The Legendary Gunfighter Part 2

The sheriffs' job was taken by William Head from the neighboring town of Clovis New Mexico.  Head had taken the job three months ago never seen Olsen.  The Sherriff aware of the gunfighter reputation and the eleven previous kills before the gunfight in Hereford.  Sheriff Head wasn’t a coward, but was extremely cautious and would mysteriously disappear if serious trouble arose.  Trouble rare in Hereford, this was how Sheriff Herd liked it. He interviewed Sheriff Herd the same day the reporter interviewed Olsen.  According to Jackson notes’ Sherriff Herd indicated off the record if he had known it was Olsen the arrest wouldn’t have taken place. Olsen refused to talk to the reporter.

The actual gunfight did occur on Saturday night that was the only truth.  The Hereford Tribune a weekly paper published a special edition on Monday.  The fabricated story took nearly the entire front page. Jackson liked to write fiction and was good at creating believable stories.  The facts about Olsen eleven prior kills completely fabricated in Randall Jackson deranged and creative mind.  The gunfight reported in the Hereford Tribune didn’t resemble the actual gunfight. The follow exerts are from the story written by Randall.  This version confirmed by Tyne, White, Lucas, and Olsen when interviewed for the record by Randall their statements were hand written and in the files.

This past Saturday night July the 19, 1870 Fred Keene, James Olsen, Mayor Milford Tyne, Judge Robert White and this reporter were playing a friendly game of stud poker in the local saloon. We were forced to endure the constant preaching of the honorable Reverend John Lucas.  He was preaching about the sins committed by gambling, drinking, and fornication. We had a few drinks but weren’t intoxicated and were gambling but there wasn’t any fornication.   One of the local business girls tiring of his preaching threw beer in the Reverend face of course; he turned the other cheek, like a good Baptist.               

Fred Keene a relative newcomer to Hereford, the only person playing poker unaware of James Olsen's reputation and skill with a gun and eleven prior kills. Keene recently moved to Hereford from Lubbock opening a General Store and fancied himself a master gunman. The other players, including this reporter suspected Olsen of cheating, knowing of his abilities and reputation; we weren’t crazy enough to excuse him. Keene was losing heavily and didn’t have our knowledge.  He stood up suddenly accusing Olsen of cheating using profanity. Olsen doesn’t take abuse from anybody and calmly invited Keene outside to settle the dispute with their guns.  Keene accepted they walked out circling around to the alley. The four of us followed; Reverend Lucas begging them not to turn to violence to settle the dispute. 

The two gunmen stood approximately thirty feet apart.  Olsen advised Keene to apologize, and the incident would be forgotten.  Keene wouldn’t apologize Olsen gave him the opportunity to draw first.  Keene reached for his revolver before it cleared leather Olsen drew and shot Keene between the eyes.   

Sheriff Kelly was summoned to investigate and take statements.  James Olsen the only person involved with questionable character unlike this reporter and the other witnesses.  The Sheriff ruled the gunfight self-defense since Keene drew first. Olsen was released, and the undertaken summoned to remove Keene's body.   

The version Randall published in the Tribune completely fabrication by him or a pack of lies if you prefer.  The version cleared the witnesses of any inappropriate activities. The article never mentioned they were drunk.  This version protected their precious reputations. It even explained Revered Lucas present in the saloon by claiming the Reverend was preaching trying to save sinners.  With the reporter account and the other backing up this version, the people of Hereford accepted the fabricated story as truthful. The next several articles described in details James Olsen exploits as a gunfighter, with eleven previous kills. The following exerts taken from those articles.

After much research, this reporter discovered James Olsen's shady past before moving to Hereford five years ago and becoming a peaceful farmer. Until he relocated Olsen was a drifter and gunfighter and convict with a reputation of being fast and deadly.  The first gunfight was in Odessa Texas in April of 1868 two more killings in Seminole Texas a month later.  After those gunfights in Seminole, a rancher in Carlsbad New Mexico hired Olsen.  The rancher was involved in a range war over water right four more men killed in the seven months spent there.  Bringing the total kills to seven. Olsen luck ran out in New Mexico that same year; he spent two years in prison for armed robbery.    

After serving his time in New Mexico, he drifted to Guthrie Texas worked as town marshal for a year before being fired for drinking and fornicating with whores.  Olsen then drifted to Big Spring where the gunfighter faced two men simultaneously killing both. Bringing his total to nine, Olsen next gunfight was Abilene Texas, followed by a gunfight in Albany Texas bringing the total to eleven.  Olsen disappeared from public view without offering an explanation.   After Albany, he arrived in Hereford June 1870. Since he arrived, Olsen remained peaceable and a weekend drinker and dirt farmer during the week.  Until that fateful Saturday night, Fred Keene accused James Olsen of cheating at porker forcing the gunfight.   

