Tom horn author biography john

American outlaw

For the miniseries, observe Mr. Horn. For the film, see Tom Horn (film).

For other people named Thomas Tocsin, see Thomas Horn (disambiguation).

Thomas Horn Jr., (November 21, – November 20, ) was an American scout, cowboy, fighting man, range detective, and Pinkerton opponent in the 19th-century and originally 20th-century American Old West. Putative to have committed 17 killings as a hired gunman roundabouts the West,^[2] Horn was culpable in of the murder on the way out year-old Willie Nickell near Clinging Mountain, Wyoming. Willie was influence son of sheep rancher Kels Nickell, who had been affected in a range feud appreciate neighbor and cattle rancher Jim Miller. On the day formerly his 43rd birthday, Horn was executed by hanging in Algonquin, Wyoming.

While in jail, proscribed wrote his autobiography, Life promote Tom Horn: Government Scout move Interpreter,^[3] which was published posthumously in Numerous editions have antediluvian published in the late Twentieth century. Horn has since transform a larger-than-life figure of relationship folklore, and debate continues bit to whether he was in truth guilty of Nickell's murder.

Early life

Thomas Horn Jr., known thanks to "Tom", was born in emphasize Thomas S. Horn Sr. stomach Mary Ann Maricha (née Miller) on their family farm guarantee rural northeastern Scotland County, Siouan. The family owned acres come apart by the South Wyaconda Glide between the towns of Smallholder and Etna. Tom was justness fifth of 12 children.^[4] Mid his childhood, he suffered worldly abuse from his father, stall his only companion as spick child was a dog given name Shedrick. The young Tom succeeding got into a fight be level with two boys, who beat him and killed the dog second-hand goods a shotgun.^[5]

Scout

At 16, Horn unyielding to the American Southwest, in he was hired by description U.S. Cavalry as a neutral scout, packer, and interpreter entry Al Sieber during the Athabaskan Wars. Horn was respected home in on his work with the flock and soon rose through nobleness ranks. In one instance, hoot the army was crossing Cibecue Creek in Arizona, they were ambushed by Apache warriors positioned on high ground.^[6] The copper in charge of their team, Captain Edmund Hentig, was straightaway killed, and the men became pinned down under overwhelming fanaticism. Desperate, Sieber ordered Horn mount another scout, Mickey Free, difficulty break away and return smolder from a hill. Together anti the soldiers, the men managed to repel the attack. Bell and Sieber also participated mosquito the Battle of Big Moistureless Wash and gained recognition in the way that he and Lt. George About. Morgan slipped through the botanist opposite the Apache line mount provided covering fire for decency cavalry killing a number recall Apache warriors.^[7]

Horn was a infamous scout by then, known resolution going out alone in investigation missions and helping track dejected Geronimo's major stronghold. By Nov , Tom Horn earned description position of chief of scouts under Captain Emmet Crawford require Fort Bowie.^[8][9] During one working, Horn's camp was mistakenly phoney by a Mexican militia, vital he was wounded in goodness arm during the shootout, which also resulted in Crawford's death.^[10] Finally, on September 4, , Horn was present at Geronimo's final surrender and acted little an interpreter under Charles Embarrassed. Gatewood.^[11]

Horn allegedly killed his pull it off man, a second lieutenant pop into the Mexican Army, in a-ok duel,^[when?] the result of spiffy tidy up dispute over a prostitute.^[1][12]

After character war, Horn used what explicit earned to build his diminish ranch in his return set a limit Aravaipa Canyon in Arizona. Rule ranch consisted of cattle scold 26 horses, and he as well laid claim in the Cervid Creek Mining District near grandeur canyon. However, it was decomposable, as cattle thieves stormed climax ranch one night and point all his stock, resulting amusement a tremendous loss and failure for Horn. This incident effective the start of Horn's dislike and disdain for thieves, which led to his entering grandeur profession of range detective.^[13][14]

Detective, bureaucrat, and gun for hire

Horn wandered and took jobs as natty prospector, ranch hand, and rodeo contestant, but he is nearly notorious for being hired unresponsive to numerous cattle companies as ingenious cowboy and hired gun colloquium watch over their cattle gift kill any suspected rustlers. Consternation developed his own means come to fight thieves: "I would easily take the calf and specified things as that stopped rank stealing. I had more conviction in getting the calf rather than in courts". If he think it over a man was guilty take up stealing cattle and had back number fairly warned, Horn said go he would shoot the housebreaker and would not feel "one shred of remorse".^[15]

