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George Scarborough (October 2, 1859 – April 5, 1900) was a
cowboy A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaquer ...
and lawman who lived during the time of the
Wild West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...
. He is best known for having killed outlaw
John Selman John Henry Selman (November 16, 1839 – April 6, 1896) was sometimes identified as an outlaw and sometimes a working lawman of the Old West. He is best known as the man who shot John Wesley Hardin in the Acme Saloon in El Paso, Texas, on August ...
, killer of
John Wesley Hardin John Wesley Hardin (May 26, 1853 – August 19, 1895) was an American Old West outlaw, gunfighter, and controversial folk icon. Hardin often got into trouble with the law from an early age. He killed his first man at the age of 15, claiming h ...
, and for his partnership with lawman
Jeff Milton Jefferson Davis Milton (November 7, 1861 – May 7, 1947) was an Old West lawman and a son of Confederate Governor of Florida John Milton. He was the first officer appointed to the U.S. Immigration Service Border Patrol in 1924. Family and e ...
, with the pair bringing down several outlaws during their time together.


Early life, controversial killing

Scarborough was born in
Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana Natchitoches Parish (french: Paroisse des Natchitoches or ) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 39,566. The parish seat is Natchitoches. The parish was formed in 1805. The Natchito ...
. His family moved to
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, where for a while he worked as a cowboy. In 1885, he was appointed sheriff for Jones County. He would later work as a Deputy US Marshal in and around
El Paso, Texas El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the county seat, seat of El Paso County, Texas, El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau w ...
. On June 21, 1895, while working alongside El Paso police chief Jeff Milton, Scarborough shot and killed Martin M'Rose, a Texas rustler. M'Rose is buried near
John Wesley Hardin John Wesley Hardin (May 26, 1853 – August 19, 1895) was an American Old West outlaw, gunfighter, and controversial folk icon. Hardin often got into trouble with the law from an early age. He killed his first man at the age of 15, claiming h ...
, and Texas Ranger Ernest St. Leon. Jeff Milton was Chief of Police in El Paso at that time, and Scarborough was a US Marshal. M'Rose had been captured, and was killed while being brought back from
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
by the two lawmen on an outstanding warrant. Outlaw, gunman and paramour of Mrs. M'Rose, John Wesley Hardin, claimed that he had paid Scarborough and Milton to kill Martin M'Rose. Milton and Scarborough were arrested, but Hardin later withdrew his comments and the men were released. Scarborough became well known for his unusual tactics when tracking a wanted outlaw. Often, he would drop himself down to the level of those he was pursuing. This tactic was extremely effective, and made him a hated and feared man among the outlaw element. There are many accusations that he was actively and ambitiously involved in outlaw gangs which he betrayed, but no one ever conclusively proved he was involved in unlawful actions. In July, 1898, Scarborough and Milton tracked, shot and captured outlaw "Bronco Bill" Walters, killing another member of Walters' gang, and scattering the rest from their hideout near
Solomonville, Arizona Solomon is a census-designated place in Graham County, Arizona, United States. Its population was 399 as of the 2020 census. It is part of the Safford Micropolitan Statistical Area. Demographics As of the 2010 census Solomon had a populatio ...
. In late 1899 and into 1900, Scarborough pursued the
Burt Alvord Albert "Burt" Alvord (September 11, 1867 – after 1910) was an American lawman and later outlaw of the Old West. Alvord began his career in law enforcement in 1886 as a deputy under Sheriff John Slaughter in Cochise County, Arizona, but turne ...
gang. The beginning of the gang's end came during a February 15, 1900, gunfight between five of the gang members and Jeff Milton in
Fairbank, Arizona Fairbank is a ghost town in Cochise County, Arizona, next to the San Pedro River. First settled in 1881, Fairbank was the closest rail stop to nearby Tombstone, which made it an important location in the development of southeastern Arizona. The ...
, during which gang member "Three Fingered Jack" Dunlop was killed, and both gang member Bravo Juan Yaos as well as Milton were wounded.


