1916
By Timothy England
President Thomas Woodrow Wilson was getting his affairs together when he received an invitation to a celebration in Flagstaff, Arizona. Eleanor, Wilson’s youngest daughter, wanted to go because she thought it would be nice to see the Wild West. She begged and pleaded till finally he agreeed. President Wilson insisted that she travel alongside him. His secret service men of about 20 surrounded them always. When they finally got there, Eleanor was excited. During their visit to Flagstaff, the President and Eleanor met with the mayor and it was then that the celebration began.
Across the border in Mexico lived the revolutionary tyrant Vega Escobar Griego and his army of bandits. They were the most ruthless bandits in all of Mexico. They robbed the poor farmers and killed the helpless. They thought nothing of robbing and killing. Soon they crossed into Arizona, armed with guns, rifles, and their newest acquisition, a machine gun. Escobar had his men surround the town, and the President’s secret service agents couldn’t keep the villains at bay.
Believing it was an assassination attempt, they moved President Wilson and his daughter to a safer environment, namely the hotel. President Wilson’s G-men, however, were no-match against Escobar’s army. What agents they didn’t kill, they crippled for life. They spotted the President’s daughter as she ran to her father and they kidnapped her and pistol-whipped the President.
Over the next several days, President Wilson regained his strength. He then announced to the public of Flagstaff that whoever brought his daughter back alive would be rewarded beyond their wildest dreams. Moses Jubilee, Kennedy Gibson, Lowell Valentine, and Solomon Donovan stepped forward, agreeing to risk their lives in an attempt to rescue Eleanor. Moses was the most skilled with a gun but he wasn’t to be trusted. He and the others asked for $10,000 in gold for their participation.
'Killer Three' (Gibson, Valentine, and Donovan) were lowlife bounty hunters who were always looking to get rich quick and Moses was no exception. The President had no choice but to agree to their terms. But Moses and his killers wanted their rewards before they started. The President ordered the four men out of his sight and demanded they not return till they brought back his daughter.
The four men left on horseback and traveled to Mexico, so everyone thought. Along the way, they met Wyatt Knight, a fast-draw artist who was not incline to ask many questions. Wyatt and Moses were old rivals and time and time double-crossed one another.
Wyatt was fast, real fast, and Moses knew it to be true. Solomon was the sidewinder that would pull a gun on his own mama. Thinking that Wyatt couldn’t pull fast enough, and not looking at him, Solomon drew on Wyatt first. Like greased lightning, Wyatt pulled down on Solomon, killing him instantly, his horse rode back to town without its rider. As for Kennedy and Lowell, they threw down their guns and rode out. Moses didn’t take too kindly to Wyatt and so he swore he’d kill him someday if they ever crossed paths again. Wyatt just nodded and told him to keep riding, maybe someday they’ll have it out.
Wyatt rode into Flagstaff where he stopped at the local saloon for a drink. The bartender asked if he was there for the money. Wyatt didn’t know what he was talking about. A bartender kept on gabbing about something. . . President’s . . . the daughter . . . kidnapped . . . Mexico . . . hired guns. Money . . . (not in that order). So, Wyatt acknowledged and asked about where to locate the President. He walked over to the hotel and asked what the situation was.
The President told him the story. The idea of being paid for his “profession” intrigued him. He told the President that if he were to take the job, he must have authority to do what he does best, namely . . . kill. He must be allowed to assemble his own posse: six guns--no more, no less. Wyatt insisted on full pardons when the mission was over. The President agreed.
Wyatt knew who the first gun would be, and hopefully that man would accept. He decided to visit the local jailhouse to see if there were any good gunfighters “available” that were about to be hung. As luck would have it, Wyatt found the person he intended to track down--Flint Jester. Jester was a for-hire, outlaw gunslinger who had been jailed for killing twelve cowboys that stole his horse. He was sentenced to hang. Flint and Wyatt, who were old friends, were a lot alike--so Wyatt knew he could count on him.
Flint was released in short order. Wyatt told him to meet him outside of town as they were to leave at first light. Agreeing, Flint left with the town sheriff’s horse and Wyatt walked about town trying to find gunfighters worth getting killed for. Vermont Spencer, a noted gunman, was in the saloon waiting to be served more whiskey. He was mouthing off to the bartender due to the fact he was drunk. Wyatt walked in and sat down at one of the tables.
A cowboy from the next two tables over was talking to his cowpoke friends that stood at the bar. He was, in fact, Vermont Spencer, a gunman who wanted, if nothing else, to be famous. Wyatt was listening to every word they said. Vermont must have killed at least sixty-five men. So Wyatt got up from his seat, walked over to the bar, and said, “I’ve gotta job for you, Meet me outside.”
Vermont could barely stand up, but he finally managed to walk outside where he fell in a stone-drunk heap on the street. Wyatt walked over to the horse trough, fetched a bale, filled it with water, and threw it on Vermont. “Sober up!”
“What the hell you do that for!”
When Vermont was sober enough to walk, Wyatt explained what he wanted. Spencer agreed and was promptly instructed to be ready at first light. Just as Wyatt was about to ride out, he noticed Race Dillinger sitting on the front porch outside the saloon in a rocking chair. Dillinger was an ex-Union, Confederate Prisoner who was released only a few weeks ago from the Yuma Territorial Prison.
End Part 1 of 2
About the Author
On the family farm just outside Nashville, Timothy England grew up surrounded by the beautiful Tennessee hillside where his imagination loved to roam.
His lifelong love of westerns has culminated in his debut novel, Track Down, the first installment in his series centering around US Marshall Jake Boone. To date, Timothy, under the pseudonym Jess Bryan, has written four books, all of them available from Amazon.
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