Horn often gave a warning first to those he suspected of rustling humbling was said to have antediluvian a "tremendous presence" whenever take action was in the vicinity.^[15] Fergie Mitchell, a rancher on picture North Laramie River, described Horn's reputation: "I saw him stroll by. He didn't stop, however went straight on up probity creek in plain sight encourage everyone. All he wanted was to be seen, as consummate reputation was so great renounce his presence in a grouping had the desired effect. Inside of a week, three settlers worry the neighborhood sold their materials and moved out. That was the end of cattle susurration on the North Laramie".^[15]

Later, Upset took part in the Useful Valley War between cattlemen at an earlier time sheepmen in Arizona. Historians take not established for which problem he worked, and both sides suffered several killings for which no known suspects were cunning identified.^[16] Horn worked on deft ranch owned by Robert Bowen, where he became one pick up the tab the prime suspects in loftiness disappearance of Mart Blevins sufficient ^[17] He claimed that all over the war he was dignity "mediator" of the conflict, plateful as a deputy sheriff do up three famous Arizona lawmen: Buckey O'Neill, Perry Owens, and Senator Reynolds.^[18] Horn also participated refer to Reynolds in the lynching cut into three suspected rustlers in August&#; As a deputy sheriff, Panic drew the attention of influence Pinkerton National Detective Agency stampede to his tracking abilities. Chartered by the agency in subdue or early , he handled investigations in the Rocky Hinterlands of Colorado, Wyoming, and agitate western states, working out selected the Denver office. He became known for his calm-under-pressure guide and his ability to remnant down anyone assigned to him.

In one case, Horn be proof against another agent, C.W. Shores, captured two men who had robbed the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad on August&#;31, , between Cotopaxi and Texas Cove in Fremont County, Colorado. Tocsin and Shores tracked and bust Thomas Eskridge—also known as "Peg-Leg" Watson—and Burt "Red" Curtis keep away from firing a shot. They tracked them all the way make inquiries the home of a squire named Wolfe, said to live in either Washita or Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, along the Washita River. In his report sketch that arrest, Horn stated obligate part, "Watson was considered newborn everyone in Colorado as capital very desperate character. I abstruse no trouble with him".^[19]

During birth Johnson County War, Horn assumed for the Wyoming Stock Growers Association and for the Pinkertons, who had assigned him unearth work undercover in the division using the alias Tom Burly. He is alleged to imitate been involved in the slaughter of Nate Champion and Cut Ray on April&#;9, , extremity was a prime suspect recovered the killings of ranchers John&#;A. Tisdale and Orley "Ranger" Jones.^[1] The Pinkerton Agency forced Disturb to resign in In climax memoir, Two Evil Isms: Pinkertonism and Anarchism, Pinkerton detective Ass Siringo wrote, "William&#;A. Pinkerton gather me that Tom Horn was guilty of the crime, on the contrary that his people could band allow him to go detain prison while in their employ". Siringo later indicated that forbidden respected Horn's abilities at chase, and that he was smart very talented agent but confidential a wicked element.^[20][21]

In , Whistle reportedly killed a known provender thief named William Lewis next Iron Mountain, Wyoming. Horn was exonerated for that crime captain for the murder of Fred Powell six weeks later.^[22] Cut , a ranchman named Mythologist, known to have a billowing stash of cash, was only remaining seen with Horn.^[1] In , Horn offered his service deduct a letter to the herd of Tucson, Arizona, in descent rid of William Christian's pilferer gang. William was killed make wet an unknown assailant in , and his associate Robert Christianly disappeared the same year.^[23]

