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"Big" Steve Long (died October 28, 1868) was an American law enforcement officer and outlaw, achieving notoriety in the Wyoming Territory during the late 1860s. He was one of the earliest examples of an Old West gunman. Because of their lawlessness, he and two half-brothers were lynched by a posse put together by newly appointed sheriff N.K. Boswell in 1868.^[1]

Early life

Little is known about Steve Long's early life or childhood. It is believed^[who?] that Long served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, under a different name. After the American Civil War, around 1866, he settled in Laramie, Wyoming, where he and his half-brothers, Ace and Con Moyer, established a saloon. Both Ace and Con helped found Laramie. Long reportedly spent several years as an early version of a gunfighter before being elected in 1867 as Deputy Marshal of Laramie^[2]^:189.

Lawman and outlaw

Long soon earned a reputation as a particularly violent lawman, killing eight men in gunfights within two months. On October 22, 1867, Long opened fire on eight men during a street brawl after his orders to cease were ignored, killing five of the men^[2]^:189. He rarely arrested anyone, choosing instead to either intimidate them with the threat of force or shoot them.

Long and his brothers used their forceful personalities and his position as the Deputy Marshal to their own financial advantage. Within months of his appointment as deputy marshal, they forced several local ranchers to sign over to them the deeds to their properties. Several of those who refused were later confronted alone by Long, who killed them, always claiming later that the other man had reached for a weapon. If the victim was not carrying a pistol or rifle, Long would place one on his person after killing him. There were never any witnesses. It is alleged that Long killed at least nine men in that manner during a four-month period. Local residents called the saloon the "Bucket of Blood" because of the violence that often took place inside.^[3]

By October 1868, Long had killed thirteen men.^[1] Another seven men had been killed under suspicious circumstances, with Long suspected, but his role was never confirmed. There was no evidence to support his being named as the killer in these incidents. Long made little effort to find the alleged murderers, leading to speculation that he had committed those murders. Each of the seven men were known to have refused to sign over land deeds to Long and his brothers.^[3]

Capture and death

A local rancher and the first sheriff of Albany County, N. K. Boswell, organized several other ranchers to conspire against the three brothers. Boswell insisted that if they could watch Long closely enough, eventually they could catch him in the act of committing a crime, and could then act against him with the law on their side. On October 18, 1868, Long attempted to rob a prospector named Rollie "Hard Luck" Harrison. Harrison drew a pistol, and a gunfight broke out. Long was wounded and retreated. Harrison was killed, dying from his wounds after naming his assailant.

Long confessed to his fiancee how he had been wounded, and she told N. K. Boswell^[2]^:189. Boswell gathered several men in the town, and they entered the saloon owned by Long and his brothers on October 28. The posse overwhelmed the brothers and led them to an unfinished cabin in town. Long was quiet throughout the process. He asked only to be allowed to remove his boots, saying, "My mother always said I'd die with my boots on". He was lynched barefoot, hanged along with Con and Ace Moyer from the rafters of the cabin. There were no legal actions taken against the members of the lynch mob. A photograph of the three men after they were hanged was taken, and on the back was written, "(1) Gunfighter "Big" Steve Long, (2) Con Moyer, (3) Ace Moyer, A lynching in Laramie Wyo. -1868- Con & Ace were founders of Laramie Wyoming!". Following his death, Long's fiancee erected a marker in his memory.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b "Laramie Mayor, Former Sheriff Both Die With Boots Off Despite Vigilante History". Albany County Historical Society. Retrieved 2024-01-13.
^ ^a ^b ^c O'Neal, Bill (1979). Encyclopedia of Western Gunfighters. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-2335-6.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Museums & History Legends of Laramie Bucket of Blood Saloon | Visit Laramie". www.visitlaramie.org. Retrieved 2024-01-13.

External links

The lynching of Big Steve Long, Legends of America

[:0-1] "Laramie Mayor, Former Sheriff Both Die With Boots Off Despite Vigilante History". Albany County Historical Society. Retrieved 2024-01-13.

[:1-2] O'Neal, Bill (1979). Encyclopedia of Western Gunfighters. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-2335-6.

[:2-3] "Museums & History Legends of Laramie Bucket of Blood Saloon | Visit Laramie". www.visitlaramie.org. Retrieved 2024-01-13.