Killing of John Selman

Scarborough had long feuded with lawman/outlaw Old John Selman. On April 5, 1894, acting as Constable of El Paso Selman shot and killed Scarborough's close friend and former Texas Ranger Bass Outlaw. Selman was tried for the killing and found not guilty. In reality, Bass Outlaw was not innocent in his own death. Intoxicated, he threatened to kill a local judge and was ordered by Selman to return home and sleep off his intoxication. Outlaw instead visited a
brothel A brothel, bordello, ranch, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. However, for legal or cultural reasons, establishments often describe themselves as massage parlors, bars, strip clubs, body rub par ...
then a saloon. He argued with Texas Ranger Joe McKirdict, who attempted to talk him into leaving. Outlaw shot and killed Ranger McKirdict, then turned on Selman, who engaged him in a gunfight. Selman was wounded twice in the thigh. Outlaw was killed. The killing was found justified by the court. On August 19, 1895,
John Selman John Henry Selman (November 16, 1839 – April 6, 1896) was sometimes identified as an outlaw and sometimes a working lawman of the Old West. He is best known as the man who shot John Wesley Hardin in the Acme Saloon in El Paso, Texas, on August ...
murdered
John Wesley Hardin John Wesley Hardin (May 26, 1853 – August 19, 1895) was an American Old West outlaw, gunfighter, and controversial folk icon. Hardin often got into trouble with the law from an early age. He killed his first man at the age of 15, claiming h ...
at the ''Acme Saloon Bar'' in El Paso. In 1896, on the second anniversary of his friend Outlaw's death, Scarborough supposedly called Selman into the alley behind the ''Wigwam Saloon'' where two men argued and fought. Scarborough claimed both drew their guns so he fatally shot Selman; however, no gun was found on Selman's body. Later a thief who claimed to have stolen Selman's gun immediately after the gun fight was arrested before Scarborough's trial. Scarborough was acquitted. He then moved to
Deming, New Mexico Deming (, ''DEM-ing'') is a city in Luna County, New Mexico, Luna County, New Mexico, United States, west of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Las Cruces and north of the Mexico–United States border, Mexican border. The population was 14,855 as of the ...
, where he worked as a gunman for the Grant County Cattlemen's Association. He was also associated with the arrest of
Pearl Hart Pearl Hart (born Pearl Taylor; 1871–1955) was a Canadian-born outlaw of the American Old West. She committed one of the last recorded stagecoach robberies in the United States, and her crime gained notoriety primarily because of her gender. M ...
.


Death

On April 1, 1900, Scarborough was involved in a shootout with George Stevenson and James Brooks. He killed one of the men but was shot in the leg and was taken back to Deming where the leg was amputated. He died four days later – coincidentally six years to the day after the death of his friend Texas Ranger Bass Outlaw, and four years after he shot Outlaw's killer, John Selman. An alternate story claims that on April 5, 1900, Scarborough and Walter Birchfield were tracking
Harvey Logan (Known month and day) (known month) (known year) --> , birth_place = Iowa, United States , death_date = , death_place = Parachute, Colorado, United States , resting_place = Linwood Cemetery, G ...
(aka "Kid Curry") near
San Simon, Arizona San Simon is a census-designated place in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 165. San Simon is located along Interstate 10, east of Willcox. The community has a ZIP code of 85632. History ...
, and trapped him near the Triangle Canyon. A gunfight ensued, in which Scarborough was mortally wounded by Curry.


References


Sources

*Tombstone of Martin M'Rose *Tombstone of George Scarborough *El Paso, Texas, Police Department *"George Scarborough: the life and death of a lawman on the closing frontier" by Robert K. DeArment *"Fearless Dave Allison: Border Lawman" by Bob Alexander *Scarborough Family Genealogy


External links


Western Outlaws
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scarborough, George 1859 births 1900 deaths 1895 crimes in the United States People from Abilene, Texas People from El Paso, Texas People from Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana People acquitted of murder Cowboys People of the American Old West Crime in Arizona Territory People from Deming, New Mexico American amputees Deaths by firearm in New Mexico