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Outlaws of the Old West

Compiled by Charles D. Anderson

ELECTRONIC VERSION 1.0 (Apr 04 00). If you find and correct errors in the
text, please update the version number by 0.1 and redistribute.

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INTRODUCTION

By Charles D. Anderson Editor, Mankind Books

Throughout history there have been men--and women too, for that matter--who
have placed themselves above and outside the laws that govern ordinary men.
Call them outlaws or criminals, their actions have been motivated by
personal gain, vengeance, rebellion and so forth... reasons very
justifiable to them. And those people are still with us, as a glance at the
front page of any newspaper will show.

The outlaws of the Old West weren't really that colorful, although some
were ingeniously enterprising and ruthless. And by today's standards their
crimes weren't that terrible. We are undoubtedly more appalled by reports
of senseless mass slayings today than the average person in Abilene was at
the news of a stage holdup. And while citizens walking the streets of Dodge
City might have been startled to find themselves in the midst of a
spontaneous gunfight, we sometimes find ourselves wondering whether it's
even safe to venture out onto the streets at all.

This is not intended to underrate the crimes of the Old West, because taken
on a relative basis they could be extremely serious to the victims. The
Frontier was isolated and desolate. Limited transportation and the
precarious trip itself had required men and women who had made the
phenomenal journey from the East to leave behind many prized belongings.
Consequently, private property was highly valued and would often be
defended to the death. Whatever possessions existed, whether for practical
or sentimental purpose, were essentially one of a kind items that could not
be simply replaced. They were belongings that represented hardship and
deprivation, and their loss through robberies and lootings could be a
heartbreaking catastrophe.

What really gives the outlaws of the Old West a unique quality--apart from
the romantic lore that has grown up around them--is the stage on which they
performed. And therefore, to fully understand their presence in the West
and their quick-draw motivations with the six-shooter, we have to
understand something of the times and temperament that was the American
West.