Wild West Podcast
Welcome to the Wild West podcast, where fact and legend merge. We present the true accounts of individuals who settled in towns built out of hunger for money, regulated by fast guns, who walked on both sides of the law, patrolling, investing in, and regulating the brothels, saloons, and gambling houses. These are stories of the men who made the history of the Old West come alive - bringing with them the birth of legends, brought to order by a six-gun and laid to rest with their boots on. Join us as we take you back in history to the legends of the Wild West. You can support our show by subscribing to Exclusive access to premium content at Wild West Podcast + https://www.buzzsprout.com/64094/subscribe
Wild West Podcast
Was Dutch Henry Really at Adobe Walls? A Deep Dive into Western Mythology
Step into the contested territory of frontier legend as we continue our deep dive into the life of Dutch Henry Borne, one of the American West's most enigmatic figures. From cavalry scout to notorious outlaw, Borne’s story straddles the line between documented history and frontier mythology—nowhere more prominently than in the controversy surrounding his presence at the famous Battle of Adobe Walls.
The journey begins with Borne’s early days alongside General Custer, where witnessing the brutal Washita Massacre triggered what appears to be a moral turning point. But was his disillusionment truly ethical, or merely personal? As we follow his path from military scout to buffalo hunter to horse thief, we confront the fundamental question of how much we can trust historical records in reconstructing the lives of frontier figures.
At the heart of our exploration lies the fascinating contradiction about Borne’s whereabouts during the Second Battle of Adobe Walls. Official records place him in jail in Kansas during the battle, yet multiple sources—including a monument at the battle site, Olive Dixon's historical account, and Borne’s own later correspondence—firmly position him among the defenders. This historical mystery showcases how Western narratives are shaped by competing truths, unreliable reporting, and the personal biases of both contemporary observers and later historians.
The episode concludes with Borne’s capture by Sheriff Bat Masterson, his eventual marriage and retirement in Colorado, and a final assessment of the evidence for and against his participation at Adobe Walls. Throughout this narrative, we're reminded that frontier history exists not as clean fact but as contested territory where official records, personal testimonies, and mythmaking collide. Listen now to decide for yourself where truth lies in the remarkable story of Dutch Henry Borne’s, and share your own conclusions about this fascinating frontier enigma.
Join us as Mike and I continue our captivating journey of the life of Dutch Henry Bourne, a saga that brings to life the thrill, intrigue and complexity of the American frontier. In this episode, we will offer our listeners an exclusive opportunity to delve deeper into the audacious exploits and lasting impact of one of history's most enigmatic outlaws.
Speaker 2:Brad in part one of the narrative concerning Henry Bourne. The story commences in the spring of 1867 when Bourne assumes the role of scout for the United States Cavalry, collaborating with General Armstrong Custer in central Kansas. Custer is at the helm of a new Form 7th US Calvary, which is actively engaged in pursuing Native American tribes in the wake of Major General Hancock's Peace Initiative.
Speaker 1:So, during this era, Bourne becomes increasingly disenchanted with Custer. During this era, Bourne becomes increasingly disenchanted with Custer, particularly after witnessing the Ouachita Massacre on November 27, 1868. This harrowing incident culminated in the deaths of Chief Black Kettle and numerous others at the hands of Custer's forces, prompting Bourne to engage in profound reflection regarding the ramifications of their action.
Speaker 2:This brings to a question about this part of the story. What about the perspective that Bourne's disillusionment may have been influenced by personal biases, rather than a broader ethical reflection, especially after he decides to quit and move on from the Seventh Calvary?
Speaker 1:Well, I think the best answer is probably the simplest one. Looking at Bourne's life and career, I can't single out anything, any example of anything in his life that seems to be influenced by broad ethical reflection of any kind. Everything about him and what he did. As is true with most Westerners at the time, these guys were law unto themselves. So, of course, yes, their decisions were based on personal bias, who they liked, who they didn't like, what they wanted to do, and their own choices.
Speaker 2:And our research suggests that Bourne terminated his military assignment as a scout in 1871 and subsequently traveled to West Colorado to partake in buffalo hunting expeditions. But before his departure he staked a claim in Kansas, and I think this becomes important later on when we talk about his story. He did that through his savings acquired from military service, and he also purchased a wagon and a team for his journey to Colorado, rather than returning to Michigan to reunite with his sweetheart. After securing his land, he began collaborating, also at the time, with a Mr Mark Bardell. Bardell was a warehouse manager near Fort Lyon, colorado.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So during one of those hunting excursions, bourne and his assistant were assaulted by Cheyenne warriors, who stole their horses and left them injured. Bourne did successfully reach Fort Lyon where he reported the theft. However, he faced allegations of instigating the conflict and was subsequently expelled from the post. This situation incited Bourne's ire, of course, as it would, leading him to appropriate army mules and the commandant's esteemed horse, as he vowed to collect 100 Indian ponies and one scalp. This course of action ultimately directed him toward a life of criminality and resulted in a rather damaged reputation well, this brings up several questions, then.
