Cowboy Pictures

Ed Schieffelin

“Whaddya doin?” The army scouts wanted to know, as Ed Schieffelin led his mule out of the army post at Fort Yuma, Arizona Territory.

“Headin’ out fer some Prospectin,” grumbled Ed, and a soldier hurrumphed. “All yer’ll ever find in them hills,” he said, “is yer tombstone.”

But Ed Schieffelin found silver. Lots of silver. And before it played out the silver mines in the Arizona desert would pay out a billion dollars at today’s value. So, when it came time to stake out a town, to support all the mines and workers there was only one suggestion for a name: Tombstone.

In the years to follow more than 30,000 miners and thieves, gamblers and gunfighters, merchants and shady ladies, swarmed the boom town. Including Wyatt Earp and his brothers, as well as their friend Doc Holliday, and the infamous Cowboys led by Old Man Clanton and Curly Bill Brosius.

Old Bill Miner

Hands up!

The first cowboy to utter these immortal lines was Old Bill Miner. From 1861 – 1911 Cowboy Bill robbed trains and stagecoaches in the American and Canadian West.

In 1906 the old cowboy was sentenced to life. He told the Canadian judge, “No jail can hold me, sir.” Over the next 4 years, Bill Miner, escaped 5 times.

Wild Bill Hickok

The prototype of the old west pistol fighter, Bill Hickok had the size, the sad eyes and the heroic exploits to make an impression on most any body. Just weeks after the end of the Civil War, Wild Bill took the train to the end of the tracks in Springfield, Missouri.

When confederate Dave Tutt bragged he could, “Shoot a bird on the wing“, in Springfield, in 1865, former Union soldier, Bill Hickok was quick to reply, “Did the crow have a pistol? Was he shooting back? I will be.“

There’s a number of reasons people say Hickok and Tutt fought. They were both wooing the prettiest girl in town, their political sympathies were at odds, but it came down to a pocket watch.

Hickok and Tutt had been playing poker and Bill lost a big pot to the loud mouthed Tutt. His pocket watch had been part of the bet, and Dave insisted that he hold it against the debt of 25 dollars.

Wild Bill wasn’t happy, but he allowed it with the warning, “Don’t let me see you on the street with my watch, Dave.”

The next morning the streets were lined with the curious as Dave Tutt and a couple of his cronies were strolling down Main Street, with Dave flaunting Hickok’s pocket watch.

Seventy-five yards away Wild Bill walked out of his hotel and threw down the gauntlet. “Don’t you cross the square with my watch Dave!”

By way of an answer Tutt pulled his pistol and fired, as Hickok did the same. Tutt missed. Wild Bill didn’t. From that incredible distance, shooting with a cap and ball pistol, Hickok hit Dave Tutt in the heart, dropping him dead. Hickok then strode down the street and reclaimed his coveted pocket watch, admonishing the crowd with, “are you not entertained!”

After shooting Jack Straw, a well known bad cowboy, Wild Bill Hickok bought a round for the bar, and the town band struck up a tune. A hastily convened coroner’s jury, took one look at the hell raising, dead cowboy, and asserted, “Served him right, and so we declare.” The Deadman’s Hand

The Slim Jim Holster – the Classic side-arm holster of the early west.

Classic Slim Jim Holster

Most men – including Texas Rangers – who could afford a holster would have used this style in the early days of the western frontier. Shown here in Saddle Tan.

Holster shown is a right hand draw and can be worn on the right hip, on the left for a cross draw or on the left for a left handed “Twist” or “Cavalry” or “Hickok” draw.

Our Holsters are Top Quality – made for life-long use. We will custom make to accommodate the make and calibre of your side arm. Other colors available include Deadwood Brown, Black, Antique Brown, and Old Mahogany.

Faro Cards

Cowboy Poker (aka Faro)

Cowboys love poker. . . .and the reason old west cowboys called the poker they played, “Faro” was because the most popular playing cards used pictures of Egyptian Pharaohs for the face cards.

In the old west, Faro was much more popular than poker. Easy to play and with the best odds for winning, it was easily the most popular game around.  There was hardly a saloon or gaming house in the West without a Faro table between 1825 and 1915 with several well known figures of the time making their riches by playing the game.

The Story-book Marshal

Wyatt Earp

Dodge City was a mecca for gamblers, girls and cowboys. Known as the “Queen of the Cow towns,” the “wickedest little city in America,” and the “beautiful Babylon of the frontier.”

Dodge gave the world two terms. “Boot Hill” has become synonymous with a cemetery, “’cause most cowboys died with their boots on.”

The first “Red Light District” started in Dodge City in 1874. The most popular western brothel in town had a red pane of glass in it’s front door, as a guide to lonesome, drunken cowboys.

“All they raise around Dodge City,” an old cowboy once said, “is cattle and hell.”

Many “law and order” men tried taming the wild west town, but they all got run outta Dodge or shot dead. Then Wyatt Earp showed up with Bat, Jim Masterson and Joe Mason. In short order Earp and is old west marshals, “. . .made quite a dent in cowboy conceit.” Wyatt Earp Cowboy Hat

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