May 1998
May 1998
BILL TILGHMAN 1854-1924
Bill Tilghman enjoyed the longest and most varied career of any peace officer in the West. Raised on a Kansas farm, he became an excellent shot. He left home at 16 to hunt buffalo, killing nearly 12,000 beasts during the next five years.
Bill married for the first time in 1878 and began ranching near Dodge City, but his place ws burned down. After moving into town, Bill served an occasional stint as a deputy, worked on railroad construction jobs to support his growing family, dabbled at ranching again, and operated two Dodge City saloons.
In 1884, Tilghman's law enforcement career began when he was appointed city marshal of Dodge. He served for the next two years and also held a concurent commission as a Ford County deputy sheriff. From 1877 through 1888 Bill became involved in two violent county seat wars.
Following the last great land rush, in 1893 Tilghman accepted a post as deputy U.S. marshal, and was assigned to supervise Perry, Oklahoma. During this period Tilghman worked closely with two other Oklahoma officers, Heck Thomas and Chris Madsen, and this formidable trio of lawmen became known as the Three Guardsmen.
Early in 1894, U.S. Marshal E.V. Nix ordered the three Guardsmen to concentrate on bringing in Bill Doolin and his gang. But the Doolin gang separated and the lawmen only managed to capture the gang's two message carriers, Cattle Annie and Little Britches.
Tilghman's most famous exploit as a law officer was his single-handed capture of Bill Doolin at an Arkansas hot springs resort, in January 1896.
In 1887, Bill's first wife divorced him and shortly after his 49th birthday he married a 22 year old schoolmarm.
In 1911 Tilghman accepted appointment as police chief of Oklahoma City and resigned in 1913. In 1924, at age 70, Tilghman answered another call to duty at Cromwell, an oil boomtown plaqued by crime. Chris Madsen advised his old friend not to take the assignment. "Better to die in a gunfight than in bed someday like a woman," shrugged Bill, adding, "I should have things straightened out in a month or so."
Bill made impressive progress, but on the night of November 1, a drunken prohibition agent named Wiley Lynn fired a shot on the street. Despite his age, Tilghman slammed Lynn against a wall and jammed his gun into Wiley's ribs. Lynn surrendered his pistol, and Tilghman released him. Suddenly Lynn pulled another weapon and pumped two bullets beneath Tilghman's heart. The last great western lawman collapsed and died within minutes.
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