Dan Tucker (lawman)
Encyclopedia
Dan Tucker, better known as "Dangerous Dan" Tucker, (1849 - unknown), is a little known lawman
and gunfighter of the Old West. Author
Bob Alexander, who wrote the biography
Dangerous Dan" Tucker, New Mexico's Deadly Lawman, proclaimed Tucker was more dangerous and more effective than better known lawmen, including Wild Bill Hickock and Wyatt Earp
. He was supported in this claim by historian
Leon C. Metz. He was also a subject in the book Deadly Dozen, by author Robert K. DeArment, who included Tucker as one of the twelve most underrated gunmen of the Old West.
in the early 1870s. Born in Canada
, Tucker was said to have been soft-spoken and laconic, and with a slight accent often mistaken for being southern. Famed New Mexico sheriff
Harvey Whitehill
was, at the time, serving as the Grant County, New Mexico
sheriff. Whitehill first met Tucker in 1875, when the latter drifted into Silver City, New Mexico
from parts unknown. Although some were suspicious of Tucker, who initially introduced himself as David Tucker, Whitehill took a liking to him, and hired him as a deputy sheriff.
Tucker was rumored to have last been in Colorado
, but had fled after stabbing a man to death. He was also said to have killed men in El Paso, Texas
and Santa Fe, New Mexico
, but these claims were never confirmed. The only known facts were that he had ridden with outlaw John Kinney, and he did, after arriving in New Mexico, take part in the El Paso Salt War
.
One of the first incidents of violence in which Tucker took part after accepting his new job, occurred in 1876, and was witnessed by Sheriff Whitehill's son, Wayne Whitehill, who was then but a child, but was able to give a full account of the incident during an interview in 1949. According to Wayne Whitehill, two Mexican
men began fighting inside "Johnny Ward's Dance Hall", in Silver City. One of the men stabbed the other, wounding him, then ran out into the street to escape. Just as he rounded a corner on Broadway Street, Dan Tucker shot him in the neck, in full view of many citizens, the young Whitehill being one of them. An account of this shooting was also taken from Dan Rose, who was 12 years old at the time, but who also was on the street that night.
Another incident, occurring in 1877, and also witnessed by Wayne Whitehill, concerned a report that a Mexican man was intoxicated and throwing rocks at people as they passed by, on a side street in Silver City. Tucker responded, with several young boys running a short distance behind him, due to him being somewhat of an enigma to the locals after the first shooting. According to witnesses, Tucker merely located the intoxicated man, and shot him dead with one shot, without ever muttering even one word to the suspect. No charges were ever filed against Tucker for that shooting. In 1878, Tucker shot and killed a thief as he fled, as well as becoming engaged in a gunfight with three suspected horse thieves inside a Silver City saloon, killing two of the thieves, and wounding the third. By this time, Tucker was legendary in the area, and had acquired the nickname "Dangerous Dan" after the shooting of the rock throwing suspect.
In early May, 1880, Sheriff Whitehill dispatched Deputy Tucker to track down two suspects who had broken into a prospector
's cabin and stolen numerous goods and personal property. Tucker was gone for two days, then returned with all the stolen property, along with the horses, saddles, and weapons of the two suspects. He reported to Sheriff Whitehill that he had located the two on a ranch
, and killed them, with the owner of the ranch agreeing to bury them. Days later, Tucker responded on a domestic dispute, during which a man had clubbed his wife and child to near death. As Tucker entered the house, the man knocked Tucker's gun from his hand with the club. In the altercation that followed, Tucker was able recover his gun from the floor, and shot the man, killing him.
In 1878, although remaining a deputy sheriff, Tucker had accepted the position of Silver City Marshal
, the town's first, and a position he would hold through several terms. By later accounts, Tucker brought the town's violent crime rate under control quickly, and was feared due to his lack of hesitation when he deemed violence was necessary to solve a problem. By newspaper
accounts from the Grant City Herald, in November 1878 Tucker was shot and wounded during a shootout with cowboy
Caprio Rodriguez, when the latter resisted arrest following a disturbance in a saloon. Tucker killed Rodriguez in the exchange. http://books.google.com/books?id=Z8VEeZamhvAC&pg=PA66&lpg=PA66&dq=Dan+Tucker,+Deadly+Dozen&source=web&ots=y4BfWmBqp_&sig=7foiQqXxCe3Nj9WNJLk0qi-BBlg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA80,M1
In 1881, Tucker assisted Sheriff Whitehill in a double hanging, and had acted as the hangman
in several other hangings for Grant County previously, and later accepted the position of Marshal for Shakespeare, New Mexico
; in September, he shot and killed rustler Jake Bond. In November, 1881, he arrested outlaw Sandy King
after he shot and wounded a storekeeper. On November 9, 1881, he captured outlaw "Russian Bill" Tattenbaum for cattle rustling. The two were hanged by the town's "Vigilance Committee" that same day.
Tucker was sent to Deming, New Mexico
on November 27, 1881, due to several outlaws causing disturbances and basically taking over the town. He began patrolling the streets with a double-barrel shotgun, and within three days, according to journalist
C.M. Chase, who was in the area doing a story on the Southern Pacific Railroad
, Tucker shot and killed three men and wounded two more. In 1882, James H. Cook became the manager of the "WS Ranch", and later would comment Tucker was, to his personal knowledge, involved in several gunfights as a shotgun rider while working for Wells Fargo
.
The following afternoon, Burns, whose binge had resulted in him staying up all night with no sleep, found himself in the "Sam Eckstein Saloon", where he goaded Bob Kerr into a fight, but when Burns produced his pistol, Kerr fled. Burns then left that saloon and walked down in front of the "Centennial Saloon", where he began firing his pistol in the air. He then entered the saloon and began gambling with Frank Thurmond, a professional gambler. Marshal Moore entered shortly thereafter due to several people complaining about Burns.
He approached Burns as he was seated at the table, and demanded he come outside to speak with him. Burns refused, stating he had done nothing and would not leave until the game was finished. Marshal Moore again ordered him up, and again Burns refused. At this point, Marshal Moore produced his pistol, and yet again ordered Burns outside. Also seated at the table were former deputy John W. Gilmo and Dan Tucker.
Gilmo convinced Marshal Moore to holster his pistol, but as soon as he did, Burns jumped to his feet, pulling his own pistol. Tucker then drew on Burns, and ordered him to drop his gun, which he did. Foolishly, Marshal Moore departed to obtain an arrest warrant for Burns, rather than simply making the arrest at that time. After he departed, Burns began verbally confronting Tucker, stating Tucker was wrong for involving himself in the incident.
A while later, Marshal Moore returned with Deputy Bill McClellen, warrant in hand. The two lawmen then demanded Burns turn over his weapons, stating they had "papers" for him. What followed is confusing, and has never been cleared completely. Burns drew and fired, missing everyone, and despite both lawmen having their pistols unholstered, Tucker was the first to react, drawing and shooting Burns in the ribcage, with the percussion of both the first two shots extinguishing the lamps, thus leaving the men in the dark. Moore and McClellen then also fired on Burns, with McClellen firing one round and Moore firing four in quick succession, all hitting their mark. Burns died immediately.
A decision to file charges against McClellen and Moore was made, based mainly on the fact Burns had been extremely popular with the local miners, and there was a loud public outcry for justice, despite the shooting having been justified. Tucker was not to be charged. On September 3, 1882, an attempt by local authorities to arrest both men was made, but they refused, and no one pressured them. Instead, they went to nearby Central City, and surrendered to authorities there, to avoid a possible lynching in Silver City.
Tucker, although previously told he was cleared, was also arrested, and also jailed in Central City. McClellen was released on bail, and while riding after an all-night drunk, his horse threw him, and he died from injuries from the fall, thus never coming to trial. Tucker and Moore were eventually cleared of the shooting, but Moore was dismissed as marshal. He drifted north into Colorado, where he was killed a year later in a gunfight.
Tucker's reputation suffered as a result of the shooting, but Tucker himself, as those who knew him later commented, seemed to not be bothered by this. On December 14, 1882, Tucker was ambushed by a Mexican man as he entered a brothel
in Deming to investigate a complaint, which turned out to be false. He was shot in the shoulder, but he shot and killed one man and one of two prostitutes who were assisting in the assassination attempt. Several other Mexican men also attempted to involve themselves, but backed away when several citizens entered, having heard the gunshots from the street.
led by Sheriff Whitehill, in pursuit of bandits who had robbed a train near Deming, killing the engineer and messenger near Gage Station. The posse captured the gang, but they later escaped from the jail. Again, Whitehill led a posse in pursuit of the gang and two other prisoners, engaging the escapees in a shootout near the mountains outside Silver City. Escapee Carlos Chavez and gang member George Washington Cleavland were killed, posse member Joe Le Fur was killed, with escapee Charles Spencer and gang members Mitch Lee and Frank Taggert surrendering, Lee having been badly wounded. Gang leader Kit Joy escaped, being wounded in the process. The posse hanged all but Spencer on sight. Joy was later wounded again by rancher Erichus “Rackety” Smith, and captured near the Gila River
, resulting in Joy being sentenced to life in prison. In November of that year, Tucker arrested York Kelly, an outlaw who had killed three men and murdered a woman who was eight months pregnant, during a bank robbery in Bisbee, Arizona
. For a time after this, Tucker operated a saloon in Deming, but in 1885, he was appointed as a Deputy US Marshal for that region.
In November, 1885, he and friend William Graham were involved in a gun battle with marauding Apache
warriors 11 miles west of Deming, but they were able to drive the warriors off. Tucker had resigned his position by 1888, and moved on to California
. The last time anyone who knew him saw him was in 1892, when he made his last known visit to Grant County. Where he went following that, or when or where he died, remains unknown. Although little known today, Tucker is considered by some historians to have been one of the most dangerous, albeit underestimated, gunmen in the history of the Old West. http://books.google.com/books?id=Z8VEeZamhvAC&pg=PA66&lpg=PA66&dq=Dan+Tucker,+Deadly+Dozen&source=web&ots=y4BfWmBqp_&sig=7foiQqXxCe3Nj9WNJLk0qi-BBlg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA80,M1
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
and gunfighter of the Old West. Author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
Bob Alexander, who wrote the biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
Dangerous Dan" Tucker, New Mexico's Deadly Lawman, proclaimed Tucker was more dangerous and more effective than better known lawmen, including Wild Bill Hickock and Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was an American gambler, investor, and law enforcement officer who served in several Western frontier towns. He was also at different times a farmer, teamster, bouncer, saloon-keeper, miner and boxing referee. However, he was never a drover or cowboy. He is most well known...
. He was supported in this claim by historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
Leon C. Metz. He was also a subject in the book Deadly Dozen, by author Robert K. DeArment, who included Tucker as one of the twelve most underrated gunmen of the Old West.
Arrival in New Mexico Territory, reputation
Tucker first ventured into New Mexico TerritoryNew Mexico Territory
thumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
in the early 1870s. Born in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Tucker was said to have been soft-spoken and laconic, and with a slight accent often mistaken for being southern. Famed New Mexico sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
Harvey Whitehill
Harvey Whitehill
Harvey Whitehill was a sheriff of the American Old West, whose life as a lawman was documented in the book Sheriff Harvey Whitehill; Silver City Stalwart, by author Robert Alexander...
was, at the time, serving as the Grant County, New Mexico
Grant County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*84.9% White*0.9% Black*1.4% Native American*0.4% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.8% Two or more races*9.8% Other races*48.3% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
sheriff. Whitehill first met Tucker in 1875, when the latter drifted into Silver City, New Mexico
Silver City, New Mexico
Silver City is a town in Grant County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 10,545. It is the county seat of Grant County. The city is the home of Western New Mexico University.-History:...
from parts unknown. Although some were suspicious of Tucker, who initially introduced himself as David Tucker, Whitehill took a liking to him, and hired him as a deputy sheriff.
