156:. As Standifer rode up, McMahon was mounted talking with several other cowboys. Upon seeing Standifer, McMahon drew his pistol and fired, but missed. Standifer drew and fired also, hitting McMahon in the wrist, causing his pistol to fall from his grip. McMahon spun his horse and galloped away, with Standifer in pursuit. The two made it about 600 yards from where the shootout began, with Standifer shooting McMahon again in the back, knocking him from his saddle. McMahon scrambled to his feet and attempted to run, but was again shot in the back, killing him.
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219:, but when Standifer entered, the shotgun misfired. Standifer beat the suspect into submission, then assisted Deputy Quillen. That same night he shackled all three outlaws, and rode with them and Quillen to the nearest doctor. Deputy Quillen survived, and the two were later able to take their prisoners on to Texas.
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Higgins then retrieved another horse, and contacted
Sheriff B. F. Roy, in Clairemont. When Higgins told Sheriff Roy that he believed he had killed Standifer, Sheriff Roy, who disliked Standifer for reasons unknown, stated "Well if you're not sure, you'd better go and finish the job". The shooting was
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him, Higgins simply went home. However, the animosity continued. On the morning of
October 4, 1903, after having made comments that he would kill Higgins, Standifer rode out to Higgins' ranch. Higgins, seeing him from his house, rode out to meet him. Higgins' brother-in-law and daughter were standing
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attempted to overpower him and Deputy
Quillen. The deputy was shot and wounded in the chest with his own rifle, but was able to wrestle the outlaw to the floor and overpower him. The shot had also wounded George Neal's wife. Standifer, who was outside tending the horses, heard the wife scream, and
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on a hillside nearby, and witnessed what happened next. Standifer fired first, hitting
Higgins' horse, which then jerked, causing Higgins' first shot to go wild. In the shooting exchange that followed, Standifer was shot and killed. Higgins' horse also died.
152:, while a companion pointed a rifle at Standifer, then McMahon began whipping Standifer. Both men were mounted, and Standifer was able to ride away to escape. Days later, Standifer tracked McMahon to a cattle camp near Pony Creek, located in
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276:, he was dispatched to investigate a possible cattle rustling on a remote section of the ranch. Making a circular approach, Higgins spotted Standifer waiting in a group of trees. Rather than approach him, and knowing he was there to
257:, who were brought down mostly through the efforts of "Pink" Higgins, and who were distant kin to Standifer, were part of the problems between them. However, it is more likely that it was due to Higgins' son, Cullin, an
144:, where he came into contact with another cowboy, John McMahon, sometimes called John Mahon. The two found themselves involved in an argument when Standifer refused to allow McMahon to drive cattle across a
250:, had been shot and killed. Standifer located a rustler named Bob Kiggins there, but Kiggins refused to surrender, and in the gunfight that followed Standifer shot and killed Kiggins.
129:, he was pistol whipped by the men and badly hurt, but survived. Despite his youth, he tracked all four men, and killed them one by one. Although charges were pursued, he was
242:. Standifer quickly gained a reputation for being an excellent tracker, and for always locating his prey. In June 1898, while tracking rustlers, Standifer arrived in
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By the early 1880s, Standifer was working as a Range
Detective, tracking down rustlers, and is known to have shot and killed at least one rustler near
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During this period, an animosity between
Standifer and Higgins developed, one that has never truly been explained. It has been written that the
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from 1888 through 1894. While serving as
Sheriff, in 1891, he and Deputy Charlie Quillen pursued a group of
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hunted
Standifer down for the McMahon killing, and arrested him. However he was acquitted in a
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where
Standifer was holding several head of Mullin's cattle. McMahon produced a
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In 1893 he began working again as a Range
Detective for large and prosperous
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ran inside. Another of the outlaws had acquired Standifer's
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In April 1879, Standifer was working as a cowboy on the
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On the return trip to Texas, while staying over at the
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309:Bringing Peace to the Frontier, "Pink" Higgins
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89:(c. 1853 - October 4, 1903) was an American
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125:. That year, when he came across four men
74:Learn how and when to remove this message
183:Lawman career, feud with John Higgins
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405:Gunslingers of the American Old West
113:He was born J. William Standifer in
430:People from Lampasas County, Texas
167:argument with three soldiers from
87:J. William "Little Bill" Standifer
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440:People from Hartley County, Texas
269:, where he was elected Sheriff.
435:People from Crosby County, Texas
425:People from Burnet County, Texas
163:, where he became involved in a
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410:Lawmen of the American Old West
314:Bill Standifer, Protection Man
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159:Standifer fled, making it to
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445:Deaths by firearm in Texas
210:owned by George Neal, the
201:Lincoln County, New Mexico
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109:Early life and notoriety
29:This article includes a
142:Tom Green County, Texas
58:more precise citations.
230:, mainly the powerful
119:Lampasas County, Texas
372:Hartley County, Texas
267:Hartley County, Texas
341:Crosby County, Texas
322:Police appointments
287:justifiable homicide
193:Crosby County, Texas
115:Burnet County, Texas
361:Robert Oliver Neely
248:John Wesley Hardin
31:list of references
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379:Succeeded by
348:Succeeded by
244:Clairemont, Texas
138:Ike Mullins Ranch
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382:Robert Lee Queen
376:1900–1903
358:Preceded by
345:1888–1894
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50:Please help
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400:1903 deaths
236:Spur, Texas
197:Post Office
64:August 2011
56:introducing
394:Categories
274:Spur Ranch
263:Spur Ranch
232:Spur Ranch
169:Fort Davis
208:VVN Ranch
131:acquitted
105:in 1903.
259:attorney
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450:Cowboys
368:Sheriff
337:Sheriff
226:in the
224:ranches
217:shotgun
212:outlaws
146:pasture
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285:ruled
278:ambush
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