Bad Men of the Black Hills
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- čas přidán 24. 08. 2021
- For every Butch Cassidy or Billy the Kid, there were dozens of other criminals who never gained enough notoriety to become famous, like Flyspeck Billy or one of his former associates, “Lame Johnny”. But the stories of even these lesser known villains can tell us about life in the Wild West.
This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.
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Script by JCG
#history #thehistoryguy #WildWest
I liked the news article about flyspeck that mentioned he died by a "too close application of a rope necktie." 🤣
I caught that.
He got what he deserved.
Reporters and editors had a unique sense of humor back then. :)
@@LuvBorderCollies It certainly could chafe a bit....
Famous 1880's western historian, Lance "Bow Tie" Geiger brings us yet another gem.
Bow Tie Geiger was notorious...drinkin', brawlin', and the fastest to correct any historical error he caught wind of. Was known to track into the Indian Territory to fix an egregious historical error that snubbed his sense of historical propriety. Tough character.
@@sindarpeacheyeisacommie8688 , it takes a tough character to be tender-hearted with a cat!
Mean hombre..been known to shoot cheap revisionist historians on sight.
Read on Abe Lincoln’s website, ol’ Bow Tie was shanghied and spent the remainder of his days as a pirate.
@@chrisvandecar4676 this now my head canon for history guy's life story
I love this channel it's reminiscent of the old shows on history that used to run in the nineties and early 2000... Back when History Channel was a History Channel
I miss the old History Channel. It went down hill with reality tv and then went full retard with ancient aliens.
@@Karnegis That's why Sgt. Lincoln Osiris said, "You never go full retard."
lol so true!
Complete with the annoying theme song, even.
I can still remember when the History Channel was still history...the good ole days. Although I was pleasantly surprised by the recent Grant miniseries!
The History Guy would have been a good name for a lawman back then. Run afoul of him and well, you're history.
👍😜👍
Boom
History dude
Where were your lawmen when Hearst had a landowner killed for failing to sell his land to him?
@@idolhanz9842 They were in McKeesport having a beer.
As a former resident of Custer, I am always thrilled to hear a little more of the happening of that historically wild town. It has a lot more interesting stories to tell. ;-)
The only reason I know of Custer, is because it's just outside of Custer State Park, which I rank up in the top 5 state parks I've been to. Actually, the entire Black Hills area is a great place to visit. Just not during the Sturgis rally, lol...
when were you there? I lived there 92 to 96
@@davidkrcelic6682 just missed you I came in the fall of 96
For the rally, came again 6 more times
My late wife had many relatives of her father's side in the Custer area. They were mainly cattle ranchers. We visited them in 1984 and one old relative still lived in the original log cabin. As you probably know, "Fly Speck Billy" is still celebrated annually in Custer.
He died from 13:27 "The effects of to close an application of a rope necktie." what great under statement!
Hey, history guy! A few months back, I started mentioning on some of your videos that I was going to move from Oregon to South Dakota. We've been here in Rapid City for a few weeks now and I absolutely love it! The process of assimilation will likely take years since I've spent my entire life in Oregon but I'm excited truly call myself a South Dakotan. The Black Hills are no longer filled with bad men and it's a great place to raise a family.
Also, the other day I was driving near Buffalo Gap and I saw a sign for Lame Johnny Creek. I thought myself as I usually do in such situations, "There's a story behind that name".
I grew up not far from Buffalo Gap
Beautiful country! I've only visited once, though. I was signed up for a balloon ride over the Black Hills, but unfortunately the weather was too rough for launching, and I had to be in Rapid City the next day... I'll have to go back for the balloon ride someday.
@Levi Warren, wish Pa had an awesome gov'ner like Kristi Noem.
We have a greedy, lying 'puppet Yes Man.
If Tom Wolf is considered a man 😆
Wishing you the best in your new location & life.
God bless 🍃
PS: I'm sure your assimilation will be faster than you think.
Getting to know neighbors & community, letting them know you're making roots there for you & your family is key,
I'm sure you know that already.
Many people are anxious about starting over in another state, you are an inspiration.
Apologies, just meant to wish you the best but you got a wall of text ☺️
I remember Buffalo Gap and Lame Johnny Creek from when I loved in Rapid City many years ago. I didn't know Lame Johnny Creek was named for Johnny getting strung up.
