William “Billy” Brooks – Lawman & Horse Thief
The annals of the American West are filled with figures who straddled the line between law and lawlessness, men whose lives were a tapestry woven with threads of courage, violence, and opportunism. Among these individuals, William "Billy" L. Brooks, a man also known as "Buffalo Bill," presents a particularly intriguing case. His journey, beginning as a buffalo hunter and evolving through roles as a gunfighter and lawman, ultimately culminated in a descent into outlawry, leaving behind a legacy shrouded in both admiration and condemnation. This is the story of William “Billy” Brooks – Lawman & Horse Thief.
Born in Ohio around 1832, Brooks, like many ambitious young men of his era, felt the magnetic pull of the West. He sought opportunity and adventure in the vast expanses of the frontier. He migrated westward and quickly distinguished himself as a skilled and prolific buffalo hunter. So successful was he in this endeavor that he earned the moniker "Buffalo Bill." This nickname, while a testament to his hunting prowess, often led to confusion with two other prominent figures of the time: William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, the famed showman and scout, and William "Buffalo Bill" Mathewson, an earlier Kansas buffalo hunter who had already earned the name in the 1860s. The shared nickname underscores the prevalence of buffalo hunting in the West and the competition for recognition in this demanding profession. William “Billy” Brooks – Lawman & Horse Thief first achieved notoriety through this trade.
Beyond his skills as a hunter, Brooks also developed a reputation as a formidable gunfighter. This reputation, whether earned through necessity or choice, would become a defining aspect of his persona. By 1870, he found employment as a stage driver for the Southwestern Stage Company. His route connected Wichita, Kansas, with Fort Sill, Oklahoma, a journey that undoubtedly exposed him to the dangers and complexities of the frontier. This position required both courage and skill, as stage drivers were often targets for bandits and faced the constant threat of encounters with Native American tribes. Later, his route shifted to the burgeoning cattle town of Newton, Kansas, a place notorious for its rowdy atmosphere and frequent outbreaks of violence.
In 1872, Brooks’s reputation and apparent aptitude for maintaining order led to his appointment as the city marshal of Newton. The salary of $75 per month was a considerable sum at the time, reflecting the importance placed on law enforcement in these volatile frontier towns. However, his tenure as marshal would be short-lived and marked by conflict. An incident in June of that year underscored the challenges he faced. A group of Texas cowboys, indulging in a drunken spree at a local dance hall, drew the ire of Brooks, who attempted to restore order by ejecting them from the town. The cowboys, however, were not inclined to submit to his authority. As they departed, they opened fire on Brooks, striking him three times. Despite his injuries, Brooks pursued the cowboys for approximately ten miles before finally returning to Newton for medical attention. This incident illustrates both the recklessness of the era and Brooks’s own tenacity and willingness to confront danger.
Following his recovery from the gunshot wounds, which were reportedly minor, Brooks resigned from his position as city marshal in Newton. He soon resurfaced in Dodge City, Kansas, in early 1873, where he once again took up the mantle of a lawman. Dodge City, known for its saloons, gambling halls, and general lawlessness, was a true test for any peace officer. Brooks quickly made his presence felt, clearing out many of the town’s "seedier elements" during his first year. However, his methods were often perceived as overly aggressive, earning him a reputation as being "too quick on the trigger."
Reports suggest that Brooks was involved in an astonishing fifteen gunfights within his first month alone as a lawman in Dodge City. One particularly gruesome account describes him killing four men who were seeking revenge for the death of their brother at Brooks’s hand. Whether these accounts are entirely accurate or embellished by frontier folklore, they contribute to the image of Brooks as a man of action, willing to use lethal force to maintain order. However, such a heavy reliance on violence inevitably raised concerns among Dodge City officials. Questions arose regarding the circumstances surrounding several deaths, including that of a man Brooks killed during an argument over a dance hall girl. A confrontation with gunfighter Kirk Jordan further tarnished his reputation. Faced with growing scrutiny and perhaps recognizing the unsustainable nature of his approach, Brooks relinquished his position as a lawman and returned to his previous occupation as a stage driver for the Southwestern Stage Company. William “Billy” Brooks – Lawman & Horse Thief seemed destined for a life of alternating between upholding and skirting the law.
The year 1874 marked a turning point in Brooks’s life. The Southwestern Stage Company lost its mail contract to a rival company, resulting in Brooks losing his job. This setback appears to have driven him to desperate measures. In June of that year, several mules and horses belonging to the rival stage company were stolen. Suspicion immediately fell upon Brooks and several other men, who were believed to have orchestrated the theft in an attempt to weaken the competition and regain their lost positions. This act marked a significant departure from Brooks’s previous roles as a lawman and placed him firmly on the wrong side of the law.
The consequences of this alleged crime were swift and severe. In July, Brooks, along with two other men, L.B. Hasbrouck and Charlie Smith, were arrested and jailed near Caldwell, Kansas, to await trial. However, they would never have the opportunity to defend themselves in a court of law. On July 29th, a lynch mob stormed the jail, overpowering the guards and seizing Brooks and his fellow prisoners. They were taken to a large tree outside of town. Despite their pleas for mercy and a fair trial, the mob, fueled by anger and a thirst for vigilante justice, proceeded to hang all three men.
The details surrounding Brooks’s death are particularly gruesome. Reportedly, the rope failed to break his neck, and he suffered a slow and agonizing death by strangulation. This brutal end serves as a stark reminder of the harsh realities of frontier justice and the precariousness of life in the Wild West. The story of William “Billy” Brooks – Lawman & Horse Thief ends with this violent act of mob rule.
The life of William "Billy" Brooks is a complex and contradictory tale. He was a buffalo hunter, a gunfighter, a lawman, and ultimately, an accused horse thief who met a violent end at the hands of a lynch mob. His journey reflects the turbulent and often lawless nature of the American West, where individuals were forced to navigate a moral landscape filled with ambiguity and danger. Whether he was a misunderstood figure driven to desperation or a genuinely corrupt individual who deserved his fate remains a matter of speculation. However, his story serves as a compelling reminder of the complexities and contradictions that shaped the history of the American frontier. The legacy of William “Billy” Brooks – Lawman & Horse Thief remains a point of historical fascination.