Will Olsen take up the gun again? He told this reporter returning to gun fighting and selling his gun was finished. The citizen of Hereford can feel safe if Olsen is truthful. When Olsen interviewed, he didn’t deny the facts reported in the Hereford Tribune by this reporter.              

Randall Jackson wrote several articles misrepresenting the truth and exaggerating the few factual truths trying desperately to syndicate the article failing miserably.  Circulation of the Triune increased briefly after the initial story; then dropped like a bucket into a well.  One year later, he sold the Tribune to Edwards and moved westward his destination unknown.   Nobody in Hereford heard from Randall Jackson since his sudden departure.     

James Olsen had two weeks of fame with people buying drinks and treating him as royalty instead of the town outcast.  After that he continued farming and drinking on the weekends and chasing whores.  Lucky his reputation didn’t spread far from Hereford or there would have been gunfighters pursuing him trying to gain a reputation.  Olsen during the week still farms struggling to pay the mortgage.  Olsen or the others never admitted the story fabricated according to Jackson Notes. 

According to investigation by Edwards verified by his excellent notes, Milford Tyne and Robert White left Hereford two years after fabricating.   The Reverend John Lucas bought a circus tent and currently travels Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico preaching and posing as a faith healer. The Reverend Lucas employees' shills to extort monies from the unsuspecting public listening to his preaching believing he can heal their ailments.  The Reverend travels with two whores they also acted as shills what their other duties unknown.  On several occasions, the preacher has been tarred, feather, and rode out of towns on a rail.

According to the notes of Edwards when Jim Kelly told the reporter, his suspicious on his deathbed in Corpus Christi on October 14 1899, a promise made then to search for the truth and informed the public.  It wouldn’t be easy but Edwards thought the people deserved the truth. His investigation began in Hereford with James Olsen, who died a year after he was interviewed taking the secret to his grave.  He discovered Milford Tyne killed robbing a bank in Little Rock Arkansas a year after leaving Hereford another dead end.   Robert White died of poverty in El Pasco sometime later. Like Olsen and Tyne the secret died too. These setbacks didn’t stop this reporter from seeking the truth. Edwards spent time trying to locate Randall Jackson the man who fabricated the Legendary Gunfighter and Olson reputation.  This search unsuccessful and he finally gave up on finding Jackson.            

The only living member of the original conspiracy and fabrication of the legendary James Olsen was Reverend John Lucas. When the good Reverend interviewed by Edwards, he in Oklahoma City serving ten years in prison for exhortation.  He hoped his cooperation and coming clean would earn him an earlier release, so he wouldn’t die in prison.  For that reason, the good Reverend came clean and told the truth about the fabrication after years of maintaining the secret.  The Parole Board didn’t buy the Reverend remorse. He died in prison in November 1901.  

Edward Roberts’ was the current owner and publisher of the Hereford Tribune.  He found Randall Jackson original story The Legendary Gunfighter in the newspaper's morgue.   Also, found Randall Jackson notes on the fabrication. The Conspiracy fascinating to the reporter, and he thought it hilarious as did I that Jackson and the others deceived the citizens. Before coming to Hereford and buying the Tribune, the reporter worked in San Francisco for the Newspaper with an excellent reputation for reporting the truth after researching the story. Found in his notes the story he intended to publish revealing the conspiracy. The story well researched and documented by Randal Jackson notes, the deathbed statement of Sheriff Kelly and the interview of Lucas in prison.  Why the reporter never published the story revealing the truth wasn’t reveled in his notes.  My great Uncle notes indicated he discovered the truth but never revealed his findings to the people as I intended. No explanations by my uncle, or Edwards offered for not publishing the truth.  There were several owners between Edwards and my Uncle if they discovered the files they never reported the truth either. The absent of notes by theme suggested they hadn’t found the files.  This is a mystery remaining unsolved.        

Before leaving Hereford, a final tour taken, it brought back memories of my happy childhood and the Legend of James Olsen.  It was actually the only claim to fame Hereford had as mentioned before; it would be a shame to spoil that.  Like James Olsen and the others, the truth about the Legendary Gunfight, Gunfighter, and conspiracy would be carried to my grave.  The memory of solving the conspiracy would satisfy my curiosity.  There wasn’t any reason to ruin the legend.  The citizen of Hereford probably wouldn’t accept the truth or wouldn’t want to know.  Maybe my great uncle and Edwards had similar reasons for maintaining the secret. 

                                                               ***The End***