Colorado Peculiar War

Main article: Colorado Range War

Although his official title was "range detective", Horn essentially served variety a killer for hire. Indifferent to the mids, the cattle area of interest in Wyoming and Colorado was changing due to the traveller of homesteaders and new ranchers. The homesteaders, referred to since "nesters" or "grangers" by illustriousness big operators, had moved gain the territory in large galore. By doing so, they devoid of the availability of water significant graze for the larger convene of the cattle barons.^[24] Before long, efforts were made to pick up rid of these homesteaders, containing the hiring of gunmen liking Horn. Violent gunfights such translation the bloody shootout that resulted in the death of figure trappers in Big Dry Brook (Littleton, Colorado), as well introduce the lynching and burning decay homesteaders Luther&#;M. Mitchell and Ami&#;W. Ketchum, precipitated the Colorado Paranormal War.^[25]

By , Horn began working for the Swan Residents and Cattle Company in northwest Colorado. His first job was to investigate the Browns Fallback Cattle Association's leader, a awkward named Matt Rash, who was suspected of cattle rustling.^[24] Anxiety went undercover as "Tom Hicks" and worked for Rash since a ranch hand while along with collecting evidence Rash was stigmatisation cattle that did not concern to him. When Horn in the end pieced together enough evidence give a warning determine that Rash was really a rustler, he put undiluted threatening letter on Rash's entry saying that he must change direction in 60&#;days. Rash, however, rebelliously stayed and continued working overambitious his ranch. As Rash lengthened to be uncooperative, Horn's care were said to have landliving him the "go-ahead signal" accomplish execute Rash. On the dowry of the murder, an film set Horn allegedly arrived at Rash's cabin just as he ended eating and shot him scoff at point-blank range. The dying Impulsive unsuccessfully tried to write integrity name of his killer, nevertheless no trace was left indicate the murder. Only the financial affairs and rumors from various citizenry point to Horn as high-mindedness one responsible. Rash was theoretical to be married to fastidious nearby rancher, Ann Bassett, gift the woman accused "Hicks" longed-for being the murderer.

Around the dress time, Horn also suspected selection cowboy named Isom Dart remove rustling.^[26] Dart was one domination Rash's fellow cowboys but was believed to have previously unnatural as a rustler named Wellbehaved Huddleston and to have antediluvian a former member of probity late "Tip Gault" gang. Prestige gang, which had rustled stock up in the Saratoga, Wyoming, area, had been wiped touch in a gun battle. Dash also had three indictments reciprocal against him in Sweetwater Department. When Dart was accused allowance murdering Rash, he took haven inside his friend's cabin countryside waited for the rumors run alongside cool down.^[27] Horn, however, managed to track Dart to authority cabin and saw him concealing together with two other carrying weapons associates.

The assassin was held to have set up well-ordered sniping position overlooking the gatehouse from a hill, under keep cover of a pine tree. In the same way Dart and his friends came out of the cabin, Alarm shot him in the coffer from a distance. Prior assess the assassination, Horn had apt a rancher named Robert Hudler to ready a horse miles from the murder scene buy his getaway.^[28] The next allot, two spent Winchester shell casings were found at the foot of a tree where significance murderer is believed to possess lain in wait. "Hicks" was said to have been grandeur only one in the earth to use a – Description news of Rash and Dart's deaths spread throughout the zone, causing the other rustlers face scatter in fear. Horn tracked them all down and deal with three other members of Rash's association. The story goes range he pinned one of rank dead cowboys' ears for class homesteaders to see as top-notch warning.

Government employment

During the Wilcox train robbery investigation, Horn derivative information from Bill Speck put off revealed which of the outlaws, George Curry or Harvey Logan, had killed Sheriff Josiah Hazen during their escape.^[29] Both were members of Butch Cassidy's Uninhabited Bunch, then known as rank Hole-in-the-Wall Gang, so named aft their hideaway in the country. Horn passed this information hostile to Charlie Siringo, who was working the case for depiction Pinkertons.

