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| Photo property of the author |
Post by Doris McCraw writing as Angela Raines
Lessons have been on my mind most of August. I started the month with a post on acting lessons for writers: Acting for Writers. I then decided to do a lesson on Early Colorado: Early Colorado. Next was Colorado Lawmen - Part 1: Colorado Lawmen. Now it's on to part two of Early Colorado Lawmen
David J. Cook was a Denver City Marshall, who according to some reports was credited with over 3,000 arrests during his tenure. Not much is known about his early life, but newspaper accounts show he did to go lengths to get his criminal. One article in the Daily Central City Register of November 24, 1868, tells of Cook and his deputy arriving in town to capture two outlaws. The outcome, both outlaws were killed. For more on Cook, you may find his book "Hands Up; or twenty years of Detective Life in the Mountains and on the Plains" David J. Cook.
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| Denver 1860, University of Northern Colorado |
M. F. Bowers, El Paso County Colorado Sheriff, was infamous for his part in the1894 labor strike in Cripple Creek. Prior to becoming Sheriff, Bowers was said to have been a saloon bouncer and night marshal in Altman, Colorado. During the strike, he met with the mine owners and agreed to hire 'deputies' to help crush the striking miners. After Bowers lost control of his 'deputies' who began harassing the locals, the governor of Colorado ordered the militia into the area to quell the violence. For more on Bowers and the Strike, the following may be of interest: "History of Colorado, Vol. 1" Wilbur Fiske Stone. "The Labor History of the Cripple Creek District" Benjamin McKie Rastall
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| Cripple Creek Miner's Strike 1894 Wikipedia |
Martin J. Duggin became marshal of Leadville, Colorado in 1878. He was appointed by Mayor Horace Tabor after the first two men who held the office the first one was beaten and run out of town and the second one killed by his own deputy. To say the Duggin ran things his own way is an understatement. That he was able to 'keep a lid' on the rowdy town was a testament to his reputation. For more on Duggan, the following books might be of use. "Deadly Dozen, Twelve Forgotten Gunfighters of the Old West" Robert K. DeArment. "Out of the West, The Beyond of the Mississippi States in the Making" Rufus Rockwell Wilson.
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| Mart Duggan Wikipedia |
So now you have more snippets of the lawmen in Colorado. Hopefully, their stories will inspire you and your imagination. I confess, due to my twenty years working with juvenile delinquents, I have an affinity for the stories of these early lawmen. They were good, bad and sometimes both, but never boring.
Doris Gardner-McCraw -
Colorado and Women's History
Thanks for the book recommendations and reminding us again how Colorado is steeped in rich stories.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, David. The stories and background would make for a long post, so the books are a way for others to dig deeper. Doris
DeleteDoris,
ReplyDeleteGood stuff.
The labor wars in Colorado were terrible and like today, the rich won and labor lost.
AND...like today, the law was on the side of the rich, the militia, (Pinkertons) the Governors, and against labor. Workers looking for safe working conditions and fair pay, and, seldom if ever, did they get it. Nothing much has changed in this country.
Thank you.
Charlie Steel
Charlie, What I found so interesting about the 1894 Labor Strike, the govenor sent in the troops to protect the strikers. They won that time, but by 1904 they lost out. I've often wondered if Stratton, who had been a laborer, had any influence in the 1894 decision. He had passed by 1904.
DeleteThank you for the encouragement. Doris
Doris,
ReplyDeleteAs always, I learn new bits about Colorado history from your articles. I really appreciate the book recommendations. *hugs*
My pleasure, Kaye. Writing these posts covers my obsession with research and sharing what I find. Additionally, I hope that I give people enough information to excite their interest to find out more. PS Some of the books can be found on Google Books. (yeah, they're that old. LOL)
DeleteI appreciate the kind words and encouragement. Doris
Wonderful insight into the area and the period from you, Doris. You always entertain and inform. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Christine. I confess, I love sharing the history of my adopted state. Well, I just love researching and sharing. LOL. Glad you enjoyed it and maybe something will spark a scene or story. Doris
DeleteDoris, I so appreciate your blogs and the research you do to bring them to us. This is so fascinating. So many of these people I didn't know about--it's amazing, isn't it, the things we DON'T know. There is no way to learn about "everything" during our years of formal education. We must keep reading, and keep digging, and wow--the stuff that comes out of research is just fantastic, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cheryl. I really love finding these nuggets and then sharing them. I truly do believe that digging for the information keeps me young and happy. Doris
ReplyDeleteAs always, I enjoy your posts, Doris and appreciate your researching and sharing stories of people long gone. I don't know why I have such a fascination for lawmen and outlaws--perhaps because as a child I saw so many western movies, and still do.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Elizabeth. For me it has always been the story behind the story. That's probably why my degree was in social work/criminology. (Grin). The fact that I worked in that field for twenty years probably also plays into my desire to research these people.
DeleteI appreciate your continued support and encouragement. Doris