The Wild West Extravaganza

In the summer of 1868 Major George A. Forsyth, under orders from General Sheridan, raised a company of fifty "first-class hardy frontiersmen" to seek out and engage hostile Native Americans. These scouts soon found themselves outnumbered and surrounded by hundreds of Cheyenne warriors as they took refuge on a little sandbar in the middle of the Arikaree river. What followed is now known as the battle of Beecher Island.

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Contrary - Little Big Man

List of Forsyth's Scouts

Excerpt from Indian Yell, by Michael Blake - True West Mag

Indian Yell: The Heart of an American Insurgency by Michael Blake

The Battle of Beecher Island, by George A. Forsyth

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It’s not every day that your boss offers you a hundred and fifty dollars to murder somebody. I think we can all agree that’s not a normal occurrence.

But then again, the tough kid wasn’t normal.

The real story behind legendary Texas Ranger Frank Hamer's first gunfight, at the age of 16.

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Bonus content available on Patreon!

Texas Ranger: The Epic Life of Frank Hamer by John Boessnecker

Fact Checking Highwaymen: USA Today

Frank Hamer vs KKK?

Washington Post article by Monica Munoz Martinez

Frank Hamer's First Gunfight by Mark Boardman

Houston Chronicle Article on Hamer attacking journalist

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Bill Tilghman - the legendary lawman best known for hunting down bad guys in Indian Territory - got his start as a teenaged buffalo hunter on the Kansas frontier. After that he spent years patrolling the tough streets of Dodge City with the likes of Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and Charlie Bassett before moving on to Oklahoma where he did more of the same. Friends with guys like Luke Short and Doc Holliday. Rubbed shoulders with outlaws like Dave Rudabaugh and J.J. Webb, Tilghman wore many hats throughout his life.

Senator, husband, father, scout, Rancher, saloon owner, movie producer, actor, and then finally – at the ripe ole age of 70 – Tilghman pinned on a badge yet again to take on the corrupt boom town of Cromwell, Oklahoma.

Maybe. Or Maybe not.

Join me today as we find out more about the man who - according to Teddy Roosevelt - would charge hell with a bucket. The man who Bat Masterson once said was “the best of all of us” on this newest don’t kill the messenger history is complicated and sometimes our heroes are flawed and this is probably the last ever episode OF The Wild West Extravaganza!

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Texas History Lessons Podcast

Bat Masterson on Bill Tilghman

Was Bill Tilghman Honest? – True West Magazine

How Accurate Was You Know My Name? – True West Magazine

The Man Who Shot Bill Tilghman - True West Magazine

The Killing Of Bill Tilghman – True West Magazine

Dodge City – Book by Tom Clavin

Bill Tilghman's Biography – Written by his widow, Zoe Agnes Stratton Tilghman

The Trial of Wiley Lynn – Edmond Life & Leisure

Wiley Lynn's Last Days - Edmond Life & Leisure

Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws (1915)

Oklahoma Land Rush Scene – Far and Away (1992)

Great Murder Trials of the Old West – Johnny D. Boggs

Shoot From The Lips – Nancy B. Samuelson

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Joe Medicine Crow was a mighty war chief amongst his people, the Crow. The Apsáalooke. The Children of the large beak bird.

Joe was raised in the traditional way of the Crow and fulfilled all four requirements to become a War Chief of the Crow Nation. The last War Chief. But Joe Medicine Crow was much MUCH more.

“With an education, you’re the white man’s equal. Without an education, you’re the white man’s victim” – Joe Medicine Crow

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Celebrating 100 Years with Dr. Joe Medicine Crow

Medicine Crow War Chief Story (Joe Sings)

Joe Receives Medal of Freedom

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Ned Christie: Ruthless Cherokee outlaw or courageous hero? Murderer or innocent man?

If someone had asked me a year ago who Ned Christie was, I’d have probably said he was just another Indian Territory outlaw. In the same vein as Cherokee Bill or Henry Starr. And I don’t think I’m the only person out there with this misconception.

Back in the 1970’s Time Life put out a series of books on the old west. And I personally have – in my possession - a copy of the one titled Gunfighters. I’ve had it since I was a wee little lad, and it has seen better days. The pages are no longer bound, they’re all loose and out of order. A testament to the countless hours I spent flipping through its pages when I was a kid. 

There are a couple of pictures of Ned Christie in the book. There’s the one when he was still alive - long hair, holding a rifle in one hand, a revolver in the other, and another pistol strapped around his waist.

 Looking like an outlaw.

And then there’s the other one, where he’s dead. Propped up against a door, lever action rifle resting in his lifeless hands.

There’s not a whole lot written in the book about Ned Christie, though. He’s simply referred to as an “elusive Cherokee outlaw who roved the territory as a train robber, horse thief, and whiskey peddler. Christie had built himself a log fort high on the rim of the cliff sided canyon, and when a 16-man posse tracked him there, he showed no inclination to surrender.”

That was really the extent of my knowledge when it came to Ned Christie. That and the pictures.

But what if I were to tell you that almost everything that was published about Ned Christie in that Time Life book was untrue?

Join me today as we look at just who the real Ned Christie was and try to separate the man from the myth on this most recent Indian Outlaw, 100% Cherokee and zero Choctaw, & nobody’s baby was a Chippewa edition of Bloody Beaver Podcast.

Ned Christie: The Creation of an Outlaw and Cherokee Hero by Devon Mihesua

The Real Lonesome Dove

Nate Champion

Glanton, John Joel by Sloan Rodgers - TSHAonline.org

Excerpt From Ned Christie: The Creation of an Outlaw and Cherokee Hero - OUpress.org

Ned Christie - OkHistory.org

Cherokee.org

The True Story of Ned Christie - OsiyoTv

Family, Historians Share Ned Christie Insights - CherokeePhoenix

Ned Christie as told by Great-Great-Niece - CherokeePhil

Canton Indian Insane Asylum - Indianz.com

Native American Stats

Issues and Problems Facing Native Americans Today - Powwows.com

American Indian Veterans Have Highest Record of Military Service

Native American Veterans 5 Facts You May Not Know

Native American Veterans Have Always Answered The Call to Serve

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In the spring of 1883, a group of very dangerous men began gathering outside of Dodge City, Kansas. Men with names like Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Shotgun Collins, and Doc Holliday. Killers, all of ‘em. Men familiar with the weight of a revolver in hand and the smell of black powder smoke.

They gathered to rally around one man, their compadre who had recently been forced out of town by a crooked mayor and a small army of vigilantes. That man’s name was Luke Short.

A cowboy turned scout turned gambler who earned himself quiet the reputation as a man handy with the iron.

What events transpired that forced Luke out of the rough cow town of Dodge City?

How did he come to be friends with the likes of Wyatt Earp?

How short was Luke Short, anyway? And is it true that if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it?

Find out all of this and more on this newest “if your gonna get into a gunfight, make damn sure you shoot first” edition of The Wild West Extravaganza!

Check out this article via the good folks at Legends Of America to see exactly what Bat Masterson wrote about Luke Short's days as a whiskey runner. 

Check out this Spartacus Educational collection of newspaper articles and letters regarding the Dodge City War.

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When one thinks of the great judges of Yore, certain names stand out above the rest. Names like Judge Harold T. Stone. Judge Judith Sheindlin. Judges Wapner, Mathis, and Joe Brown. Judge Reinhold, Judge Dredd and Mike Judge all bear remembering. But towering over these colossal judicial minds stands one man, one legend so interwoven into the fabric of modern-day jurisprudence you’d be remise not to pay him homage. And that man’s name was Roy Damn Bean. That’s right - Judge Roy Bean - to be exact. The law west of the Pecos known for serving up both justice as well as tasty beverages from his courtroom/saloon known as the Jersey Lilly located in a little fart of a town in west Texas known as Langtry. All rise! Court is now in session on this newest OVERRULED edition of the Wild West Extravaganza!

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Roy Bean's Hanging, an excellent article written by Marshall Trimble, that I referenced on this episode. 

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"I've labored long and hard for bread, For honor, and for riches, But on my corns too long you've tread, You fine-haired sons of bitches."

These are the words of Black Bart, the gentleman bandit who preferred to leave poems at the scene of the crime rather than dead bodies. Black Bart wasn’t a killer and he never really hurt anyone, except maybe for Wells Fargo, who’s stagecoaches he robbed at least 28 times throughout his career, taking thousands of dollars in the process. Black Bart would pay for his crimes by doing a stretch in California’s notorious San Quentin prison and upon his release he vanished. Or did he? Who was the mysterious Black Bart? Where’d he come from? Where did he disappear to? Why did he hate Wells Fargo so much?

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The Case For Summerfield

Is Black Bart Buried In Historic Marysville Cemetery?

History Hunter's YouTube Video on Black Bart's "Grave"

A TON of info on Black Bart available at BlackBart.com!

 Audio by Dan Ramirez. Email him at podcasteditor72@gmailcom if you or anyone you know needs help editing audio!  Intro and outro music by Manuel Ibanez Arnal.  

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Who were the inspirations behind Lonesome Dove's Woodrow F. Call and Augustus McCrae? Was there a real life Deets? Did anyone ever actually drive a heard of cattle from Texas to Montana? What's all this have to do with Motown Records and have you ever felt an almost carnal urge to hear me sing? Well, you're in luck! Plus lots of little known Lonesome Dove facts and trivia! Let's make awkward eye contact and poke the shit out of the REAL Lonesome Dove.

Want to learn about the REAL Lonesome Dove? Want to hear me sing? No? Too fucking bad. Enjoy this preview of my soon to be released Lonesome Dove episode.