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel as long as it's west river, you're good. We don't speak of them east side folks. ;)
I grew up on Rimrock and spent my childhood exploring the Black Hills. Old mining camps and ghost towns were favorite places of mine. I loved looking for arrowheads, panning the creeks for gold, and searching out treasure. I knew those hills so well and loved the history that I could discover. My son now lives in the Black Hills and I visit there at least once a month. I have shared with my family so many stories of outlaws, miners, presidents, and others. I like to visit areas that the tourists don't know about and relive the excitement of discovery I had as a child.
Hands-down, the best history channel on the internet! I have had a 4 year addiction to The History Guy's channel. An addiction I will never kick, just as long as Mr. Lance and the crew keep producing these incredible episodes. Cheers! 🇺🇸
Can stagecoach robbers be considered land pirates, especially with names like Lame Johnny or Flyspeck Billy?🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
I’d have to say, “yes!”
@@DawnOldham "Yar!" (or "Yup!" in Land Pirate).
absofrigginlutely ,,,,,,,,,, I was looking for pirate comments
NO. A "land pirate" or coach robber is called a "highwayman".
@@jensjesfjeld6238
Thank you! They had their own dang title !
And considering range where they worked most would have never set eyes on blue water in their entire lifetime. So NO they could NOT be called land pirates.
My dad was/is so in love with the Black Hills/Custer National Park and the Badlands that we did TWO family vacations to South Dakota before I'd grown up (...and I'm pretty sure that would have been roughly his fifth or even sixth time...). Then I lived in Montana for the better part of a decade and the few times I actually drove home to Indiana instead of flying I always ended up juuuust making it to/through the Badlands at sunset and it always felt like the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen ...then after I'd crossed the Missouri I'd get 2-3 hours of crappy "sleep" pulled off the side of an on-ramp, wake up around 3-5 AM, and then with laser focus and the bare minimum of stops needed for gas I could usually make it from Mitchell, South Dakota to Bloomington, Indiana and still have multiple hours of daylight left.
Share more about the Badlands, Deadwood, the Black Hills and their history. I have ridden my Harley all over the area twice or more. Always something new but really not.
Another place with a rich history is Jackson Hole and the Yellowstone!
@@sidneyspencer6458 When I lived in Bozeman I was about 50 minutes from Gardiner where the West entrance to Yellowstone is and it was kind of an ordeal but a few times we'd drive over there about 5:AM on a cold morning. A few miles into the park, after crossing the Gardner River twice there's a parking lot on the left (the first you come across). Bathing suits on in the bathrooms if they aren't on already and follow the trail past the bathrooms following the Gardner upstream. CAUTION - At this point it will still be dark and you will often encounter "small"-ish groups of sleepy Bison with as little as 50-100 feet to skirt them but be cool and it's usually fine. Everything gone according to plan, while still dark, one should eventually reach a place where the river is obscured by steam and mist. The "Boiling River" is not a "river" in any real sense of the word but the name of this specific feature where a hot spring emerges from the bank and spills into the Gardner River. Decades of visitors have erected a number of submerged rock cairns into a series of divided pools hugging the bank immediately downstream of the spring so that by variously altering the height/thickness of the cairns and relative proximity to the initial pool one has a near-limitless temperature continuum from which to select. There is no direct view of the horizon proper so after a while of being completely immersed in darkness and clouds of swirling vapor there's just a sense of light barely creeping in at the distant edges of the mist that slowly intensifies to a golden aura suffusing everything until the full shine finally cuts through and a lot of the vapor/mystery is dissipated... (if they haven't already, now is the time you're likely to start seeing other guests/visitors arrive) It's still TOTALLY amazing/worth hanging out another hour or two and we never once failed to see Bald Eagles skimming and swooping barely ten feet up/over hunting for fish in the Gardner and on the way back the Bison seem like old friends but really nothing compares to an AM "magic hour" in the Boiling River... (and arguably even better when it's overcast and snowing hard)
It's always good when you do a story about the Hills. Thank you Lance. I was home in Custer last week. Miss it already.
Stan! It has been years. Hope all is well with you and yours!
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel Like the '77 right?
My grandfather was a paternmaker at the Homestake foundry in Lead. My father worked underground briefly before deciding college was a better choice. Lead has some steep streets. Mill street sidewalks were 5 blocks of nothing but stairs. Locals tended to be pretty fit!
