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where the wild west comes alive
Tom Horn
(November 21, 1860 - November 20, 1903)
Drawing by Richard Florence .
photo by Dave Logan
Tom Horn was born in Memphis, Missouri where he learned to hunt and use his rifle. Tom's early life has never been researched thoroughly with writers concentrating on his later career.
Most of what is known about Tom's early life comes from his autobiography. Most autobiographies by famous westerners serve the authors interest and must be viewed with caution. Here is a summary of those early exploits:
- 1875 - worked as a stage driver on the Overland Mail Route
- herded oxen at Camp Verde, Arizona
- quartermaster at Fort Whipple
- became an interpreter (Spanish) for Al Sieber
- served in various capacities for the army
- learned the Apache language and was called "Talking Boy" by the Chiricahuas
- 1886 - received a commendation during a fight
- became chief of scouts under George Crook in his pursuit of Geronimo
- served in a few lawmen positions and may have been involved in the Pleasant Valley War
In 1890, Tom Horn teamed up with Doc Shores in pursuit of horse thieves. Capturing the criminals without trouble, Doc Shores wrote the Pinkerton Detective agency singing high praise for Tom. The Pinkerton's acquired a new employee.
After pursuing train robbers, again, with Doc Shores and capturing two, Horn quit the Pinkertons describing it as too restrictive.
For the rest of his career, Tom Horn became the man hunter for which he is best known. Prior to his being hired as a Stock Detective for the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, Tom did some dirty work during the Johnson County War in Wyoming.
Tom Horn was responsible for eliminating people here and there based on the wishes of various cattle barons. The cattle barons constantly accused the smaller ranchers of rustling, which was probably true, but their wandering stock invited this behavior.
On July 18, 1901, a boy named Willie Nickell was killed when two bullets slammed into his body. Willie Nickell bled to death.
U.S. Deputy Marshal Joe LeFors knew of Tom Horn's other killings. It was this knowledge and as Chip Carlson concludes "was jealous of Tom Horn and other lawmen and LeFors believed he could elevate his own stature above Horn's by extracting that fatal, drunken 'confession'".
This "confession" was used against Tom Horn. Tom Horn was tired, convicted and hanged in Cheyenne, Wyoming for the killing of Willie Nickell. Tom Horn is probably not a person deserving respect, but one has to admire his proficiency as a man-killer. He was not a gunfighter, but an ambusher. Yet, the six foot two inch tower left his legacy in Old West.
Tom Horn is buried in the Old Pioneer Cemetery, which is part of the Columbia Cemetery in Boulder, Colorado.
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