Have You Heard of the Three Guardsmen? ~ D. K. Deters

I thought you might enjoy reading about the Three Guardsmen. In all honesty, I’d never heard of them, but after diving in, I found several terrific articles.

In 1889, U.S. Marshal Evett Dumas “E.D.” Nix assembled three deputy U.S. marshals to combat the growing outlaw problem in the Oklahoma Territory. The trio, known as the Three Guardsmen, included Bill Tilghman, Henry Andrew “Heck” Thomas, and Chris Madsen.

Bill Tilghman is often regarded as one of the finest lawmen of the Old West. He had previously served as a marshal in Dodge City, Kansas. Known as an exceptional tracker, he was respected enough that many outlaws surrendered rather than fight him. In early 1896, he captured Bill Doolin alive without firing a shot.

Bill Tilghman (1854-1924)

Henry Andrew “Heck” Thomas was known for his relentless determination and marksmanship. He ultimately tracked down and killed Bill Doolin in August 1896 after Doolin escaped from jail. He also played a major role in pursuing the Dalton Gang.

Heck Thomas (1850-1912)

Chris Madsen (1851–1944), a Danish immigrant and former soldier, was known for his orderly approach to tracking outlaws and often organized posses and investigations. He participated in numerous posses and was instrumental in eliminating the remaining members of the Doolin Gang.

Chris Madsen (1851-1944)

Together, the Guardsmen earned a reputation as three of the most effective frontier lawmen in American history. They became famous for relentlessly hunting outlaw gangs, especially the Doolin Gang (sometimes called the Doolin-Dalton Gang and the Wild Bunch).

For a time, the Doolin Gang was one of the most powerful outlaw gangs in the Old West. They focused on bank, train, and stagecoach robberies in Arkansas, Kansas, and the Oklahoma Territory, but also ventured into neighboring states such as Missouri.

Some of the best-known members included:

Bill Doolin (1858 -1896)

Bill Doolin – Leader of the gang. Born in Arkansas, he worked as a cowboy before turning to outlawry. He was killed by Deputy U.S. Marshal Heck Thomas in 1896.

William M. “Bill” Dalton – Younger brother of the Dalton brothers. He survived the Coffeyville raid because he wasn’t there and later joined Doolin before being killed in a gunfight in 1894.

George “Bitter Creek” Newcomb – One of the gang’s most feared gunmen. He escaped numerous posses before being killed in 1895.

Roy Daugherty – Better known as Arkansas Tom Jones, was a skilled marksman. He survived a famous shootout at Ingalls, Oklahoma, was later captured, served prison time, and outlived most of the gang.

Dan Clifton – Participated in robberies with the gang and later disappeared from the historical record.

Richard “Little Dick” West – A trusted member who continued robberies after Doolin’s death until he was killed by lawmen in 1898.

William F. “Little Bill” Raidler – Joined the gang after the Coffeyville raid. He was eventually captured and served time in prison.

George “Red Buck” Waightman – An experienced horse thief and robber who was killed by Deputy U.S. Marshals in 1895.

Oliver Yantis – Rode with Doolin early on and was killed during an attempted train robbery in 1895.

Other men associated with the gang at various times included:

Tulsa Jack Blake

Dynamite Dick Clifton

Charley Pierce

By 1898, nearly every major member had been killed, captured, or imprisoned, bringing the gang’s era to an end.

Four major members were killed by posses led by or including the Three Guardsmen:

Bill Doolin

Bitter Creek Newcomb

Red Buck Waightman

Little Dick West

At least two other prominent members were captured alive by the Three Guardsmen:

Arkansas Tom Jones

Little Bill Raidler

By the end of the 19th century, the Guardsmen had hunted some of the most notorious outlaws in the Oklahoma Territory, paving their place in frontier history.

Although Bill Tilghman, Heck Thomas, and Chris Madsen became widely known as the “Three Guardsmen,” the exact origin of the nickname remains uncertain. The earliest known published use appeared in a 1911 St. Louis Post-Dispatch article by Grant Richardson. A long-standing tradition claims the outlaws they pursued coined the name, but historians have found no evidence to confirm that story.

 

 

Resources:

The Wild West by Bill O’Neal, James A Crutchfield, and Dale L Walker

The West by William C. Davis and Joseph G. Rosa

Wikipedia