Never heard of Lead, but checked it out on Google Maps street view just now. Wow, those are steep streets!
Niinsa62 one street’s sidewalk actually has switchbacks.
Niinsa62 only town where you can sit on your back porch and spit down your neighbors chimney (local legend).
I drove around in Lead one time after all the snow melted. Saw enough. Driving or walking on those steep roads or sidewalks would be insane after a snowfall.
A few months ago I ran into a couple of guys who still work in the mine. It is now being used for scientific experiments. They were very interesting people.
Love the video. "Lawless country" no necessarily means you could do whatever you want. "Mob lynching" was and still very prevalent in Latin America.
If there were no trees, all you needed for a horizontal hanging was a rope, a horse and a sharp slap on the horse's rear.
It means you can, but you still suffer consequences worse than what modern law often gives.
Best -history- content on CZcams.
I'm 48 years old now but I wish to God you were my history teacher back when I was in high school. You're so I've always loved history, especially during the civil war era and I just can't get enough of it and you make it sound so easy to tell all. Thank you for your extremely wonderful content and as myself and I'm sure others out there we're extremely grateful for your channel and for the way you present everything!! Thank you again and God bless you. Tobby
I like the fact that you dressed like a wild west barkeeper to tell a wild west tale.
And he'd make a great bartender I'm sure. Just think of the stories he could tell!
Noteworthy attire for sure. Class
"Barkeep, gimme a root beer!"
I don't care for booze and don't drink. But a fresh draft root beer, that's a whole different story.
Barkeep, gimme a milk shake, with sour milk.
Why?
I got a tapeworm, & that's good enough for him.
That's how he dresses bro. I saw him at the grocery store yesterday,had a bow tie on
My fiancé is from The Black Hills. Her family is Sioux Nation
The "claim" near modern Lead, SD was not legal. In fact, the entire area was in the Great Sioux Nation and under treaty. Custer's expedition was also illegal. It was not until 1877 that the US Congress violated its own treaty by passing a law stating the area was now US territorry.
One could question why the Sioux and Northern Cheyenne were gathered in Crow territory in 1876 on the Little Big Horn River. Treaties between the U.S. government and native tribes tended to be observed when convenient in that era, and no side was totally innocent. Some might say that's generally true in world history as well. There are of course exceptions, but not many.
Custer is my home town. I still remember the bar, later cafe with the flyspeck Billy sign hanging over the front door. Too bad it is gone now. Thank you for making your videos! The ones about South Dakota and surrounding area will always have a special place in my heart. Keep up the good work!
I love this! I live in Nebraska and have been all the cities you mention in this episode. It was fun to imagine what it was like.
I just love when your posts pop up in my feed.
I live in Western South Dakota, and would like to hear about your time growing up here.
When I was a kid Deadwood, Custer, Hill City , seemed like the old west even then.
They still had "houses of ill repute " in Deadwood, even as I grew into a young man.
Or so I've heard. Thank You.
If only the IRS would have kept their noses out of the brothels business.
Thanks for the awesome content!!
Aw, I got trigger-happy with that last question. It's fun to hear the history of the Black Hills. I lived in Edgemont for a spell.
This channel is one of our favourites. And I like having the Wild West story this time. Well done!
Thank you!
The History Guy will soon reach 1 million subscribers. When that happens, it will be history that deserves to be remembered!
Here in the Texas Panhandle, there's a story about a Spanish treasure caravan that was destroyed by Southern Cheyenne in Lipscomb County. This gold was bound for a fort in Colorado, but has never been found.
I love these Dakota videos you’ve done, keep them coming!
As a native of the Black Hills myself I love your emphasis on stories of the Dakotas. My father was born in Deadwood and I have relatives scattered throughout and near the hills. I always wondered who Lame Johnny Creek was named for. Many odd names from that era. My favorite was Dead Eye Dick.
Deadwood was a great mini-series.
The Bestm... a Classic
@@nickymal4092 nicely f--done
Thanks for all the early John Wayne clips.
Still showing Wayne as a bully, pushing people aside to stand at the bar.
Another great episode. Thankyou THC crew.
I find these videos to be both informative and entertaining. I’ve always been a student of history, but I must say you have a gift for making it even more enjoyable.
