up and wrote a 3 page letter listing the changes and edits. That is when I received the second best piece of advice I ever received from Leon. When someone edits your work, you have three choices to make; 1: Follow the edit to the letter 2: ignore the edit or 3: Maybe the edit suggests a better way all around than you thought of in the first place. I have come to appreciate this advice over the years, and follow it religiously.

Now it is 15 years later, and we have traded places. I am concentrating on the Old West, while Leon is trying to get his book on the Mexican revolution published. There is a serendipity to all this, I guess.

What is the best piece of advice I ever received from Leon? If you are going to write and speak on history, do not quit your day job.

Happy Birthday Leon and may you have many more.

Not So Secret Dallas Stoudenmire Society

It's the 18th of September. On this date in 1882, Jim Manning put a bullet in the back of Dallas Stoudenmire's head, thus ending a 18 month feud that terrorized El Paso. Just who was Dallas Stoudenmire? Funny you should ask. He was born in Alabama to a farmer father. He enlisted and fought with the Confederate States Army during the "War of Northern Aggression". By the accounts he was a fearless fighter, and wounded severely several times. There are rumors that after the war. like so many other Confederate veterans, he sold his services to Maximilian in Mexico. in 1874, Stoudenmire was a Texas Ranger, in Co A Frontier Battalion. It was Co A under Capt Waller that chased through 5 counties in Texas, after one John Wesley Hardin. Stoudenmire was probably in the thick of it. We do know that by 1881 he was a deputy in Socorro, New Mexico.

Early El Paso didn't have much luck with their City Marshals. Between July 1880 and April 1881 the city had gone through five men, including the town drunk, in their search for a man that could curb the rising tide as the rail road approached. Stanley "Doc" Cummings ran several restaurants in town, and he along with Capt Baylor of the Rangers submitted Stoudenmire's name in for consideration. April 11th, 1881 he was appointed City Marshal.

A rising power block in El Paso at the time was headed by the Manning brothers. Also of Alabama breeding, they also fought in the COnfederate side, and hired out to Maximilien. By 1879, Frank Manning was here in El paso as a Texas Ranger. By 1880, he was running a saloon at the head of the Southern Pacific tracks, relocating to the Dowell Saloon after Ben Dowell passed away in November, 1880. Along with brothers James and John, the Manning owned a ranch out near present day Canutillo. This ranch served as a clearing house and Head Quarters for the local rustlers and thives working out of the Ft Fillmore Bosque. James would run for mayor in 1881, and come in dead last.

At the very beginning, Stoudenmire clashed with the Mannings. April 14th, the was a gun battle in the middle of El Paso Street, which history calls the "4 Dead in 5 Seconds", Stoudenmire had removed most the brains in the Mannings' rustling operation. They sent Bill Johnson, town drunk and ex-City Marshal to assassinate Stoudenmire on the 17th. Johnson ended up dead instead of Stoudenmire. There were several other attempts, and Stoudenmire never passed by an excuse to harass the Mannings in return. Because of the tension, Stoudenmire began drinking heavilly, and was almost as much a terror to the town and the rustlers and outlaws. He stepped down as Marshal in May 1882, and was appointed as a Deputy U.S. Marshal soon afterwards.

Very early the morning of September 18th, 1882 Dallas Stoudenmire arrived from Deming. He had a packet of papers to serve. And one man was known to hang out at the Manning Saloon, so Stoudenmire stops long enough to take a look inside the saloon, then leaves to have a drink at the Acme Saloon. In true typical El Paso fashion, the story was spread and distorted to the point that by the time Frank Manning heard about it when he arrived at 10:00, it sounded as if Stoudenmire had been there to gunn down the brothers. Emmissaries went back and forth between the two parties all day, trying to sooth things over. Finally about 5:30 that evening, a truce was agreed upon, and all that was needed was to seal the deal with drinks.

About 6:00 Stoudenmire arrived at the Manning Saloon with Walt Jones, former Ranger, and part owner of the Acme. As Frank went to get Jim Manning, Doc Manning and Dallas got into an arguem,ent, guns were pulled. Jones tried to separate the men, and threw Stoudenmire off. Doc Manning got the first shot off, wounding Stoudenmire in the arm. Manning's secdond shot wounded him in the chest. Stoudenmire managed to get one shot off, shattering Doc Mannings arm. Doc, realizing that he was a dead man, grappled Stoudenmire with his good arm, pinning the larger man's gun to his side. The two crashed through the doors and out onto the board walk. As Doc and Dallas struggled in a macabre dance of death, Jim Manning came out and fired a shot, splintering a barber pole. Stepping closer, Jim Manning fired again, killing the big Deputy Marshal.

Doc Manning was tried for "Assault with Intent to Murder" and was acquitted in less than 5 minutes. Jim manning was tried for Murder, and acquitted in even less time. Stoudenmire was dressed out and sent to Columbus, Texas for burial by Masonic Lodge #3.

The Not So Secret Dallas Stoudenmire Society will be holding an informal meeting at the El Paso street side of the Camino Real Hotel this evening at 6:00. Bring your own beverage as we toast the man and his times.

Hardin, M'Roz, and Selman

It's that time of year again. Us old timers get our shot glasses ready, and a flack of whiskey for our year pilgrimage to Concordia Cemetery. The event? The 115th anniversary of the killing of John Wesley Hardin.

It was a trial that brought Hardin to El Paso in March 1895. While in prison, he had read law. After being released and pardoned in 1894, Hardin passed the bar exam and hung out his shingle in Gonzalez, Texas. After backing a losing candidate for Sheriff and a failed attempt of marriage to the 16 year old Callie Lewis, Hardin was at loose ends when his cousin wrote asking for help.

