Texas John Slaughter
Von Fourche
The Disney Channel used to show one of their old Disney shows called
Texas John Slaughter. I look up John Slaughter with google but don't get
much. There also aren't many books about him on Amazon. How come John
Slaughter isn't more famous? How does Slaughter compare to other cowboys in
the pantheon of cowboys of the old West? You would think there would be
movies made about him. What's histories view of Slaughter now?
Steve Grimm
Southwest of John Horton Slaughter, cattleman - sheriff" by Allen A. Erwin.
The first printing is pretty expensive and the second printing is becoming
that way too. Slaughter did his job and didn't promote himself. It was
Slaughter who cleaned up Cochise County in Arizona when no one else could.
Slaughter was a successful cattleman, but I don't think his herd was ever
large like Chisum's or Goodnight's. I'm not sure what your basis for
comparison is?
Histories view of Slaughter is mixed. In his early and later days as a
cattleman, his cowboys were a rough crowd...they had to be. On his way to
Arizona, he was stopped in New Mexico because his herd contained "strays".
This is not unseal when moving a large herd. Contemporary accounts indicate
he was fair, honest and friendly. I love the story stating Pancho Villa's
men stole some of his cattle and Slaughter mounted a horse alone, rode to
Villa and demanded payment. Villa gave him some gold coins.
As a lawman there was none better. When elected sheriff of Cochise County
in Arizona, he spread word around for the "bad element" to leave or be
killed. He carried out his promise. The jail in Tombstone was called the
"Slaughter Hotel". His methods were extreme, but this is what was needed at
the time.
You can probably find a copy of the book at:
BTW: Slaughter stated the Earps were just a bunch of greenhorns who could
not stand up in a real fight, thus some pro-Earp people bash Slaughter.
They don't look at his career, at his accomplishements or at his
contributuion. They bash people who say anything bad about the
Earps.....and call it history.
"Von Fourche" <monac...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:WnW0a.4519$tO2.4...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
R. Baker
very interesting fellow. Lose a horse, he'd track it down and bring back
the horse. The theif was always shot trying to escape. :)
Probably less attention given to him because his actions were beyond the
sight of others and like you said he didn't promote it. He wasn't looking
for the attention that Wyatt Earp was always looking for.
"Steve Grimm" <new...@fpcc.net> wrote in message
news:3e45...@news.starnetinc.com...
Gerald Clough
Here's a couple of sites:
First, as for most all things Texas, including John Horton (Texas John)
Slaughter, part of whom's childhood was spent in my county of Caldwell,
The Texas Handbook:
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/SS/fsl10.html
And a links page:
http://jeff.scott.tripod.com/tjslaughter.html
As to why no more movies - Well, you could ask the same thing of dozens
of characters, many of them more promotable than Slaughter. William
"Bigfoot" Wallance, for one. Bigfoot Wallace seems to have been
everywhere and to have done everything, even when you discount his own
fabulous stories of his adventures. And a descendant of William Wallace
of the movie, Braveheart, to boot. In a time and place when most active
men ran into each other, Wallace gets more than his share of mention in
other men's menoirs as someone they met or rode with.
Or, why not Charlie Siringo, whose life was spent first as a Texas
cowboy and second as the famed Pinkerton "Cowboy Detective". And he
wrote two books, one on each career.
Or James Cook, close descendant of the seafaring explorer, Captain James
Cook. He also wrote a very good book. Cook had careers as a Texas
cowboy, professional hunter, and New Mexico cattleman, as well as being
a friend to any number of the great Indian leaders, and had dealings
with Billy the Kid and Bigfoot Wallace. (There he is again.)
Mostly, I think, it's that westerns are out of favor in Hollywood, for now.
laro
"Gerald Clough" <clo...@texas.net> wrote in message
news:3E531749...@texas.net...
> of characters, many of them more promotable than Slaughter. William
> "Bigfoot" Wallance, for one. Bigfoot Wallace seems to have been
> everywhere and to have done everything, even when you discount his own
> fabulous stories of his adventures. And a descendant of William Wallace
> of the movie, Braveheart, to boot. In a time and place when most active
Gerald, I had a hard time believing that Bigfoot was a descendant of William
Wallace...I went to the Handbook of Texas and sure enough, there it is.
Then I noted that J. Frank Dobie actually penned that article before he died
and was reminded of a quote OFTEN attributed to Dobie, "Never let the truth
get in the way of a good story."
I'm still wondering. Do you have any personal sources of knowledge or were
you accepting the Handbook, as I always do (well, almost always. Dobie did
have a way with the truth!)
I like Dobie, don't get me wrong. I've got all of his books with about two
exceptions.
But he was a folklorist! :-)
Gerald Clough
> "Gerald Clough" <clo...@texas.net> wrote in message
> news:3E531749...@texas.net...
>
>
>>of characters, many of them more promotable than Slaughter. William
>>"Bigfoot" Wallance, for one. Bigfoot Wallace seems to have been
>>everywhere and to have done everything, even when you discount his own
>>fabulous stories of his adventures. And a descendant of William Wallace
>>of the movie, Braveheart, to boot. In a time and place when most active
>
>
> Gerald, I had a hard time believing that Bigfoot was a descendant of William
> Wallace...I went to the Handbook of Texas and sure enough, there it is.
Isn't that the damnedest thing? I felt the same way about James Cook
(Fifty Years on the Frontier) being the grandson of Captain James Cook
of Cook Islands fame and their commonality in being adventurous and in
being otustanding people of their times. But that's about a 500 years
closer relationship than Wallace-to-Wallace.
> Then I noted that J. Frank Dobie actually penned that article before he died
> and was reminded of a quote OFTEN attributed to Dobie, "Never let the truth
> get in the way of a good story."
>
> I'm still wondering. Do you have any personal sources of knowledge or were
> you accepting the Handbook, as I always do (well, almost always. Dobie did
> have a way with the truth!)
VERY good question. I accepted Dobie and his sources and assumed that at
least Bigfoot Wallace believed it. Bigfoot's grandfather, we can believe
I think, came to America before the revolution. The Wallaces seem to
have all been fighting men. But, no. I haven't seen anything cited that
proved his descent. (The family counted Robert Bruce in their line,
also.) I doubt very much that there is any way to prove up descent from
that long ago, outside of rigorously documented noble or royal families.
Now, poking around, I find:
http://www.baronage.co.uk/bphtm-01/wallace7.html
stating that Sir William Wallace is believed to have had only a daughter.
On the other hand, there are Wallaces in Scotland today who claim descent:
http://members.tripod.com/~TroubleCat/Braveheart/william_wallace.html
Perhaps it's a bit silly to worry about or for Bigfoot to brag about
descent from a hero of the 13th century. Heck, we're all probably
related to him in some way.
--
Gerald Clough
clo...@texas.net
"Nothing has any value, unless you know you can give it up."
Carmine Rhedd
>Perhaps it's a bit silly to worry about or for Bigfoot to brag about
>descent from a hero of the 13th century. Heck, we're all probably
>related to him in some way.
I'm currently reading a new biography,
GENERAL PATTON, A SOLDIER'S LIFE
by Stanley P. Hirshorn, Harper/Collins 2002.
Now this has nothing to do with the 'old
west' but is in response to the 'descent
from a hero of 13th century' remark, above.
The most I knew about Patton before reading
this book came from the movie version and
we all know how inaccurate that was. I did
not recall that Patton believed in reincarnation,
or that he believed he is the reincarnation
of numerous warriors from different eras.
Interesting too is a reference to his Norse
belief in Valhalla as a place where fallen
heroes reside, making them NOT failures in
battle, but rather 'rewarded' heroes who
died in order to end their earthly travail
in exchange for experiencing paradise in
Valhalla.
According to the author, Patton's belief system
was designed to reduce his fear in battle
situations - allowing him to believe that if
killed, he'd 'revive' to fight another day.