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Hell Paso: Life and Death in the Old West's Most Dangerous Town
Spanning a thirty-year period, from the late 1800s until the 1920s, Hell Paso is the true story of the desperate men and notorious women that made El Paso, Texas the Old West’s most dangerous town. Supported by official court documents, government records, oral histories and period newspaper accounts, this book offers a bird’s eye view of the one-time “murder metropolis” of the Southwest.
456 pages, Hardcover
Published December 18, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 5, 2024
This is a history of my hometown, El Paso. I knew it was a crazy city during the Old West era but wow.
The most famous Western legend to spend time there was John Westley Hardin, along with Pat Garrett and others.
While it's a good look at a dangerous town of that era, the excitement doesn't really come through because it's hampered by its chronological format, apparently relying heavily on newspaper accounts. We go from shootout to arrest to election to shootout to arrest to election. Maybe it would've been better to go topic by topic, each chapter focusing on one gunfighter or sheriff or event – forget the elections.
If you're an El Pasoan, you'll see familiar names like Magoffin and Burges, and familiar locations around town and nearby. But this book desperately needed a map to help sort out some of the places being referred to again and again.
It's a weird quirk, but this guy sure loves the word "affray."
BTW, I read a book earlier this year that said Dodge City, Kansas, was the West's most dangerous town, so take your pick, I guess!
The most famous Western legend to spend time there was John Westley Hardin, along with Pat Garrett and others.
While it's a good look at a dangerous town of that era, the excitement doesn't really come through because it's hampered by its chronological format, apparently relying heavily on newspaper accounts. We go from shootout to arrest to election to shootout to arrest to election. Maybe it would've been better to go topic by topic, each chapter focusing on one gunfighter or sheriff or event – forget the elections.
If you're an El Pasoan, you'll see familiar names like Magoffin and Burges, and familiar locations around town and nearby. But this book desperately needed a map to help sort out some of the places being referred to again and again.
It's a weird quirk, but this guy sure loves the word "affray."
BTW, I read a book earlier this year that said Dodge City, Kansas, was the West's most dangerous town, so take your pick, I guess!
October 1, 2024
A recounting of the early history of El Paso, Texas, dwelling primarily on the lawbreakers (gun fighters) and law enforcement in the emerging El Paso. The names can become a blur, but otherwise a good history. Well footnoted with photos.
Some observations: It is interesting that the line between law-breaker and law-enforcer was such a thin one. These guys seem to bounce between breaking the law and being sheriffs or deputies. It's also interesting how frequently they bounced between jobs (which may account for their dipping into lawlessness). Every time there was a new mayor or sheriff, there was the possibility of massive firings so the new boss's people could be installed. (The El Paso police didn't get civil service protection until the early 1900s.) Finally, it is interesting that every time a lawman (and they all seemed to be men) killed someone -- even quite justifiably -- they were charged with murder -- although most seem to have been quickly found not guilty.
Some observations: It is interesting that the line between law-breaker and law-enforcer was such a thin one. These guys seem to bounce between breaking the law and being sheriffs or deputies. It's also interesting how frequently they bounced between jobs (which may account for their dipping into lawlessness). Every time there was a new mayor or sheriff, there was the possibility of massive firings so the new boss's people could be installed. (The El Paso police didn't get civil service protection until the early 1900s.) Finally, it is interesting that every time a lawman (and they all seemed to be men) killed someone -- even quite justifiably -- they were charged with murder -- although most seem to have been quickly found not guilty.
October 19, 2023
An extremely well researched book. Many old time newspapers, some from towns that don't exist anymore, were read and unfolded many unknown stories. Well done.
January 11, 2024
Excellent research, solid data gathering. good reference book.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews