William “Wild Bill” Longley
William Preston Longley, the notorious gunman of the ‘wild west’ was born in Texas on 16th October, 1851. Little is known of his early life but it is known that he had already killed several men by the time he was twenty years old. Infamous for his short temper, ‘Wild Bill’ as he became known would kill over the most trivial argument and had a particular dislike for African Americans.
Much of what is written about wild Bill is probably myth and his life is shrouded in mystery. One legend claims that he was once hanged but one of his posse fired a shot that cut the rope and allowed him to escape. A more believable story states that he lived with the Ute Indians for a while, but this is imposable to confirm.
After murdering a minister named Roland Lay, Bill fled to Louisiana but was captured and returned to Texas were he was tried and convicted of his crime. While awaiting the gallows, Bill converted to Catholicism and wrote several long letters about his life, claiming he had only killed eight men.
On October 28th, 1878, he went to the gallows with a cigar in his mouth, addressing the crowd saying that his punishment was just but God had forgiven him. He kissed the sheriff and the priest, and bid the crowd farewell and was hanged. Unfortunately, his death was slow and painful as the rope slipped and his knees hit the ground. The hangman pulled the rope tight and Wild Bill was choked to death; it took eleven minuets before he was finally pronounced dead.
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10 Comments
xoxo, posted this comment on Oct 16th, 2009
What a way to die- slow and painful. Good work here, Auron Renius. Thank you.
Manz, posted this comment on Oct 16th, 2009
This shows I know very little about history… I thought Wild Bill was shot and killed in Deadwood!
Auron Renius, posted this comment on Oct 16th, 2009
Hay Manz, your thinking of Wild Bill Hickok, different guy altogether.
Juancav, posted this comment on Oct 16th, 2009
Interesting and amusing history.
Jane Jane, posted this comment on Oct 18th, 2009
interesting story. wild indeed.
Montes1275, posted this comment on Oct 21st, 2009
Good post. Will Bill is quite an out law. Pity he suffered a very painful death.
duromus, posted this comment on Oct 21st, 2009
Intriguing! Well researched post!
B Nelson, posted this comment on Nov 18th, 2009
some people take days to die.. 11 minutes really isnt all that long, for sure I hope when my time comes its not painful..
anyhow all interesting, but why was he dressed like a pirate?
xoxo, posted this comment on Dec 21st, 2009
number 7.
papaleng, posted this comment on Oct 16th, 2009
another well-researched story, Like it.