Jim Miller had been at odds with Reeves County Sheriff Bud Frazier since 1892. Frazier had once before attempted to gun Miller down in the street. Dec 26th, 1894 Frazier tried it again, emptying his six gun into Miller, and running when the wounded Miller begins firing back. Instead of hunting the man down and killing him out right, Miller decided to prosecute the charge of attempted murder ( actually in those days it was assault with intent to commit murder) In January, Miller's wife, Sallie Clements Miller, wrote to Hardin, asking his assistance in prosecuting the case. The party arrived on March 31st.

There already were a number of gunmen of reputation in town at the time. Jefferson Davis Milton had been confirmed as Chief of Police the previous November. Milton had been a Texas ranger, Customs rider, and Pullman conductor prior to being asked to become the Chief of Police. He had a reputation for bringing in even the hardest of crimminals if the wanted to, but would end the fight permenatly if they made the mistake of shooting at him. George Scarborough had arrived in El paso in 1893 to receive his appointment as Deputy U.S. Marshal. He rode on the posse ouot to clint to retrive the body of Capt Frank Jones, when the Rangers were ambushed by the Olguin brothers on the Island. He was another man that could shoot when the situation called for it. And there was the oldest one of the bunch, Constable John Selman.

Selman had served in an Alabama Regt during the war, deserting and serving in the home guard near Ft Davis until wars end. After a breif sojurn to New mexico territory, Selman set up a small ranch and farm near the Sodom and Gomorrah of the Old West, Ft Griffin, Texas. He teamed up with Sheriff John Larn and ran a successful rustling operation, as well as leading the local Vigilantes. Things got too hot, and Selman escaped to Lincoln County, while Larn was arrested by Rangers, only to be gunned down in his jail cell.

Selman participated at the tail end of the Lincoln County War, his Selman's Scouts committing more actrosities that the other factions combined. After Fleeing New Mexico, Selman set up a rustling operation near Ft Davis, Texas. When that was broken up, he fled to old Mexico, where he ranched, worked rail roads, and traveling saloons/ brothels. All charges in the US had been dropped by 1888, so Selman moved into El Paso. First he worked for the Smelter, the one we now know as ASARCO. After a stint as a bouncer at the Wigwam, and driving horses for Oliver Lee and Albert Fall, he ran for Constable in 1892, and won. Selman had a reputation as a killer, but not from the front. back shooting and in the dead of night were more in line with Selman's style.

The trial of Bud Frazier was a fizzle. With in 5 days the jury was hung, and a new trial set for the session in Colorado City. Miller and most of his party departed to settle their differences elsewhere. Hardin decided to remain in El Paso. A fateful decision. He hung his shingle out on the second floor of the 1st National Bank on the corner of El Paso and San Antonio streets. He had a few clients at first. According to folks that know abouot these things, Hardin was a competent attorney, as evidenced by the written briefs he left behind. The he received a buxom blonde client by the name of M'Roz, Beulah M'Roz to be exact.

Beulah's common law husband, Martin, was a Polish cowboy/ rustler. He had escaped into Mexico to dodge trial on cattle theft charges. With a $1000 reward on his head, the Mexican authorities cooperated and arrested Martin and held him in the Juarez carcel waiting extradition. Beulah needed an attorney to fight the extradition and to recover her money and valuables. Hardin took the case. He hired an attorney in Juarez to cover that end of the situation, and recovered her valuables and most the money. But romance was in the air. Beulah and her lawyer was getting pretty cozy, while Martin remained in jail.

Hardin managed to sell Beulah 1/2 interest in his autobiography, as Martin gained his freedom from the Juaerz jail. He was still wanted by the New Mexico authorities on charges of cattle theft. Matter of fact, New Mexico wanted him bad enough to place a $1000.00 reward for his arrest and return to Eddy County to stand trial. Now Deputy U.S. Marshal George Scarborough was a man who never met a reward he didn't like. He was reminded of a $1000.00 walking around free for the taking across the Rio Grande. Scarborough got the help of Jeff Milton and Frank McMahon and set out to collect that reward. June 29th, 1895 Scarborough convinced Martin to cross after dark so he could see his "beloved" Beulah. Milton and McMahon were waiting on the otherside. Seeing the lawmen, Martin went for the pistol in his pants pocket. The trio of lawmen fired a volley, and Martin went down. M'Roz wasn't finished, he raised up and attempted to fire again. again the trio fired. Martin rose up a third time, and a third time he was knocked down by gunfire. Martin M'Roz was dead. Unfortunately, the Territory of New Mexico's reward was only for Martin's arrest, and return for trial. It was not a Dead or Alive offer. Before the smoke had cleared there was already speculation. Many claimed that Scarborough lifted a sizable bank roll from Martins body. Supposedly he was to split that with Martin's attorney, Wes Hardin.

Selman seemed preoccupied with his "split" of this money, according to the George Look manuscript. It festered at his soul through July, and the start of August.The afternoon of August 19th, Selman and Hardin had a verbal altercation over his son, John Jr. Hardin claimed to be unarmed, but when get a gun, and force Selman to "..shit like a wolf...". Things simmered on

about 10:30 that night Hardin arrived at the Acme Saloon on San Antonio St. For a brief period, Hardin and Selman played a few hands of cards together. Selman left and returned several times. Just before 11:00 the night of August 19th, 1895 Hardin moved to the bar where he played dice with local grocer Harry Brown. Hardin had just thrown his dice when Sleman burst into the saloon, and fired his first round. The bullet his Hardin in the back of the head, exiting near the eyebrow. As the gunfighter lay on the floor, Selman pumped three more bullets into him. John Jr rushed in and spirited his father away.

Hardin would lay on the floor for over two hours as the population of El Paso trooped by to see the dead gunfighter.

--- More to Come---

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.