I feel a sudden need to watch the HBO series "Deadwood"...for about the hundred time.
Love the videos as always! I knew of these stories since I myself live in the Midwest in Nebraska! The blackhills are a great place to go camping!
I love all of your videos! Thanks!!!
I always enjoy the information
I thoroughly enjoyed this episode Lance! I knew parts of these stories as I too turned over many flat rocks looking for treasure. I remember driving every dusty trail around Buffalo Gap looking for more stream beds sure that nobody had ever been there before. Thanks again for enlightening, educating and entertaining us!
Excellent as always.
I grew up in Custer. When I was a kid, they used to do a re-enactment of "The hanging of Flyspeck Billy" during Gold Discovery Days in mid summer. My father played the role of Flyspeck for years. It was great fun to see the staged gunfights every summer.
I've been told my great grandpa was taken to a real hanging by his dad. Would have been 1880s Illinois, probably.
Once again, a great piece of history we would not have known about without your channel!
Given my surname, do you think I would have fitted in with that crowd of outlaws?
My ancestors were sent here to Australia from England and Ireland as convicts on the ‘First Fleet’ back in 1788, and some continued their nefarious ways once they were given their ‘ticket of leave’, (which freed them to settle in their new home).
So they certainly lived up to the family name in places very similar to the Black Hills, albeit on the other side of the world.
Love your channel and the subjects never disappoint. Thank you for keeping history alive for us.
Cheers from Australia!
Some of the best Irish people were sent to Australia! Thomas Meagher is still a hero to me.
You may have Canadian relations. I have cousins with the name Lawless. And of course, your fellow Aussie, Lucy.
@@tygrkhat4087 Lucy Lawless is from New Zealand.
It seems we have relatives who travelled together!
I had relatives on the 1st & 2nd fleets who stayed & & helped build this country. Most even managed to stay out of jail once freed!
@@viennapalace Oops.
Good history stories and great delivery!
Dakota Guy! I caught the subject material and was all over it!!! Sending to my sons!
Thanks for sharing!
I love old west history and you did an excellent job on this!
History Guy is great. History Guy + Black Books = better than I ever imagined.
I lived in Custer for three years. Loved it and the Black Hills.
Just love your channel!
I'd like to suggest a video on Austro-Hungarian river monitors. River monitors are a riverine equivalent of a battleship. A heavily armed, heavily armored vessel. They have interesting, little-known history. To give an example: SMS Bodrog, one of these monitors, fired the first shot of the First World War, when it fired upon Serbian fortified position on the bank of Danube river in Belgrade. It fought against Serbs and Romanians during the war, and ran aground during retreat at the end of the war. It was then captured by Serbian troops. It was, after the war, surrendered to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia along with four other monitors, served in the riverine navy of Independent State of Croatia during the Second World War, and was left to rot since the 1970s. It is currently restored and exibited as a museum ship.
Great work as always.
I don't remember the details well enough, but my grandmother was from Western South Dakota and some of her family, or their neighbors had a swing in a tree that they thought was the one Lame Johnny had been lynched in. They had some kind of saying about swinging in the tree where Lame Johnny hung. Thanks for another interesting episode.
Close association with a rope necktie. You have to love those old newspaper writers. Also, the nicknames some of these fellows had, I mean Flyspeck Billy! ? No wonder they got in so many shootouts.
I'm from Ellsworth AFB and loving these SD tales.
Thanks Lance !
I"ll say it again. You never cease to surprise, entertain, and educate. Thanks.
As always very enjoyable video.
Oooooh! More Black Hills stories. I love your channel.
Another great video, thanks!
On a side note, you probably already know this, but there's a really unusual story to the photo of Custer you used. The man standing in the back is Private Noonan, who was the last husband of the 7th Cavalry's laundress at Fort Lincoln, known as Mrs. Nash. Although her first (two? I forget) husbands had abandoned her and left the area, she was considered quite the catch, earning good money as a laundress and being known for her excellent cooking...in spite of her swarthy appearance and rather unfortunate five o'clock shadow. Libbie Custer employed her occasionally and quite liked her. While Noonan was out on the march with Custer, Mrs. Nash fell ill and died. She had left instructions that her body was not to be washed and laid out in clean clothes but buried immediately as it was. The ladies of the fort couldn't bring themselves not to tidy her up for the next life...and to their utter surprise, they found Mrs. Nash was a man. Poor Noonan returned from the field to find his wife dead, and her secret out. Not long after that, some of the soldiers were teasing him, and the despondent Noonan walked off and shot himself. John Burkman, Custer's striker (an enlisted man who cares for an officer's horse and other belongings, said he regretted their teasing of poor old Noonan...they didn't expect him to take it so hard.
