One of my favorite of the Lawmen of the "Old West" was a man named William Tilghman. Known to his contemporaries as either Bill Tilghman, or "Uncle Billy," William Tilghman was considered to be one of the most honest and most effective lawmen of the Old West-era. The truth is that Bill Tilghman could have gone either way as a young man. Bill left his home state of Iowa when he was only sixteen, and "went west." Actually, he didn't go very far west. In the area of Dodge City, Kansas, Bill joined up with some other young men who made their living by stealing horses from local Indians. The "Law" did not get too upset with people who stole horses from the Indians, but the Indians themselves were wild with anger. Young Tilghman was nearly killed on several occasions, and eventually gave up the life of the outlaw - it was too risky.
In a more respectable turn, Bill opened a saloon in Dodge City (I wonder where the money came from?) and also served as a deputy city marshal. He was accused on a couple of occasions of rustling, once of robbing a train, but there was not enough evidence of these evils, and no charges were ever formally filed. As the years went by, Tilghman's reputation as an honest lawman grew. He served as a deputy sheriff in Ford County, Kansas for several years, and eventually joined the US Marshal Service. Some of Tilghman's contemporaries were the Earp Brothers and William Henry (Billy the Kid) McCarty.
Tilghman was one of the first White men to arrive in Oklahoma when that territory was opened for Anglo settlement in 1889. In 1891 Tilghman became a deputy US Marshal for the Oklahoma territory. As the 19th Century faded into the past, Tilghman continued his legendary career as a peace officer into the new century. His resume included several years as a sheriff's deputy, and later, Sheriff of Lincoln County, Oklahoma. Perhaps his most famous capture was the arrest of Bill Doolin, the leader of a criminal gang that had terrorized parts of several states for years. Doolin escaped from jail a year later, but was killed by a posse led by one of Tilghman's colleagues, Heck Thomas.
Bill Tilghman retired from active duty after serving for several years as the police chief of Oklahoma City. He had taken that job in 1910. During the year 1908, and for several years following, Tilghman directed four films, the most famous being "The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws." Retirement was not to Bill's liking; however, and by August, 1924, Tilghman was once again a peace officer, this time the marshal of Cromwell, Oklahoma, an oil boom town.
Cromwell was a boisterous little town, and when the roughnecks were not out on their rigs, they spent their hard-earned pay at several "speakeasies" scattered throughout the city. Prohibition was going strong at this time, but so was the thirst of the hardworking oilmen, and the money lust of moonshiners and alcohol smugglers. Marshal Tilghman, the honest lawman, refused to turn a blind eye to the illegal alcohol, as his predecessors had done.
As he arrested smugglers and bar owners, Tilghman aroused the ire of a crooked "revenuer" named Wiley Lynn, a federal prohibition agent. Lynn had met with Tilghman several times and "encouraged" the lawman to look the other way as alcohol was brought into Cromwell and distributed among the various illegal bars. Tilghman not only refused to cooperate with Lynn, but continued to vigorously pursue and arrest those involved in bootlegging in and around Cromwell.
Finally Wiley Lynn had all he could stand. He was losing money because he could no longer "protect" the alcohol crowd. On the night of November 1, 1924 - three months to the day since Tilghman had taken over as City Marshal - Wiley Lynn confronted Tilghman. The prohibition agent had been drinking and was intoxicated. He railed at Tilghman, then produced a hidden pistol. Wiley shot Bill Tilghman twice, killing him where he stood. Lynn Wiley had murdered one of the last of the great lawmen from the Old West. Wiley was later acquitted, presumably due to his intoxication, but was himself gunned down in 1932.
I am proud to honor Marshal Bill Tilghman, one of the greatest Lawmen of the Old West. Thank you for your service, Marshal, and may you rest in peace.
In a more respectable turn, Bill opened a saloon in Dodge City (I wonder where the money came from?) and also served as a deputy city marshal. He was accused on a couple of occasions of rustling, once of robbing a train, but there was not enough evidence of these evils, and no charges were ever formally filed. As the years went by, Tilghman's reputation as an honest lawman grew. He served as a deputy sheriff in Ford County, Kansas for several years, and eventually joined the US Marshal Service. Some of Tilghman's contemporaries were the Earp Brothers and William Henry (Billy the Kid) McCarty.
Tilghman was one of the first White men to arrive in Oklahoma when that territory was opened for Anglo settlement in 1889. In 1891 Tilghman became a deputy US Marshal for the Oklahoma territory. As the 19th Century faded into the past, Tilghman continued his legendary career as a peace officer into the new century. His resume included several years as a sheriff's deputy, and later, Sheriff of Lincoln County, Oklahoma. Perhaps his most famous capture was the arrest of Bill Doolin, the leader of a criminal gang that had terrorized parts of several states for years. Doolin escaped from jail a year later, but was killed by a posse led by one of Tilghman's colleagues, Heck Thomas.
Bill Tilghman retired from active duty after serving for several years as the police chief of Oklahoma City. He had taken that job in 1910. During the year 1908, and for several years following, Tilghman directed four films, the most famous being "The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws." Retirement was not to Bill's liking; however, and by August, 1924, Tilghman was once again a peace officer, this time the marshal of Cromwell, Oklahoma, an oil boom town.
Cromwell was a boisterous little town, and when the roughnecks were not out on their rigs, they spent their hard-earned pay at several "speakeasies" scattered throughout the city. Prohibition was going strong at this time, but so was the thirst of the hardworking oilmen, and the money lust of moonshiners and alcohol smugglers. Marshal Tilghman, the honest lawman, refused to turn a blind eye to the illegal alcohol, as his predecessors had done.
As he arrested smugglers and bar owners, Tilghman aroused the ire of a crooked "revenuer" named Wiley Lynn, a federal prohibition agent. Lynn had met with Tilghman several times and "encouraged" the lawman to look the other way as alcohol was brought into Cromwell and distributed among the various illegal bars. Tilghman not only refused to cooperate with Lynn, but continued to vigorously pursue and arrest those involved in bootlegging in and around Cromwell.
Finally Wiley Lynn had all he could stand. He was losing money because he could no longer "protect" the alcohol crowd. On the night of November 1, 1924 - three months to the day since Tilghman had taken over as City Marshal - Wiley Lynn confronted Tilghman. The prohibition agent had been drinking and was intoxicated. He railed at Tilghman, then produced a hidden pistol. Wiley shot Bill Tilghman twice, killing him where he stood. Lynn Wiley had murdered one of the last of the great lawmen from the Old West. Wiley was later acquitted, presumably due to his intoxication, but was himself gunned down in 1932.
I am proud to honor Marshal Bill Tilghman, one of the greatest Lawmen of the Old West. Thank you for your service, Marshal, and may you rest in peace.
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