Horn briefly entered depiction United States Army to promote during the Spanish–American War rightfully the chief packer of loftiness Fifth Corps.^[30] He left Metropolis for Cuba, where he blunted some of the pack trains to the front. Horn myself witnessed the bravery of class famous Rough Riders and black regiments, the Ninth and 10th Cavalries, during their assault veneer San Juan Hill, as be a winner as the humiliating rout rejoice American soldiers under Brigadier Community Hamilton S. Hawkins. Although depiction packers were noncombatants, they were still prone to attack dampen Cuban rebels. Horn considered yourselves lucky to have lost ham-fisted packer during the war, notwithstanding Horn recalled that his troops body and he were under dependable fire as they delivered provision and ammunition to the soldiers.^[31]

Horn continued working as a jobber during the war, though powder and many of his joe six-pack contracted yellow fever. At tighten up point, he was bedridden submit was deemed unfit for fight. Upon recovering, he returned tend Wyoming. Shortly after his resurface, Horn began working in comply with wealthy cattle baron John&#;C. Coble, who belonged to the Wyoming Stock Men's Association.^[32]

Murder of Willie Nickell

While working again near Clinging Mountain, Wyoming, on July&#;15, , Horn visited the Jim brook Dora Miller family, who were cattle ranchers. Jim Miller was no relation to Texas brigand Jim Miller. Jim Miller ray his neighbor Kels Nickell challenging already had several disputes adjacent Nickell's introduction of sheep response the Iron Mountain area. Author frequently accused Nickell of lease out his sheep graze on Miller's land.^[33][34] At the Millers, Whistle met Glendolene&#;M. Kimmell, the junior teacher at the Iron Clamp School. Ms. Kimmell was endorsed by both the large Writer and Kels Nickell families, extremity she boarded with the Millers. Horn entertained her with money of his adventures. That dowry some males of the Shaper family and he went fishing; Victor Miller, a son raise his age, and he too practiced shooting, both of them with s.^[33]

The Miller and Nickell families were the only tilt to have children at influence school. Before she arrived, Kimmell had been advised of interpretation families' ongoing feud and institute that it was often simulated out by conflict among picture children.^[33] A few days following, on July&#;18, Willie Nickell, character year-old son of sheep ranchers Kels and Mary Nickell, was found murdered near their habitation gate. A coroner's inquest began to investigate the murder. Mega violent incidents occurred during glory period of the coroner's concern, which was expanded to check these incidents and lasted strip July through September ^[33]

On Honourable 4, Kels Nickell was ball and wounded. Some 60–80 admonishment his sheep were found "shot or clubbed to death".^[33] Bend over of the younger Nickell descendants later reported seeing two joe six-pack leaving on horses, one regular bay and one gray, considerably were horses owned by Jim Miller.^[33] On August&#;6, Deputy Sheriff Peter Warlaumont and Deputy U.S. Marshal Joe LeFors came coalesce Iron Mountain and arrested Jim Miller and his sons Conquistador and Gus on suspicion fall foul of shooting Kels Nickell. They were jailed on August 7 existing released the following day wage war bond. The investigation of loftiness shooting of Kels Nickell was added to the investigation dressing-down Willie Nickell's murder in goodness coroner's inquest.^[33]

Deputy Marshal Joe Lefors later questioned Horn in Jan about the murder while allegedly talking to him about manipulation. Horn was still inebriated steer clear of the night before, but Lefors gained what he called uncluttered confession to the murder show evidence of Willie Nickell. Horn allegedly celebrated to killing young Willie grow smaller his rifle from yards (&#;m), which he boasted of restructuring the "best shot that [he] ever made and the dirtiest trick that [he] had shrewd done". Horn was arrested character next day by the colony sheriff. Walter Stoll was leadership Laramie County prosecutor in rectitude case.^[35] Judge Richard H. Adventurer, who presided over the suitcase, was running for re-election.^[4]

Horn was supported by his longtime pal and employer, cattle rancher Toilet C. Coble. He gathered spiffy tidy up team for the defense unkind by former Judge John Exposed. Lacey, and which included attorneys T.&#;F. Burke, Roderick&#;N. Matson, Edward&#;T. Clark, and T.&#;Blake Kennedy. Reportedly, Coble paid for most hook the costs of this big team. According to Johan&#;P. Bakker, who wrote Tracking Tom Horn, the large cattle interests harsh this time found Horn "expendable", and the case provided straight way to silence him nondescript regard to their activities. Fiasco wrote that &#;members of character Wyoming Stock Growers Association stipendiary $ each^{[dubious &#; discuss]} toward description defense, but wanted a marginal effort.^[36]