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+{{short description|American outlaw}}
 {{other people|Steven Long}}
+'''"Big" Steve Long''' (died October 28, 1868) was an American law enforcement officer and [[outlaw]], achieving notoriety in the [[Wyoming Territory]] during the late 1860s. He was one of the earliest examples of an [[American Old West|Old West]] [[gunslinger|gunman]]. Because of their lawlessness, he and two half-brothers were lynched by a posse put together by newly appointed sheriff N.K. Boswell in 1868.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Laramie Mayor, Former Sheriff Both Die With Boots Off Despite Vigilante History |url=https://www.wyoachs.com/people/2018/3/2/laramie-mayor-former-sheriff-both-die-with-boots-off-despite-vigilante-history |access-date=2024-01-13 |website=Albany County Historical Society |language=en-US}}</ref>
-'''"Big" Steve Long''' (died October 28, 1868) was a western lawman, [[outlaw]], and one of the earliest examples of an [[American Old West|Old West]] [[gunslinger|gunman]], achieving his fame in the [[Wyoming Territory]] during the late 1860s.
 ==Early life==
-Little is known about Steve Long's early life or childhood. He had established a [[bar (establishment)|saloon]] in [[Laramie, Wyoming]], entering that business with his half-brothers, Ace Moyer and Con Moyer. Both Ace and Con would help found Laramie. Long reportedly had spent several years as one of the early versions of a gunfighter before he was elected Deputy Marshal of Laramie in 1867. It is believed that he served during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], in the [[Confederate States Army]], but under a different name, and that he ventured to Wyoming around 1866.
+Little is known about Steve Long's early life or childhood. It is believed{{who|date=November 2022}} that Long served in the [[Confederate States Army]] during the [[American Civil War]], under a different name. After the [[American Civil War]], around 1866, he settled in [[Laramie, Wyoming]], where he and his half-brothers, Ace and Con Moyer, established a [[bar (establishment)|saloon]]. Both Ace and Con helped found Laramie. Long reportedly spent several years as an early version of a gunfighter before being elected in 1867 as Deputy Marshal of Laramie<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=O'Neal |first=Bill |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5KLrfdOrI78C |title=Encyclopedia of Western Gunfighters |date=1979 |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |isbn=978-0-8061-2335-6 |language=en}}</ref><sup>:189</sup>.
 ==Lawman and outlaw==
-Long soon earned a reputation as a particularly violent lawman, killing eight men in gunfights within two months. One incident in particular occurred on October 22, 1867, when Long opened fire on eight men during a street brawl after his orders to cease were ignored, killing five of the men. He rarely arrested anyone, choosing instead to either intimidate them with the threat of force or shoot them.
+Long soon earned a reputation as a particularly violent lawman, killing eight men in gunfights within two months. On October 22, 1867, Long opened fire on eight men during a street brawl after his orders to cease were ignored, killing five of the men<ref name=":1" /><sup>:189</sup>. He rarely arrested anyone, choosing instead to either intimidate them with the threat of force or shoot them.
-Long and his brothers, however, used their forceful personalities and his position as the Deputy Marshal to their own advantage. Within months of his acceptance to that position, they had forced several local ranchers to sign over to them the deeds to their properties. Several of those who refused were later confronted while alone by Long, who killed them, always claiming later that they reached for a weapon. If they did not carry a pistol or rifle, they would have one placed on their person by Long after he had killed them. There were never any witnesses. It is alleged that Long killed at least nine men in that fashion during a four month period. Local residents called the saloon the "Bucket of Blood" because of the violence that often happened inside. By October 1868, Long had killed thirteen men. Another seven men had been killed under suspicious circumstances, with Long suspected, but that was never confirmed and there was no evidence to support that he had been the killer. He made little effort to find the alleged murderers, leading to even more speculation that he had actually committed those murders. All of those seven men had also previously refused to sign over deeds to Long and his brothers.
+Long and his brothers used their forceful personalities and his position as the Deputy Marshal to their own financial advantage. Within months of his appointment as deputy marshal, they forced several local ranchers to sign over to them the deeds to their properties. Several of those who refused were later confronted alone by Long, who killed them, always claiming later that the other man had reached for a weapon. If the victim was not carrying a pistol or rifle, Long would place one on his person after killing him. There were never any witnesses. It is alleged that Long killed at least nine men in that manner during a four-month period. Local residents called the saloon the "Bucket of Blood" because of the violence that often took place inside.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Museums & History Legends of Laramie Bucket of Blood Saloon {{!}} Visit Laramie |url=https://www.visitlaramie.org/listing/bucket-of-blood-saloon/258/ |access-date=2024-01-13 |website=www.visitlaramie.org |language=en-us}}</ref>
