Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight
Encyclopedia
The Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight was a famous gun fight that occurred on April 14, 1881 on El Paso Street
, El Paso, Texas
. Witnesses generally agreed that the incident lasted no more than five seconds after the first gunshot, though a few would insist it was at least ten seconds. Marshal
Dallas Stoudenmire
accounted for three of the four fatalities with his twin .44 caliber Colt revolvers.
galloped into El Paso looking for two missing vaqueros
named Sanchez and Juarique, who had been searching for 30 head of stolen cattle. Ben Schucter, mayor of El Paso, made an exception for the Mexicans, allowing them to enter the city limits with their firearms. Gus Krempkau
, an El Paso County Constable
, accompanied the posse to the ranch of Johnny Hale
, a local ranch owner and suspected cattle rustler, who lived some 13 miles northwest of El Paso in the Upper Valley. The corpses of the two missing men were located near Hale's ranch and were carried back to El Paso.
A court in El Paso held an inquest into the deaths, with Constable Krempkau, who was fluent in Spanish, acting as an interpreter. The verdict was that Sanchez and Juarique had been in the vicinity of Hale's ranch looking for the stolen cattle. The court
determined that the American
cattle rustlers, among them Hale, had feared that the men would discover the cattle and return with a larger force. Two American cattle rustlers, Pervey and Fredericks, were accused of the murders of Sanchez and Juarique after they were overheard bragging about killing two cowboys when they found them trailing the herd to Hale's ranch during the night of April 13 or in the early morning of the 14th.
Meanwhile, a large crowd had gathered in El Paso, including John Hale and his friend, former town Marshal George Campbell
. There was tension between some of the Americans, concerned about the Mexicans being heavily armed within the city, and the Mexicans, who wanted justice for their two murdered comrades. At the inquest, Pervey and Fredericks were formally charged with the murders and immediately arrested. The court was adjourned and the crowd dispersed. They were scheduled for trial at a later date. The Mexicans rode quietly back to Mexico with the bodies.
Dallas Stoudenmire
, a noted gunman who had only started as town marshal on April 11, was present in the court room. After the court adjourned, he walked across the street for dinner. Constable Krempkau went to a saloon next door to retrieve his rifle and pistol. There, a confrontation took place with George Campbell over remarks allegedly made by Campbell about Krempkau’s translations and his apparent friendship with the Mexicans. John Hale, who was reportedly unarmed, was heavily intoxicated and was also upset with Krempkau’s involvement in the matter. Hale grabbed one of Campbell's two pistols and yelled, "George, I've got you covered!" He then shot Krempkau, who reeled backward. Slumping against a saloon door, Krempkau drew his own pistol.
Marshal Stoudenmire heard the shot. Jumping up from his dining chair at the Globe Restaurant and pulling out his pistols, he ran out into the street. While running, Stoudenmire fired once, wildly, killing Ochoa, an innocent college-educated Mexican bystander, who was running for cover. John Hale jumped behind a thick adobe pillar, but as he peered out from behind it, Stoudenmire shot him between the eyes, killing him instantly.
Campbell stepped from cover with his pistol drawn, saw Hale topple down, and yelled to Stoudenmire that it wasn't his fight. Constable Krempkau, mistakenly believing that Campbell had shot him, then fired his pistol twice at Campbell before losing consciousness. The first bullet struck Campbell's gun and broke his right wrist, while the second hit him in the foot. Campbell screamed and scooped up his gun from the ground with his left hand. Stoudenmire whirled and fired. Campbell dropped his gun again, grabbed his stomach and toppled to the ground. Stoudenmire walked slowly toward Campbell and glared down at him. In agony, Campbell yelled, "You big son of a bitch! You murdered me!" Stoudenmire said nothing. Both Campbell and Krempkau died within minutes.
After just a few seconds, four men lay dead or dying. Three Texas Rangers
were standing nearby, but did not take part, saying later that they felt Stoudenmire had the situation well in hand.
This began a feud
between Stoudenmire and Manning and his brothers. Eventually, first Stoudenmire's brother-in-law Stanley "Doc" Cummings and later Stoudenmire himself died at the hands of the Mannings, who were acquitted in two trials in which the juries were packed with their friends.
El Paso Street
El Paso Street is located in the heart of El Paso, Texas. This was the first and oldest street where many histories have been made. Famous people have walked this street including Wyatt Earp, Pat Garrett, Billy the Kid, President William H. Taft, Pancho Villa, legendary El Paso Marshal Dallas...
, El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. Witnesses generally agreed that the incident lasted no more than five seconds after the first gunshot, though a few would insist it was at least ten seconds. Marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
Dallas Stoudenmire
Dallas Stoudenmire
Dallas Stoudenmire was an American Old West gunman and lawman, who gained fame for a brief gunfight that was later dubbed the "Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight". Although lesser known than many others from the Old West called gunfighters, his name is becoming more prominent...
accounted for three of the four fatalities with his twin .44 caliber Colt revolvers.
Background
On the day of the gunfight, a posse of about 75 heavily armed MexicansMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
galloped into El Paso looking for two missing vaqueros
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
named Sanchez and Juarique, who had been searching for 30 head of stolen cattle. Ben Schucter, mayor of El Paso, made an exception for the Mexicans, allowing them to enter the city limits with their firearms. Gus Krempkau
Gus Krempkau
Gustav Krempkau was an El Paso County Constable in the late 19th century in El Paso, Texas, during the climax of the "Wild West" era. He died in the Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight, which was overshadowed by the events of a few months later at the O.K. Corral...
