I know of at least two instances (and there were probably many more) of outlaws wearing body armor. Dick Glass in 1885 was reportedly wearing such when he killed Sheriff John Culp and Constable Rush Meadows. Railroad Detective "Bill" Brady recounts a train robbery in which he and his assistant were wounded, but the outlaws escaped unharmed: what puzzled him most "was the fact that he could ‘down' none of the robbers. He carried a 48-caliber revolver of the best pattern, and when he had fired at them in both instances had stood only three yards apart. The mystery was cleared up the next day when two breast and head plates of steel were found alongside the track. The plates extended from the waist to the top of the head and were about three-quarters of an inch thick. Holes for eyes had been cut in them and straps were riveted on to hold them fast at the waist and neck." Detective Brady further asserts (in this undated article I have from the Washington Star) that the "robbers invariably wear steel plates under their clothes . . ."

I've found no evidence that any of the Territory policemen wore such protection. Was body armor as prevalent as Detective Brady claims? Do we know of any lawmen who wore such equipment?

--meursault

There have been many reports of body armor but little evidence. I did view a piece of armor at the Oklahoma Territorial Museum in Guthrie that was reportedly used by an outlaw. It appeared to have come from a medieval costume. There is no hard and fast evidence from either outlaw or lawman that such appartus actually existed. Wyatt Earp dismissed the idea in his biography. But there were plenty of reports from the Oklahoma and Indian Territories that such items existed. Oklahoma gets very hot weather wise and it is hard believing anyone would would wear hot and heavy steel or iron plates in the warm weather months.

Daily Oklahoman, January 18, 1917
One Bandit Wore Bullet-Proof Suit
Frank Carter Sure Of It
Three Well Aimed Shots Have No Effect
Heroism Disclaimed
Deputy Who Held Ground Unconcerned When Fusillade Opens
Frank Carter, sergeant-at-arms of the house of representatives, was the cynosure of all eyes in the Lee-Huckins hotel last night. He was relating his experiences in connection with the pursuit and fight with the Harrah bank robbers yesterday morning, in which he took part.
His hat, a large felt affair of the western type - tall, creased crown and wide brim - bore evidence of the bullet which one of the robbers, fired at him. A tiny hole in the side and a larger hole in the rear, where the bullet emerged, show that the bullet passed within a quarter-inch of his head.
Four In Posse
Mr. Carter was a member of the posse, composed of Sheriff Johnson, Deputy Sheriff Layton, and County Clerk James Beaty, which cornered the robbers in the house of Joe Welsher, near Harrah, yesterday morning.
“We told Pearl Carpenter, a brother-in-law of Welsher, to go into the house and tell the robbers either to come out with their hands in the air or to send the women out.” Mr. Carter said last night. “We knew the robbers were there from advance information given us.”
“Instead of complying with our demands, they made the women leave the house ahead of them, preventing us from firing at them to any advantage until they left their human shield and broke for a nearby ravine. They escaped to the woods. It was foolhardy for us to follow them there.
Hostilities Start
“When Williams left the house, he was one of the coolest men I ever saw.”
“Well, you --- --- ---, let’s start hostilities,” he said and began shooting at me. His first shot knocked my hat off. I dropped to the ground and none of the following shots hit me.
“I took deliberate aim at Williams three times and shot true to the mark. A woman who ran a hotel where Williams stayed at one time told me that he wore a suit of mail. That’s why I failed to account for him.”
Many of Mr. Carter’s friends laughed and joked with him regarding his feelings while the bandit was shooting at him.
“I just went out with the posse to get a little air,” he told several, “I got almost enough, and I think I’ll stick pretty close to the capitol after this.”


On the Trail
Diron L. Ahlquist
Secretary/Editor Oklahombres Journal
OKC, OK