Harry Tracy – Outlaw of the Northwest
The annals of the American Old West are filled with figures both romanticized and reviled, individuals who carved their names into the landscape through acts of daring and defiance. Among these notorious characters stands Harry Tracy, an outlaw whose exploits spanned several states and whose reputation for ruthlessness earned him a place among the most feared criminals of his time. His story, a blend of fact and folklore, continues to fascinate and horrify, painting a portrait of a man driven by a relentless pursuit of freedom and a chilling disregard for human life.
Born around 1874 in Wisconsin, Harry Tracy, whose real name was Harry Severns, embarked on a life of adventure and crime at a young age. Restless and perhaps yearning for something more than the quiet life offered in his home state, he ran away from home and found himself in the bustling metropolis of Chicago, Illinois. There, he toiled in the city’s sprawling stockyards, a gritty and demanding environment that likely hardened him to the realities of the world. However, the allure of the West proved too strong, and he eventually migrated to Colorado, drawn by the promise of riches in the goldfields. When fortune eluded him, he headed to Billings, Montana, where he tried his hand at the cowboy trade, immersing himself in the rugged lifestyle of the open range.
But the honest toil of a cowboy seemed not to suit Harry Tracy. His ambitions appeared to lie in a faster, easier path to prosperity. He turned to cattle rustling, a common crime in the sparsely populated territories of the West. His life took a violent turn when he killed a deputy sheriff named Arly Grimes. This act forced him to flee back to Colorado, where he reportedly committed two more murders, further cementing his reputation as a dangerous fugitive.
It was during this period that Harry Tracy allegedly crossed paths with the infamous Butch Cassidy and joined the ranks of the Wild Bunch, a loosely organized gang of outlaws known for their daring robberies and defiant spirit. The Wild Bunch engaged in cattle rustling and highway robbery, preying on unsuspecting travelers and businesses. However, their activities soon attracted the attention of law enforcement, and the gang found itself under increasing pressure. In 1898, tragedy struck when the gang killed a boy named William Strong during a robbery. This act galvanized the authorities, leading to a relentless pursuit of the Wild Bunch. A gunfight erupted, resulting in the death of posseman Valentine Hoy. Tracy and three other men were apprehended, but his time behind bars would be short-lived. Displaying a cunning and ruthlessness that would become his trademark, Harry Tracy escaped from an Aspen, Colorado jail by nearly killing a guard with a lead pipe.
After his escape, Harry Tracy headed to Portland, Oregon, where he partnered with another outlaw named Dave Merrill. Together, they continued their criminal activities, further escalating Tracy’s notoriety. In February 1899, both men were arrested and brought to justice. Tracy was sentenced to 20 years in the Salem, Oregon penitentiary, while Merrill also received a prison sentence. However, the confines of prison walls could not contain Harry Tracy’s rebellious spirit. On June 9, 1902, with the aid of a female accomplice, Tracy and Merrill orchestrated a daring escape, killing three men and wounding another in the process.
With the two men on the run, a massive manhunt was launched across the Pacific Northwest. As they evaded capture, tensions between Tracy and Merrill began to rise. Tracy, known for his cold-blooded nature, felt that Merrill was becoming a liability, slowing him down and jeopardizing their chances of survival. On June 28, near Chehalis, Washington, Tracy made a chilling decision, killing Merrill and continuing his flight alone. His act underscored the depth of his ruthlessness and his willingness to sacrifice anyone who stood in his way.
Now alone, Harry Tracy made his way toward the Seattle area, leaving a trail of violence in his wake. On July 3, he engaged in a deadly shootout with law enforcement officers, resulting in the deaths of Detective Charles Raymond and Deputy John Williams. These killings further inflamed public outrage and intensified the efforts to capture him. The newspapers sensationalized his crimes, portraying him as a cold-blooded killer and a menace to society. The public demanded justice, and the authorities were determined to bring him to justice, dead or alive.
Fleeing once again, the relentless killer was pursued to a ranch southeast of Creston, Washington. On August 6, another gunfight erupted. In the melee, Tracy killed posse members Cornelious Rowley and Enoch Breece. However, this time, his luck ran out. He was shot in the leg. Surrounded by authorities and with no means of escape, Harry Tracy made a final, desperate decision. Rather than face capture and imprisonment, he chose to take his own life, ending his reign of terror in a dramatic and tragic manner.
The death of Harry Tracy brought an end to one of the most sensational criminal careers in the history of the American West. His exploits were widely reported in newspapers across the country, captivating and horrifying the public in equal measure. He became a symbol of the lawlessness and violence that characterized the frontier, and his name became synonymous with cold-bloodedness and desperation.
In the aftermath of his death, the Seattle Daily Times published a statement that captured the public’s perception of Harry Tracy: "In all the criminal lore of the country there is no record equal to that of Harry Tracy for cold-blooded nerve, desperation, and thirst for crime. Jesse James, compared with Tracy, is a Sunday school teacher." This assessment, while perhaps exaggerated, reflects the fear and fascination that Tracy inspired during his time.
The legend of Harry Tracy, the outlaw of the Northwest, continues to endure. His story serves as a reminder of the dark side of the American West, a time and place where the lines between law and lawlessness were often blurred, and where individuals like Tracy could rise to notoriety through acts of violence and defiance. His name lives on in the annals of Western lore, a testament to the enduring power of legends and the enduring fascination with the outlaws who roamed the frontier.