, an El Paso County Constable
Texas Constable
The Texas constable is enshrined in the Texas Constitution of 1876 , which provides for the election of a constable in each precinct of a county, and counties may have between one and eight precincts each depending on their population. The term of office for Texas constables is four years...
, accompanied the posse to the ranch of Johnny Hale
Johnny Hale
Johnny Hale , aka John Hale, was a Texas rancher and cattle rustler.Hale was responsible for igniting the bloodiest gunfight in El Paso, Texas which is known as the Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight. This resulted in the death of El Paso Constable Gus Krempkau...
, a local ranch owner and suspected cattle rustler, who lived some 13 miles northwest of El Paso in the Upper Valley. The corpses of the two missing men were located near Hale's ranch and were carried back to El Paso.
A court in El Paso held an inquest into the deaths, with Constable Krempkau, who was fluent in Spanish, acting as an interpreter. The verdict was that Sanchez and Juarique had been in the vicinity of Hale's ranch looking for the stolen cattle. The court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
determined that the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cattle rustlers, among them Hale, had feared that the men would discover the cattle and return with a larger force. Two American cattle rustlers, Pervey and Fredericks, were accused of the murders of Sanchez and Juarique after they were overheard bragging about killing two cowboys when they found them trailing the herd to Hale's ranch during the night of April 13 or in the early morning of the 14th.
Meanwhile, a large crowd had gathered in El Paso, including John Hale and his friend, former town Marshal George Campbell
George Campbell (Ex-Town Marshal for El Paso, TX)
George Campbell was a one time town Marshal for El Paso, Texas, having served from mid-1880 until April 1881, when he was replaced by a new town Marshal Dallas Stoudenmire...
. There was tension between some of the Americans, concerned about the Mexicans being heavily armed within the city, and the Mexicans, who wanted justice for their two murdered comrades. At the inquest, Pervey and Fredericks were formally charged with the murders and immediately arrested. The court was adjourned and the crowd dispersed. They were scheduled for trial at a later date. The Mexicans rode quietly back to Mexico with the bodies.
The gunfight
MarshalMarshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
Dallas Stoudenmire
Dallas Stoudenmire
Dallas Stoudenmire was an American Old West gunman and lawman, who gained fame for a brief gunfight that was later dubbed the "Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight". Although lesser known than many others from the Old West called gunfighters, his name is becoming more prominent...
, a noted gunman who had only started as town marshal on April 11, was present in the court room. After the court adjourned, he walked across the street for dinner. Constable Krempkau went to a saloon next door to retrieve his rifle and pistol. There, a confrontation took place with George Campbell over remarks allegedly made by Campbell about Krempkau’s translations and his apparent friendship with the Mexicans. John Hale, who was reportedly unarmed, was heavily intoxicated and was also upset with Krempkau’s involvement in the matter. Hale grabbed one of Campbell's two pistols and yelled, "George, I've got you covered!" He then shot Krempkau, who reeled backward. Slumping against a saloon door, Krempkau drew his own pistol.
Marshal Stoudenmire heard the shot. Jumping up from his dining chair at the Globe Restaurant and pulling out his pistols, he ran out into the street. While running, Stoudenmire fired once, wildly, killing Ochoa, an innocent college-educated Mexican bystander, who was running for cover. John Hale jumped behind a thick adobe pillar, but as he peered out from behind it, Stoudenmire shot him between the eyes, killing him instantly.
Campbell stepped from cover with his pistol drawn, saw Hale topple down, and yelled to Stoudenmire that it wasn't his fight. Constable Krempkau, mistakenly believing that Campbell had shot him, then fired his pistol twice at Campbell before losing consciousness. The first bullet struck Campbell's gun and broke his right wrist, while the second hit him in the foot. Campbell screamed and scooped up his gun from the ground with his left hand. Stoudenmire whirled and fired. Campbell dropped his gun again, grabbed his stomach and toppled to the ground. Stoudenmire walked slowly toward Campbell and glared down at him. In agony, Campbell yelled, "You big son of a bitch! You murdered me!" Stoudenmire said nothing. Both Campbell and Krempkau died within minutes.
After just a few seconds, four men lay dead or dying. Three Texas Rangers
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
were standing nearby, but did not take part, saying later that they felt Stoudenmire had the situation well in hand.
Aftermath
Three days after the gunfight, on April 17, 1881, James Manning, a friend of Hale and Campbell, convinced former deputy Bill Johnson to assassinate Stoudenmire. Stoudenmire had publicly humiliated Johnson days before. Late at night of April 17, an intoxicated Johnson was hiding behind a pillar of bricks, but his wobbly legs gave in and he fell backward squeezing double triggers of his double barrel shotgun into the air which narrowly missed Stoudenmire. Stoudenmire immediately fired his Colts and sent eight volleys of bullets at Johnson, shooting off his testicles. Johnson bled to death quickly.This began a feud
Feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight between parties—often groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one party perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted or wronged by another...
between Stoudenmire and Manning and his brothers. Eventually, first Stoudenmire's brother-in-law Stanley "Doc" Cummings and later Stoudenmire himself died at the hands of the Mannings, who were acquitted in two trials in which the juries were packed with their friends.
External links
- El Paso Times article documenting the event
- El Paso local community history project site
- http://www.elpasotexas.gov/police/history_stoudenmire.asp
- http://www.epcc.edu/nwlibrary/borderlands/20_stoudenmire.htm
- http://www.darkcanyon.net/gunmen_of_el_paso.htm
- http://mmt.osu-okmulgee.edu/~jaustin/web/destination/index.html