Fast Draw-Gunfight in El Paso 1881

8 October, 2008 (00:33) | History

Fast Draw gunfight maybe not, but Alamo Fast Draw is not just about Fast Draw but Gunfighters and Gunfights.

On April 14, 1881 a posse of about 75 armed Mexicans road into El Paso looking for their 2 missing

El Paso

vaqueros named Juarique and Sanchez, who had been looking for 30 head of stolen cattle. Ben Schucter, mayor of El Paso, made an exception for the posse of Mexicans, and allowed them to enter the town limits with their guns. Gus Krempkau, an El Paso County Constable, accompanied the posse to the ranch of Johnny Hale, a nere by ranch owner and suspected rustler, who lived some miles northwest of El Paso in the Upper Valley. The bodies of the two missing men were located near Hale's ranch and were carried back to El Paso.

The court of El Paso held an inquest into the two deaths, with Constable Krempkau, who was fluent in Spanish, as the interpreter. The verdict was that Sanchez and Juarique had been in the vicinity of Hale's ranch looking for the stolen cattle. The El Paso court determined that the American cattle rustlers, including Hale, were woried that the men would discover the cattle and return with a larger group. Two of the cattle rustlers, Pervey and Fredericks, were accused of the murders of Juarique and Sanchez after they were overheard bragging about killing two cowboys when they found them following the herd to Hale's ranch during the night of April 13 or in the early morning of the 14th.

In the meantime, a large crowd had gathered in El Paso, to include John Hale and his friend, Ex town Marshal George Campbell. There was tension between some of the Americans, who were concerned with the Mexicans being heavily armed within the city, and the Mexicans, who wanted justice for their two comrades. At the inquest, Pervey and Fredericks were formally charged with the murders and immediately arrested. The court was adjourned and the crowd dispersed. They were scheduled for trial at a later date. The Mexicans rode quietly back to Mexico with the bodies.

Marshal Dallas Stoudenmire, a noted gunfighter who had started on April 11 as town marshal, was present in the court room. After the court adjourned, he walked across the street for dinner. Constable Krempkau went to a saloon next door to retrieve his rifle and pistol. A confrontation took place with George Campbell over alleged remarks made by Campbell about Krempkau’s translations and his friendship with the Mexicans. John Hale, who was reportedly unarmed, was intoxicated and was also upset with Krempkau’s involvement in the matter. Hale grabbed one of Campbell's two pistols and yelled, "George, I've got you covered!" He then shot Krempkau, who reeled backward. Slumping against a saloon door, Krempkau drew his own pistol.

Marshal Stoudenmire heard the shot. Got up from the dinner table at the Globe Restaurant and pulling out his pistol, he ran out into the street. While running, Stoudenmire fired once, killing, Ochoa, an innocent college-educated Mexican bystander, who was running for cover. Quickly sobering up, John Hale jumped behind a thick adobe pillar, but as he peered out from behind it, Stoudenmire shot him between the eyes, killing him.

Campbell stepped out from cover with his pistol in hand and saw Hale fall down, he yelled to Stoudenmire that it was not his fight. Krempkau, mistakenly judged that Campbell had shot him, Krempku then fired his pistol twice at Campbell before losing consciousness. The first bullet struck Campbell's gun and broke his right wrist, while the second hit him in the foot. Campbell screamed and scooped up his gun from the ground with his left hand. Stoudenmire whirled and fired. Campbell dropped his gun again, grabbed his stomach and fell to the floor. Stoudenmire walked slowly toward Campbell and glared down at him. In agony, Campbell yelled, "You big son of a bitch, you murdered me!" Stoudenmire said nothing. Both Campbell and Krempkau died within minutes.

After just a few seconds, four men lay dead or dying. Three Texas Rangers were standing nearby, but did not take part, saying later that they felt Stoudenmire had the situation well in hand.

On April 17, 1881 three days after the gunfight. A friend of Hale and Campbell, named James Manning, persuaded former deputy Bill Johnson to kill Stoudenmire. Stoudenmire had humiliated Johnson days before. That same day, Johnson, who was drunk, confronted Stoudenmire, firing a blast from a shotgun at him. Stoudenmire immediately fired at least eight times at Johnson, shooting off his testicles. Johnson bled to death shortly thereafter.

This began a feud between Mannings and Stoudenmires. Eventually, first Stoudenmire's brother-in-law Stanley "Doc" Cummings and later Stoudenmire himself died at the hands of the Mannings, who were acquitted in two trials in which the juries were packed with their friends.

Alamo Fast Draw Editors note: Thanks for the article Texacan !