(LAWTON CONSTITUTION)31 May 1906........In the Robinson Saloon at Anadarko at 1 o'clock yesterday morning, James Bourland, a deputy sheriff of Caddo County, and Fred Hudson, who was recently acquitted of the charge of murder in that county, engaged in a pistol duel from which fatal results to each may obtain. The men met in the saloon, each saw the other about the same time and the firing of four or five shots was almost simultaneous. Bourland was wounded in the abdomen, his intestines being injured to such an extent that it became necessary for the surgeon (Dr. Boyd) later to remove a portion of them. His condition is critical. Two balls of Bourlands revolver took effect in the person of Hudson, one entering his right thigh and shattering the thigh bone and the other his left thigh. Those intimate with the conditions fear that Hudson's injuries may also prove fatal. The Immediate cause of the duel appears to have been the arrest on the previous evening of Hudson by Bourland, Hudson being charged with illegally carrying a revolver. But the primary cause was an enmity that grew out of the circumstances surrounding the trial of Hudson and Jim and Ben Hughs for the murder of Luke Houston more then a year ago. Hudson was recently tried for this murder and acquitted and in Hobart last week, the Hughs boys were also tried and acquitted. Just the relations that existed between Bourland and Hudson are not known. Bourland is known over a large portion of the Territory as a cool and fearless officer. He has been in the Territory for a number of years, serving as deputy United States marshal and deputy sheriff and in other official positions. Nothing is known here of Hudson.

more on the Bourland/Hudson gunfight

*Ada Evening News, May 24, 1906
Fatal Duel Between Officer And Ex-Outlaw
Guthrie, OK May 24 - John R. Abernathy, U.S. Marshal, received a telegram yesterday morning announcing that Deputy Marshal James Bourland of Anadarko, had been shot and fatally wounded by Fred Hudson, the ex-outlaw and former member of the Bert Casey band of desperadoes. Hudson was also shot by Bourland and will die. Hudson was only recently released from custody being acquitted of the killing of Deputy Marshal Lute Houston near Swan Lake in 1892. He was held however as a witness against Jim and Ben Hughes who were also acquitted of the killing Tuesday at Hobart. But little is known here, as yet, regarding the double killing yesterday at Anadarko. Bourland was a very popular officer, and for five years past his life has been threatened by outlaws. He was a candidate for the next democratic nomination for sheriff of Caddo County, but has served as deputy marshal for several years. Fred Hudson came into prominence three years ago by killing Bert Casey, the outlaw king at Cleo Springs, Hudson being commissioned as a deputy marshal in order to capture Casey dead or alive. A few months ago he was acquitted in Arkansas of murdering a man.

Thanks OKLawDog, and here's a little more....In 1932 Adolph Arispi was interviewed and gave an eyewitness account of the gun fight between Marshal Bourland and Fred Hudson. Adolph Arispi was the father of Hultrudis "Tullie" Arispi, sweetheart of Jim Bourland and part of that interview is as follows (spelling corrected)....Jim Bourland was made deputy sheriff of Caddo County by Jim Thompson. A short time afterwards he was appointed U.S. Deputy by Abernathy. Bourland went to Arkansas and met the Hudson gang. They did not know he (Bourland) had reformed. Jim told them he had escaped from prison. He got Fred Hudson over the Oklahoma Territory line into Oklahoma and arrested him,(for his part in the murder of Luke Houston),thus causing hatred against him by the Hudson gang. I was going home from the store, about nine o'clock, and I passed by the Charley Robinson Saloon and hotel on Main Street when I saw Jim Bourland at the bar. I went in and asked him to have a glass of beer but Jim refused to drink. It was a well-known fact that the Hudson Gang were after Jim Bourland. I told Jim they were hunting him and would kill him on sight. Jim said, "I will kill every one of them that tries it." I heard a noise and as I turned, I saw through the screen door that both men had fired at the same time. Jim emptied his gun. As I saw Jim waver, I said "Jim, you are shot." Jim said, "Let me alone, I can whip them with an empty gun." Dr. Boyd was called; we took Jim back to the kitchen. There were no towels. I was sent to get some and returned with some new ones with colored borders. The doctor told me to go and boil them for an hour, which I did. Jim Bourland died the next day. Fred Hudson died a few days later from gangrene in his leg which had been amputated. Jim Bourland's funeral was held in the McAnish Opera House, which was located where the Glen Dale Apartments stand, on East Oklahoma Street. He was buried in the Anadarko Cemetery, south of Anadarko. More than a score of school children played hookey to attend the funeral of the ex-outlaw. Wallace Denton notified Tullie fo the shooting and she reached his bedside before he passed away. Jim Bourland lived with his mother in a small cottage on North Fifth Street, Anadarko, Oklahoma Territory. Adolph Arispi..........Jim, who was but 36 at the time of his death was the nephew of Texas Ranger and Confederate Colonel James Bourland (Bourlands Boarder regiment) Jim wasted a portion of his youth involved in outlawry himself but did reform and appeared to be a respected lawman at the time of his death....So I find it surprising that I cannot seem to locate a grave for Jim Bourland. Checking with folks associated with the Anadarko cemetery under the spelling of Bourland, Bolin, and Bolen has turned up nothing. There will be a large gathering of Bourlands in Oklahoma city in 2005 and I would sure love to take a bus load to visit the site if it can be located and place a marker if necessary...any help or further info on Jim Bourland would sure be appreciated ! Thanks....Rod Bourland

