Alamo Fast Draw

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Chances that the most proficient gunfighter with a fast draw and a six-shooter and the most deadly was John Wesley Harden. With his lightning fast draw and superb accuracy may witnessed and documented the additions to the local graveyards that. 18 fights with 11 kills can be independently verified the totals may have been between 30 to 40 victims killed in gunfights with John Wesley Hardin. His totals may exceed that of all other none shootist of the day.

Hardin was like most, a product of circumstance and time. With his combined religious and moral beliefs and a periodic disregard for life, that may have been partly due to the fact his father was a straight southern preacher. Like most adolescents of any age he no doubt was torn between loyalty to his family and perhaps the need to break away from the family ties and establish his own identity.

John Wesley Hardin's first victim was Mage Holzhausen at age 15. Mage match was out for revenge of a beating he took from John Hardin and another boy. That it took five shots from Harden to separate man from the club in his hand. John then rode 8 miles to get help for the wounded man.By weeks end Mage was died fromhis wounds and Harden went into hiding.

His fame in popularity in Texas as a gunfighter no doubt came from the many battles with the Federal troops and state police which were despises at that time in Texas. Shortly after his killing of Mage for mounted soldiers, who Joe (john's brother) believed to be humming him, became number two through five to fall victim of john Wesley Hardin's shotgun and a revolver.

The shootouts he faced in his lifetime were hardly fair in the western movie sence, but by most accounts they were face up. Also by most accounts John Wesley Harden did all he could to get the upper hand in a gunfight, like constantly practicing his fast draw and his aim, consistently anticipating the modes of others around him, having gun in hand when expecting trouble, and often being the first to draw his six-shooter. He was also known to pull a gun on an unarmed antagonist like Mage his first victim and later making Ben Hinds back down from threats.

Most of Harden's exploits can be collaborated with court records, newspapers, and police records. But his autobiography cast doubt on the story that took place in Abilene Kansas when John Wesley Harden was 18 years old. The story was about getting the drop on a well known gunfighter named Wild Bill Hickok, Marshall at the time. When Harden appear to be surrendering his revolver but first and then performing what is known as the Curly Bill Spin. This story may be untrue due to the fact the maneuver was widely known and Hickock would have been aware of this trick. Bill in knowing this kid's reputation also would most likely have had his revolver in hand and then ready for the deception.

The story of shooting a man for snoring may be in doubt to the motives of this shooting. One story goes John shot a man for storing, but Harden said the man had threatened him.John Wesley Harden may have been ashamed of killing a man in his sleep and so concocted the version documented in his book.

John Wesley Harden was shot in August of 1872 in Trinity City Texas by Phil Sablett, Phil was determined to win his poker stakes back. John manage to hit Sublett the in the shoulder with one round but to buckshot hit John and the kidney and for awhile Harden looked as though he would die. The state police that had been on his trail were closing in on John. Harden surrendered to a sheriff he trusted named Dick Reagon. After he was moved to Gonzalez in October John cut his way out of jail with a smuggled saw. Perhaps with help from a guard by negligence or perhaps intentionally by the guard.

John Wesley was arrested in August of 1877 by sheriff William Hutchinson and some 20 deputies. This occurred after a friend of Harden's named Brown Bowen was beaten by the manager of the Pensacola railroad. After the beating Bowen exclaimed that Swain ( actually Harden ) would no doubt take revenge for his comrades beating. As J.W.Harden struggled to retrieve a colt .44 he had hidden in his suspenders, he was pistol whipped into submission by the deputies.

Perhaps he would have been killed if he could have retrieved the pistol before being beaten unconscious. After being extricated to Commanche for trial on charges of killing Webb, who was convicted and sentenced to 25 years at hard labor in the Huntsville Texas penitentiary.

With a total of 16 years served from 1878 to 1894 John was set loose with a state check of about $15.00 and a state issued suite. Now attorney John Wesley Harden put up his single in El Paso Texas. Harden's hope of a legitimate career were soon spoiled by reality. Few people would trust an ex-convict with legal work except for perhaps some of the poorer in the El Paso community. This led to the more lucrative business of gambling which could be found in almost every saloon. It is believed at this time he took to drinking more and more.

It did not help that El Paso authorities were not happy with his arrival. Some lawmen may have envied him if if and his skilled fast draw along with his reputation. Perhaps even some lawman feared Harden. It was most likely expected that sooner or later trouble would raise its head. If that time ever came the well respected chief of police Jeff Milton would have several Burgess shotguns and locations around town. John Wesley Harden did not help matters with the apprehensive authorities by showing his prowice that fast draw.

Harden often antagonized the authorities but seemed to have gained some self restraint during his time in prison. This may have been demonstrated by his handling of the accusations that Milton had made against John. In respect to this situation Melton said Harden was " so much faster than if he had gone for a gun, I wouldn't have had a chance ". Also in July of that same year Harden had no objections when asked to appear on charges of robbery, gambling and carrying a firearm.

While Harden may have used a Winchester rifle in 1876 to kill one fellow, he seem to prefer confrontation close up where a shotgun or handgun were better suited. It is likely he used a Colt Dragoon .44 to kill his first victim and Remington along with Colt percussion revolvers for many of the others. But most likely by 1874 he would have converted to a more modern cartridge.

On his birthday in may of 1874 John took sheriff Charlie Webb's life with Smith & Wesson th if .44. Colt single action .45s perhaps we're used to kill some Pinkertons in 1876 and two Mobile, Alabama policeman.

The drop loop Buscadero known as a fast draw holster I did not exist and the old west as seen in western movies. It was probably not desirable to have a low riding holster strapped to your leg for most common activities. The most common holsters perhaps would have been the tight fitting slim Jim or the military surplus models with the rain flap removed. These models had no tie-down which then required the user to use both hands to retrieve his gun from the holster, perhaps the origin of the expression " slapping leather ". It was said by ranger Jim Gillete of John Wesley Hardens this play of the border shift rolls and fast draw. " sleight of hand gunhandling as having been executed with nothing less than magical precision ".

On August 18th 1895 John Wesley Harden was rolling dice at the Acme saloon with his back exposed to the swinging door. Constable Selman entered the room and blasted the most famous shootist of all time in the back of the head. He then pulled two more rounds into his chest and arm.

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