The army caught up with them at Sierra Enmedio in Sonora, where they engaged them in a hard fight. [7], Horn was a respected scout by then, known for going out alone in reconnaissance missions and helping track down Geronimo's major stronghold. The prosecution introduced testimony by at least two witnesses, including Lefors, as well as circumstantial evidence; these elements only placed Horn in the general vicinity of the crime scene. What's the matter,' came in a calm tone through the black cap, getting nervous I might tip over?. He was hanged on November 20, 1903. Captains William Augustus Rafferty and Tullius Tupper led the 6th Cavalry on a chase of several hundred Apache who left the San Carlos Reservation toward Mexico. Riding to Coble's ranch, they stop at Brown's Hole to water the horses. In one case, Horn and another agent, C.W. I look at it as a business proposition, and I think I have a corner on the market. Nevertheless, studying the past and the kinds of people about whom we write is almost a sacred trust for many of us who write historical fiction. "Hicks" was said to have been the only one in the area to use a .30-30. This movie is a somewhat fictionalized account of a former scout and gunman who was found guilty of the 1901 murder of a fourteen year old sheepherder named Willie Nickell in Wyoming. He was, The popular image of convicted assassin Tom Horn is of a man who met his. It stars Steve McQueen, Linda Evans, Richard Farnsworth, Billy Green Bush and Slim Pickens. Thomas Horn Jr., (November 21, 1860 November 20, 1903) was an American scout, cowboy, soldier, range detective, and Pinkerton agent in the 19th-century and early 20th-century American Old West. Tom Horn was hanged in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on November 20, 1903, for the ambush killing of 14-year-old Willie Nickell. [33] Two of the younger Nickell children later reported seeing two men leaving on horses, one a bay and one gray, as were horses owned by Jim Miller. Horn claimed innocence in the crime for which he went to the gallows. So, while Proctor buckled straps that bound Horn's arms and legs, the Irwins, each in a rich tenor, sang a rather lugubrious song popular on the range, Life Is Like a Mountain Railroad. I LOVE your bad boy heroes because you dont pull any punches. Later, Horn took part in the Pleasant Valley War between cattlemen and sheepmen in Arizona. Is it because it is so opposite of mine? Shortly after his return, Horn began working in 1901 for wealthy cattle baron JohnC. Coble, who belonged to the Wyoming Stock Men's Association. To Horns friends, however, this was not surprising since Horn, in their opinions, had a very high opinion of himself. Horn considered himself lucky to have lost no packer during the war, although Horn recalled that his men and he were under constant fire as they delivered rations and ammunition to the soldiers. Still the sinister sound of running water; then mercifully, the leaves of the trap parted with a crash and Horn's body hung through the opening. Tom Horn mustve been a piece of work. Yet even Horns defenders in the Nickell case do not dispute that he was a brutal hired killer who was unquestionably responsible for many other deaths. Still, Horn was found guilty. By 1890, Tom was in the employ of the Pinkerton Detective Agency and tasked with tracking and finding various suspected lawbreakers. Was he just, at the end, a man who couldnt change as his world changed around him? All this is laid out in my book, Tom Horn: Blood on the Moon. According to JohanP. Bakker, who wrote Tracking Tom Horn, the large cattle interests by this time found Horn "expendable", and the case provided a way to silence him in regard to their activities. Notably, there is evidence for tampering with Horns manuscript after his death and before it was published by his rancher friend and employer John C. Coble. Youd think bad guys would have the decency to be unattractive, wouldnt you? This drop was not sufficient; his neck was not broken. Horns last words were directed to County Clerk Joseph Cahill, who assisted him to his execution. We strive for accuracy and fairness. They were jailed on August 7 and released the following day on bond. Boy, do I know we share a love of bad boys and the ones who are complex and tough as nails are the best, arent they? You would think so. In 1900, Horn began working for the Swan Land and Cattle Company in northwest Colorado. Youre a woman after my own heart. Well howdy there, Linda, you ol sidewinder! The theory: Horn mistook, Tom Horn was famed as a gunman. At the time, he was working as an assassin for the local cattlemen attempting to enforce their control of the open range of southeastern Wyoming against the growing number of rustlers and sheep headers in the area. But seriously its sad that for some there life ended so young. Yes, he was out of date and out of the times. Sounds like a plot from a movie. He was, Cowboy Tom Horn of Pleasant Valley, Arizona, won the steer tying competition at the Globe, The popular image of convicted assassin Tom Horn is of a man who met his. Articles with the HISTORY.com Editors byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen. Box 8008,Cave Creek, AZ 85327 or e-mail him at marshall.trimble@scottsdalecc.edu, Tom Horn was famed as a gunman. Horn was tired and convicted on October 24, 1902. Smalley, his face buried in the crook of an arm resting against the gallows tree, was trembling. Cowboy Tom Horn of Pleasant Valley, Arizona, won the steer tying competition at the Globe, The popular image of