For more information about Big Jim Thompson, Sheriff of Caddo County, and a great photo of his deputy, Jim Bourland, read "Savage Art" by Robert Polito.

Please site your "source" for the 1932 interview with Adolph Arispi. Thank you.

More information about this gunfight in the Anadarko Saloon and all of the characters that were involved in the conflict that led-up-to that deadly encounter, maybe found in OKLAHOMA RENEGADES, Their Deeds & Misdeeds by Ken Butler.

I believe that this armed encounter between Hudson and Bourland more closely resembles the show-down gunfight scenes, that were routinely depicted in the old western movies and TV shows than any true incident that am aware of.

If anyone knows the burial site of Jim Bourland I would appreciate if they would post the information to locate.

Thanks OW and Ken for the info. The source of the Arispi interview is....(Arispi, Adolph, "Jim Bolen, Outlaw, Reformed, Dalton Gang, Deputy Sheriff, and Gunfight in Anadarko" WPA interview by F.G.W & Adolph Arispi, (1932), found Anadarko Philomatic Museum, Caddo Co. OK.)....I recieved this information from a Bourland cousin from Dallas TX. in 1995 and am looking forward to visiting this museum myself this spring. RB

dear boomer,

I'm sorry that I bothered you by asking for your source on the Arispi interview. After I got back to my office and pulled my Bourland file, I discovered that I already had the article from The Bourland Bulletin (V.XIX No.3 Fall 1995), a publication of The Bourland Society, Galena, Missouri. Some excellent articles in this edition of the Bulletin.

Do you know anything about Jim Bourland's uncle, Reuben Bourland, and his ranch, which was located east of Center, Oklahoma, on the Western slope of the Shawnee Hills. I've always wondered if there might be a private, family graveyard on the ranch. I've found the location on an 1895 I.T. Map; however, it doesn't appear on the 1898 I.T. Map. Jim's sister mentioned that their mother took them, as children, to visit Reuben several times.

Of course, the other possibilities are that his body was transported either to Texas to be buried with otherfamily members at the family's old homestead, or to Louisiana, where his sister was living at the time of his death. Find his mother's grave, and you will probably find Jim nearby.

Or, he may have simply been buried in an unmarked grave in the Anadarko Cemetery. This is a little difficult for me to believe, considering the big funeral service and send-off that he received. But, it's possible.

Good Luck with your search.

No problem OW, I should have listed the source to begin with. I know very little about Reuben Rallah Bourland or that he had a ranch in that part of OK. But believe he was the first born child of Benjamin Bourland which later totaled some 19 or so children from two wives. For any info on this part of the family check in a "Bourland Bulletin" and find the E-mail for Patty Rochette, she has written a book on this line of the Bourland's and should be able to answer any questions. It is certainly possible that Jim Bourland could have been Buried on his Uncle's ranch but his sister Melissa Comer Bourland, although marrying a fella in LA and having a son there, is purported to be buried in Denver CO.,(TBB XXI,3) Perhaps she died there on a visit or maybe her mother is buried there ? I do agree, if I find the Mother I think I'll find the Son. It's gonna be a fun search, and Thanks All, I'm looking forward to a couple of new books for Christmas ! RB