Speaker 2:What might you say to someone who claims that born's decision to steal army mules and the commandant's horse was unjustified and escalated the situation further? And have you considered the perspective that Bourne's actions were driven more by a desire for revenge rather than self-defense, and how might this impact the portrayal of his character?
Speaker 1:Well, I think the question is unjustified. To who? To Bourne, it seemed highly justified when he is reporting his stolen property, only to be accused of causing the theft of his own stuff. Yeah, I think he was absolutely motivated by revenge. Who wouldn't be?
Speaker 2:And as we follow the timeline, which we tried to do in this story of his life and the things that occurred in his life, we run into a situation in the story about the narrative of the five jacks of Hillsworth and the enigmatic figure, dutch Henry Bourne. And we go through this whole series of the Ellis County Sheriff and the five jacks of Ellsworth. But Charles Brown apprehends Dutch Henry Bourne in the story. The Ellsworth reporter published an article regarding Bourne's arrest and then, of course, nevertheless only one month later, on July 27, 1874,. This presents a compelling question how could Bourne be incarcerated while simultaneously participating in an Indian raid? Defense in the Texas panhandle, defense in the Texas panhandle. So the major question is how would you address someone who argues that the timing of events in the historical record may not provide a reliable account and could suggest inaccuracies in the reporting?
Speaker 1:Well, simply put, I think, if you have to reporting, well simply put, I think, if you have to pinpoint the exact dates of everything, we simply don't have enough information. To my knowledge, we don't have any specific recording or account of Bourne being released from incarceration. Sure, we have the date of his arrest, but looking at the rest of Bourne's career, he rarely, if ever, served out a sentence, even if he actually went to jail even after he was arrested. So he does have a history of breaking jail, never staying in for very long at any one time again when he's arrested at all. And one month is certainly enough time to make it from Ellsworth, kansas, just down into the Texas panhandle, now in Lee. Their later years.
Speaker 1:Many of these frontiersmen claim to have been places and done things that the historical record simply doesn't account for, simply doesn't account for.
Speaker 1:There's several examples I can think of, just in Wyatt Earp's career, where he claimed to have done something that we know for a fact that he absolutely did not do and wasn't there for.
Speaker 1:So for Henry Bourne to claim that he was at Adobe Walls, a famous Indian fight where he absolutely could have been, there are very few people who would have really saw fit to argue that point Because sure, if he said he was, he could very well have been. Why wouldn't he have been? We also have other contemporary accounts of Bourne having been at Adobe Walls. Certainly all of Dixon's volume of her husband Billy Dixon's life recorded Bourne as having been there. The marker that was placed on the battle site is in commemoration of the 50th anniversary, lists Henry Bourne as having been there and I believe at that time, only 50 years after the battle, there would have been several individuals and certainly there were, for the setting of that marker, many individuals on both sides who were there present for the setting of the marker who could have easily disputed the fact that Henry Bourne was there when they saw his name. It's always been my feeling that, yes, dutch Henry was at Adobe Walls was at Adobe Walls.
Speaker 2:Later on in the story we're going to, or in this podcast, we're going to talk a little bit more about what substantiates the fact that he was at Adobe Walls, and there is a statement in our first part about the story of Henry Bourne that you might want to talk about, which is the historian Roger Myers.
Speaker 1:Yes, myers does indicate that by June 1874, born was living on his homestead just north of Ellsworth, and on June 15th he was shot three times and subsequently apprehended by US Deputy Marshal Alex Ramsey. Now, following his capture, he was transported to Topeka, kansas, and then to Leavenworth where he spent about 15 months in incarceration awaiting trial for the theft of government mules. Bourne apparently was acquitted on April 23, 1875. However, he remained in custody for several additional months due to a jailbreak attempt and the theft of a shotgun. Myers emphasizes that Bourne could not have participated in the Second Battle of Dobie Walls as he was incarcerated in Kansas during that period.
Speaker 2:Again, Brad, this is a compounding of complexities surrounding the historical account. You know you said earlier, a marker was installed at the battle site in a monument form on June 27th 1924. This marker honors the 28th Buffalo Hunters, including Dutch Henry, who engaged in the Battle of Adobe Walls. Furthermore, as you said before, Olive Dixon makes a reference to the individual named Dutch Henry in her 1914 publication the Life and Adventures of Belly Dixon of Adobe Walls, Texas Panhandle. Adventures of Billy Dixon of Adobe Walls, Texas Panhandle. Again, it's a matter of question here because, as we go through this, we really want to establish whether or not Dutch Henry Bourne was at the Battle of Adobe Walls and counter anything that might be established that he wasn't. How would you address someone who argues that the existence of a marker honoring Dutch Henry at the battle site implies his involvement, regardless of the historical record?
