 |
| Dangerous Dan Bogan |
Story by Terry McGahey
One of the least known and underrated gunmen in the Old West was a man by the name of Dan Bogan. Dan Bogan was born in Alabama in 1860 but was moved to Hamilton County, Texas as a young child. By the time he was seventeen or younger he became a cowboy.
He had two older brothers who became involved in horse theft with one being killed and the other in prison. Known as a troublemaker, Bogan would challenge people to fights.
On May 2nd, 1881, he and a friend by the name of Dave Kemp were making the rounds of the saloons causing trouble and challenging people. Kemp talked Bogan into leaving and when reaching their horses Bogan spotted a local farmer by the name of F.A. Smith sitting upon his wagon.
He then began to insult Smith verbally. Then grabbing a chair for Smith's wagon and pounding it on the ground, he once again verbally insulted Smith. At this point, Smith told Bogan, "I don't whip dogs, otherwise I’d step down and whip you."
Having enough Smith stepped down from his wagon, and as he approached Bogan, Dan reached into his coat pulling a pistol. But it was too late, Smith hit him with one punch knocking him to the ground. Smith then wrestled the gun away from Bogan and while doing so Bogan's friend Kemp ran over and hit Smith with his pistol. Smith then turned with his own gun toward Kemp and pulled the trigger, but his weapon misfired and Kemp fled. Afterward, Smith turned Bogan's gun into the Marshal. I’d say that old boy was pretty tough.
Shortly after Bogan left Hamilton County for the Texas Panhandle and then on to Wilbarger County, Texas. When arriving, Bogan joined up with a cattle drive working for the R-2 Ranch heading up to Dodge City, Kansas. Once in Dodge City, they hit the saloons drinking and partying and getting out of hand so Marshal Jack Bridges with his deputies ran them out of town. While leaving, a small gunfight ensued and a man by the name of John Briley was shot to death during the engagement while Bogan and the others fled town.
Once back in the Panhandle of Texas, Bogan teamed up with a fellow by the name of Tom Harris who started his own outfit called the "Get Even Cattle Company". Reason for that name is because he, Bogan, and others tried to start what you might call a union which got them blacklisted from the ranches of the area before Bogan had left on the cattle drive to Kansas.
Shortly after Bogan left Hamilton County for the Texas Panhandle and then on to Wilbarger County, Texas. When arriving, Bogan joined up with a cattle drive working for the R-2 Ranch heading up to Dodge City, Kansas. Once in Dodge City, they hit the saloons drinking and partying and getting out of hand so Marshal Jack Bridges with his deputies ran them out of town. While leaving, a small gunfight ensued and a man by the name of John Briley was shot to death during the engagement while Bogan and the others fled town.
Once back in the Panhandle of Texas, Bogan teamed up with a fellow by the name of Tom Harris who started his own outfit called the "Get Even Cattle Company". Reason for that name is because he, Bogan, and others tried to start what you might call a union which got them blacklisted from the ranches of the area before Bogan had left on the cattle drive to Kansas.
Naturally, this outfit was nothing more than cattle rustlers picking up other ranchers' cows and changing the brands to their own, most likely with a running iron. Once the ranchers and county commissioners figured out what was going on and who the culprits were, they hired Pat Garrett of Billy the Kid fame to find them while insinuating he "should or could kill the ring leaders" which included Bogan.
Garrett and his boys gathered up about thirty head of what they figured to be stolen cattle with Bogan's brand on them. Bogan hired an attorney by the name of H.H. Wallace who demanded twenty-five thousand dollars in damages. Oldham County, Texas, fearing that Bogan might possibly have a case settled for eight hundred dollars.
Garrett and his boys gathered up about thirty head of what they figured to be stolen cattle with Bogan's brand on them. Bogan hired an attorney by the name of H.H. Wallace who demanded twenty-five thousand dollars in damages. Oldham County, Texas, fearing that Bogan might possibly have a case settled for eight hundred dollars.
Later on, indictments were handed down against one hundred and fifty-nine cowboys including Bogan. Most of those cowboys fled the area which satisfied Garrett, all except Bogan and three other cowboys named Bassett, Harris, and Thompson.
In 1885, Garrett and Oldham County Sheriff Jim East learned where the men were hold up on the Howry Cattle Company headquarters in the Panhandle. Riding all night in a snowstorm, the posse reached the house where the men were hiding out. While out gathering wood, Bassett spotted the posse warning the others.
In 1885, Garrett and Oldham County Sheriff Jim East learned where the men were hold up on the Howry Cattle Company headquarters in the Panhandle. Riding all night in a snowstorm, the posse reached the house where the men were hiding out. While out gathering wood, Bassett spotted the posse warning the others.