convicted assassin Tom Horn is of a man who met his, Tom Horn was hanged for the murder of teenage Willie Nickell. [26] Dart was one of Rash's fellow cowboys but was believed to have previously worked as a rustler named Ned Huddleston and to have been a former member of the late "Tip Gault" gang. However, he soon became a scout and was even named chief of the scouts in 1885, after Sieber was recalled and upon Siebers own recommendation. Horn allegedly confessed to killing the young Willie with his rifle from 300 yards (270m), which he boasted of as the "best shot that [he] ever made and the dirtiest trick that [he] had ever done." Bits and pieces like the ones below bring real-life villains to life and sometimes provide insight into the men behind the myths. By 1894, negative publicity had made a public war too costly. Horn was next involved in General George Crooks expedition in 1883 against Geronimo. It is wild with adventure. Shot to death by Sheriff Pat Garrett at Fort Sumner, New Mexico, July 14, 1881. His intended target was Kels B, Nickell, a rancher who had brought sheep onto the range. Im always both fascinated and appalled by the things bad people say, arent you? In the letter he boldly admits that he prefers to work alone, murdering only for money. Thats one of the things I like about fiction, both writing and reading: Bad guys can be redeemed, often by a good womans love, and go forth never to ride roughshod across the west again (hopefully). The investigation of the shooting of Kels Nickell was added to the investigation of Willie Nickell's murder in the coroner's inquest. Female villains are even more fascinating than their male counterparts. Ooh I like that perspective, Jesse! Maybe its because they lived such bold, flash-in-the-pan lives, as untamed as the land they roamed. In 1892, they sent him to Colorado to help cattle companies prevent rustling. The news of Rash and Dart's deaths spread throughout the territory, causing the other rustlers to scatter in fear. A rancher named John Coble (Richard Farnsworth) finds Tom after witnessing the fight, and offers him shelter and a job after he recovers from his injuries. Tom Horn: Directed by William Wiard. He gathered a team for the defense headed by former Judge John W. Lacey, and which included attorneys T.F. Burke, RoderickN. Matson, EdwardT. Clark, and T.Blake Kennedy. In Tom Horn: Blood on the Moon, Chip Carlson argues that Horn was railroaded and most likely didnt kill the youth. Tom Horn's first undeniable action was the Tupper-Rafferty Enmedio fight in 1882. Some have become such mythic figures, its difficult to tell fact from fiction. Ive heard Westerns state something is a days ride away. It is wild with adventure. It does make for a good foundation for a story. . Some historians suggest that Horn may have murdered Willie Nickell by accident, having mistaken the boy for his father. Seeing Horn, the boy whirled and ran. As the writerly saying goes, Even the villain is the hero of his own life story. Maybe thats why I spend so much time researching bad boysand why the heroes in my stories so often are outlaws, even the ones who wear badges. One, Deacon Jim Miller (also known as Killer Jim Miller) was a pillar of his communitywhen he wasnt eliminating someone for money. His soft shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, this exposing the scar of the wound he had suffered in a fight at Dixon. 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars. Jim Miller and his neighbor Kels Nickell had already had several disputes following Nickell's introduction of sheep into the Iron Mountain area. Horn was executed for the murder in 1903. But after four years as a Pinkerton, Horn had become bored; and in 1894 he signed on as a hired killer with the privately run Wyoming Cattlemens Association. I guess times were tough back then too. If I undertake the job, No cure no pay is my mottoe [sic]. Some had wives and children. [33], Deputy Marshal Joe Lefors later questioned Horn in January 1902 about the murder while supposedly talking to him about employment. Lynched in Ada, Oklahoma, April 19, 1909, for the contract killing of a former U.S. marshal. asked Smalley.No,' replied Horn. Let er rip. House of the Rising Sun A Blood Red Sun. "The Hanging of Tom Horn, 1903" EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2012). Tried, convicted and hanged in 1903 in Cheyenne for a murder he almost certainly did not commit, Tom Horn was an enigmatic range detective in the employ of ranchers who controlled large tracts of land in southeastern Wyoming and northwestern Colorado. All Rights Reserved. As a reverend prayed, Horn and another condemned man sang Keep Your Hand upon the Throttle and Your Eye upon the Rail. A famous army scout, Indian fighter, and cattle detective, Horn was self-educated and served as a tracker for the party that captured the Apache leader Geronimo. The Irwin brothers, flanked by guards, stood beside them. Tom Horn was famed as a gunman. Horn passed this information on to Charlie Siringo, who was working the case for the Pinkertons. Still, I often find myself wondering who were these guys? Had I been a contemporary, would I have seen the same life historians recorded? [22] In 1896, a ranchman named Campbell, known to have a large stash of cash, was last seen with Horn. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! The consensus is that regardless of whether Horn committed that particular murder, he had certainly committed many others[20] -- a concession to probability, but not an affirmation of guilt. At that time, Horn never gave up the names of those who had hired him during the feud. [27] Horn, however, managed to track Dart to his cabin and saw him hiding together with two other armed associates. Originally published in 1904 (Life of Tom Horn) . I love it [the bandit life]. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. In the early morning hours, Horn nestled in a group of rocks overlooking the entrance of the Nickells ranch He saw his victim approach the gate and dismount. [33] The prosecution introduced Horn's confession to Lefors. Even the old Apache warrior, Geronimo, expressed his doubts about Horn's charges during an interview with Charles Ackenhausen, saying that he "did not believe [Horn] guilty".[38]. In these post-Apache war years, Horns history shifts murky once again. However, Tom Horn was more than that. This eyewitness account appears in Krakel, Dean, The Saga of Tom Horn (1954, 1982); Carlson. Cant you hurry this up a bit? After a botched escape attempt, Horn spent his last months writing his memoirs. Ed,' he commented to Smalley, 'That's the sickest looking lot of damned sheriffs I ever seen. Kensler was convicted of shooting the other man who this woman regularly saw. Tom Horn, convicted of murder, hanging, Wyoming. But it was the line about his last murder being a 14 year-old boy that really gouged me. According to his book, Tom Horn: Blood on the Moon (2001), no physical evidence showed that Horn had committed the murder. Black Jack Ketchum: University of New Mexico While it does present a correct career arc, in substance it builds Horn to be a more important figure than he was. Executed November 20, 1903. Thanks for sharing this information. Deacon Jim Miller, age 42, professional assassin. The theory: Horn mistook. And to think he was a Pinkerton before turning assassin. If he thought a man were guilty of stealing cattle and had been fairly warned, Horn said that he would shoot the thief and would not feel "one shred of remorse". Roping the legend of 'Tom Horn,' Steve McQueen's overlooked 1980 western Steve McQueen displays his horse riding proficiency albeit seated on a folding chair by securing a hackamore instead. After moving westward in the mid-1870s, Horn was at various times a cowboy, miner, army scout, deputy sheriff, and packer for the Rough Riders in Cuba, but his most notorious career was as a hired gun. The assassin was said to have set up a sniping position overlooking the cabin from a hill, under cover of a pine tree. Hanged in Giddings, Texas, Oct. 11, 1878, for the murder of a childhood friend. A very nicely filmed movie and another "must have" for any western movie collector. Smalley on one side and a friend of Horn, T. Joe Cahill, on the other, lifted the doomed man onto the trap. setTimeout(function(){var t=document.createElement("script");t.setAttribute("src","https://sample.dragonforms.com/getEmbeddedClientScript.do?embeddedsite=TW_dispatch_nl"),t.setAttribute("type","text/javascript"),document.body.appendChild(t)},5); Become a subscriber today and youll recieve a new issue every month plus unlimited access to our full archive of backlogged issues. I, however, do prefer my heroes to be a bit less callus about how they treat their fellow man. [36], Horn's trial started October 10, 1902, in Cheyenne, which filled with crowds attracted by the notoriety of Horn. Tom,' spoke up Charlie Irwin, did you confess to the preacher? This has all led to controversy over Tom Horn and his legacy: was he an antihero as the book seems to suggest, or just a cold-hearted killer? They stand up and fight for the weaker person and administer their brand of justice. Brit Moonchaser is bad attitude on legs. Tom Horn, convicted of murder, hanging, Wyoming. By the mid 1890s, the cattle business in Wyoming and Colorado was changing due to the arrival of homesteaders and new ranchers. The irony of all this was that Tom Horn was apparently a fairly likeable guy, and he had many friends and allies. While Lefors account is questionable, it is clear that Horn was killing for money. Horn briefly entered the United States Army to serve during the SpanishAmerican War as the chief packer of the Fifth Corps. Tom Horn was famed as a gunman. His account was originally published in the Denver, Colorado, Posse of Westeners. Horn and Sieber also participated in the Battle of Big Dry Wash and gained recognition when he and Lt. George H. Morgan slipped through the banks opposite the Apache line and provided covering fire for the cavalry killing a number of Apache warriors. Tom Horn lives on in Wyoming lore, and the tale has no greater curator than Wyomings Chip Carlson. Some 6080 of his sheep were found "shot or clubbed to death". Ms. Kimmell was supported by both the large Miller and Kels Nickell families, and she boarded with the Millers. Accounts of its contents appeared in the press, but the original document has since disappeared. Horn grabbed a semi-automatic pistol from a jailer as he ran. On November 20, 1903, Tom Horn was hanged in Cheyenne, Wyoming, for the murder of a fourteen-year-old nester boy. His last words were reported as, Thats the sickest looking lot of damned sheriffs I ever saw.. The army caught up with them at Sierra Enmedio in Sonora, where they engaged them in a hard fight. Some historians have since questioned whether Horn really killed the boy, pointing out that the jury convicted him solely on the basis of a drunken confession that Horn supposedly made to a detective. [33] The governor chose not to intervene in the case. 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