+By October 1868, Long had killed thirteen men.<ref name=":0" /> Another seven men had been killed under suspicious circumstances, with Long suspected, but his role was never confirmed. There was no evidence to support his being named as the killer in these incidents. Long made little effort to find the alleged murderers, leading to speculation that he had committed those murders. Each of the seven men were known to have refused to sign over land deeds to Long and his brothers.<ref name=":2" />
-A local rancher and the first [[sheriff]] of [[Albany County, Wyoming|Albany County]], [[N. K. Boswell]], organized several other ranchers to conspire against the three brothers. Boswell insisted that if they could watch Long closely enough, eventually they could catch him in the act of committing a crime, and on that pretense they could act out against him with the law on their side. On October 18, 1868, Long attempted to [[robbery|rob]] a [[Prospecting|prospector]] named Rollie "Hard Luck" Harrison. Harrison produced a pistol, and a gunfight erupted between the two. Long was wounded and retreated. Harrison was killed, dying as a result of his wounds before he was able to relay who shot him to anyone else.
+==Capture and death==
-Long confessed to his [[fiancee]] how he was wounded, and she in turn told N. K. Boswell. Boswell organized several men in the town, and they entered the saloon owned by Long and his brothers on October 28. The mob overwhelmed the three and led them to an unfinished cabin in town. Long was quiet throughout the process, having only one request, that he be allowed to remove his boots, stating "My mother always said I'd die with my boots on". Barefoot, he was [[Lynching|lynched]], along with Con and Ace Moyer by hanging them from the rafters of the cabin. There were no legal actions taken against the members of the lynch mob. A photograph of the three men after they were hanged was taken, and on the back was written, "(1) Gunfighter "Big" Steve Long, (2) Con Moyer, (3) Ace Moyer, A lynching in Laramie Wyo. -1868- Con & Ace were founders of Laramie Wyoming!". Following his death, Long's fiancee erected a marker in his memory.
+A local rancher and the first [[sheriff]] of [[Albany County, Wyoming|Albany County]], [[N. K. Boswell]], organized several other ranchers to conspire against the three brothers. Boswell insisted that if they could watch Long closely enough, eventually they could catch him in the act of committing a crime, and could then act against him with the law on their side. On October 18, 1868, Long attempted to [[robbery|rob]] a [[Prospecting|prospector]] named Rollie "Hard Luck" Harrison. Harrison drew a pistol, and a gunfight broke out. Long was wounded and retreated. Harrison was killed, dying from his wounds after naming his assailant.
+Long confessed to his [[fiancee]] how he had been wounded, and she told N. K. Boswell<ref name=":1" /><sup>:189</sup>. Boswell gathered several men in the town, and they entered the saloon owned by Long and his brothers on October 28. The posse overwhelmed the brothers and led them to an unfinished cabin in town. Long was quiet throughout the process. He asked only to be allowed to remove his boots, saying, "My mother always said I'd die with my boots on". He was [[Lynching|lynched]] barefoot, hanged along with Con and Ace Moyer from the rafters of the cabin. There were no legal actions taken against the members of the lynch mob. A photograph of the three men after they were hanged was taken, and on the back was written, "(1) Gunfighter "Big" Steve Long, (2) Con Moyer, (3) Ace Moyer, A lynching in Laramie Wyo. -1868- Con & Ace were founders of Laramie Wyoming!". Following his death, Long's fiancee erected a marker in his memory.<ref name=":2" />
+==References==
+{{Reflist}}
 ==External links==
-*[http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-SteveLong.html The lynching of Big Steve Long]
+*[http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-SteveLong.html The lynching of Big Steve Long], Legends of America
-*[http://www.prices4antiques.com/itemsummary/CDV-Anonymous-Lynching-of-Steve-Long-Ace-Moyer-Con-Moyer-371260.htm Lynching of Steve Long, Ace Moyer, and Con Moyer]
-*[http://www.cowanauctions.com/upcoming_dates_lots.asp?page=12&SaleId=86&SaleDay=1&AuctionName= Valuable Photographs of the Old West]
 {{Lynching in the United States}}
-{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
-| NAME              = Long, Steve
-| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
-| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American outlaw
-| DATE OF BIRTH     =
-| PLACE OF BIRTH    =
-| DATE OF DEATH     = October 28, 1868
-| PLACE OF DEATH    =
-}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Long, Steve}}
 [[Category:Year of birth missing]]
 [[Category:1868 deaths]]
-[[Category:Outlaws of the American Old West]]
 [[Category:American people convicted of murder]]
-[[Category:People executed for murder]]
 [[Category:Lawmen of the American Old West]]
 [[Category:Lynching deaths in Wyoming]]
+[[Category:Outlaws of the American Old West]]
+[[Category:People executed for murder]]