Few figures embody the turbulent complexities of the American Old West quite like John Selman. Sometimes known as “Old John” or “Uncle John,” John Selman carved a notorious path through frontier history, oscillating between the roles of soldier, lawman, vigilante, and a brutal outlaw whose life was steeped in violence and contradiction.
Born on November 16, 1839, in Madison County, Arkansas, Selman’s family eventually relocated to Grayson County, Texas, in 1858. The early 1860s brought personal loss and the onset of the Civil War. After his father’s death on December 16, 1861, young Selman enlisted as a private in the 22nd Texas Cavalry. However, his military career was short-lived, marked by a desertion from Fort Washita, Oklahoma, in April 1863, just 15 months after joining. He later served more commendably with the Texas State Militia in Stephens County, earning a promotion to lieutenant by April 1865.
From Family Man to Frontier Enforcer
In August 1865, Selman married Edna Degrafenreid, and they would eventually have four children together. The family briefly moved to Colfax County, New Mexico, before returning to Texas and settling in the infamous town of Fort Griffin. It was here that Selman’s life took a definitive turn toward the chaotic frontier justice, or lack thereof, that defined the region.
Fort Griffin was a melting pot of lawlessness, notoriously dubbed “Babylon on the Brazos.” It attracted a diverse cast of characters, including legendary figures like Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp, Big Nose Kate, Dave Rudabaugh, Lottie Deno, Pat Garrett, and John Wesley Hardin. In this volatile environment, Selman became a deputy sheriff under Shackelford County Sheriff John M. Larn, a decision that would plunge him deeper into a life of crime under the guise of law enforcement.
The Dark Alliance: Selman and Sheriff Larn
Sheriff John Larn was far from an honest lawman. Soon after assuming office, Larn entered into a dubious contract with the local territorial garrison to supply cattle daily, but his intentions were far from legal. Instead of purchasing cattle, Larn orchestrated a massive rustling operation, stealing from neighboring ranchers. When Selman joined him as deputy, the pair escalated their illicit activities. Rather than curbing crime, Larn and Selman controlled the local vigilantes, turning the enforcement of law into a sophisticated scheme for organized cattle theft and county-wide terror.
The duo’s illicit enterprise inevitably drew suspicion. Ranchers observed their herds dwindling while Larn’s stock inexplicably remained robust. Under mounting pressure, Larn resigned as sheriff on March 7, 1877, replaced by his former deputy, William Cruger. Free from the constraints of public office, Larn and Selman abandoned all pretense, becoming outright cattle rustlers. They engaged in numerous violent acts, driving off herds, shooting horses, and firing potshots at the homes of terrified citizens, solidifying their reputation for brutality.
The Untimely End of John Larn
Justice eventually caught up with John Larn. In June 1878, a warrant was issued for his arrest, and ironically, William Cruger, his successor, was tasked with bringing him in. Larn was incarcerated in the Fort Griffin jail on June 22, where the local blacksmith shackled him to the cell floor to prevent any attempt at escape by his supporters. This precaution proved prescient but ultimately futile. The following night, the notorious Tin Hat Brigade stormed the jail with the intent of lynching Larn. When they discovered he was shackled, preventing a quick hanging, they shot him dead in his cell, ending his reign of terror.
Selman’s Scouts: Outlawry in New Mexico
With Larn dead, John Selman wisely vanished, resurfacing in the equally lawless Lincoln County, New Mexico. There, he quickly established his own gang of vicious outlaws known as “Selman’s Scouts.” Throughout September and October 1878, the Scouts wreaked havoc, rustling horses and cattle, murdering innocent men and boys, and pillaging businesses and homes across the territory. Their rampage was only brought to a halt when Governor Lew Wallace issued a proclamation threatening martial law, forcing Selman and his gang to disperse.
Selman eventually returned to Texas, where he faced personal tragedy with the death of his wife in 1879. The following year, he was captured by Texas Rangers and transported to Shackelford County to face trial for his earlier crimes. True to his evasive nature, he soon escaped and fled to Chihuahua, Mexico, where he lived in hiding until 1888, when the Texas charges were finally dropped.
El Paso: A Gambler, a Constable, and Deadly Encounters
Upon his return to the United States, Selman settled in El Paso, Texas. He remarried and supported himself primarily as a gambler, occasionally serving as a City Constable, further blurring the lines between his lawful and lawless past. El Paso would become the stage for his most famous and final deadly confrontations.
The Bass Outlaw Incident
On April 5, 1894, John Selman found himself entangled in a fatal confrontation with Texas Ranger Bass (Baz) Outlaw. Outlaw, heavily intoxicated, entered Tillie Howard’s brothel, with Selman following closely behind. As Selman sat in the parlor, Outlaw moved to the back, where his gun accidentally discharged, igniting a chaotic scene. Selman and Texas Ranger Joe McKidrict, who was nearby, rushed to investigate the commotion.
In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, both men tried to calm the drunken Ranger. However, Outlaw suddenly pointed his gun at McKidrict, shooting him in the head and back, killing him instantly. Outlaw then fired at Selman, the bullet narrowly missing his face but inflicting deep powder burns. Selman swiftly returned fire, hitting Outlaw just above the heart. As Outlaw staggered, he managed two more shots, striking Selman above the right knee and in the thigh. Bass then stumbled into the street, where he surrendered to Texas Ranger Frank McMahon before dying four hours later. Selman was subsequently tried for killing Outlaw, but the judge instructed the jury to find him not guilty, deeming it self-defense.
The Infamous Killing of John Wesley Hardin
Just over a year later, on August 19, 1895, John Selman cemented his place in Old West lore by killing one of its most legendary figures: John Wesley Hardin. The confrontation began when Selman arrested Hardin’s prostitute girlfriend, an act that deeply angered Hardin. The two men argued fiercely, after which Hardin proceeded to the Acme Saloon to play dice. A short time later, Selman followed him into the saloon and, without warning, shot Hardin three times from behind, ending the infamous outlaw’s life.
Selman’s Final Stand
While out on bond for Hardin’s murder, Selman encountered U.S. Deputy Marshal George Scarborough. Scarborough had been a close friend of another man Selman had killed, and their meeting quickly escalated from heated words to gunplay. In the ensuing shootout, Scarborough shot Selman four times. John Selman succumbed to his wounds the following day, April 6, 1896. Scarborough was later acquitted of murder, citing self-defense.
Selman was laid to rest in the Catholic section of El Paso’s Concordia Cemetery, though his grave remains unmarked, and all attempts to locate it have been unsuccessful. Ironically, Scarborough himself met a violent end four years later, dying on April 5, 1900, after being mortally wounded in a gunfight with two robbers. The intertwined fates of these men serve as a grim testament to the volatile era in which they lived.
Conclusion
The life of John Selman remains a captivating, if often brutal, chapter in the history of the American Old West. From his early days as a Civil War deserter to his later roles as a corrupt lawman, a ruthless outlaw leading Selman’s Scouts, and finally, a City Constable in El Paso, Selman consistently blurred the lines between justice and criminality. His involvement in the deaths of notorious figures like Bass Outlaw and, most significantly, John Wesley Hardin, solidified his reputation as a formidable and dangerous frontiersman. Selman’s journey, marked by shifting allegiances and a readiness for violence, truly encapsulates the chaotic and often unforgiving nature of the untamed frontier.