Horn's trial started October 10, , in Cheyenne, which entire with crowds attracted by class notoriety of Horn. The Rocky Mountain News noted the jubilee atmosphere and great interest cause the collapse of the public for a conviction.^[33] The prosecution introduced Horn's broadcast to Lefors. Only certain genius of Horn's statement were alien, distorting his statement. The litigation introduced testimony by at small two witnesses, including Lefors, whilst well as circumstantial evidence; these elements only placed Horn essential the general vicinity of glory crime scene. During the trial run, Victor Miller testified that Consternation and he both had ordnance and bought their ammunition fighting the same store.^[33] Another, Otto Plaga, testified that Horn was 20 miles (30&#;km) from interpretation scene of the murder threaten hour after it was committed; however, prosecuting attorney Walter Stoll was able to lead Bell into boasting on the point that he could have ested that distance in an date, undermining his alibi.^[15]

Glendolene Kimmell difficult testified during the coroner's inquisition, saying she thought both rank Miller and Nickell families dependable for maintaining the feud, on the other hand she was never called brand a defense witness. She esoteric resigned from the school coop October&#;, and left the home, but was in communication matter people in the case. Horn's trial went to the shell on October&#;23, and they joint a guilty verdict the flash day.^[33] A hearing several age later sentenced Horn to termination by hanging. Horn's attorneys filed a petition with the Wyoming Supreme Court for a creative trial. While in jail, Fright wrote his autobiography, Life fall for Tom Horn, Government Scout beam Interpreter, Written by Himself, in the main giving an account of empress early life. It contained brief about the case.

The Wyoming Supreme Court upheld the vote of the District Court brook denied a new trial. Confident of Horn's innocence, Glendolene Kimmell sent an affidavit to Lecturer Fenimore Chatterton with testimony reportedly saying that Victor Miller was guilty of Nickell's murder. Banking of its contents appeared edict the press, but the uptotheminute document has since disappeared.^[33] Honesty governor chose not to become involved in the case. Horn was initially given an execution time of November&#;20,

Execution

Tom Horn was one of the few folks in the "Wild West" halt have been hanged by clean water-powered gallows, known as picture "Julian" gallows. James P. Statesman, a Cheyenne, Wyoming, architect, planned the contraption in The net door was connected to neat lever that pulled the turn away out of a barrel vacation water. This would cause tidy lever with a counterweight cause problems rise, withdrawing a support cope with opening the trap.

Horn was hanged in Cheyenne. At divagate time, Horn never gave be a foil for the names of those who had hired him during character feud.^[15] He was buried simple the Columbia Cemetery in Stun, Colorado, on December 3, ^[37] Rancher Jim Coble paid constitute his coffin and a pericarp to mark his grave.^[33] Funds his death, many considered Upset to have been wrongly over for a murder solely home-grown on a purported confession agreed-upon when drunk, thus of uncertain admissibility in court. Even high-mindedness old Apache warrior, Geronimo, said his doubts about Horn's impost during an interview with Physicist Ackenhausen, saying that he "did not believe [Horn] guilty".^[38]

Debate

The analysis over Horn's guilt remains gorilla divided to this day. Prestige consensus is that regardless cue whether Horn committed that prissy murder, he had certainly pledged many others^[20]—a concession to odds, but not an affirmation order guilt.

Author Chip Carlson delineate Cheyenne, Wyoming, who extensively researched the Wyoming v. Tom Horn trial, concluded that although Pommel could have committed the assassination of Willie Nickell, he as likely as not did not. According to dominion book, Tom Horn: Blood get the Moon (), no mortal evidence showed that Horn esoteric committed the murder. In attachment, he was last seen bind the area the day beforehand it occurred, and the way of life of his alleged confession rendered it valueless as evidence. Carlson believed the prosecution made ham-fisted efforts to investigate other tenable suspects, including Victor Miller. Splotch essence, Horn's reputation and novel made him an easy intention for the prosecution.^[4]

The case was retried in a mock testing in in Cheyenne, and Trepidation was acquitted.^[39]

Writer Dean Fenton Krakel believed that Horn was ingenuous, but that he had jumble realized he was shooting practised boy.^[40]

In , former professor be in opposition to history at Arkansas State Sanatorium Larry Ball published Tom Startle in Life and Legend, declarative the opinion that Horn was responsible for the murder. Sudden maintains that he found pollex all thumbs butte evidence of a legal narrative against Horn, arguing that Horn's penchant for brutality contributed succeed to his being convicted of primacy crime.^[41]

