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Get ready to saddle up and dive into the Wild West like never before! Introducing the dynamic duo, Sam Bass and Calamity Jane, your thrilling new hosts for the extended content of the Wild West Podcast. Adventure awaits as they bring the legendary tales of the frontier to life!

The frontier settlement of Dodge City earned its nickname "Bibulous Babylon" honestly in 1873. With no formal law enforcement and a population explosion of buffalo hunters and railroad workers, violence flourished—15 to 30 people died violently that first year alone. Boot Hill Cemetery filled quickly with those who "died with their boots on."

Enter Billy Brooks, a man whose reputation preceded him. Already known as "Bully Brooks," he'd been a buffalo hunter, stagecoach driver renowned for delivering mail through flooded creeks, and briefly served as Newton's city marshal where he'd been shot three times yet still chased his attackers for miles. When concerned Dodge City businessmen needed someone to impose order without official backing, Brooks seemed the perfect solution—a man whose mere presence might deter troublemakers.

Legend claims Brooks engaged in a staggering 15 gunfights during his brief tenure, reportedly killing seven or eight men. But when we examine the historical record closely, a different picture emerges. Most of these alleged confrontations lack names, dates, or any primary documentation. What we can verify are just two significant incidents: shooting railroad yardmaster Brownie through the head (who surprisingly survived) and more tellingly, backing down from Kirk Jordan in a public confrontation that shattered his fearsome image. After hiding under a bed until nightfall, Brooks left town, his effectiveness as a lawman permanently compromised.

His life spiraled downward from there—returning to stagecoach driving before losing his job, then turning to horse theft, which led to his arrest and eventual lynching by vigilantes in 1874. Brooks' story perfectly encapsulates the contradictions of frontier justice: hired to impose order through intimidation, he ultimately fell victim to the same extra-legal violence he represented.

What does our fascination with figures like Brooks reveal about our relationship with the American frontier? Why do we cling to the 15 gunfights legend despite limited evidence? Join us as we separate Wild West myth from documented reality, and consider what stories like his tell us about ourselves.

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"Edward Masterson and the Texas Cowboys," penned by Michael King, takes readers on an exhilarating ride through the American West, focusing on the lively and gritty cattle town of Dodge City, Kansas. This thrilling dime novel plunges into the action-packed year of Ed Masterson's life as a lawman, set against the backdrop of the chaotic cattle trade, filled with fierce conflicts, shifting loyalties, and rampant lawlessness. You can order the book on Amazon.