Tom Harris yelled out to Garrett, "What do you want?"
Garrett hollered back, "I have warrants for Woods, Thompson, and Bogan, but I have no issues with anyone else."
Nine cowboys left the house only leaving Thompson and Bogan still inside, Woods was not there at the time. Refusing to surrender, a gunfight ensued with Thompson killed and three posse members slightly wounded, meanwhile Bogan escaped through the back in a blizzard that hit shortly after the posse had arrived.
In 1886, near Lusk, Wyoming, Bogan was working for the Vorhees Ranch and by this time he was known to have killed three men. It's said that the number was twenty-one, but I think this is exaggerated.
In 1886, near Lusk, Wyoming, Bogan was working for the Vorhees Ranch and by this time he was known to have killed three men. It's said that the number was twenty-one, but I think this is exaggerated.
One of these men was the owner of a dance hall who had prohibited Bogan from his establishment. Bogan walked in and cold bloodedly shot the owner, killing him. After this incident the editor of a local newspaper by the name of Calkin had written that it was possible that Bogan was wanted in Texas and who had gone by two other names in his past.
Bogan, along with another cowboy by the name of Sterling Balou, then set out looking for the editor. They entered the Cleveland Brothers Saloon with Bogan drawing his gun and hollering for Calkin and daring anyone to stop him. At this point one of the Cleveland Brothers brought a shotgun to bare upon the two while Constable Charles S. Gunn entered with his gun drawn causing the two to retreat and leave the area.
On January 14, 1887, Bogan was once again causing trouble in a dance hall when once again Constable Gunn entered the building backing Bogan down. Bogan, causing trouble again that same day, brought Constable Gunn to enter the building once more. Bogan with his gun behind his back asked Gunn if he was healed.
Constable Gunn replied, "I am always armed."
And with that, Bogan shot Constable Gunn in the stomach. While Gunn was on the floor, Bogan walked over and shot him again point blank in the head.
During Bogan's attempted escape on horseback, Marshal John Owens shot Bogan in the shoulder with a shotgun knocking him from his horse. Arresting him, Marshal John Owens placed him in the back room of one of the saloons because they had no jail.
Once again, a Blizzard hit, and with poor security, Bogan escaped once more. Marshal John Owens made the statement that Bogan wouldn’t get too far with his wound and about a week and a half or two Bogan sent word to Marshal Owens, he wanted to surrender and get medical help for his wound because it was beginning to get infected.
On September 7, 1881, Bogan was convicted of murder and sentenced to hang. Another friend of Bogan's by the name of Hall paid a fellow by the name of Jones to commit a minor crime to be put in jail with Bogan. Jones had hidden sawblades in his shoes, and he and Bogan escaped again through a ventilator shaft. They were also accompanied by two other men named Charles Leroy and Bill Steary.
A posse led by Sheriff Seth Sharpless hunted to escapees with a bounty on their heads of one thousand dollars dead or alive.
Charlie Siringo, an Old West detective, began working undercover finding Hall and his cohorts but Bogan was no longer with them. Siringo produced enough evidence for indictments for Hall and the others resulting in their arrests for assisting Bogan. This hunt led Siringo to Utah and onto New Mexico where he located an old friend of Bogan's who told him, the last he knew Bogan was headed to New Orleans as to catch a ship to Argentina.
To coin a phrase we use nowadays for Illegal Aliens who disappear and are not apprehended, I guess Dan Bogan became a "got-away."
A posse led by Sheriff Seth Sharpless hunted to escapees with a bounty on their heads of one thousand dollars dead or alive.
Charlie Siringo, an Old West detective, began working undercover finding Hall and his cohorts but Bogan was no longer with them. Siringo produced enough evidence for indictments for Hall and the others resulting in their arrests for assisting Bogan. This hunt led Siringo to Utah and onto New Mexico where he located an old friend of Bogan's who told him, the last he knew Bogan was headed to New Orleans as to catch a ship to Argentina.
Anything ever heard about Bogan from that time forward was merely hearsay. Charlie Siringo believed that Bogan came back to the United States, was married under a different name, and was raising a family somewhere in Texas. Another former friend of Bogan believed he was married with family living on a small ranch somewhere in Southwestern New Mexico.
About the Author
Terry McGaheyAssociate Writer/ Old West Historian
He was instrumental in getting the famous Tombstone City Ordinance Number 9 repealed while at the same time forcing the City of Tombstone to fall in line and comply with the laws of the State of Arizona.
If you care to read how he fought Tombstone's City Hall and won, check out:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment.