Texas Pistoleers

The True Story of Ben Thompson and King Fisher

G.R. Williamson

• Publisher: The History Press
• Year: 2010
• Topic: History
• eBook ISBN:
  9781439676967
• Subtopic: Social Science Biographies
• Index: History

The Vaudeville Theater Ambush of 1884 went down in history as one of the most famous gunfights in San Antonio, but the killing that night of Ben Thompson and John King Fisher, two of the most notorious pistoleers of the day, became something of a mystery. The two men entered the theatre just before midnight on March 11, and less than an hour later, both lay dead, shot down in what for all accounts was a true massacre. The responsible gunmen never were prosecuted for their crimes, and Thompson and Fisher--a mere mention of either man's name was enough to put the fear of death in any opponent--have been widely ignored since. Now, historian G.R. Williamson brings to light the mystery and the myths surrounding these men and their infamous deaths in Texas Pistoleers.

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Chapter 1. Shoot-out at the Vaudeville Theater
• Chapter 2. Ben Thompson: The Early Years
• Chapter 3. The Civil War Years
• Chapter 4. A Mercenary in Mexico
• Chapter 5. Gambling in the Kansas Cow Towns
• Chapter 6. Leadville and the Royal Gorge War
• Chapter 7. Ben Thompson: Austin City Marshal
• Chapter 8. Jack Harris Killing
• Chapter 9. King Fisher: The Early Years
• Chapter 10. Nueces Strip Renegades
• Chapter 11. Other Side of the Coin
• Chapter 12. Captain McNelly’s Raid
• Chapter 13. Fight at Espantosa Lake
• Chapter 14. For the Love of a Good Woman
• Chapter 15. Fatal Trip to San Antonio
• Chapter 16. Slain Heroes or Final Justice?
• Afterword
• Appendix I. Card Games of the American West
• Appendix II. Tombstones
• Bibliography
• About the Author