Somebody (I forget who, sorry) some months ago was asking about Kelp Queen. The Lewis files at the National Archives don't have much on him, other than he was wanted for the train robbery at Verdigris and was charged along with Lewis for the murder of B. C. Tarver, a passenger on the train. But what's interesting is that the USDMs in pursuit of outlaws evidently were supplied with a printed form, listing the known various physical characteristics of the men they were after, to aid in their identification.

Thus, in June of 1888, the form for Kelp Queen notes that he was thought to be between 28 and 33 years old. His height was "near 6 ft." He had "dark" hair and a "dark" beard. His eyes were black. His complection was "dark." As to "Character of special marks" Queen was "injured in one eye by hookspot or catarract."

Another interesting thing (at least to me) about these printed forms is that one line reads "His mistress and her whereabouts." Nothing is listed for Queen, but the very question suggests that the outlaws of the time routinely kept mistresses.

--meursault

I'm sorry, but this just struck me as so funny! Unless she was an "outlaw" herself. I can't think why any woman would marry an outlaw, or stay married to one. So, I guess mistress was as good as it got, for most of them, & the law knew that!

Mershon does raise an interesting point. A close look at Indian Territory outlaws, big and small, always seems to have a woman figuring into them unlike stories from the mining camps and cattle towns where reference to women was either prostitute or "good woman." It seems there were enough women to go around and the matter of a man finding company wasn't all that hard in old I. T.--even if the man was a little rough around the edges. Quite a few had families even. Makes perfect sense that the law enforcement community would keep tabs on them.

Those description pages that John mentions are very interesting and the first that I have ever found in the Fort Smith Case Files. They are about the size of a regular paperback novel and are stamped in the corner with page numbers indicating that they came from a standard "ledger"-type book. The sheets found in the case file however are individual pages which were apparently torn from the original book to be placed in the case file while at Fort Smith.

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Originally posted by OKLawDog:
Those description pages that John mentions are very interesting and the first that I have ever found in the Fort Smith Case Files. .

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Fascinating. Since the Lewis file is the only one I've actually examined, my assumption was that the "description pages" were routinely included in all files. To put Diron's remark in the proper context, readers should know that he has been researching the Ft. Smith files for more than ten years, and in that time has probably looked at hundreds of cases.

So far the Lewis files have yielded a handwritten letter from Heck Thomas, a mysterious reference to Belle Starr, and the description forms seldom, if ever, before seen.

I'm thinking that the Marshals must have kept their own separate files apart from the court documents. Does anybody know if they did and if they have been preserved? It looks to me that for some reason the legal case files on the Lewis matter must have been combined with a separate Marshal's file. Perhaps one reason for this is that the Lewis case was unsolved for so long a time. I suspect that then, like now, if a case wasn't quickly solved it was assigned (formally or informally) a lower priority, and at some point was probably forgotten about entirely. In the Lewis case it was two years after the crime before one of the participants came forward and confessed it to Capt. JJ Kinney.

--meursault

One question. Why is it funny that the outlaws had a women cached somewhere? The lawmen had a women cached somewhere and none seem to think that funny. Why is that? But back to Kelp Queen, is he the one that was in the Cisco, Texas bank robbery? And how what is the time period between the bank robbery and his death in Indian Territory?
Thanks.

I'm sorry if I came across in an offensive manner. It wasn't my intention. I just know someone who was married to an "outlaw", & when a man is in & out of prison, or in trouble with the law, it just seems to me, if he had a wife, if they had any kids, the wife would get herself & the children out of the situation. If she could.

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But back to Kelp Queen, is he the one that was in the Cisco, Texas bank robbery? And how what is the time period between the bank robbery and his death in Indian Territory?
Thanks.

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The handwritten note from Heck Thomas reads "I have Lewis and Dawson arrested and think I can capture some of the others soon. Was in 1/4 mile from Barber, Queen, Whittley and Stephens Monday but they got away. These 4 robbed the Bank at Cisco Texas some time back. These same parties . . . shot Chas. Colton and Harry Ryan. I heard Ryan would die. I expect to stay with this gang till I get more of them."

Harry Ryan, a newsboy on the Katy train robbed at Verdigris, survived to testify at the Lewis trial. My information is that Kelp Queen was killed in a gunfight sometime in 1889 by Sheriff Ed Saunders.

--meursault

To Martha,
I was just kidding, If it weren't for lovelies like yourself, men would not be hanging around .

If it weren't for lovelies like her, some men would not be hanging around - to be hanged!

