The current issue of True West (Jan 2004) has an excellent 4 page article about the demise of Zip Wyatt in Oklahoma. "Zip Wyatt vs. Everyone In Western Oklahoma" written by Bob Boze Bell details the string of gunfights from Woods County in far northwest Oklahoma to Logan County in central Oklahoma. The story tells about outlaws Ike Black and Dick Yeager (alias Zip Wyatt), and lawmen Clay McGrath and Marion Hildreth.


Dee Cordry
okhombre@ionet.net
Oklahombres.org webmaster

I agree Dee. It is a very good spread...short and to the point, but you get the highlights of his criminal career. Highly recommended
On the Trail
Diron Ahlquist
editor, Oklahombres Journal

Would this be the same Zip Wyatt that was fined $10.00 on December second eighteen nintynine for "Exposing himself on street" in Guthrie Oklahoma. Suppose that's why they called him "ZiP".....wonder how many times he hung out in Guthrie....of all the other crimes listed, Mr Wyatts stood right out!....OK-sorry, I couldn't help myself!, but this sure seemed like a well known and notorious name for somebody else to use before a Judge. Especially if it was for the memorable crime of pee'n in the street. When was Zips death ?, it was 1895, right ? RB

Hi all,

I would like to point out an apparent error in where lawman Andy Balfour was from. He appears on the Kansas and Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial as being killed on the Fourth of July 1891 by "Zip" Wyatt. Andrew Winfield Balfour was an Undersheriff from Kiowa County, Kansas. The county seat being Greensburg, Kansas. A. W. Balfour heard of a man wanted for larceny who apparently was going to attend a picnic at Pryor's Grove, Edwards County, Kansas, just north of Kiowa County, located at the southeastern part of Edwards County. Here, Balfour located the man, but was shot and mortally wounded before he could handcuff him. He left a wife and six children. Our Oklahoma Memorial lists A. W. Balfour as an law enforcement offical from Logan County, I.T. I believe this to be in error.