Hunnewell, Kansas Gunfight
The windswept plains of Kansas, during the latter part of the 19th century, served as the backdrop for a dynamic and often volatile chapter in American history. The era of cattle drives and burgeoning railroad networks transformed the landscape, giving rise to a string of "cowtowns" – settlements that thrived on the commerce of beef being shipped eastward. Among these ephemeral boomtowns, precariously perched on the border between Kansas and Oklahoma, was Hunnewell. This article delves into the story of the Hunnewell, Kansas gunfight.
Hunnewell, a speck on the map of Sumner County, emerged in the 1880s as a vital shipping point for the herds of longhorn cattle driven up from Texas. The Leavenworth, Lawrence, and Galveston Railroad, a crucial artery of the era, provided swift transport to the bustling stockyards of Kansas City. The town, fueled by the cattle trade and the railroad’s relentless rhythm, quickly acquired the hallmarks of a frontier settlement.
During its fleeting heyday, Hunnewell boasted a modest infrastructure, catering to the needs and desires of its transient population. A hotel offered weary travelers a respite, while two general stores provided essential supplies. A barbershop stood ready to tame unruly manes, and a couple of dance halls throbbed with the sounds of revelry. However, the most conspicuous features of Hunnewell were its saloons – eight or nine establishments that dispensed liquid courage and often served as the stage for less savory dramas.
The social fabric of Hunnewell was woven from the threads of railroad workers and cowboys, a demographic mix prone to boisterous behavior and, all too frequently, outright violence. The absence of a strong, established law enforcement presence allowed a culture of casual disregard for order to take root. One railroad worker, reminiscing about his time in Hunnewell, remarked that "there was no Bat Masterson to control the casual use of firearms, and there was more shooting than I ever saw in Dodge City." His words paint a vivid picture of a town where the threat of violence was ever-present, a constant undercurrent in the daily lives of its inhabitants. The events that unfolded on October 5, 1884, in Hanley’s Saloon, exemplify this lawless atmosphere, forever etching the Hunnewell, Kansas gunfight into the town’s history.
On that fateful day, two cowboys, Oscar Halsell and Clem Barfoot, found themselves engaged in a raucous disturbance within the confines of Hanley’s Saloon. The details of their initial transgression remain somewhat obscured by the mists of time, but it is clear that their behavior attracted the attention of local law enforcement. Two lawmen, whose names have been largely lost to history, entered the saloon with the intention of restoring order and quelling the escalating commotion.
What transpired next was a whirlwind of gunfire and chaos. Accounts of the Hunnewell, Kansas gunfight are fragmented and often contradictory, leaving a definitive reconstruction of events elusive. It is unknown with certainty who fired the first shot, though some accounts suggest that Clem Barfoot initiated the exchange of gunfire. Regardless of the instigator, the saloon quickly transformed into a battleground as bullets flew through the air.
The brief but intense gunfight left its mark in the form of casualties. Clem Barfoot, one of the cowboys at the center of the disturbance, was fatally wounded in the melee. Deputy Sheriff Ed Scotten also sustained a mortal wound, succumbing to his injuries in the aftermath of the shootout. The saloon, once a place of revelry, became a grim testament to the violence that plagued the frontier. The Hunnewell, Kansas gunfight was a brutal reminder of the thin line separating order and chaos in the Wild West.
In the wake of the gunfight, a cloud of uncertainty and indifference settled over Hunnewell. Remarkably, no one was ever prosecuted for the events that transpired in Hanley’s Saloon. Whether this was due to a lack of evidence, a reluctance to pursue justice in a town accustomed to violence, or a combination of factors, remains a matter of speculation. The gunfight, though initially publicized, soon faded from public memory, relegated to the dusty annals of local lore.
The Hunnewell, Kansas gunfight, while a significant event in the town’s history, did not define the future of all those involved. Oscar Halsell, despite his participation in the deadly shootout, went on to establish himself as a prosperous rancher in the region. His ranch, a testament to his ambition and resilience, would later serve as a haven for notable outlaws such as Bill Doolin and George "Bittercreek" Newcomb, further linking Halsell to the outlaw element of the Wild West.
Adding another layer of complexity to Halsell’s story is his close friendship with Evett D. Nix, who would later rise to become a U.S. Marshal. This unlikely alliance between a former participant in a deadly gunfight and a prominent law enforcement officer highlights the blurred lines and unexpected connections that characterized the frontier.
The Hunnewell, Kansas gunfight remains a compelling, albeit brief, narrative of the Wild West. It serves as a microcosm of the larger historical context, encapsulating the volatility, lawlessness, and the often-arbitrary nature of justice that defined the era. While Hunnewell itself eventually faded into obscurity, becoming another ghost town on the Kansas plains, the echoes of the gunfight in Hanley’s Saloon continue to resonate, reminding us of a time when life was cheap, and justice was often dispensed at the barrel of a gun. The story of Hunnewell, Kansas gunfight offers a glimpse into the complex and often contradictory nature of the American frontier.