The Wild West Extravaganza

You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your family. An old adage that the 33rd President of the United States Harry S. Truman knew all too well. Every family has that one black sheep, right? In the case of the Trumans, that shameful distinction fell on James John Chiles, aka Jim Crow Chiles, Harry’s Uncle by marriage; a violent Missouri Bushwhacker who fought alongside Bloody Bill Anderson and Jesse James described by author David G. McCullough as universally hated and the stuff of children’s nightmares. And believe it or not, Chiles got the nickname Jim Crow due to his talent as a dancer. Minstrel dancing, to be precise. 

Apparently in the 1830s and 1840’s there was a popular white entertainer by the name of Thomas Dartmouth Rice who performed a song-and-dance routine in blackface while mimicking African Americans. The persona he put on during his act was known as Jim Crow. Rice went on tours all over the country, even in England, and it wasn’t long before “Jim Crow” was just a common phrase used to describe all white comedians who did these degrading black-face type performances. And of course, years later the term would be adopted as the identifier for laws reinstating white supremacy in the South.

And evidently, Truman’s uncle was one hell of a Jim Crow dancer. Not exactly the type of association you’d want to have as a politician, right? Even in 1945 when Truman was elected. Oh, and don’t worry – it gets much worse. Uncle Chile’s comedy routine was the least of the future President’s worries.

Who was Jim Crow Chiles? A true menace to society or just a poor misunderstood soul just dancing away his sorrows? How did he fall in with Bloody Bill Anderson and William Quantrill? And did he really serve with General Shelby’s Iron Brigade?

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

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Book Recommendations! https://www.amazon.com/shop/wildwestextravaganza/list/YEHGNY7KFAU7?ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d

Bloody Bill Anderson | The Wild West Extravaganza - https://www.wildwestextra.com/bloody-bill-anderson-the-missouri-bushwhackers/

Woe to Live On by Daniel Woodrell - https://archive.org/details/woetoliveon0000wood/page/n7/mode/1up

Ride With The Devil clip - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2Yc2RUw2WE

Truman by David McCullough - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0671456547?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0671456547&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

Quantrill in Texas by Paul Peterson - https://www.amazon.com/dp/158182582X?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=158182582X&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

Missouri Outlaws by Paul Kirkman - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1625859155?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=1625859155&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

Hat Creek Audio - https://hatcreekaudio.com/

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One of the more memorable characters from Young Guns 1 and 2 was Chavez y Chavez, portrayed by the talented Lou Diamond Philips. And yes, Chavez was real! He was a constable in San Patricio and an ally of the Tunstall McSween faction during the Lincoln County War. Jose was a full participant in the troubles, and he was present during the Battle of Lincoln, making a getaway from the burning McSween home right alongside Billy the Kid. But who was Jose Chavez y Chavez really? Was he a Navajo as popularly believed? And how did he become a hired assassin? Also discussed in this episode is Chavez’s encounter with Bob Ford and the other Regulators and friends of Billy the Kid, guys like Henry Newton Brown, George and Frank Coe, Ab Saunders, John Middleton, Billy Wilson, Tom Pickett, and more! I also give my opinion on what really happened there at Fort Sumner on the night of Billy’s alleged death and discuss The Kid’s “body count”. 

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

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1899 News Article on Vicente Silva - https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20885528/vicente-silva-law-vegas-new-mexico/

Dirty Sexy History | Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6FMMKMemXFFOkEgxWAqnvb#:~:text=The%20book%20focuses%20on%20intersex,fiction%2C%20and%20permits%20for%20pants!

Dirty Sexy History | Website - https://dirtysexyhistory.com/

Arkansas Dave Rudabaugh - https://www.wildwestextra.com/arkansas-dave-rudabaugh/

Frederick Tecumseh Waite article - https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/p/frederick-tecumseh-waite

Billy the Kid episode 1 – https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-orphan/

Billy the Kid episode 2 – https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-prelude-to-war/

Billy the Kid episode 3 – https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-lincoln-county-war/

Billy the Kid episode 4 – https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-desperado/

Billy the Kid episode 5 – https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-quien-es/

Billy the Kid: A Short and Violent Life | Robert Utley - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0803295588?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0803295588&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride | Michael Wallis - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393060683?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0393060683&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

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Josiah "Doc" Scurlock was a poet, philosopher, intellectual, and a hardened killer long before he ever met Billy the Kid. A mysterious past in Mexico, rumors of dead men from New Orleans to Texas, a penchant for vigilantism, and several close calls with the hostile Natives all made Doc a man to be both feared and respected. However, it was the trials he would face after the Lincoln County War that made Scurlock the man his family would remember. 

Also discussed: J.J. Dolan, John Riley, Billy Campbell, John Kinney & Jesse Evans.

