Porter and Ike Stockton

Book excerpt: Renowned historian of the American West, Frederick Nolan, author of "The West of Billy the Kid" and "The Lincoln County War: A Documentary History, " noted that with the publication of this new book Maddox has "written a whole new chapter in outlaw history." -- During the first week of May 1881 the "Santa Fe New Mexican" carried two reward notices from Governor Lew Wallace. One was for $500 for William Bonney, "alias The Kid" and directly below that was another reward notice for $2250 for Ike Stockton and his gang. Like Billy the Kid, Ike had a price of $500 on his head. Compared to the Kid, few have ever heard of Ike Stockton. Fewer still have heard of his older brother, Porter. Yet it was Porter Stockton who was by far the most dangerous and deadly of the brothers. In March 1881 the "Las Vegas (New Mexico) Optic" described Porter Stockton as "one of the most hardened murderers and desperadoes that ever darkened the pages of history and annals of crime." Countless hours of research over a period of six years have resulted in this thorough and entertaining account of the turmoil caused by the Stockton brothers. From cattle kings to cowboys, from cow towns to hell on wheels railroad camps and from shootouts to lynchings, their story encompasses all of the legends of the mythic American West. Take hold of this book like you would the reins of a skittish horse, find the sweet spot in the saddle, or better yet your easy chair, and settle in for a hell of a ride. NOTE: Non-fiction, softcover, 530 pages. This book includes a bibliography, endnotes and an index. It contains black and white illustrations, photos and maps. EXCERPT: Driving cattle across large stretches of the arid portions of Texas and New Mexico, through territory inhabited by free roaming and combative Indians required men who would never back down from any challenge. Even Oliver Loving lost his life as the result of an Indian bullet received while hunkered down in the mud of the Pecos River. Inevitably, some of the herders stepped over the line and became desperadoes. One of the tempests coming out of Texas would brew and build around Stephenville before moving west and north along with the suffocating dust cloud stirred up by the hooves of thousands of Texas cattle. Erath County residents would figure prominently as the storm regained strength in Colfax County, New Mexico. The same Erathians would be present when the storm grew to reach its cyclonic and climactic outburst in the San Juan country of New Mexico and Colorado. Porter and Ike Stockton were at the epicenter of this final blast. SUBJECTS: The Allison Gang, Charles Allison, Clay Allison, Amargo (NM), Animas City (CO), Aztec (NM), Billy the Kid, Moses Blancett, Jimmy Catron, Chama (NM), Cimarron (NM), Frank and George Coe, L.G. Coleman, Colfax County (NM), Hiram Washington Cox and family, Col. Robert Crofton, Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, Durango (CO), Robert Dwyer, Erath County (TX), Dison and Hargo Eskridge, Farmington (NM), Fort Lewis (CO), Max Frost, "Bud" Galbreath, Jim Garrett, Henry Goodman, Charles Goodnight, Alf Graves, William B. Haines, Gus (Heffron) Hefferman, James Heffernan, John Hittson, Doc Holliday, Big Dan Howland, Hurricane Bill, Charles Adam Jones, La Plata County (CO), La Plata valley, Irvin W. Lacy, La Sal Mountains (UT), Marion Littrell, George Lockhart, George W. Morrison, Tom Nance, Navajo Indians, Tony Neis, David Ogsbury, Otero (NM), Palo Pinto County (TX), Parrott City (CO), Pinhook valley Indian fight, Gov. Frederick W. Pitkin, Al and Austin Puett, Flora Pyle, Rico (CO), San Juan County (CO), San Juan County (NM), Silverton (CO), Stephenville (TX), Samuel Stockton, Jim Sullivan, Kid Thomas, George W. Thompson, Thompson and Lacy (LC) cattle outfit, Trinidad (CO), Ute Indians, Vermejo River valley (NM), Gov. Lew Wallace, Barney Watson, Bert Wilkinson, "One-armed" Billy Wilson.