Speaker 1:Another point that probably bears mentioning is that, much like Buffalo Bill, usually when we're talking about Buffalo Bill we're talking about William F Cody. However, there were at least two other well-known Buffalo Bills running around the West, contemporaries of each other. Who knew each other, crossed each other's paths more frequently. Who knew each other crossed each other's paths more frequently. So well, the same is true with Dutch Henry. We know for a fact there were at least one or two other Dutch Henrys running around the country. Now, dutch Henry born, we don't know, but just going by the name Dutch Henry was common enough that you can maybe excuse the name popping up here and there, maybe confusing one for another. Hard telling. It's hard to pinpoint any of those other Dutch Henrys in the same place at the same time as we have Dutch Henry born, unlike the thing you have with Buffalo Bill Cody. So there is that you may have accounts of one Dutch Henry being confused for another. Whether it be an incarceration at Adobe walls or on a hunting expedition hard telling.
Speaker 1:When it comes to Western history, it does seem that everyone honestly has an ax to grind, and historians certainly are no strangers to that, even though most of them would deny it. Quite often we have an interpretation of history and then we look for the facts to prove it. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Sometimes we have to tweak them to make sure that they do, and sometimes, flat out, historical records just aren't as accurate as we want them to be. Historical records just aren't as accurate as we want them to be. That's just the way it is. Oftentimes, as things were reported, things were reported based on assumptions, based on hearsay, and things just got confusing as information wasn't transmitted immediately. As it is today, in our modern era, it oftentimes took days before information could get from one side of the state to another. So again it comes back to we really just don't have enough information. Both accounts make great points. I say believe what you want to believe, I suppose.
Speaker 2:Many times when we're doing our research, brad, we find inaccuracies in the media, reports Similar to today. You know, our media sometimes are biased, sometimes are fabricated, and so we have, as you said, we have to take into account that some records are just not accurate.
Speaker 1:That's exactly right. And when I say historians have an axe to grind, so did the people at the time. A lawman's reputation could easily be a rise or fall based on who they have in custody and how long they've been able to keep them there. So reporting someone being in jail might behoove your career. To report that they are. One name can get crossover from another as it transfers from one reporter to another and, uh, you may have one name attached to an entirely different story or telling.
Speaker 2:Can we talk a little bit now about part two?
Speaker 1:So yeah, part two of this narrative outlines events that transpired from the late summer of 1876, so a couple of years after Adobe Walls during which Sheriff Beardsley of Ellis County, in kind of northwest central Kansas, received reports regarding a series of horse thefts occurring in Ness County. These thefts were connected to Henry Bourne and his criminal organization, which seemed to be quite widespread. James Thompson, the manager of the Buffalo Station Depot, becomes suspicious of certain activities and subsequently apprehends a prominent horse thief, who was later identified as Big Ike.
Speaker 2:He comes into the station and says that he's a tramp. But when he's apprehended, a group of individuals demanded the release of the captured thief. He communicated this via telegraph with Sheriff Beasley, who was located at the time in Abilene, kansas. The sheriff instructed his deputies, charles Zahn, to assemble a posse in Hayes City and proceed to Buffalo Station.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then, under the cover of that night, the law enforcement team successfully did apprehend a group consisting of six men and three women, actually, and something like 36 stolen horses, near the south fork of the Solomon River. Sheriff Beardsley pursued the remaining fugitives north, where he encountered Levi Richardson. Levi was searching for stolen horses. Actually, levi was searching for stolen horses. Actually, with Richardson's assistance, the law enforcement officers set an ambush for one of the wanted suspects, big Ike, who sustained injuries during the arrest attempt. After verifying his identity.
Speaker 2:The officers then transported Big Ike to a nearby ranch for detention. Well, and in this part of the story which I thought was very fascinating, there is a mention of Levi Richardson. And in this situation I was totally unaware that Levi Richardson was a part of the apprehension or the pursuit of the Dutch Henry gang at that time. What do we know about Levi Richardson in his later life? That becomes, maybe, important to the full story here.
Speaker 1:Well, levi is another one of those folks that pop in and out of several different stories. He is most famous for his final story, I guess you could say, when he was known in and around Dodge City. He became a fairly prominent Dodge Citian and was killed in what is known as the Long Branch Shootout, when he and gambler Cock-Eyed Frank Loving sort of chased each other around the Long Branch Shootout, when he and gambler cockeyed Frank Loving sort of chased each other around the Long Branch over issues of a woman, as aren't they all and Levi. Well, I guess Mr Loving got the better of Levi Richardson and that was the end of him. The better of Levi.