Blood on the Saddle: The Life of Doc Scurlock - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084DG17FT?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=B084DG17FT&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

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

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Merchandise! https://www.teepublic.com/user/wild-west-extravaganza

Book Recommendations! https://www.amazon.com/shop/wildwestextravaganza/list/YEHGNY7KFAU7?ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d

Billy the Kid ep 1 – https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-orphan/

Billy the Kid ep 2 – https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-prelude-to-war/

Billy the Kid ep 3 – https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-lincoln-county-war/

Billy the Kid ep 4 – https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-desperado/

Billy the Kid ep 5 – https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-quien-es/

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By 1880 The Kid was not only being hunted by Sheriff Pat Garrett and the Texas Panhandle Stock Association, but the federal authorities as well. He’d be arrested, sentenced to hang, and then make one of the most daring escapes of the Old West. Little did Billy know how numbered his days truly were. In this final chapter of the Billy the Kid series, we’ll delve into the gritty details of the standoff at White Oaks, the Stinking Springs standoff, the daring escape from the Lincoln jail, the shotgun full of dimes rumor, and more! This is part 5 in a series of 5. Links below for the previous 4 installments.

Check out the Wild West Extravaganza website for more true tales from the wild and woolly west https://www.wildwestextra.com/

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Billy the Kid pt 1 | Orphan - https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-orphan/

Billy the Kid pt 2 | Prelude to War - https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-prelude-to-war/

Billy the Kid pt 3 | Lincoln County War - https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-lincoln-county-war/

Billy the Kid pt 4 | Desperado - https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-desperado/

Billy the Kid: A Short and Violent Life | Robert Utley - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0803295588?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0803295588&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride | Michael Wallis - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393060683?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0393060683&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

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This is part four in the series on Billy the Kid. See the links below for the previous three installments.

 In the aftermath of the Battle of Lincoln, Billy and the Regulators sought to acquire much-needed horses by striking the Mescalero Reservation. Although successful, they left a man dead in their wake; a killing ultimately pinned on The Kid. Moving on to Fort Sumner, they drove a herd of stolen Chisum horses to the Texas Panhandle, after which many of Billy's friends decided to call it quits. This left The Kid as the undisputed leader of those who remained. Over the next year, Billy attempted to make peace with his old enemy, J.J. Dolan, but their short-lived truce was shattered when Dolan murdered Susan McSween's lawyer. Seeking amnesty, The Kid offered to testify for the new governor, Lew Wallace, in return for a pardon, but his enemies went free and the pardon never came. Still a wanted man, Billy returned to stealing cattle – and killing – as his reputation continued to grow. It wasn’t long before one of his acquaintances from Fort Sumner, Pat Garrett, was charged with taking Billy out. Also discussed in this episode: Texas Red Joe Grant, Doc Scurlock, Jesse James, The Kid's various love interests, why Texans should stop bragging so much, and more!

Check out my website for more true tales from the wild and woolly west https://www.wildwestextra.com/

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Arkansas Dave Rudabaugh - https://www.wildwestextra.com/arkansas-dave-rudabaugh/

Doc Scurlock: The Thinking Man’s Outlaw - https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/p/doc-scurlock

Billy the Kid episode 1 – https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-orphan/

Billy the Kid episode 2 – https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-prelude-to-war/

Billy the Kid episode 3 – https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-lincoln-county-war/

Billy the Kid: A Short and Violent Life | Robert Utley - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0803295588?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0803295588&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride | Michael Wallis - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393060683?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0393060683&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

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Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory was the setting of a brutal conflict between rival factions vying for control of the county's dry goods and cattle interests. The Lincoln County War, as it came to be known, began in 1878 and persisted until 1881, a time of lawlessness and bloodshed in the Old West.

One side of the feud was led by James Dolan, a powerful figure who wielded a monopoly over dry goods through his establishment "The House". The other faction was established by English-born John Tunstall and his partner Alexander McSween, who opened their own competing store with support from established cattleman John Chisum. Both sides gathered lawmen, businessmen, and criminal gangs to their aid, setting the stage for a violent and deadly confrontation.

The Dolan faction was aligned with Sheriff William J. Brady and supported by the notorious Jesse Evans Gang. The Tunstall-McSween faction organized their own armed posse, the Lincoln County Regulators, with their own lawmen in the form of town constable Richard M. Brewer and Deputy US Marshal Robert A. Widenmann. And of course the notorious Billy the Kid.

The War was characterized by a series of brutal revenge killings, starting with the murder of Tunstall by members of a Dolan authorized posse and the Evans Gang. The Regulators retaliated by killing Sheriff Brady and others in a series of violent incidents. The conflict continued to escalate for several months, culminating in the epic five-day battle of Lincoln, which resulted in the death of McSween and the dispersal of the Regulators.

William H. Bonney rode into Lincoln County a teenager on the run from a noose. By the time he came out of McSween’s burning home, guns blazing, he was well on the way to becoming the legend known as Billy the Kid.

This is part three in the series on Billy the Kid. For the previous two installments see the links below.

