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 

Law Enforcement in the Old West by Paty Jager #historicalwestern

Gun Smoke Photos

Ever watch an old western show or movie or read a historical western book and wonder why in one town the lawman is called a sheriff and another a marshal? When I wrote my first book, Marshal in Petticoats, I had to figure out if the correct wording was sheriff or marshal.

These days we know a sheriff is a county lawman and a marshal is a federal lawman but back when this country was new and growing there was also a town marshal.

County sheriffs had responsibilities for less territory than an U.S. Marshal who had the full jurisdiction of the U.S. The County sheriffs tracked down and captured outlaws, thieves, and murderers. The maintained the county jail, sold property tax delinquencies, served court orders, and in some states were involved in keeping track of cattle brands, operating dog pounds, and finding stray livestock. These men were voted in by the county populace.

A town marshal had the smallest territory, their town and some distance from the town. They maintained the order in the town; collected business license fees and taxes; served as health, fire, and sanitation inspectors; maintained records and the town jail; served subpoenas; and provided evidence at court hearings. These lawmen could either be voted in or picked by a mayor or leading town member.

The U.S. Marshal was appointed by the President with the consent of the Senate. The U.S. Marshals had a much larger and broader authority than the city marshal. But they were restricted to their district.

U.S. Marshals could appoint deputies and round up posse members when needed. In some cases the U.S. Marshal did the paperwork and assigned jobs to the deputies who were at the mercy of the marshal to get paid.

In the territories where law and order hadn't reached yet, the marshals were the only lawmen. They chased outlaws and brought justice and order until the territory became a state. Then the U.S.Marshals had to let the territorial lawmen take over.  Though many times sheriffs, marshals and U.S. Marshals would all work together to bring a gang or group of outlaws to justice.

U.S. Marshals were went in to deal with crimes in Indian Territory. Indians resolved their own crimes but when there were cries involving the Indians and Whites the marshals and the federal courts dealt with the crimes.  Part of their duties within the Indian territories and reservations was to  keep Whites from selling the Indians liquor and guns. The illegal trading of guns and liquor with the Indians was one of the biggest law enforcement problems for the marshals.

The U.S. Marshals were also brought in for riots against minorities. In 1885 the mayor of Tacoma, WA was taken prisoner and indicted on federal charges for inciting violence against the Chinese.

Most men who took on the jobs of sheriff, marshal, and U.S. Marshal had integrity and believed they could help to build and make this country stronger and better. Much like the law enforcers of today.

www.patyjager.net
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The information was found in: The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in the Wild West by Candy Moulton and The Lawmen by Fredrick S. Calhoun