John Riley Duncan
Encyclopedia
John Riley "Jack" Duncan (September, 1850-November 16, 1911) was a renowned Texas lawman with service as a Dallas police officer, Texas Ranger, and detective. He is most well known for his significant contributions to the capture of John Wesley Hardin
.
With the cooperation of local law officers, a railroad official, and a local judge, an ambush was set up in the smoking car of a train that Hardin and several of his friends had recently purchased tickets for. Although some of the local officers knew Hardin through his alias, only the Texas Rangers knew of his true identity. The ambush included Escambia County, FL, Sheriff William Henry Hutchinson, Deputy A. J. Perdue, some recently deputized citizens, and Texas Rangers Duncan and Lieutenant John Barclay Armstrong
, who was in charge of the overall operation. All were located in strategic positions in and around the train, which was awaiting departure from the Pensacola station.
Hardin was subdued after a melee, which most likely involved Hutchinson, Perdue, and perhaps another deputy initially, but was ended when Armstrong knocked Hardin unconscious with his revolver. Duncan was probably a late comer to the location of Hardin's capture because his post was outside the railroad car. One of Hardin's companions, Jim Mann, was killed while attempting to flee. It was never really certain whose shot actually killed Mann as many shots were fired; some accounts credited Armstrong with firing the fatal shot. Guarded by Duncan and Armstrong, Hardin was transported by train back to Texas to stand trial; he served 17 years in prison for his crimes.
Duncan's activities as a bounty hunter brought him into contact with the rougher side of Dallas society—the saloons, brothels, and gambling establishments. It was a dangerous life, which resulted in Duncan being shot by a prostitute on February 9, 1878 under rather mysterious circumstances in a Dallas brothel. Duncan's recovery was slow as the doctor was unable to locate and remove the bullet. Later complications resulting from this gunshot lead to a tracheotomy
being performed to save his life. He required an inserted silver breathing tube
for the remainder of his life. The difficulty the tracheotomy
caused to his breathing and voice was a millstone to his life, but he was still able to effectively function as a detective and bounty hunter.
Duncan was successful as a bounty hunter. When Hardin's death in 1895 created a resurgence in interest in Duncan's career, he supplied a listing of all the "bad men" he had either captured or assisted in the capture of. The list included 21 names with a total in collected rewards of over $12,000; naturally, Hardin headed the list. However, changing times on the Texas frontier ultimately forced Duncan to seek more mundane forms of employment; later in life he worked as: Dallas Sanitation Inspector, general laborer, carpenter, hotel clerk, and as watchman for the Corps of Engineers
.
On November 16, 1911, Duncan lost control of his automobile (a Brush Runabout
) on a rough road south of Dallas, and died from sustained injuries or perhaps the lost of his breathing tube. Duncan is buried in the historic Greenwood Cemetery in Dallas, TX. The epitaph on his tombstone reads: "Dallas Policeman, Texas Ranger, and Dallas Detective, Got Wes Hardin, August 23, 1877". His colorful life as a western lawman was documented in a book by Rick Miller. However, no pictures of Duncan appear in Miller's book. There are no known pictures of Duncan, who refused to pose because he felt photographs might compromise his undercover activities.
John Wesley Hardin
John Wesley Hardin was an American outlaw, gunfighter, and controversial folk hero of the Old West. He was born in Bonham, Texas. Hardin found himself in trouble with the law at an early age, and spent the majority of his life being pursued by both local lawmen and federal troops of the...
.
Early life
Duncan was born and raised in a small farming community in Hardin County in north-central Kentucky. He and his brothers tended to the family's farm while his father served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. After the war, the family engaged in several business ventures in addition to farming that failed to prosper; young Duncan tried his hand at running a small saddler's shop. The family decided to move to Texas, ultimately settling in the vicinity of Dallas. By 1875 the Duncan family was well established in the bustling, frontier community, and Duncan and his father were employed as butchers while one of his brothers was in the land business. At that time Dallas was a rowdy city of 10 thousand people with a police force of about 10 or 11 officers. Duncan joined the police force in October 1876 and rapidly acquired the reputation as being an effective lawman. However, most of his duties were rather mundane, ranging from arresting drunks and minor criminals to controlling the city's large population of feral dogs."Got Wes Hardin"
The effort to bring the state's most infamous criminal—Wes Hardin—to justice intensified during this time. Because Hardin had considerable support from family and friends, the Texas Rangers' strategy involved collecting information through undercover detectives. Duncan was recruited into the Texas Rangers in July 1877 specifically to help track down Hardin by working undercover, gathering information in Gonzales County, TX, where both Hardin and his wife had considerable family. Duncan obtained information tracking Hardin to a rural community in southeastern Alabama, near the Florida border. Continuing his undercover work there, Duncan obtained more detailed information about Hardin's whereabouts; he was on a gambling spree in nearby Pensacola, FL.With the cooperation of local law officers, a railroad official, and a local judge, an ambush was set up in the smoking car of a train that Hardin and several of his friends had recently purchased tickets for. Although some of the local officers knew Hardin through his alias, only the Texas Rangers knew of his true identity. The ambush included Escambia County, FL, Sheriff William Henry Hutchinson, Deputy A. J. Perdue, some recently deputized citizens, and Texas Rangers Duncan and Lieutenant John Barclay Armstrong
John Barclay Armstrong
John Barclay Armstrong was a Texas Ranger lieutenant and a United States Marshal, usually remembered for his role in the pursuit and capture of the famous gunfighter John Wesley Hardin....
