The Wild West Extravaganza

Make no mistake about it, the exploits of escaped slave-turned-lawman Bass Reeves are legendary. 

Described in the papers of his day as a holy terror and one of the greatest manhunters to ever grace Indian Territory, Bass Reeves served as a deputy U.S. Marshal for over three decades; routinely traveling into no man’s land and returning with wagonloads of prisoners. With over 3,000 arrests and over a dozen kills to his name, Reeves was not only one of the most effective lawmen of the Old West but also one of the most deadly. But who was Bass Reeves really? What kind of man was he? Where’d he come from? How does a mere mortal grow such an amazing mustache? And did he really inspire the Lone Ranger? 

This is part 2 and the final installment of the Bass Reeves series. Link below for episode 1. Today we cover Reeves’ hunt for Ned Christie, his transition from frontier marshal to town police, and we examine whether Bass truly inspired the Lone Ranger.

Bass Reeves | Lawman (Part 1) - https://open.spotify.com/episode/77j3n69HzvPBrWuTMzhOWO

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This Country Life with Brent Reaves - https://www.themeateater.com/listen/this-country-life

Ned Christie | The Wild West Extravaganza - https://open.spotify.com/episode/505f6O0eOusbjG40HjSnNM

Black Gun Silver Star by Art T. Burton - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1496233425?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=1496233425&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

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Make no mistake about it, the exploits of escaped slave-turned-lawman Bass Reeves are legendary. 

Described in the papers of his day as a holy terror and one of the greatest manhunters to ever grace Indian Territory, Bass Reeves served as a deputy U.S. Marshal for over three decades; routinely traveling into no man’s land and returning with wagonloads of prisoners. With over 3,000 arrests and over a dozen kills to his name, Reeves was not only one of the most effective lawmen of the Old West but also one of the most deadly. But who was Bass Reeves really? What kind of man was he? Where’d he come from? How does a mere mortal grow such an amazing mustache? And did he really inspire the Lone Ranger? 

Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/

Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/

Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wildwest

Snapper’s Antique Firearms | 45 Colt in a 73 Winchester 44-40 - https://youtu.be/xa9WMMlSWlU?si=KuXpcq1q-aQUs57b

Black Gun Silver Star by Art T. Burton - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1496233425?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=1496233425&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

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There are many purported photos of the legendary Doc Holliday but only two are authenticated. This is a VISUALY DEPENDENT episode. Check the video out here: https://youtu.be/FvIDvi5NdMo?si=P1mn9Byw4Lte9Vun

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Doc Holliday Picnic Photo - https://www.lotsearch.net/lot/1881-doc-holliday-and-morgan-earp-picnic-tintype-photograph-44737126

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There’s just something about uncontacted tribes that’s always piqued my curiosity. Perhaps you’ve heard of Ishi, who, as the last of his people, emerged from California’s Sierra foothills in the summer of 1911. It’s estimated that Ishi was around 50 years of age and spent the vast majority of his life completely cut off from modern society. And for good reason, after all his tribe was literally slaughtered in a series of massacres.

Then there’s the Bronco Apache I covered here on The Wild West Extravaganza way back when. Link in the description. These guys and gals were still making raids into Arizona and New Mexico as late as 1926. Hell, even a decade later they themselves were being hunted in the mountains of northern Mexico. According to Jason Betzinez, an Apache who rode with Geronimo, those Broncos were still out there as recently as 1959.

Now I don’t know how accurate that is, but if true that’s still quite a long time ago. I think it’s safe to say that as of this recording, there are no remaining uncontacted tribes anywhere in North America.

South America is a different story, though. And let’s not forget about Africa or India. Per the experts at Survival International, there are currently over one hundred uncontacted tribes worldwide. A number that absolutely blows my mind.

If that seems like a lot, I will say that the term uncontacted is a little misleading. Generally speaking, it’s used to describe certain indigenous peoples who AVOID all contact with outsiders. Doesn’t mean they’ve never met anyone else or that they’ve never physically touched or owned modern objects. So long as they continue to avoid all contact with outsiders, they are considered uncontacted.

