Los Angeles Sheriff James M. Barton died game. Ambushed by one of the most dangerous gangs of bandits in California history, he “fought like a lion” when the chips were down. That’s on the credit side of the ledger. It certainly mitigates any accusations of cowardice or dereliction of duty stemming from giving up David Brown to a lynch mob.
Barton was, according to chronicler Horace Bell, “an uncouth, illiterate man,” who physically roughed up his young Cupeño Indian common-law wife. So, by our standards, not necessarily a good man.
Whatever kind of fellow he was, his killing, along with three of his deputies, was a really big deal in Southern California in 1857. It touched off a manhunt that included remarkable feats of swashbuckling derring-do on Flores Peak in the Santa Ana Mountains.
It also touched off a spate of vigilante killings that stand out for their brutality, even in the dark and bloody history of frontier Los Angeles.
You can listen to the wild and woolly tale here or on most podcast platforms, in the next installment of the series Once Upon A Time In Los Angeles.
Matthew says
It seems a complicated story and no one really covered themselves in glory. Still, it’s fascinating.
You said that California was the wildest of the Wild West. That may be true. The state of my birth, Texas, might give it a run for its money, but I’m not sure. It’s probably pointless to argue which is. Of course, there are links between the two. Members of the Glanton Gang ending up there being the most obvious. Texas Ranger Jack Hayes I believe was a sheriff in California if I remember right.
JimC says
Jack Hays: Yep. Oakland.
Texas and Cali are neck-and-neck for the Wild Crown.
Jerry N says
A lot of similarities to be sure. Both were won in combat and became part of the United States. You had Californios and Tejanos, both have a large Spanish speaking population, and both still have very dangerous borders. Seems that not much has changed in the borderlands in the last 200 years!
Matthew says
Yep.
I can think of other similarities.
Yeah, about the dangerous borders. Things don’t change as much as some people think. The border problem is extremely complex and probably won’t see a simple resolution.
Jerry N says
Agreed, Where is the next Leander McNelly? That would be a good start!