The exhumed bodies of Gallagher and Blind Bill -- found side by side at the old Wilson Cemetery near the site of Arland -- were reburied at the Old Trail Town cemetery in Cody for preservation.
Blind Bill Hoolihan was gunned down by Bill Wheaton.∼Gallagher was described by a rancher back then as a "mean, vicious and savage man," Gibbons said. He challenged figures of authority, stole horses and bragged that he once captured the entire town of Thermopolis.
But a new guy, Bill Wheaton, came to town. And he liked "Blue."
"And apparently, she took a shine back," Gibbons said. "So when it became known that Wheaton was after Belle, Gallagher became very jealous."
In March 1894, outside the post office, Gallagher beat up Belle, threw her to the ground and kicked her in the ribs. She decided something had to be done and called a meeting. She wrote to a friend asking for his six-shooter -- to "go hunting" -- and said Blind Bill would pick it up.
In the middle of the meeting, Gallagher walked in. Enraged to find Belle and Wheaton together, he began fighting with her again.
Gallagher pulled out his gun and held the room hostage for two hours, threatening to kill. He twould put it in his holster and laugh, then pull it out again, Gibbons said. He called for his best friend, Blind Bill, to saddle his horse. When Blind Bill didn't return for quite some time, Gallagher told Wheaton to go outside with him.
Belle slipped Wheaton the six-shooter.
The two men climbed a hill to the pasture, and Wheaton stayed back just long enough to pull out the gun.
"He said he gave a warning to Gallagher, but it's very doubtful," Gibbons said. "The bullet went in above Gallagher's left ear and exited above his right eye. And William Gallagher fell over on the ground, dead."
The exhumed bodies of Gallagher and Blind Bill -- found side by side -- were reburied at the Old Trail Town cemetery in Cody for preservation.
- from "The Story of Arland", excerpted from the Casper Star Tribune.
Blind Bill Hoolihan was gunned down by Bill Wheaton.∼Gallagher was described by a rancher back then as a "mean, vicious and savage man," Gibbons said. He challenged figures of authority, stole horses and bragged that he once captured the entire town of Thermopolis.
But a new guy, Bill Wheaton, came to town. And he liked "Blue."
"And apparently, she took a shine back," Gibbons said. "So when it became known that Wheaton was after Belle, Gallagher became very jealous."
In March 1894, outside the post office, Gallagher beat up Belle, threw her to the ground and kicked her in the ribs. She decided something had to be done and called a meeting. She wrote to a friend asking for his six-shooter -- to "go hunting" -- and said Blind Bill would pick it up.
In the middle of the meeting, Gallagher walked in. Enraged to find Belle and Wheaton together, he began fighting with her again.
Gallagher pulled out his gun and held the room hostage for two hours, threatening to kill. He twould put it in his holster and laugh, then pull it out again, Gibbons said. He called for his best friend, Blind Bill, to saddle his horse. When Blind Bill didn't return for quite some time, Gallagher told Wheaton to go outside with him.
Belle slipped Wheaton the six-shooter.
The two men climbed a hill to the pasture, and Wheaton stayed back just long enough to pull out the gun.
"He said he gave a warning to Gallagher, but it's very doubtful," Gibbons said. "The bullet went in above Gallagher's left ear and exited above his right eye. And William Gallagher fell over on the ground, dead."
The exhumed bodies of Gallagher and Blind Bill -- found side by side -- were reburied at the Old Trail Town cemetery in Cody for preservation.
- from "The Story of Arland", excerpted from the Casper Star Tribune.
The exhumed bodies of Gallagher and Blind Bill -- found side by side at the old Wilson Cemetery near the site of Arland -- were reburied at the Old Trail Town cemetery in Cody for preservation.
Blind Bill Hoolihan was gunned down by Bill Wheaton.∼Gallagher was described by a rancher back then as a "mean, vicious and savage man," Gibbons said. He challenged figures of authority, stole horses and bragged that he once captured the entire town of Thermopolis.
But a new guy, Bill Wheaton, came to town. And he liked "Blue."
"And apparently, she took a shine back," Gibbons said. "So when it became known that Wheaton was after Belle, Gallagher became very jealous."
In March 1894, outside the post office, Gallagher beat up Belle, threw her to the ground and kicked her in the ribs. She decided something had to be done and called a meeting. She wrote to a friend asking for his six-shooter -- to "go hunting" -- and said Blind Bill would pick it up.
In the middle of the meeting, Gallagher walked in. Enraged to find Belle and Wheaton together, he began fighting with her again.
Gallagher pulled out his gun and held the room hostage for two hours, threatening to kill. He twould put it in his holster and laugh, then pull it out again, Gibbons said. He called for his best friend, Blind Bill, to saddle his horse. When Blind Bill didn't return for quite some time, Gallagher told Wheaton to go outside with him.
Belle slipped Wheaton the six-shooter.
The two men climbed a hill to the pasture, and Wheaton stayed back just long enough to pull out the gun.
"He said he gave a warning to Gallagher, but it's very doubtful," Gibbons said. "The bullet went in above Gallagher's left ear and exited above his right eye. And William Gallagher fell over on the ground, dead."
The exhumed bodies of Gallagher and Blind Bill -- found side by side -- were reburied at the Old Trail Town cemetery in Cody for preservation.
- from "The Story of Arland", excerpted from the Casper Star Tribune.
Blind Bill Hoolihan was gunned down by Bill Wheaton.∼Gallagher was described by a rancher back then as a "mean, vicious and savage man," Gibbons said. He challenged figures of authority, stole horses and bragged that he once captured the entire town of Thermopolis.
But a new guy, Bill Wheaton, came to town. And he liked "Blue."
"And apparently, she took a shine back," Gibbons said. "So when it became known that Wheaton was after Belle, Gallagher became very jealous."
In March 1894, outside the post office, Gallagher beat up Belle, threw her to the ground and kicked her in the ribs. She decided something had to be done and called a meeting. She wrote to a friend asking for his six-shooter -- to "go hunting" -- and said Blind Bill would pick it up.
In the middle of the meeting, Gallagher walked in. Enraged to find Belle and Wheaton together, he began fighting with her again.
Gallagher pulled out his gun and held the room hostage for two hours, threatening to kill. He twould put it in his holster and laugh, then pull it out again, Gibbons said. He called for his best friend, Blind Bill, to saddle his horse. When Blind Bill didn't return for quite some time, Gallagher told Wheaton to go outside with him.
Belle slipped Wheaton the six-shooter.
The two men climbed a hill to the pasture, and Wheaton stayed back just long enough to pull out the gun.
"He said he gave a warning to Gallagher, but it's very doubtful," Gibbons said. "The bullet went in above Gallagher's left ear and exited above his right eye. And William Gallagher fell over on the ground, dead."
The exhumed bodies of Gallagher and Blind Bill -- found side by side -- were reburied at the Old Trail Town cemetery in Cody for preservation.
- from "The Story of Arland", excerpted from the Casper Star Tribune.
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