, who was in charge of the overall operation. All were located in strategic positions in and around the train, which was awaiting departure from the Pensacola station.
Hardin was subdued after a melee, which most likely involved Hutchinson, Perdue, and perhaps another deputy initially, but was ended when Armstrong knocked Hardin unconscious with his revolver. Duncan was probably a late comer to the location of Hardin's capture because his post was outside the railroad car. One of Hardin's companions, Jim Mann, was killed while attempting to flee. It was never really certain whose shot actually killed Mann as many shots were fired; some accounts credited Armstrong with firing the fatal shot. Guarded by Duncan and Armstrong, Hardin was transported by train back to Texas to stand trial; he served 17 years in prison for his crimes.
After the limelight
Duncan ended his service with the Texas Rangers after only four months. The most likely reason for this short tenure was the lucrative rewards that could be collected for capture of wanted criminals—being a bounty hunter. Duncan's reasoning was no doubt supported by his share of the $4,000 reward paid for Hardin's capture.Duncan's activities as a bounty hunter brought him into contact with the rougher side of Dallas society—the saloons, brothels, and gambling establishments. It was a dangerous life, which resulted in Duncan being shot by a prostitute on February 9, 1878 under rather mysterious circumstances in a Dallas brothel. Duncan's recovery was slow as the doctor was unable to locate and remove the bullet. Later complications resulting from this gunshot lead to a tracheotomy
Tracheotomy
Among the oldest described surgical procedures, tracheotomy consists of making an incision on the anterior aspect of the neck and opening a direct airway through an incision in the trachea...
being performed to save his life. He required an inserted silver breathing tube
Tracheal tube
A tracheal tube is a catheter that is inserted into the trachea in order for the primary purpose of establishing and maintaining a patent airway and to ensure the adequate exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Many different types of tracheal tubes are available, suited for different specific...
for the remainder of his life. The difficulty the tracheotomy
Tracheotomy
Among the oldest described surgical procedures, tracheotomy consists of making an incision on the anterior aspect of the neck and opening a direct airway through an incision in the trachea...
caused to his breathing and voice was a millstone to his life, but he was still able to effectively function as a detective and bounty hunter.
Duncan was successful as a bounty hunter. When Hardin's death in 1895 created a resurgence in interest in Duncan's career, he supplied a listing of all the "bad men" he had either captured or assisted in the capture of. The list included 21 names with a total in collected rewards of over $12,000; naturally, Hardin headed the list. However, changing times on the Texas frontier ultimately forced Duncan to seek more mundane forms of employment; later in life he worked as: Dallas Sanitation Inspector, general laborer, carpenter, hotel clerk, and as watchman for the Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
.
On November 16, 1911, Duncan lost control of his automobile (a Brush Runabout
Brush Motor Car Company
This article is about a USA auto-maker. For the British rail-locomotive company, see Brush TractionBrush Motor Company, or the "Brush Runabout Company," based in Detroit, Michigan, was founded by Alanson Partridge Brush , who designed a light car with a wooden chassis This article is about a USA...
) on a rough road south of Dallas, and died from sustained injuries or perhaps the lost of his breathing tube. Duncan is buried in the historic Greenwood Cemetery in Dallas, TX. The epitaph on his tombstone reads: "Dallas Policeman, Texas Ranger, and Dallas Detective, Got Wes Hardin, August 23, 1877". His colorful life as a western lawman was documented in a book by Rick Miller. However, no pictures of Duncan appear in Miller's book. There are no known pictures of Duncan, who refused to pose because he felt photographs might compromise his undercover activities.