And today you’re going to hear about a group who, in my opinion, are about as uncontacted as you can possibly get. They have no trade with neighboring tribes, they brook no interference from outsiders and we don’t even know what language they speak, much less what they call themselves. 

 The following is courtesy of Rich Napolitano and his podcast, Shipwrecks and Seadogs:

North Sentinel Island is a remote and largely isolated island located in the Bay of Bengal, belonging to the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago of India. The island is known for its indigenous inhabitants, the Sentinelese, who have fiercely resisted contact with the outside world, maintaining their traditional way of life and avoiding interactions with modern society. Due to their isolation and the limited knowledge about their language and culture, the Sentinelese people remain one of the last uncontacted tribes on Earth, making North Sentinel Island a unique and heavily restricted area for anthropological study and preserving their autonomy. Over recorded history, a number of ships have wrecked near the island, causing unpleasant confrontations with the native people of North Sentinel Island.

Seadogs and Shipwrecks - https://shipwrecksandseadogs.com/

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Original theme music for Seadogs and Shipwrecks by Sean Siegfried - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgBMxexyt1grjt6G1gHHwZA

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The Bronco Apache - https://www.wildwestextra.com/the-last-wild-apache/

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James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok was the epitome of the Wild West. Soldier, spy, scout, gambler, lawman, and yes – gunfighter. Friends with other Old West legends like Buffalo Bill Cody, Kit Carson, Calamity Jane, and George Armstrong Custer, Hickok also brushed shoulders with his fair share of notorious outlaws like John Wesley Hardin. This is a comprehensive look at Wild Bill’s life, from his early days growing up in Illinois, to his time in the Civil War, and his various exploits as a frontier lawman. And finally, we’ll accompany Hickok to the black hills boomtown of Deadwood and his ultimate destiny. You’ve never heard Wild Bill’s story quite like this! THIS IS A COMPILATION FROM A PREVIOUS SERIES ON HICKOK. 

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They called him Wild Bill by Joseph G. Rosa -

https://www.amazon.com/They-Called-Him-Wild-Bill/dp/0806115386

Bloody Bill Anderson - https://www.wildwestextra.com/46-bloody-bill-anderson-the-missouri-bushwhackers/

Making the Hickok Tutt Shot | duelist1954 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7gGgHs2lPU

1867 Harper’s Article - https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-wildbill/

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The mysterious, oftentimes sullen gunfighter Johnny Ringo celebrated July 4th, 1882, by going on a bender. And judging by the liquor bottles stashed in his saddlebags he wasn’t planning on the festivities ending any time soon. Few days later Ringo shows up at a ranch about 20 miles to the north and he’s still drinking. Likewise even later when he runs into Cochise County Sheriff’s deputy Billy Breakenridge. According to Billy it was barely past midday and Johnny was having trouble staying in the saddle. What happened next is a mystery, but the following day Johnny Ringo’s lifeless body was discovered by a teamster; his feet wrapped in a torn shirt, his cartridge belt upside down, his horse gone, and a noticeable piece of his scalp missing, seemingly cut away with a knife. The official coroner’s report would rule Johnny’s death as self-inflicted but is that really what happened? Why would a veteran of so many battles choose to take his own life? And Where was his horse? Why was he barefoot? And who the hell cut off a piece of his hair? And while we’re at it, who the hell was Johnny Ringo anyway, and could he really speak Latin? 

"Eventus stultorum magister."

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Huckleberry vs Hucklebearer – https://www.wildwestextra.com/huckleberry-or-hucklebearer/

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In early 1858, John “RIP” Ford led a detachment of Texas Rangers, along with their Native American allies, on a punitive expedition deep in the heart of Comancheria. Their mission was to catch the Comanche unaware and prove that they could strike them in their own backyard. What followed is known as the Battle or Campaign of Antelope Hills aka the Battle of Little Robe Creek. Also discussed in this episode are the Tonkawa & their Chief Placido, the Comanche chief Iron Jacket, Peta Nocona, and the astonishing raiding capabilities of the Comanche. 

