Steve Long
Encyclopedia
"Big" Steve Long was a western lawman, outlaw
, and one of the earliest examples of an Old West
gunman
, achieving his fame in the Wyoming Territory
during the late 1860s.
in Laramie, Wyoming
, entering that business with his half-brothers, Ace Moyer and Con Moyer. Both Ace and Con would help found Laramie. Long reportedly had spent several years as one of the early versions of a gunfighter before he was elected Deputy Marshal of Laramie in 1867. It is believed that he served during the Civil War
, in the Confederate States Army
, but under a different name, and that he ventured to Wyoming around 1866.
Long and his brothers, however, used their forceful personalities and his position as the Deputy Marshal to their own advantage. Within months of his acceptance to that position, they had forced several local ranchers to sign over to them the deeds to their properties. Several of those who refused were later confronted while alone by Long, who killed them, always claiming later that they reached for a weapon. If they did not carry a pistol or rifle, they would have one placed on their person by Long after he had killed them. There were never any witnesses. It is alleged that Long killed at least nine men in that fashion during a four month period. Local residents called the saloon the "Bucket of Blood" because of the violence that often happened inside. By October 1868, Long had killed thirteen men. Another seven men had been killed under suspicious circumstances, with Long suspected, but that was never confirmed and there was no evidence to support that he had been the killer. He made little effort to find the alleged murderers, leading to even more speculation that he had actually committed those murders. All of those seven men had also previously refused to sign over deeds to Long and his brothers.
A local rancher and the first sheriff
of Albany County, N. K. Boswell
, organized several other ranchers to conspire against the three brothers. Boswell insisted that if they could watch Long closely enough, eventually they could catch him in the act of committing a crime, and on that pretense they could act out against him with the law on their side. On October 18, 1868, Long attempted to rob
a prospector
named Rollie "Hard Luck" Harrison. Harrison produced a pistol, and a gunfight erupted between the two. Long was wounded and retreated. Harrison was killed, dying as a result of his wounds before he was able to relay who shot him to anyone else.
Long confessed to his fiancee how he was wounded, and she in turn told N. K. Boswell. Boswell organized several men in the town, and they entered the saloon owned by Long and his brothers on October 28. The mob overwhelmed the three and led them to an unfinished cabin in town. Long was quiet throughout the process, having only one request, that he be allowed to remove his boots, stating "My mother always said I'd die with my boots on". Barefoot, he was lynched
, along with Con and Ace Moyer by hanging them from the rafters of the cabin. There were no legal actions taken against the members of the lynch mob. A photograph of the three men after they were hanged was taken, and on the back was written, "(1) Gunfighter "Big" Steve Long, (2) Con Moyer, (3) Ace Moyer, A lynching in Laramie Wyo. -1868- Con & Ace were founders of Laramie Wyoming!". Following his death, Long's fiancee erected a marker in his memory.
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...
, and one of the earliest examples of an Old West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
gunman
Gunslinger
Gunfighter, also gunslinger , is a 20th century word, used in cinema or literature, referring to men in the American Old West who had gained a reputation as being dangerous with a gun...
, achieving his fame in the Wyoming Territory
Wyoming Territory
The Territory of Wyoming was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 25, 1868, until July 10, 1890, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Wyoming. Cheyenne was the territorial capital...
during the late 1860s.
Early life
Little is known about Steve Long's early life or childhood. He had established a saloonBar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
in Laramie, Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming
Laramie is a city in and the county seat of Albany County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 30,816 at the . Located on the Laramie River in southeastern Wyoming, the city is west of Cheyenne, at the junction of Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 287....
, entering that business with his half-brothers, Ace Moyer and Con Moyer. Both Ace and Con would help found Laramie. Long reportedly had spent several years as one of the early versions of a gunfighter before he was elected Deputy Marshal of Laramie in 1867. It is believed that he served during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, in the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
, but under a different name, and that he ventured to Wyoming around 1866.
Lawman and outlaw
Long soon earned a reputation as a particularly violent lawman, killing eight men in gunfights within two months. One incident in particular occurred on October 22, 1867, when Long opened fire on eight men during a street brawl after his orders to cease were ignored, killing five of the men. He rarely arrested anyone, choosing instead to either intimidate them with the threat of force or shoot them.Long and his brothers, however, used their forceful personalities and his position as the Deputy Marshal to their own advantage. Within months of his acceptance to that position, they had forced several local ranchers to sign over to them the deeds to their properties. Several of those who refused were later confronted while alone by Long, who killed them, always claiming later that they reached for a weapon. If they did not carry a pistol or rifle, they would have one placed on their person by Long after he had killed them. There were never any witnesses. It is alleged that Long killed at least nine men in that fashion during a four month period. Local residents called the saloon the "Bucket of Blood" because of the violence that often happened inside. By October 1868, Long had killed thirteen men. Another seven men had been killed under suspicious circumstances, with Long suspected, but that was never confirmed and there was no evidence to support that he had been the killer. He made little effort to find the alleged murderers, leading to even more speculation that he had actually committed those murders. All of those seven men had also previously refused to sign over deeds to Long and his brothers.
A local rancher and the first sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Albany County, N. K. Boswell
N. K. Boswell
Nathaniel Kimball Boswell, aka N. K. Boswell was a frontiersman, rancher, cowboy and lawman of the Old West, best known for building the N. K. Boswell Ranch, considered a historical location of Wyoming today...
, organized several other ranchers to conspire against the three brothers. Boswell insisted that if they could watch Long closely enough, eventually they could catch him in the act of committing a crime, and on that pretense they could act out against him with the law on their side. On October 18, 1868, Long attempted to rob
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
a prospector
Prospecting
Prospecting is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking.Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by mineral resource companies to find commercially viable ore...
named Rollie "Hard Luck" Harrison. Harrison produced a pistol, and a gunfight erupted between the two. Long was wounded and retreated. Harrison was killed, dying as a result of his wounds before he was able to relay who shot him to anyone else.
Long confessed to his fiancee how he was wounded, and she in turn told N. K. Boswell. Boswell organized several men in the town, and they entered the saloon owned by Long and his brothers on October 28. The mob overwhelmed the three and led them to an unfinished cabin in town. Long was quiet throughout the process, having only one request, that he be allowed to remove his boots, stating "My mother always said I'd die with my boots on". Barefoot, he was lynched
Lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
, along with Con and Ace Moyer by hanging them from the rafters of the cabin. There were no legal actions taken against the members of the lynch mob. A photograph of the three men after they were hanged was taken, and on the back was written, "(1) Gunfighter "Big" Steve Long, (2) Con Moyer, (3) Ace Moyer, A lynching in Laramie Wyo. -1868- Con & Ace were founders of Laramie Wyoming!". Following his death, Long's fiancee erected a marker in his memory.