Tucker was rumored to have last been in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, but had fled after stabbing a man to death. He was also said to have killed men in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
and Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
, but these claims were never confirmed. The only known facts were that he had ridden with outlaw John Kinney, and he did, after arriving in New Mexico, take part in the El Paso Salt War
San Elizario Salt War
The San Elizario Salt War, also known as the Salinero Revolt or the El Paso Salt War, was an extended and complex political, social and military conflict over ownership and control of immense salt lakes at the base of the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas...
.
One of the first incidents of violence in which Tucker took part after accepting his new job, occurred in 1876, and was witnessed by Sheriff Whitehill's son, Wayne Whitehill, who was then but a child, but was able to give a full account of the incident during an interview in 1949. According to Wayne Whitehill, two Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
men began fighting inside "Johnny Ward's Dance Hall", in Silver City. One of the men stabbed the other, wounding him, then ran out into the street to escape. Just as he rounded a corner on Broadway Street, Dan Tucker shot him in the neck, in full view of many citizens, the young Whitehill being one of them. An account of this shooting was also taken from Dan Rose, who was 12 years old at the time, but who also was on the street that night.
Another incident, occurring in 1877, and also witnessed by Wayne Whitehill, concerned a report that a Mexican man was intoxicated and throwing rocks at people as they passed by, on a side street in Silver City. Tucker responded, with several young boys running a short distance behind him, due to him being somewhat of an enigma to the locals after the first shooting. According to witnesses, Tucker merely located the intoxicated man, and shot him dead with one shot, without ever muttering even one word to the suspect. No charges were ever filed against Tucker for that shooting. In 1878, Tucker shot and killed a thief as he fled, as well as becoming engaged in a gunfight with three suspected horse thieves inside a Silver City saloon, killing two of the thieves, and wounding the third. By this time, Tucker was legendary in the area, and had acquired the nickname "Dangerous Dan" after the shooting of the rock throwing suspect.
In early May, 1880, Sheriff Whitehill dispatched Deputy Tucker to track down two suspects who had broken into a prospector
Prospecting
Prospecting is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking.Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by mineral resource companies to find commercially viable ore...
's cabin and stolen numerous goods and personal property. Tucker was gone for two days, then returned with all the stolen property, along with the horses, saddles, and weapons of the two suspects. He reported to Sheriff Whitehill that he had located the two on a ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
, and killed them, with the owner of the ranch agreeing to bury them. Days later, Tucker responded on a domestic dispute, during which a man had clubbed his wife and child to near death. As Tucker entered the house, the man knocked Tucker's gun from his hand with the club. In the altercation that followed, Tucker was able recover his gun from the floor, and shot the man, killing him.
In 1878, although remaining a deputy sheriff, Tucker had accepted the position of Silver City Marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
, the town's first, and a position he would hold through several terms. By later accounts, Tucker brought the town's violent crime rate under control quickly, and was feared due to his lack of hesitation when he deemed violence was necessary to solve a problem. By newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
accounts from the Grant City Herald, in November 1878 Tucker was shot and wounded during a shootout with cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
Caprio Rodriguez, when the latter resisted arrest following a disturbance in a saloon. Tucker killed Rodriguez in the exchange. http://books.google.com/books?id=Z8VEeZamhvAC&pg=PA66&lpg=PA66&dq=Dan+Tucker,+Deadly+Dozen&source=web&ots=y4BfWmBqp_&sig=7foiQqXxCe3Nj9WNJLk0qi-BBlg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA80,M1
In 1881, Tucker assisted Sheriff Whitehill in a double hanging, and had acted as the hangman
Hangman
Hangman may refer to:* Hangman, an executioner who carries out a death sentence by hanging* Hangman , a game of guessing a word or phrase one letter at a timeIn literature:* Hangman , an enemy of Batman...