Yes, i have so far not done an episode on Mrs Nash
Retriever, there's a fascinating book titled "Suits Me" about a piano-player from the swing and big-band era who had been married to several women in the past but upon death was discovered by the coroner to be a woman, biologically, who had dressed and lived as a man for over 40 years.
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel It's such an interesting story, I thought you'd probably know about it already. I guess you could say I'm a Custerphile, I'm a member of Little Big Horn Associates, I study the Civil War and the Indian Wars with a focus on his career and associates. Lots of interesting angles. I feel awful sorry for Noonan.
@@goodun2974 That does sound fascinating!
@@retriever19golden55 I only know because I have a Custerphile buddy.
Very interesting story sir. And thank you again
My mother was from Custer and always talked about fly speck billy , great to learn more.
Another FINE presentation by our good friend, THG. Thanks!
My family had a ranch near Custer for 130 years. My Mother and Uncle were born there and my Grandfather had a gold mine on the property.
As always informative, entertaining, and just an all around interesting look back at history that most certainly deserves to be remembered. Thanks HG! 👍😉
Cowboys and Pirates. It doesn't get any better than this. ❤😎❤
Great job once again you never fail to entertain, educate and and inform. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 You’ve got to love the names of some of the outlaws and gunmen.
Thank you for sharing
My grandma "Pederson" is out of the Black Hills born in 1880. We have stalled the family reunion every two years for now, but she met a French Canadian out of New Hampshire, and they went to Canada to homestead.
"People trying to earn a living through crime..."
Very much appreciate your perspective, and sensitivity towards the subject. Whichever subject never ceases to amaze.
It's kind of off topic, but I'm always impressed with the quality of the introductions on these videos.
Having grown up in the Black Hills myself its always exciting to hear stories from the area being spread and see others who also from it.
The story of Billy Dixon at abode walls, this is one the things I watch to keep the news off with all of its back biting.
Yessssss, excited for this episode.
I took a road trip through there a few years ago. Can't wait to go back. Definitely like to spend more time in the Black Hills and Deadwood next time.
Great story thanks history guy!
I've been watching the history guy for 30 years and every episode is a gem ; )
Thanks History Guy.
Hot damn, what an excellent video. Love the channel!
Do you remember going to the Trial of Jack McCall in Deadwood? It was a play that started on Main St in front of the Saloon where McCall murders Hickok and then continues indoors in a courtroom setting.
There were a couple of Utah “Bad” men, “Gunplay” Maxwell and “Shoot’em up” Bill Johnson. It’s been a while since I read about them, but I think they failed at every bad thing they tried.
Thank you! Very interesting.
This episode reminded me of the "old west" magazines my grandpa used to read all the time.
A rollicking tale of the wild west and lawless men, taking what they want. Rough place. Thanks.
A sad tale, well told. Loved the classic western movie clips! I miss those old westerns. There was great story telling in some of those films!
What politicians and lawyers have given us nowadays makes Frontier Justice look like a good thing
Another great story thank you
Love the old west stores thank you!
Hey, shout out to Sidney, my one time home town.
In Southwestern South Dakota you can find "Lame Johnny Creek"...but you probably know that.
Coach robbing and the armored wagon reminds me of the movie, The War Wagon from years gone by. The Duke is seen at 12:29.
I just got back from the black hills just last week! Perfect timing!
Very cool! Thank you!
keep up the great videos
Now that was some neat stuff. Thanks!
He’s good! Love his videos
Great episode! The Black Hills had more interesting characters and history packed into it in a short time than just about any other place in America.
Least we forget Virginia City and Nevada City, in Montaña. At one time the greatest GOLD strike in the country. Yes they had their outlaws and bandits which most often were officers of the law. Nothing new bout that as it still happens regularly.
Thanks!
You have to love the nicknames of the old west. Thanks for all the videos.
cant wait to be back in the back hills next month!
That was great.please do more about deadwood. Wild bill and all that