“Dangerous Dan” Tucker – Lawman of New Mexico
The annals of the American West are replete with tales of rugged individuals who carved their names into history through grit, determination, and, often, a quick draw. Among these figures stands Dan Tucker, a lawman whose exploits in New Mexico earned him the moniker "Dangerous Dan." This article delves into the life and times of “Dangerous Dan” Tucker, exploring his journey from an obscure beginning to becoming a feared and respected figure in the tumultuous landscape of the late 19th century.
Born in Canada in 1849, the early life of Dan Tucker remains shrouded in mystery. The details of his migration to the American West are scarce, but by the early 1870s, he had arrived in Grant County, New Mexico. This vast territory, characterized by its sprawling ranches, burgeoning mining towns, and a palpable sense of lawlessness, would become the stage for Tucker’s transformation into a legendary lawman.
Despite his slight build and soft-spoken demeanor, Tucker possessed a reputation that preceded him. Rumors circulated that he had taken a life in Colorado before his arrival in New Mexico, adding an air of intrigue and caution to his presence. However, Sheriff Harvey Whitehill, a seasoned lawman himself, saw something in Tucker that warranted trust and opportunity. In 1875, Whitehill appointed him as a deputy sheriff, setting the stage for “Dangerous Dan” Tucker’s rise to prominence.
One of Tucker’s earliest involvements in law enforcement came in 1876 when a violent altercation erupted inside Johnny Ward’s Dance Hall in Silver City. A stabbing led to a chase, and Tucker, with swift and decisive action, shot the fleeing assailant in the neck. The following year, he fatally shot a drunken man who was creating a disturbance in the streets, pelting passersby with rocks. In both instances, Tucker’s actions were deemed justified, and he faced no charges, further solidifying his reputation as a man not to be trifled with.
In August 1877, Tucker’s responsibilities expanded as he was appointed jailer of Silver City. However, his tenure in this role was short-lived. The eruption of the El Paso Salt War, a bitter conflict between El Paso businessmen vying for control of valuable salt deposits, drew Tucker into a larger arena of conflict.
On January 5, 1878, Tucker was chosen to lead a contingent of Silver City men to El Paso, Texas, to assist in quelling the chaos of the Salt War. The conflict, marked by violence and bloodshed, ultimately resulted in the Salt Flats being claimed, and the local Mexican community being forced to pay for the salt they had previously collected freely. Tucker’s involvement in this conflict, while brief, further cemented his image as a man of action, willing to confront lawlessness wherever it arose.
Returning to Silver City, Tucker’s career continued its upward trajectory. In April 1878, he became the first town marshal of Silver City, while also continuing his duties as a Grant County deputy sheriff. He quickly set about imposing order on the city streets, cracking down on the reckless discharging of firearms. He killed a fleeing thief and engaged in a fierce gunfight with three horse thieves inside a Silver City saloon, killing two and wounding the third. In November 1878, he was shot and wounded during a shootout with a cowboy named Caprio Rodriguez when the man resisted arrest. However, in the end, Rodriguez lay dead. That same month, he resigned from his position as City Marshal but became but was reappointed the following year, on May 2, 1879.
By January 1880, Tucker had largely succeeded in taming Silver City’s lawlessness. His services were now sought in the burgeoning mining boomtown of Shakespeare, New Mexico, a place notorious for its rough-and-tumble atmosphere. In May, he was dispatched to track down two thieves who had broken into a prospector’s cabin. He returned with all of the stolen property two days later and reported killing the two thieves.
The following year, Tucker became the City Marshal for Shakespeare. In September, he shot and killed cattle rustler Jake Bond. November proved to be a particularly eventful month. He killed a man who rode his horse into a local hotel dining room and arrested outlaws Sandy King and Russian Bill Tattenbaum, who were later hanged by the town’s Vigilance Committee inside the Grant House. These actions underscored Tucker’s unwavering commitment to upholding the law, even in the face of extreme circumstances.
The legend of “Dangerous Dan” Tucker continued to spread. On November 27, 1881, he was sent to Deming, New Mexico, to restore order to a town overrun by outlaws. Upon his arrival, armed with a double-barrel shotgun, he began patrolling the streets. Within three days, he had reportedly shot and killed three men and wounded two more.
By 1881, Deputy Tucker was said to have arrested some 13 desperadoes of a cowboy gang, killed several more, and brought order to the wild town of Shakespeare. His effectiveness in quelling lawlessness was undeniable, earning him the respect, and fear, of both law-abiding citizens and those who dared to challenge his authority.
By March 1882, Tucker’s reputation as a formidable lawman had reached such heights that even the infamous Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp, fleeing Tombstone, Arizona, chose to avoid traveling through Deming by train, opting instead for a horseback journey to steer clear of Tucker’s territory. This speaks volumes about the aura of danger that surrounded “Dangerous Dan” Tucker.
However, Tucker’s career was not without its controversies. On August 25, 1882, he became embroiled in a shooting in the mining camp of Paschal, New Mexico, that sparked public outrage. Deputy James D. Burns, reportedly drunk and flaunting his pistol inside Mills Saloon, refused to disarm when ordered to do so by the town marshal, Claudius W. Moore. When Burns drew his weapon and fired, both Tucker and Moore reacted, shooting the drunken deputy. While both men were cleared of wrongdoing, Moore was dismissed as town marshal, and Tucker’s reputation suffered a blow, although he retained his position.
Later that year, on December 14, 1882, Tucker was ambushed by a Mexican man as he entered a brothel in Deming to investigate a false complaint. Despite being shot in the shoulder, Tucker returned fire, killing his attacker and a prostitute who had aided him. This incident, while further demonstrating Tucker’s quick reflexes and deadly accuracy, also highlighted the inherent dangers faced by lawmen in the Old West.
By 1884, Tucker had diversified his interests, opening a saloon across from the railroad depot in Deming. However, his call to law enforcement remained strong. In October of the following year, he was appointed as a U.S. Deputy Marshal for the region. In November, he and another man engaged in a gun battle with Apache warriors west of Deming, successfully driving them off. On October 2, 1887, Tucker arrested a dangerous outlaw named Dave Thurman, further solidifying his reputation as a dedicated and effective lawman.
Described as "one of the best peace officers Grant County ever had," “Dangerous Dan” Tucker finally relinquished his lawman responsibilities in 1888, resigning from his position and moving to California. His whereabouts after leaving New Mexico remain largely unknown. The last recorded sighting of him was during a visit to Grant County, New Mexico, in May 1892, where his friends were surprised by his significant weight gain.
Despite the mystery surrounding his later years, “Dangerous Dan” Tucker’s legacy as one of the most dangerous and underestimated gunfighters in the history of the Old West remains secure. He is estimated to have killed some 17 men during his lawman career, a testament to the violent times in which he lived and the uncompromising nature of his approach to law enforcement.
Historian and author Leon C. Metz aptly summarized Tucker’s impact, stating that he was "a better lawman and more dangerous than such redoubtable characters as Wyatt Earp and Wild Bill Hickok." This assessment underscores the enduring fascination with “Dangerous Dan” Tucker, a man whose name continues to evoke images of a lawman who tamed the Wild West with a combination of courage, skill, and unwavering resolve.