in several other hangings for Grant County previously, and later accepted the position of Marshal for Shakespeare, New Mexico
Shakespeare, New Mexico
Shakespeare, formerly known variously as Mexican Springs, Grant, and Ralston City, is a ghost town in Hidalgo County, New Mexico, United States. It is currently part of a privately-owned ranch, sometimes open to tourists...
; in September, he shot and killed rustler Jake Bond. In November, 1881, he arrested outlaw Sandy King
Sandy King
Sandy King, was an outlaw of the Old West, and a member of the loosely knit outlaw Cowboys in Cochise County, Arizona Territory during the period when theu clashed with Deputy U.S. Marshal Virgil Earp in Tombstone, Arizona and resulting Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.-Outlaw life:King is believed to...
after he shot and wounded a storekeeper. On November 9, 1881, he captured outlaw "Russian Bill" Tattenbaum for cattle rustling. The two were hanged by the town's "Vigilance Committee" that same day.
Tucker was sent to Deming, New Mexico
Deming, New Mexico
Deming is a city in Luna County, New Mexico, United States, located 60 miles west of Las Cruces. The population was 14,116 at the 2000 census. Deming is the county seat and principal town of Luna County.-History:...
on November 27, 1881, due to several outlaws causing disturbances and basically taking over the town. He began patrolling the streets with a double-barrel shotgun, and within three days, according to journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
C.M. Chase, who was in the area doing a story on the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
, Tucker shot and killed three men and wounded two more. In 1882, James H. Cook became the manager of the "WS Ranch", and later would comment Tucker was, to his personal knowledge, involved in several gunfights as a shotgun rider while working for Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
.
Controversial shooting
During 1882, Tucker became involved in the most controversial shooting of his career. On August 24, James D. Burns, who worked as a deputy in the mining camp of Paschal, in Grant County, entered the "Walcott & Mills Saloon". Burns became intoxicated, and began twirling and flaunting his pistol. Deputy Cornelius A. Mahoney attempted to disarm Burns, but he refused, saying that as a law officer, he was entitled to retain his weapon. Town Marshal Glaudius W. Moore also threatened to arrest Burns, but he ignored him and continued on his drinking binge, going from saloon to saloon.The following afternoon, Burns, whose binge had resulted in him staying up all night with no sleep, found himself in the "Sam Eckstein Saloon", where he goaded Bob Kerr into a fight, but when Burns produced his pistol, Kerr fled. Burns then left that saloon and walked down in front of the "Centennial Saloon", where he began firing his pistol in the air. He then entered the saloon and began gambling with Frank Thurmond, a professional gambler. Marshal Moore entered shortly thereafter due to several people complaining about Burns.
He approached Burns as he was seated at the table, and demanded he come outside to speak with him. Burns refused, stating he had done nothing and would not leave until the game was finished. Marshal Moore again ordered him up, and again Burns refused. At this point, Marshal Moore produced his pistol, and yet again ordered Burns outside. Also seated at the table were former deputy John W. Gilmo and Dan Tucker.
Gilmo convinced Marshal Moore to holster his pistol, but as soon as he did, Burns jumped to his feet, pulling his own pistol. Tucker then drew on Burns, and ordered him to drop his gun, which he did. Foolishly, Marshal Moore departed to obtain an arrest warrant for Burns, rather than simply making the arrest at that time. After he departed, Burns began verbally confronting Tucker, stating Tucker was wrong for involving himself in the incident.
