Auction details
Books etc. - WWI Posters, History, Theology
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Title: Frontier Fighter: The Autobiography of George W. Coe Who Fought and Rode with Billy the Kid, as Related to Nan Hillary Harrison
Author: George W. Coe Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company Printing Year: 1934 Signed first edition Condition/Details: Bound in gray cloth with bright green embossing, this volume is a scarce autobiography of an Old West cowboy and gunman who associated with Billy the Kid. "Coe was born in Missouri, and ventured to New Mexico Territory in his youth, around 1871, alongside his cousin, Frank Coe, to work on a ranch near Fort Stanton belonging to a cousin, and for a time during this period they live near Raton, New Mexico. The two often rode in pursuit of cattle rustlers and horse thieves during this period, dealing with them harshly. On July 18, 1876, he and Frank Coe, accompanied by Doc Scurlock, Charlie Bowdre and Ab Saunders forced their way into the weak Lincoln jail and freed horse thief Jesus Largo from Sheriff Saturnino Baca. After leaving Lincoln with Largo, they lynched him. By 1878 he had leased his own land to begin a ranch, during which time he and his cousin continued to find themselves battling rustlers, but now in defense of their own land.George Coe found himself dragged into the Lincoln County War by way of his own unjust arrest by county Sheriff William J. Brady. Coe and his cousin would join the Lincoln County Regulators, riding with Billy the Kid, and facing off against the "Murphy-Dolan Faction" and their supporters, to include members of the Jessie Evans Gang and the John Kinney Gang. Coe figured prominently into the events of the final Battle of Lincoln between the two factions, and was eventually arrested for the murder of Buckshot Roberts, a shootout which became known as the Gunfight of Blazer's Mills, and in which he lost a finger. It is said to have been Coe who killed Roberts, with a rifle shot, but it is most commonly believed that Charlie Bowdre fired the fatal shot.Coe shot and wounded Seven Rivers Warriors gang member "Dutch Charlie" Kruling in Lincoln on the morning of April 30, 1878, a day after Seven Rivers members had shot and killed the new Regulator leader Frank McNab, along with wounding Regulator Ab Saunders and capturing Coe's cousin Frank Coe. Frank escaped shortly thereafter. Coe eventually obtained amnesty from Governor Lew Wallace, and moved to both Nebraska and Colorado before returning to Lincoln County in 1884, where he started the "Golden Glow Ranch", and became a prosperous and respected member of the community. In "Frontier Fighter", the author details his association with the Regulators and gives details into certain members traits and personalities." (Courtesy of Wikipedia)The author has signed his name under the frontispiece and also provided also the following place and date: "(Illegible name of town) New Jersey / April 12 = 1941 age 85" This book is illustrated with a frontispiece portrait of the author and 6 plates. The volume is in fine condition, and is solidly bound with clean pages. Small blank whitle cloth label at the bottom of spine. Book is in glassine cover. The book measures approximately 5.75" x 8.5" and contains 220 pages. Shipping cost (within the U.S.) for this lot will be: $4.50 ImagesClick on thumbnails to see larger images:
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