Page 80 - 4094-BOOK3

County Sheriff E.J. Smalley arrested Horn for the murder of Willie the day after
Horn’s alleged confession to LeFors. In a December 6, 1926 notarized letter
of provenance, B.E Dunlap of Montana cites this SAA by serial number to the
sheriff: “The gun was given to me by Sheriff E.J. Smalley of Cheyenne, Wyoming
in the year of 1904 and has been in my possession since.” Dunlap also stated that
the “gun was formerly owned by TOM HORN of the Wyoming range war days
fame…To the best of my knowledge and belief, this is the original Tom Horn
gun. With which he killed so many men in Wyoming during the range war days
in the [18]90s.” Since Dunlap’s statement it has been assumed that the gun was
one of many weapons owned by Horn and collected at the time of his arrest.
The gun was manufactured in 1903 (see on the Colt factory serial number
lookup website). Convicted of murder and sentenced to death in October
1902, Horn spent most of 1903 in a prison cell awaiting his hanging, which
occurred on November 20, 1903. He attempted to escape jail on two separate
occasions but failed at both attempts. As a gun manufactured in 1903, it is
difficult to conclude that this gun was used by Horn. Regardless, this early 20th
century Peacekeeper is linked to a frontier sheriff. There is no other handgun
that exudes the character, grit and style of the American frontier like the Colt
Single Action Army Revolver. The revolver found itself almost immediately
popular as a sidearm upon its release in the mid-late 1800s by both outlaw
and lawman. What is not disputed is that this SAA made it into the hands of a
Wyoming sheriff of the range wars and lived a true frontier life. It is the physical
representation of frontier justice that has left an indubitable mark on the
American zeitgeist.
Other included letters trace the revolver’s ownership after Dunlap. The gun has
been owned by Richard Sykes, Charles Coe, Carl Morgan, and Douglas R. Warner.
Brig Pemberton purchased the gun in 1967 and copies of the purchase letter
and check addressed to Warner are included.
The barrel has the one-line Hartford address on top and the desirable “COLT
FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER” marking on the left side. The left side of the frame has
the two-line patent dates marking followed by an encircled Rampant Colt. The
hard rubber grips are checkered and feature a Rampant Colt at the top of each
panel and are numbered to another gun. Matching full serial numbers appear
on the frame, trigger guard, and back strap.
CONDITION: Very good, displaying all the grit and grime of a true frontier
survivor with strong traces of original blue finish in the protected areas, heaviest
on and under the ejector rod housing. The front sight has been slightly modified
during its period of use. The replacement grips are fine with mostly crisp
checkering. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: B.E. Dunlap; Richard Sykes; Charles Coe; Carl Morgan;
Douglas R. Warner; The Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection.
Estimate: 18,000 - 27,500
LOT 3081
Historic First Generation Colt Frontier Six Shooter Single Action Army Revolver Associated with the Range
Wars - Serial no. 246058, 44-40 WCF cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, hard rubber grips. Few
firearms are more deeply associated with the American west than the Colt Single Action Army revolver. After having
been carried and trusted by outlaws, lawmen, settlers, Native Americans, miners, and cowboys for decades, the
steadfast old revolvers remained a staple on the frontier which was quickly being “tamed” well into the 20th century.
This Frontier Six Shooter certainly has Old West character, and is a frontier survivor with ownership traced to range
wars era Sheriff E.J. Smalley of Laramie County, Wyoming, who is best known for arresting Western hired
gunman Tom Horn.
Tom Horn is a larger than life Old West enigma. He was many things throughout his short life of 42 years. He was
a scout, cowboy, soldier, range detective, Pinkerton Detective Agency agent and mostly notoriously a killer. He is
believed to have killed as many as 17 people. Seeing that it was difficult to prosecute range cattle thieves, Horn
turned to a policy of vigilantism. Advertising himself to ranchers as detective, prosecutor, judge, jury, and executioner,
Horn found work as a gun for hire killing suspected rustlers. In 1902, he was tried and convicted for the murder of 14
year old Willie Nickell near Iron Mountain, Wyoming, sentenced to death, and hanged on November 20, 1903, one
day before his 43rd birthday. Willie was the son of sheep rancher Kels Nickell, who was involved in a range feud with
neighbor and cattle rancher Jim Miller. The murder of Willie Nickell occurred in July 1901. Around a week later, Kels and
his wife were killed in an ambush as they worked in their garden and the name of the assailant(s) were never learned.
Horn’s arrest for the murder of Willie Nickell was due to the work of lawman Joseph LeFors. LeFors questioned Horn in
January 1902 about the murder of Willie. Still inebriated from the night before, Horn allegedly confessed to killing the
teenager. Horn’s most incriminating remark, “It was the best shot that I ever made and the dirtiest trick I ever done.” A
stenographer recorded Horn’s comments as he bragged about killing the boy to LeFors. These comments were entered
as key evidence in the trial. In fact, the confession was the only evidence that linked Horn to the murder despite the
defense calling it nothing more than a drunken boast. On October 10, 1902, Horn was placed on trial and the jury
reached a guilty verdict of murder in the first degree on the 24th. With the confession, the prosecution convinced
the jury that Horn was on the hunt for suspected rustler Kels Nickell and laid in wait, but was discovered by Kels’ son,
Willie. Realizing he had been recognized, Horn shot and killed Willie before making a retreat.
78