A while later, Marshal Moore returned with Deputy Bill McClellen, warrant in hand. The two lawmen then demanded Burns turn over his weapons, stating they had "papers" for him. What followed is confusing, and has never been cleared completely. Burns drew and fired, missing everyone, and despite both lawmen having their pistols unholstered, Tucker was the first to react, drawing and shooting Burns in the ribcage, with the percussion of both the first two shots extinguishing the lamps, thus leaving the men in the dark. Moore and McClellen then also fired on Burns, with McClellen firing one round and Moore firing four in quick succession, all hitting their mark. Burns died immediately.
A decision to file charges against McClellen and Moore was made, based mainly on the fact Burns had been extremely popular with the local miners, and there was a loud public outcry for justice, despite the shooting having been justified. Tucker was not to be charged. On September 3, 1882, an attempt by local authorities to arrest both men was made, but they refused, and no one pressured them. Instead, they went to nearby Central City, and surrendered to authorities there, to avoid a possible lynching in Silver City.
Tucker, although previously told he was cleared, was also arrested, and also jailed in Central City. McClellen was released on bail, and while riding after an all-night drunk, his horse threw him, and he died from injuries from the fall, thus never coming to trial. Tucker and Moore were eventually cleared of the shooting, but Moore was dismissed as marshal. He drifted north into Colorado, where he was killed a year later in a gunfight.
Tucker's reputation suffered as a result of the shooting, but Tucker himself, as those who knew him later commented, seemed to not be bothered by this. On December 14, 1882, Tucker was ambushed by a Mexican man as he entered a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
in Deming to investigate a complaint, which turned out to be false. He was shot in the shoulder, but he shot and killed one man and one of two prostitutes who were assisting in the assassination attempt. Several other Mexican men also attempted to involve themselves, but backed away when several citizens entered, having heard the gunshots from the street.
Gage train robbery, later life, disappearance
On November 24, 1883, Tucker was part of a possePosse comitatus (common law)
Posse comitatus or sheriff's posse is the common-law or statute law authority of a county sheriff or other law officer to conscript any able-bodied males to assist him in keeping the peace or to pursue and arrest a felon, similar to the concept of the "hue and cry"...
led by Sheriff Whitehill, in pursuit of bandits who had robbed a train near Deming, killing the engineer and messenger near Gage Station. The posse captured the gang, but they later escaped from the jail. Again, Whitehill led a posse in pursuit of the gang and two other prisoners, engaging the escapees in a shootout near the mountains outside Silver City. Escapee Carlos Chavez and gang member George Washington Cleavland were killed, posse member Joe Le Fur was killed, with escapee Charles Spencer and gang members Mitch Lee and Frank Taggert surrendering, Lee having been badly wounded. Gang leader Kit Joy escaped, being wounded in the process. The posse hanged all but Spencer on sight. Joy was later wounded again by rancher Erichus “Rackety” Smith, and captured near the Gila River
Gila River
The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 650 miles long, in the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona.-Description:...
, resulting in Joy being sentenced to life in prison. In November of that year, Tucker arrested York Kelly, an outlaw who had killed three men and murdered a woman who was eight months pregnant, during a bank robbery in Bisbee, Arizona
Bisbee, Arizona
Bisbee is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States, 82 miles southeast of Tucson. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 6,177...
. For a time after this, Tucker operated a saloon in Deming, but in 1885, he was appointed as a Deputy US Marshal for that region.
In November, 1885, he and friend William Graham were involved in a gun battle with marauding Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
warriors 11 miles west of Deming, but they were able to drive the warriors off. Tucker had resigned his position by 1888, and moved on to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The last time anyone who knew him saw him was in 1892, when he made his last known visit to Grant County. Where he went following that, or when or where he died, remains unknown. Although little known today, Tucker is considered by some historians to have been one of the most dangerous, albeit underestimated, gunmen in the history of the Old West. http://books.google.com/books?id=Z8VEeZamhvAC&pg=PA66&lpg=PA66&dq=Dan+Tucker,+Deadly+Dozen&source=web&ots=y4BfWmBqp_&sig=7foiQqXxCe3Nj9WNJLk0qi-BBlg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA80,M1