According to Mr. Chuck Parsons, Kelp Queen's real name was Samuel Dawson "Kep" Queen; and, whether or not he was the 'leader' of an outlaw gang is in question. Queen, Will Whitley, John Barber, and Stephens (aka E.C. Foster) were members of the Cornett-Whitley Gang of South Texas.

Braxton "Brack" Cornett of Goliad Co., Texas, and his partner, William H. "Will" Whitley, led a large group of bank and train robbers all over South & South Central Texas. Other gang members at various times included: Ed Reeves, James "Bud" Powell, John Bybee, Milton Day of Dewitt Co., Tom Cox, Samuel H. Neff, and the Harrell brothers - Will & Eli.

On 5/17/1887 they robbed the Missouri Railroad @ McNeil Jct., (near Austin)Travis Co., Texas; and, robbed another train at Flatonia, Fayette Co., Texas, the following month. The gang split-up for a while. Cornett & Day stayed together, Whitley & Barber paired up, and Reeves & Powell went to Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Ed Reeves was wounded and captured at Grandview, Johnson Co., Texas, in October of 1887 by Johnson County Sheriff James H. White. (NOTE: When his fellow gang members failed to rescue him, he gave a full accounting of their activities. Reeves received a "Life" sentence and was shipped off to Detroit.)

The rest of the gang got back together and planned to rob a couple of banks - one in Fredericksburg, Tx, and the other in Cuero, Dewitt Co., but suspected a trap and decided not to risk it.

On 2/12/1888, Cornett was killed (for the reward) by Alfred Y. Alee at Frio Co., southeast of San Antonio, Texas. Four days later, on 2/16/1888, the remainder of the gang robbed the Cisco Bank in Eastland County, Texas.

The gang decided to split-up, again. Some heading for the Indian Territory, believing to find refuge there from the pursuit of the Texas Rangers and many County Sheriffs, who were hot on their trail. On 4/26/1888, John Bybee was captured in a firefight at Lampasas County; however, Whitley and Barber excaped. (NOTE: Bybee was sent to Huntsville Prison (TX)).

In July of 1888, the gang was spotted at Florence, Williamson County, Texas, heading toward Lampasas. Unfortunately, Deputy Sheriff William Stanley was singled out, shot and killed by ambush on 8/6/1888.

The gang, comprised of Whitley, Neff, Harrell brothers and others (probably, Barber, Queen, & Stephens), attempted to rob the Southern Pacific train at Harwood, Gonzales County, Texas, on 9/22/1888. Posses from all over the region were converging on the gang.

Will Whitley was killed by U.S. Marshal John T. Rankin on 9/25/1888 (? Lampasas Co., TX). He's buried in Mahomet Cemetery.

Queen was killed by Sheriff Ed Sanders at Dog Creek Court House, Cherokee Nation, I.T. (present Rogers County, OK) on 11/16/1888.

Stephens (aka E.C. Foster) was captured, sent back to Texas to stand trial for the Cisco Bank robbery. He was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

John W. Barber (Kep Queen's brother-in-law) was wounded but escaped; but, not for long. On 12/7/1889, Barber was killed at Spring Creek, Cherokee Nation, I.T. by Deputy U.S. Marshal Connelly.

Other Lawmen, who were mentioned in this article as being in pursuit of the CORNETT-WHITLEY GANG, includes: Travis County Deputy Sheriff (and former Texas Ranger) Thomas Platt; Lamar P. Sieker, Texas Ranger Quartermaster; El Paso County Sheriff James H. White; Johnson County Sheriff John H. Boyd; Lampasas County Sheriff N. O. Reynolds; Ira Aten, Texas Ranger; Williamson County Sheriff John Thomas Olive; and, Tyler County Sheriff Henry S. Kirby.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Cordry,

To Old West;
That was an eccellennce report thank you.

Correction to the Cornett-Whitley Gang report:

John W. BARBER and Samuel Dawson "Kep" QUEEN were half-brothers, NOT brothers-in-law.

And, William H. "Will" WHITLEY, leader of the gang after CORNETT was killed, was married to Cordelia Cox, making him a brother-in-law to Tom COX. It's not known for sure whether or not Tom Cox ever actually rode with the gang; however, law enforcement "considered (him) more of a spy than an actual hard-core member."

I've just gotta respond to the question of women running with outlaws? Being a re-enactor, one of the biggest gripes I have with some members of the fraternity is that women should not be in an outlaw camp, or play the part of the outlaw, because they were so rare in real life.