Check out my website for more true tales from the wild and woolly west https://www.wildwestextra.com/

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Billy the Kid part 1 | Orphan - https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-orphan/

Billy the Kid part 2 | Prelude to War - https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-prelude-to-war/

Billy the Kid: A Short and Violent Life | Robert Utley - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0803295588?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0803295588&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride | Michael Wallis - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393060683?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0393060683&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

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Is the croquet photo legit?

Check out my website for more true tales from the wild and woolly west https://www.wildwestextra.com/

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Croquet Photo | CNN - https://www.cnn.com/2015/10/15/living/billy-the-kid-photo-feat/index.html

Identifying Old West Photos | Dan Buck - https://wildwesthistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/wwhajournal1809-adventures-in-wonderland.pdf

WSJ Facial Recognition Meets Its Match With Old West Photos WSJ | Parmy Olsen - https://www.wsj.com/articles/facial-recognition-software-old-west-outlaw-photos-11606922350?st=phdce06ntg07x9b&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

The Croquet Kid | Mark Boardman - https://truewestmagazine.com/article/the-croquet-kid/

The Brutal Truth About Most Billy the Kid Wannabes | Bob Boze Bell - https://truewestmagazine.com/article/the-brutal-truth-about-most-billy-the-kid-wannabes/

Billy the Kid Experts Weigh in on the Croquet Photo (Jeff Aiello rebuttal included)| True West Magazine - https://truewestmagazine.com/article/billy-the-kid-experts-weigh-in-on-the-croquet-photo/

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Fleeing a potential hangman’s noose in Arizona, Kid Antrim returns to New Mexico, taking on the alias William H. Bonney as he begins riding with the outlaw Jesse Evans and his Boys. The Kid would soon find legitimate work elsewhere, however, coming into the employ of English rancher John Tunstall just as tensions are at an all time high with the rival Murphy Dolan faction. Also discussed on this episode is the famous tintype and why it probably didn’t do The Kid justice. This is part 2 in the series on Billy the Kid. Link for the first installment below.

Part 1 | Orphan - https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-orphan/

Check out my website for more true tales from the wild and woolly west https://www.wildwestextra.com/

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The Many Faces of Billy the Kid | True West Magazine - https://truewestmagazine.com/article/the-many-faces-of-billy-the-kid/

David Lambert on Billy’s hat - https://twitter.com/DavidLambertArt/status/1326715488622190592

Billy the Kid: A Short and Violent Life | Robert Utley - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0803295588?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0803295588&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride | Michael Wallis - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393060683?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0393060683&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

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In the summer of 1881, Billy the Kid was shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett. The lawman had been on the hunt ever since Billy broke out of jail in the town of Lincoln and finally caught up to the bandit at Old Fort Sumner. It was around midnight, and Pat was waiting inside Pete Maxwell’s darkened bedroom when the Kid stepped in. “Quien es?” Billy asked, noticing the large shape looming in the shadows. “Who is it?” Pat answered in the form of two shots from his 44-40 colt revolver and just like that Billy the Kid was over. At least in his mortal form. His body may have been stuck ground the next day but can’t no pine box contain the legend that soon emerged. And make no mistake about it, over the decades that followed Billy the Kid has taken on mythical proportions unrivaled by any other character of the old west. But who was he REALLY?

 In this episode we’ll take a look at the Kid’s origin story; what we know about his family and his early life. We’ll dive into Billy’s time in Silver City, his first brush(es) with the law, his time in the mining camps of Arizona, and – of course - his first time with Francis “Windy” Cahill.

Check out my website for more true tales from the wild and woolly west https://www.wildwestextra.com/

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How The West Was Cast – https://westernpodcast.buzzsprout.com/

Billy the Kid: A Short and Violent Life | Robert Utley - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0803295588?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0803295588&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride | Michael Wallis - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393060683?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0393060683&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

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Just a short update. No new episode today but next week we’ll kick off the Billy the Kid series. In the meantime, check out some of these book recommendations and give a listen to a few of my friends! Topics include: Louis L’Amour, Larry McMurtry, Cormac McCarthy, William W. Johnstone, Terry C. Johnston, rebelliousness, awesome YouTubers, mushrooms, western cinema, and vampires. Yeah, vampires.

Fiction Books | Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/shop/wildwestextravaganza/list/2H6WTE0CNW87P?ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d

11 Bang Bang featuring The Wild West Extravaganza - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0UYgXf78SM

11 Bang Bang YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZW1XuaZrR92BhXE09AOd5Q

Duke Frazier Productions – https://www.youtube.com/user/dukefrazier

Snapper’s Antique Firearms - https://www.youtube.com/@snappers_antique_firearms

To Be A Rebel Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/3MB010NPTevGamVDMF4kqW

Wrong Reel Podcast w/ David Lambert | Winchester ’73 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/7H5Cy2rOAh25Oacag8h2D0

How The West Was Cast – https://open.spotify.com/show/2X2OXWe8P0czZOlJG3DyTj

Texas History Lessons - https://www.texashistorylessons.com/

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