Speaker 2:Richardson, and that was the end of him. Well, and now we're moving on in our story about Dutch Henry and, of course, by this time in his life, he's wanted for various crimes, including horse stealing and murder, and he was arrested in Trinidad by law enforcement officers. This is of particular interest in the story because Sheriff Masterson of Fork County traveled to Trinidad to secure Henry for charges related to grand larceny. Henry was bound over to appear in the district court during the court proceedings in order to be held in jail pending bail. Now, during this time, masterson faced challenges securing Henry's custody due to the lack of requisition from the governor of Kansas, but ultimately succeeded in bringing him to Dodge City. Now, why do you suppose Bat Masterson fought so hard to ensure Bourne was taken into his custody, and do you think this effort had anything to do with the friendship between them? Would you also think that if they were friends, would that friendship had developed at the Battle of Adobe Walls?
Speaker 1:I'm glad you asked it in that way, Mike. I'm glad you asked it in that way, Mike, because yes, I do think this is another bit of evidence to show that, circumstantial though it may be, an evidence that Henry Bourne was at Adobe Walls, because so was Bat Masterson. Now that's not a nail in the coffin necessarily of the issue, because that knew a lot of people that covered a great deal of territory during his, his young life as he went in and out of Dodge City, Western Kansas, the Texas Panhandle, even into Arizona and around that was, was everywhere and knew just about everybody who was prominent. So that's again, that's not necessarily a case closer but it absolutely does kind of cement a relationship between the two, if not a friendship. And I do think that Bat Masterson believed that Dutch Henry was, that Batmasterson believed that Dutch Henry was. Justice would be better served to him out of Dodge than someone who knew him only by reputation and not personally.
Speaker 2:Here's where I'd like to go as we conclude this as what you said. As a case closer, because I'm going to present here in a minute what I think are the true evidences that provide us with reality that Henry Bourne was at Adobe Walsh, no matter what historical records may have stated as we close out in Henry's life, we know that he married Ida Dillabaugh from Michigan in July of 1900 and had four children. During the summer they resided near Trout Lake in San Juan Mountains, spending their winters in town. In 1920, bourne received a book titled A Lone Star Cowboy by Charles Seringo from his friend David Hirsch. Enchanted by the book, bourne invited Seringo to join him in Colorado for fishing. In a letter to Seringo he fondly recalled his past experiences as a buffalo hunter, his participation in the Battle of Adobe Walls and his involvement in the Lincoln County War. Bourne also noted his recognition within the community, frequently making trips to town, and mention that he is known as Dutch Henry.
Speaker 2:What would you say to someone who questions whether Bourne's participation at Adobe Walls may be false, especially when we have evidence of three references or actually four references that he was? Let me go through those with you. The references support the potential camaraderie between Bat Masterson and Dutch Henry. We just went through that. Furthermore, the monument at Adobe Walls bears the name Dutch Henry. In her work of 1914, the Life and Adventures of Billy Dixon at Adobe Walls, olive Dixon references Dutch Henry. Additionally, one of Henry Bourne's last correspondence with Charles Seringo indicates his presence at Adobe Walls. Now, according to all of that evidence, how would you conclude this podcast supporting Dutch Henry's presence at Adobe Walls?
Speaker 1:Walls. Well, I make personally no bones about the fact that I do believe that Dutch Henry Bourne was one of the defenders at Adobe Walls, and I think all of this evidence is about as good a proof as you can get to that regard. However, I'm going to play devil's advocate here just a little bit and admit that by and large, you could make the case that it's all circumstantial evidence, all second and third person. Now Dutch Henry in regards to his letter to Charles Seringo, I think this could possibly be a good example of an aging Westerner making contact with another prominent Westerner and puffing himself up a bit, saying you know, seringo is writing books now about the history and his involvement in great deeds of the American West. Well, dutch Henry sees this and thinks you know what? I'm a part of great deeds of the American West. Maybe I can impress this guy and he'll put me in his next book. So there is that. I think that would probably be a valid argument as well.
Speaker 1:I don't think that's any more significant than any of the other evidence that we have that he was there. Again, historical records are not always 100% true. As we have them, you've really got to look at the context of history, everything else that's going on, and make your conclusions from that. I do believe, as we've gone through, that Dutch Henry was at Adobe Walls. I get the arguments on the opposite side of that. But we've gone through that Dutch Henry was at Adobe walls and and I I get the arguments on the the opposite side of that. But I think at the end of the day, you've got to believe what you want to believe.
Speaker 2:Well, we'll have to leave it here in our audience. I guess they can, uh, write in and, according to the evidence that you have received from this podcast, you can tell us whether or not you believe Henry Bourne was at Adobe Walls. Thank you,
