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Heck Thomas: Tough Lawman Of The Old West Who Ended The Doolin Dalton Gang, Led By Bill Doolin.
Henry Andrew Heck Thomas emerges as a tough lawman in the Wild West, arresting many notorious outlaws, including members associated with the Doolin- Dalton Gang. In August 1896, Thomas was in charge of a team that chased and killed the criminal Bill Doolin.
Born on January 3, 1850 in Athens, Georgia, Thomas was the child of Martha Ann Fullwood and Lovick Pierce Thomas. Raised and educated in Atlanta, he was nicknamed "Heck" at an early age. His parents aspired for him to become a Methodist minister, yet the spirited young boy held different aspirations.
When the Civil War broke out, his father and two uncles quickly enlisted, each earning honors in the Confederate Army. His father, eventually promoted to colonel, commanded the 35th Georgia Infantry, while his uncle served as colonel, leading the 16th Georgia Infantry. Another uncle, Edward Lloyd Thomas, took command of the 49th Georgia Infantry, eventually being promoted to Brigadier General of the Thomas Brigade before the war reached its climax. At the age of 12, Heck contributed as a courier on the Virginia front.
After the war ended, Heck's father became the first city marshal of Atlanta, and at the age of 17, Heck joined the police force. In 1871, he married his cousin, Isabelle Grey, who came from a prominent Atlanta clerical family. During his tenure as Atlanta police officer, Heck performed his duties well, gaining recognition from the community.
In 1875, Heck decided to move the family to Galveston, Texas, where he quickly landed a job as a railroad guard with the Texas Express Company. Tasked with guarding the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, the route is frequently far from train robberies.
In 1878, the Sam Bass Gang tried to commit a robbery on a train near Hutchins Station, located about 12 miles southeast of Dallas. In this incident, Thomas was injured. Although an inevitable gunfight ensues after the robbery, his foresight prevents the group from fleeing with any loot. Heck had a strategy of hiding cash in a dimly lit kitchen while storing packages of "bait" in a safe. By the time the outlaws discovered the ruse, the train was safe. He was then trusted to be promoted to Fort Worth detective for the company, and by 1879 he held the position of CEO.
By 1885, Thomas decided to give up his job with the Texas Express to run for the vacant post of Sheriff. Unfortunately, he loses, then finds a job at the Fort Worth Detectives Association. During this time, he hunted down the infamous bloodthirsty duo of Lee Gang, Jim and Pink Lee. This notorious gang of horse and cattle thieves raged in Cooke County, Texas, as well as the Chickasaw Country, forcing both settlers and Native Americans to fend off. In May 1885, when U.S. Marshal James Guy assembled a team to pursue the gang, they unexpectedly fell into an ambush, resulting in the tragic deaths of four team members.
Soon after, a large $7,000 reward was awarded for the capture of Jim and Pink Lee, making Heck Thomas more determined to pursue them. After four months of relentless searching, Thomas, along with a team led by Jim Taylor, located the Lee brothers in a hayfield near Dexter, Texas. Thomas gives them a chance to surrender, as is his usual approach, but the duo only respond with defiant gunshots. In the ensuing gunfight, both outlaws were killed, and the individuals responsible for their capture received well-deserved rewards. The next day's newspaper headline declared: "The Lee brothers, the most notorious desperadoes in Texas, finally go down with their boots on."...
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