The Encyclopedia of Lawmen, Outlaws, and Gunfighters

Standoffs, saloons and sunsets spring to mind when one envisions the rough and tumble of the early days of the American frontier. Indeed, the golden period of the American West produced some of the most notorious badmen and bravest lawmen in American history, many of whom have become legends. Some rogues are familiar: John Wesley Hardin (who, it is said, killed more than 40 men), William Bonney (Billy the Kid), Wild Bill Hickok, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Others are not so well known but were no less dangerous: John Slaughter, Buckskin Frank Leslie, Wild Bill Longely, Liver-Eating Johnson, and Bill Doolin. Then there are the peacekeepers, the brave men who helped tame the Wild West: the Earp Brothers, Pat Garrett, and Texas Rangers such as James Gillett and Dallas Stoudenmire. This encyclopaedia features more than 400 entries, providing comprehensive biographies of men and women, from both sides of the law, who made their mark on the American frontier. Topics covered also include legendary incidents like the shootout at the OK Corral and the Johnson County War, as well as subjects that marked the era such as dime novels, faro, and quick-draw artists. This collection seeks to separate fact from fiction, offering reference material for fans of the Old West.