Customer Reviews

Helldorado: Bringing the Law to the Mesquite

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having read the orginal version of Helldorado 20 years ago, anticipation of again reading this first hand account of Tombstone days quickly lead to disappoint due to the blatant revisions in this book. For example, the chapter about John Ringo has been completely omitted and substitutions based on author Jack Burrows's derogatory comments from the Gunfighter Who Never Was have been substituted. Orignal photographs have also been omitted. Since William Breakenridge was actually acquainted with the people and times he wrote about, why should a modern revisionist feel compelled to correct his original observations and opinions and thus distort history? If an author has a different viewpoint, then let him/her write their own version, not use the title of another's work.

If you would like to read about how the non Wyatt Earp supporters felt about "Tombstone" back then read this book.

Please read this book with the understanding the nature of W.M. Breakenridge's relationship to the "cowboys" and Clanton faction. He, along with John Behan were openly aligned with the rustlers and criminal element. Consequently, his comments regarding Mr. Earp and the law in Tombstone are terribly biased and not to be taken as fact. Had Mr. Breakenridge been neutral, his words would have had significance. Mr. Breakenridge was little more than a tax collector, although he paints himself as a force in law. Reading his manuscript as fact would be similar to reading a biography of Adolph Hitler written by Joseph Goebbels and accepting it as pure fact.

This is one of the better western biographies that I have read. And, except for the four chapters which dealt with the events in Tombstone, Arizona, in the early 1880s, it may very well have been the best.

I first ran across this book back in the 1950s but declined to read it because I was led to believe that it presented a one sided and biased view of the events in Tombstone. Knowing that Breakenridge was a deputy working under Cochise County's Sheriff Behan, I also assumed that he was an associate of outlaws and couldn't be trusted. In addition: since I seldom ran across his name in any of the books which I had read, I naturally assumed that he was, as Allie Earp described him, simply Behan's "Toady," or flunky. After reading this book, however, I'm not entirely sure that that was a fair judgment, but it would certainly seem to be during his time in Tombstone.

I say that because, based upon his writings, he was much more at home with the outlaw element in the territory surrounding Tombstone than he was with those in Tombstone itself who were much more interested in establishing law and order. As a matter of fact, it is clear from what he has written that he sided with the "cowboys," i.e. the outlaws, in almost every instance, and always viewed things from their perspective. This is especially reflected in his discussions of the gunfight near the OK Corral and other interactions between the cowboy element and what he terms the "Earp Gang." In every case, he states the cowboy's view of events without ever expanding on the specific circumstances or any other evidence to the contrary. He apparently only believed what the cowboys told him.

What struck me as particularly strange was that, although he was clearly aware that many, if not most, of the cowboys with whom he associated were cattle rustlers and horse thieves, or dealt in stolen livestock, and in some instances were outright killers, he never seemed to mind and constantly remarks on just how good natured and friendly they were and how welcome they made him in their company. (very strange for a supposed deputy sheriff)

And, in remarking on the gunfight near the OK Corral, Breakenridge obviously took great pains to present the cowboy's (outlaw's) point of view, rather than present the broader evidence and the broader perspective. As a case in point: on page 256 he presents what appears to be two consecutive paragraphs summing up Judge Wells Spicer's concluding remarks at the inquest. As presented, they strongly imply that Marshall Earp's party fired the first shots and that the Judge made a hasty decision in not holding them for trial. In reality, the first of these "paragraphs" was actually two sentences lifted from a paragraph eight paragraphs earlier and taken out of context to reinforce Breakenridge's (the outlaw's) argument. And to make matters worse, Breakenridge ignores all of the actual evidence upon which the judge based his decision. (Sad, very sad)

[See "The O.K. Corral Inquest" edited by Alford E. Turner pages 217-226 for Judge Spicer's complete summation.]

Based on Billy Breakenridge's life before coming to Tombstone and his life after leaving there, I would have to conclude that he was an honorable man who became a fairly good law officer. For the life of me, however, I can't account for his actions while in Tombstone. Perhaps he was simply naïve or enjoyed the prestige of hanging around with the outlaws. Whatever the case may be, if I was going to write a prescription for any future readers, it would be "take all twenty chapters, but take four or five of them with a grain of salt." For this is a good book gone bad.

book is very interesting if you are interested in western history. contains good photographs, and was very thrifty economically. thank you!

I find it odd that at this late time so many people are at odds with Breckenridge's "Helldorado" and the author himself. The truth is that in the past few years, there has been a resurgence in the popularity of Wyatt Earp and the subject of the so called "Cowboy War". Most seem to simply be so in love with Wyatt Earp (arguably the most over-appreciated lawman in the American West) that they fail to see what this book really is; a valuable addition to the written history of Arizona and the violent west.

Breckenridge is a man who deserves his own cult following, films, etc. Unlike Wyatt Earp, Breckenridge had a much longer career as a peace officer and while some argue many of his "facts", he was a dependable and much respected lawman in early Arizona. As a Cochise County Deputy, he was witness to the Earp-Clanton feud, but he was also a player in numerous other, if perhaps lesser known events. He participated in several gunfights with dangerous outlaws and was easily Behan's best deputy. Later, he was involved in numerous manhunts and other shooting scrapes as a Deputy U.S. Marshal and Railroad Detective. He is one of the most forgotten of the west's lawmen and that is unfortunate.

"Helldorado" deserves a place on your shelf alongside any of the Earp biographies. His is one of the few anti-Earp books written by someone who was there. But it is also much much more.

A very interesting book providing a first hand account of life in the Old West. Breakenridge hurts his credibility with his highly biased account of the Sand Creek massacre and with his too cozy relationship with the outlaws in the vicinity of Tombstone but his narrative is nonetheless, fascinating. His anecdotes about life in the West provide a perspective not typically found in contemporary books. Fortunately, the editor included lots of footnotes to explain Breakenridge's factual errors to help the reader figure out what is real and what is not.

The only truly first hand account of the vendetta between Earp and the Cowboys. Breakenridge is obviously sympathetic to the Cowboys therefore his work has constantly been belittled by the Earp worshippers. Of course what does he know? He was only there. The Earp Idolators can't stand that he has left a first hand account of what really happened. They'd rather see the events through the filter of Burns and Lake. But this book is the real deal. Read it and understand.