Re: If'n a woman wants to be part of an outlaw camp, she has to be one of only about a dozen charactors, because the fact that a woman outlaw was so rare, that virtually all were documented.


What are ya'll thoughts on the subject?
Farron

You asked for thoughts. I'm not an expert, but my thoughts are: 1.a woman marries a man; he isn't an outlaw at the time, & they have a child, or children. At some point he takes the "owlhoot" trail. She's in a situation that's difficult to get out of. Maybe she thinks, "If I stay, I may go to jail, by association, not involvement, or some one kill me", She might also think, "If I try to leave, someone may kill me." Eventually, she leaves, & gets out of it. Or#2. A woman marries a man; he isn't an outlaw when she does, but he becomes one. That woman gets involved also, & in time, both she & her husband go to jail.
I think only people who have never experienced either of the two, would want to reinact either. & #3. I reckon there were women who just were outlaws, themselves.

I guess I should clarify the 'reenacting' aspect. Quite a few of us 'reenactors' are more 'living history'. I portray a Deputy Marshal 1880. As 'living history', for museums, forts or timeline events, we portray characters of the period with utmost respect for the hardships that they endured. As a historian first, actor second, our role is to give the viewing public a better understanding of what really happened, that they don't see in the 'hollywood' movies or were taught in gradeschool.
So, while we may not portray a glamorous role, it's still an important role none the less, because it really was a part of history.
My role, as marshal, was much more dangerous than in I.T. than most people realize. A large percentage died for the cause. And most didn't make money at it. But it was a very important role in Indian Territory, and as much as I can, I try to tell what I feel is the 'real' story.

Farron

I have the utmost respect for all law men & women, & I do understand some of their dangers. My Uncle was a Sherrif for years, & because he was the Sherrif, & an honest man--that made him "enemies". All law men & women have all my gratitude. I don't think I did understand that you wish to portray it as it was.
In that case,I still say the same: find 1. an enactor who portrays a woman who marries a man, who wasn't an outlaw, later becomes one. She's invested, say 10 years in this marriage, If she leaves, she leaves with nothing...no money, etc. If she stays, she thinks she is going to end up in a coffin, or jail, by association. If she leaves, he may kill her. She might go in hiding, but she'll never go to the law, because they can't protect her. Or: #2. a woman who marries a man when she's young, & over the years, he just does illegal things more & more. & I certainly don't know why, but she, at some point, starts doing the same things. After he informs on everyone he knows,to stay out of jail, including his younger brother, who he influenced to go down the same trail--he finally gets caught, & THANK GOD, goes to prison for a long, long time. & his wife has to pay whatever consequences she has earned. Or, #3. There are just women who break the law.

Just found this and assume that it refers to Kelp Queen. The Barber mentioned is "Frank" and not "John"...are they one in the same?


Bangor Daily Whig & Courier, Bangor, Maine, November 19, 1888
A Desperado Killed
A Noted Train Robber Shot by a Sheriff
Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 18 - The desperado Queen was shot and killed near Vinita, Indian Territory, Friday night, by District Sheriff Carter and posse. Frank Barber, with Queen, had a horse shot from under him, but escaped. Queen was in the Missouri Pacific robbery of Gibson, I.T., last spring, and was wanted in different parts of the southwest on several charges.

Another article concerning John J. Kinney mentioned in this posting.

*Mitchell Daily Republican, Mitchell, South Dakota, December 8, 1890
Captured a Train Robber
Sedalia, Mo., Dec. 8 - Detective John J. Kinney and Capt. Lafloore[sic/LeFlore] chief Indian Territory police, captured Alex Lewis, a ranchman and alleged train robber, four miles from Tulsa, I.T. It is claimed that Lewis and five other men held up and robbed a train on the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas road at Verdigill[sic/Verdigris] Tank, I.T., June 16, 1888, when a stockman was killed and a news agent wounded by the robbers. Three of the men alleged to have been implicated in the crime are dead, the fourth is in jail at Fort Smith, Ark., and the fifth is still at large. The prisoner was taken to Fort Smith by his captors.

I'd not seen this particular account before--thanks for posting it.

Of all the people involved in this train robbery the one I'd most like to know more about is the formidible Mrs. Lewis, Alexander's wife. When the group first planned the robbery Alexander agreed to participate but then, having second thoughts, decided he first had to ask his wife for permission! And she gave it! She also very thoughtfully packed a picnic lunch for the robbers to eat while awaiting the train. I've often wondered why she was not arrested as an accessory to the crime.

--meursault