Hunnewell, Kansas Gunfight
Encyclopedia
The Hunnewell Gunfight (October 5, 1884) is a gunfight of the Old West which involved no known gunmen, hence it is mostly forgotten today. However, at the time, it was widely circulated.
The gunfight took place in Hunnewell, Kansas
, a town frequented by cowboy
s working on the local ranches and corral
s. Hunnewell, which as of the 2000 US census sports a population of 83, at the time was a prosperous cattle town, serving as a shipping point for Texas
cattle. The Leavenworth, Lawrence and Galveston Railroad provided quick access to the Kansas City, Kansas
stockyards, and in the towns heyday it had one hotel
, two general store
s, one barber shop
, two dance hall
s, and eight saloons. With little more than railroad workers and cowboys, violence was common. There were no lawmen to speak of during the 1880s in or around that area, and typically cattle rustling and other crimes were dealt with by the ranchers themselves.
On October 5th, 1884, cowboys Oscar Halsell and Clem Barfoot entered Hanley's Saloon, and quickly became drunk, causing problems. Two Texas lawmen entered also, and although only passing through, they attempted to quiet the disturbance. This developed into an argument, which quickly resulted in several people drawing pistols. Who shot first is not known, but is believed that Clem Barfoot actually fired the first round. Several shots followed, resulting in Barfoot and Deputy Sheriff Ed Scotten being killed. No one was ever prosecuted, and although publicised at the time, the gunfight was soon forgotten. Oscar Halsell would go on to be a prosperous rancher, later employing such notable outlaw
s as Bill Doolin
and George "Bittercreek" Newcomb. Halsell was also close friends to later U.S. Marshal Evett D. Nix
.
The gunfight took place in Hunnewell, Kansas
Hunnewell, Kansas
Hunnewell is a city in Sumner County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 67.-History:Hunnewell was named for Boston financier and railway owner H. H. Hunnewell....
, a town frequented by cowboy
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 vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
s working on the local ranches and corral
Corral
Corral is a town, commune and sea port in Los Ríos Region, Chile. It is located south of Corral Bay. Corral is best known for the forts of Corral Bay, a system of defensive batteries and forts made to protect Valdivia during colonial times. Corral was the headquarters of the system...
s. Hunnewell, which as of the 2000 US census sports a population of 83, at the time was a prosperous cattle town, serving as a shipping point for Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
cattle. The Leavenworth, Lawrence and Galveston Railroad provided quick access to the Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
stockyards, and in the towns heyday it had one hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
, two general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
s, one barber shop
Barber
A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
, two dance hall
Dance hall
Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for dancing. From the earliest years of the twentieth century until the early 1960s, the dance hall was the popular forerunner of the discothèque or nightclub...
s, and eight saloons. With little more than railroad workers and cowboys, violence was common. There were no lawmen to speak of during the 1880s in or around that area, and typically cattle rustling and other crimes were dealt with by the ranchers themselves.
On October 5th, 1884, cowboys Oscar Halsell and Clem Barfoot entered Hanley's Saloon, and quickly became drunk, causing problems. Two Texas lawmen entered also, and although only passing through, they attempted to quiet the disturbance. This developed into an argument, which quickly resulted in several people drawing pistols. Who shot first is not known, but is believed that Clem Barfoot actually fired the first round. Several shots followed, resulting in Barfoot and Deputy Sheriff Ed Scotten being killed. No one was ever prosecuted, and although publicised at the time, the gunfight was soon forgotten. Oscar Halsell would go on to be a prosperous rancher, later employing such notable outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
s as Bill Doolin
Bill Doolin
William "Bill" Doolin was an American bandit and founder of the Wild Bunch, an outlaw gang that specialized in robbing banks, trains and stagecoaches in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas during the 1890s.- Early life :...
and George "Bittercreek" Newcomb. Halsell was also close friends to later U.S. Marshal Evett D. Nix
Evett Dumas Nix
Evett Dumas Nix, often known as E.D. Nix, was a US Marshal in the late 19th century handling the jurisdiction that included the wild Oklahoma Territory, later to be the state of Oklahoma...
.