The annals of the American Old West are filled with tales of legendary figures, but few were as enigmatic and violent as Six-Shooter Bill, a lesser-known yet undeniably dangerous desperado. James W. Smith, the man behind the infamous moniker Six-Shooter Bill, carved a short but brutal path through the untamed territories, leaving a trail of crime and bloodshed in his wake. Known by a litany of aliases including John Henry Jankins, Six-Shooter Smith, and California Jim, his identity was as fluid as his allegiances, often shifting to evade the long arm of the law.
The Genesis of a Gunfighter: From Texas to Dodge City
Believed to have been born in Texas around 1856, James W. Smith’s early life remains largely shrouded in mystery, a common characteristic of many frontier outlaws. By the 1870s, he was reportedly active in the Gainesville area of Texas. A warrant for murder was issued in Cooke County, Texas, in 1878 for a “Bill Smith,” though historical records do not definitively confirm if this was indeed our infamous subject. However, by August of that year, the man who would become known as Six-Shooter Bill surfaced in the notoriously lawless town of Dodge City, Kansas. It was here that he first crossed paths with significant figures of the Old West, arrested by none other than Deputy U.S. Marshal Bat Masterson on August 17th for horse theft. This arrest marked his formal entry into the documented history of frontier crime, setting the stage for a career defined by violence and illicit activities.
Six-Shooter Bill: Desperado of the Old West – Illustration 1
The Infamous Dodge City Gang and the Las Vegas Uprising
In Dodge City, Six-Shooter Bill soon aligned himself with a confederation of hardened criminals and notorious gunfighters, an association that would become known as the Dodge City Gang. This formidable collective included notorious figures such as Hyman G. “Hoodoo Brown” Neill, “Mysterious Dave” Mather, Tom Pickett, John Joshua (J.J.) Webb, and “Dirty Dave” Rudabaugh, among others. These men, many of whom had already established violent reputations in the burgeoning cow towns of Kansas, leveraged the chaos of the expanding frontier. As the first trains extended their reach into New Mexico in 1879, many members of this gang, including Six-Shooter Bill, boarded, seeking new opportunities for their criminal enterprises in the rapidly developing settlements.
Upon their arrival in Las Vegas, New Mexico, the Dodge City Gang swiftly consolidated their power, forming a criminal cartel that openly defied legal authority. For nearly two years, their reign was absolute. They were deeply entrenched in a variety of criminal undertakings, including stagecoach and train robberies, organized cattle rustling, and were implicated in numerous murders and lynchings. Adding a layer of complex corruption, some gang members, such as Hyman G. “Hoodoo Brown” Neill, paradoxically held official positions as judges or lawmen. This arrangement allowed them to protect their associates and cover up their illicit activities, creating a formidable and frustrating challenge for legitimate law enforcement and the local populace.
However, the citizens of Las Vegas eventually reached their breaking point. By the spring of 1880, a strong wave of public outrage culminated in the formation of a vigilante committee. This group, determined to reclaim their town from the grasp of the gang, issued a stern and public declaration. On April 8, 1880, a notice was prominently posted in the Las Vegas Optic, a chilling warning to all criminals operating within their borders:
To Murderers, Confidence Men, Thieves:
The citizens of Las Vegas have had enough of robbery, murder, and other crimes that have made this town a byword in every civilized community. They have resolved to put a stop to crime if, in attaining that end, they have to forget the law and resort to a speedier justice than it will afford. All such characters are, therefore, hereby notified that they must either leave this town or conform themselves to the requirements of law, or they will be summarily dealt with. The flow of blood must and shall be stopped in this community, and the good citizens of both the old and new towns have determined to stop it if they have to HANG by the strong arm of FORCE every violator of the law in this country. ” — Vigilantes
Six-Shooter Bill: Desperado of the Old West – Illustration 2
This bold statement served as a turning point, signaling the end of the gang’s unchecked dominance and forcing its members, including Six-Shooter Bill, to seek new hunting grounds.
A Path of Perpetual Flight: From Arizona to Texas
With Las Vegas becoming too hot, Six-Shooter Bill, like many other outlaws on the run, migrated to the burgeoning boomtown of Tombstone, Arizona. This new frontier offered fresh opportunities for his criminal proclivities. Here, he quickly plunged back into his favored illicit activities, primarily cattle rustling. His violent tendencies soon caught up with him; in November 1881, he was wounded in a skirmish with ranchers in the San Simon Valley, a testament to his persistent involvement in frontier skirmishes. Beyond large-scale rustling, Smith engaged in petty thievery, even reportedly robbing impoverished hobos riding the trains. A particularly cruel aspect of his character was his penchant for making people “dance” at gunpoint, shooting at their feet and deriving sadistic pleasure from their pain and fear when he wounded them.
His restless and lawless existence continued as he moved through various territories. He resurfaced in Mimbres, New Mexico, where he briefly exerted control over the town’s vices and terrorized its inhabitants before once again fleeing back to Arizona. In Benson, he was involved in at least one more shooting incident, further solidifying his reputation as a dangerous man. The relentless pressure of the law and angry citizens kept him on the move. He was next heard of residing in San Marcial, New Mexico, only to be run out of town once more, eventually making his way to Laredo, Texas.
In Laredo, he adopted another alias, “California Jim,” attempting to blend in and perhaps escape his past. While working at a local cafe, his inherent volatility erupted. He got into a heated argument with his boss and, true to his disturbing form, reverted to his signature sadistic game: forcing his boss to “dance” while he fired bullets toward his feet. The situation escalated fatally when the Chief of Police arrived to investigate the commotion. In a desperate act, Six-Shooter killed the lawman, cementing his status as a cold-blooded murderer and further tightening the noose of justice around him. He immediately fled Laredo, but his escape was marked by yet another crime – robbing the station agent at Cactus, Texas, an act characteristic of his desperation and continued defiance.
The Final Curtain: A Desperado’s End
The life of a perpetual outlaw, fueled by violence and flight, is rarely long or peaceful. Such was the fate of Six-Shooter Bill. In August 1882, his tumultuous journey reached its abrupt conclusion in Cibolo, Texas. Here, he encountered two cowboys, Wesley de Spain and Charles Smith. The circumstances leading to the final confrontation are not entirely clear, but a gunfight swiftly ensued between Six-Shooter and Wesley de Spain. When the echoes of gunfire faded, both men lay wounded. De Spain, though injured, survived the encounter. Six-Shooter Bill, however, was mortally hit. He succumbed to his wounds early the following day, bringing an end to the short, violent, and largely unheralded career of James W. Smith, the desperado known across the frontier as Six-Shooter Bill.
Conclusion: The Legacy of a Forgotten Gunfighter
While figures like Billy the Kid and Jesse James dominate the narratives of the American Old West, individuals like Six-Shooter Bill offer a crucial glimpse into the everyday brutality and pervasive lawlessness that truly characterized the era. James W. Smith was not a legendary figure in the traditional sense, but his story epitomizes the desperate existence of many frontier outlaws. His constant flight, his involvement with notorious gangs, his casual cruelty, and his eventual violent demise paint a vivid picture of a man consumed by the fringes of society. His life serves as a stark reminder that the Old West was not only a stage for heroes and grand adventures but also a crucible for countless forgotten desperadoes, each leaving their own indelible, albeit darker, mark on history. The saga of Six-Shooter Bill is a testament to the harsh realities of a bygone era, where life was cheap and justice, when it came, was often swift and final.
