Cowboy Western Tip of the Day

Today, the tale of Blackjack Ketchum

The story you are about to read may contain elements of questionable veracity, but open up a cool beverage and read the tale of a train robber at the end of the line.

Tom Ketchum was born in 1863 in San Saba County, Texas. At the time, the 1860 Census only puts down 1000 folks, about 10% slaves. It was a rough place, with 25 people lynched from 1880-1896 by vigilantes. He had brothers Sam (10 years older) and Berry (the ranch heir)

Come 1890, 27 year old Tom and his older brother Sam left Texas. The Ketchum family were immigrants to Texas, come to raise cattle, so its unlikely they left due to Ku Klux Klan vigilantism.

Maybe he shot a man just to watch him die

- Jack Elam as Blackjack Ketchum in 1954

Actually, the tale is that Tom, a pretty good cowboy got hisself arrested for pursuing a dog into a church during service. It led to a rift 'tween Tom and Berry, who was married to the sheriff's daughter.

From such a start did Tom ride off into a life of banditry

Tom was 5'11" - a tall man for the day, and 180 pounds of muscle and speed. He was dark skinned, dark haired and both he and Sam were a hit with the lady folk, especially if spreading around some ill gotten booty.

Tom was also first rate marksman. He was also mean as a bear woke from hibernation. He and Sam (also tall, but fair complexion) were close. They had other friends, often widowed. They made the Ketchum Gang.

In 1892, the Ketchum gang hit the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe near Las Cruces, New Mexico Territory. Good plan - the train was stopped for water, and had a sizeable payroll.

So began the crimes of Blackjack Ketchum, train robber.

But here is a funny bit, why is Tom "Blackjack"?

One story is basically Dread Pirate Roberts.

He kept getting mistaken for another "Blackjack" bandit, so decided to just roll with it!

The Ketchum Boys take to the Outlaw trail - they rob post offices, stagecoaches, railroad stations, moving about, including down Mexico way, as well as running saloons and gambling.

In December of 1895, a man named John "Jap" Powers, who owed Sam Ketchum a sizeable gambling debt, was shot in the back several times, coming into his horse pasture. The Law suspected Tom and Sam. Tom and Sam and the "Ketchum Boys" took off

Years later, it seems that the likely murderers were John Power's wife and her lover on the side! Tom Ketchum would later admit to it, but at the time, he was admitting to doing all sorts of things just for the notoriety of it.

Sounds like a Columbo episode.

Train robbery in the New Mexico territory (even attempted) now carried the death penalty. While still robbing trains, the Ketchum boys joined other outlaws of the famous Hole in the Wall gang, named for the hideout up in Wyoming

My introduction to the Hole in the Wall gang came from Gabriel Lone Ranger toys of the 1970s.

The Hole in the Wall is a real place, up north of Casper. Outlaws who used it included Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch and Jesse James. It was remote and easily defended due to narrow entry.

I assume the signage wasn't quite like this back then

Inside were some cabins, stables and a corral. The various gangs would contribute to the collective upkeep of the place.

Word is that Butch Cassidy didn't have much use for Blackjack and Sam, so the association didn't last long.

So, back in 1897, we find the Ketchum boys back in New Mexico Territory a'huntin' trains, but the US Marshalls get word of a planned robbery.

Here is a photo of Blackjack Ketchum.

The boys try to hit a train of the Colorado and Southern. While they are successful in stopping the train and unhitching the passenger cars, when the hit the express cars a firefight starts and the bandits are driven off.

The Ketchum Boys try again in 1898. They again isolate the mail and express cars and blow the safe with dynomite. Score one for the Ketchum Boys. Most witnesses couldn't even identify how many masked men there were.