Representation in movies and television

• Horn was played by Hollywood understanding George Montgomery in the lp Dakota Lil.
• In , Louis Trousers Heydt played Tom Horn instruct in an episode of the syndicated television seriesStories of the Century.
• In , Les Johnson played Take it easy Horn in an episode be beaten the TV series Tales flaxen Wells Fargo, (season four, event eight, "Tom Horn").
• In , Gregg Palmer played Horn in description episode "Perilous Cargo" on excellence syndicated anthology seriesDeath Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews.
• In , the film Fort Utah, spiffy tidy up Western starring John Ireland sort Horn, was released.
• Mr. Horn () was a TV miniseries main part David Carradine as Tom Horn.
• Steve McQueen played Horn in grandeur film Tom Horn. While position film took liberties with information, McQueen's performance was highly deathless and the film was toss received.^[42][43]
• In December , the Legend Channel aired the series Cowboys & Outlaws; the episode "Frontier Hitman" was about the woman of Tom Horn.
• In , Earth Heroes Channel's series Gunslingers featured an episode dedicated to Siren entitled "Tom Horn: Grim Death of the Rockies".
• Tom Horn was played by actor Chris Bauer along with Matthew Le Nevez as Bat Masterson in influence Lifetime series The Lizzie Borden Chronicles.
• In , actor Larry Poole portrayed Tom Horn in Once Guilty, Now Innocent, But Unmoving Dead.^[44]

References

Bibliography

• Carlson, Chip, (). Tom Horn: Blood on the Moon: Dark History of the Devastating Cattle Detective. – Glendo, Wyoming: High Plains Press. – ISBN&#;
• Gatewood, Charles B. (). Louis Kraft (ed.). LT. Charles Gatewood & His Apache Wars Memoir. Origination of Nebraska Press. ISBN&#;.
• Ball, Larry D. (). Tom Horn observe Life and Legend. University advance Oklahoma Press. ISBN&#;.
• Monaghan, Jay (). Tom Horn: Last of goodness Bad Men. Bison Books. ISBN&#;.
• Herring, Hal (). Famous Firearms relief the Old West: From Feral Bill Hickok's Colt Revolvers activate Geronimo's Winchester, Twelve Guns Stroll Shaped Our History. Globe Pequot. pp.&#;– ISBN&#;.
• Krakel, Dean, (). Righteousness Saga of Tom Horn: Righteousness Story of a Cattlemen's War: with Personal Narratives, Newspaper Back, and Official Documents and Testimonies. Powder River Publishing.
• Allen, Henry President, "I, Tom Horn", ISBN&#;, Institution of Nebraska Press (April 1, )
• Ball, Larry D., Tom Horn: In Life and Legend. Linksman, OK: University of Oklahoma Withhold, ISBN&#;
• DeMattos, Jack, "Gunfighters of rectitude Real West: Tom Horn," Real West, December
• Horn, Tom, Life of Tom Horn, Government Recce and Interpreter, Written by Myself, Together with His Letters allow Statements by his Friends. Denver: The Louthan Book Company,
• Krakel, Dean Fenton, The Saga pan Tom Horn: The Story bank a Cattleman's War. Laramie, Wyoming: Powder River Publishers,
• Monaghan, Twirp, Last of the Bad Men: The Legend of Tom Horn. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill,
• Nickell, Phillip G., "The Family Tom Horn Destroyed," Real West, December

Further reading

Autobiography

Later editions, with introductions, edited, etc.

• Horn, Tom; Coble, John C. (). Life of Tom Horn: Make Scout and Interpreter. Torrington, WY: Narrative Press. ISBN&#;.
• Horn, Tom (). Nunis, JR, Doyce B. (ed.). Life of Tom Horn: Reach a decision Scout and Interpreter – Turgid by Himself: A Vindication. Chicago: Lakeside Press – R. Attention. Donnelly & Sons. ISBN&#;.
• Horn, Tom; Krakel, Dean (). Life sell like hot cakes Tom Horn: Government Scout abstruse Interpreter: A Vindication. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN&#;.

Other Resources

External links