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In the summer of 1895 John Selman Sr gunned down John Wesley Hardin. Considered one of the deadliest shootists of the Old west, Hardin killed his first man at the tender age of fifteen. In the decade that followed dozens of others would fall to the young man’s guns, including – if the legend is true – a victim whose only crime was snoring too loud. Yet despite all this, Hardin’s killer with a badge – John Selman – was far worse. Also discussed is the Lincoln County War, Jesse Evans, George Scarborough, Bass Outlaw, and Hulk Hogan.

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David Lambert on John Selman Sr – https://twitter.com/DavidLambertArt/status/1351688141178978304

David Lambert’s artwork - https://www.patreon.com/davidlambertart/posts

David Lambert Wrong Reel Podcast | Jesse James - https://wrongreel.com/podcast/wr470-jesse-james-american-outlaw/

David Lambert Wrong Reel Podcast |Wyatt Earp - https://wrongreel.com/podcast/wr450-wyatt-earp-and-the-gunfight-at-the-o-k-corral/

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In the spring of 1905, a couple of down-and-out cowboys robbed a dice game in Winslow, Arizona. What followed was a literal pursuit to hell, a bloody gunfight, and an Old West Lazurus rising from the grave for one final sip of whiskey. 

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David Lambert on the Canyon Diablo shootout - https://twitter.com/DavidLambertArt/status/1525570484514848768

David Lambert’s drawing of Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia - https://twitter.com/DavidLambertArt/status/1698242129171304810

David Lambert’s artwork - https://www.patreon.com/davidlambertart/posts

David Lambert Wrong Reel Podcast | Jesse James - https://wrongreel.com/podcast/wr470-jesse-james-american-outlaw/

David Lambert Wrong Reel Podcast |Wyatt Earp - https://wrongreel.com/podcast/wr450-wyatt-earp-and-the-gunfight-at-the-o-k-corral/

Devil’s Canyon Shootout by Bob Boz Belle - https://truewestmagazine.com/article/devil-canyon-shoot-out/

Texas History Lessons - https://open.spotify.com/show/6o5AIqdtjbzY9VctfRArOT

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Ed Scarborough cut his teeth chasing outlaws like Black Jack Ketchum when he was still a teenager. He’d go on to become a deputy sheriff, constable, Arizona Ranger, and according to those who knew him, Ed was born to a saddle, an excellent marksman, and did not know the meaning of the word fear. Make no mistake about it, Ed Scarborough took down many a sassy bandit over the course of his career. Be that as it may, the toughest opponents he’d ever face turned out to be himself and a rabid skunk. Toss in a little bit of cross-dressing, a shootout with a bicycle, some good ole fashioned homicide and a daring prison escape, and we’ve got what may be the most absurd tale I’ve ever had the pleasure to share. Trust me; you’re not going to want to skip this one.

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David Lambert on Ed Scarborough - https://twitter.com/DavidLambertArt/status/1431153148618440704

David Lambert’s drawing of Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia - https://twitter.com/DavidLambertArt/status/1698242129171304810

David Lambert’s artwork - https://www.patreon.com/davidlambertart/posts

David Lambert Wrong Reel Podcast | Jesse James - https://wrongreel.com/podcast/wr470-jesse-james-american-outlaw/

David Lambert Wrong Reel Podcast |Wyatt Earp - https://wrongreel.com/podcast/wr450-wyatt-earp-and-the-gunfight-at-the-o-k-corral/

Bringing a Bike to a Gunfight by Mark Boardman | True West Magazine - https://truewestmagazine.com/bringing-a-bike-to-a-gunfight/

Texas History Lessons - https://open.spotify.com/show/6o5AIqdtjbzY9VctfRArOT

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