John Selman

For other people named John Selman, see John Selman (disambiguation).

John Selman
John Selman
Born	John Henry Selman, Sr. (1839-11-16)November 16, 1839 Madison County, Arkansas, USA
Died	El Paso, Texas, USA
Cause of death	killed by U.S. Marshal George Scarborough
Nationality	American
Occupation	Lawman and Outlaw

John Henry Selman, Sr. (November 16, 1839 - April 6, 1896) was sometimes identified as an outlaw and sometimes a working lawman of the Old West. He is best known as the man who shot John Wesley Hardin in the Acme Saloon in El Paso, Texas, on August 19, 1895.

Early life, service with the Confederacy

Selman was born in Madison County, Arkansas. He was the son of Jeremiah Selman. The Selman family moved to Grayson County, Texas, in 1858. After his father's death on December 16, 1861, Selman joined the 22nd Texas Cavalry and served during the Civil War.

On August 17, 1865, Selman married Edna Degraffenreid. Degraffenreid was a descendant of the original landgrave of North Carolina, a titled Swiss national in service to the English Crown. The couple had four children. He and his family moved to Fort Griffin in Shackelford County, Texas, and in 1877, he became a deputy inspector for hides, working under fellow inspector, ex-Shackleford County sheriff, John M. Larn.

Life as a lawman

Selman and Larn fought against rustlers and vigilante justice in the lawless area of northwest Texas. The two were involved in several shootouts with bandits and outlaws during the period that followed. Then, on June 24, 1878, vigilantes shot Larn to death in an Albany, Texas, jail cell. Larn had been arrested after six hides, which did not belong to him, had been found behind his house. Even though Selman was out of town at the time, he was implicated in the theft, and found himself a wanted man, hunted by these same vigilantes, who were friends with several men who had previously been either arrested or killed by him.

Life as an outlaw

Selman went into hiding during this time, as he was also facing charges stemming from his desertion from the Confederate Army. Selman went to Mexico. However, the end of the war and the resulting dissolution of the Confederacy rendered any prior charges null, and Selman was free to return to the United States.

Selman's wife died in 1879, while giving birth to a stillborn child. The other four children were placed in the custody of his wife's niece. Selman by this time was living in Lincoln County, New Mexico. This was during the Lincoln County War. He organized a band, Selman's Scouts (also known locally as 'The Rustlers'). The group was accused of numerous acts of rape and murder in that area. However, no charges were ever filed against him there.

During that period, definitions of ownership varied, and there was widespread gossip and dramatic storytelling. In fact, during this particular period, such unrivaled Reconstruction Era events as the Lincoln County Wars, the HooDoo War, the Lee–Peacock Feud, the Sutton–Taylor feud, and the El Paso Salt War made definitions of criminality and intent very much a matter of who was doing the name-calling. Certainly, most of these events were actually continuing guerilla warfare which went on for decades. Selman had both family and personal ties to participants in every one of these conflicts, making it far more likely that he was himself a participant. It would be almost impossible to cast either side of any of those conflicts as blameless, or without some criminal activity taking place in its name. Very often, it was common for Mexican bandits to come over the border and drive away cattle belonging to others, and yet because of the longstanding enmity between the factions involved, any such losses would almost invariably be blamed on the other side in the local disputes.

By 1880, the band had been driven from Lincoln County, and began operating in Jeff Davis County, Texas. Selman was captured shortly thereafter by Texas Ranger Joe McKidrict, and taken to Shackelford County for trial.

Escape and return to law enforcement

Selman escaped, and fled again to Chihuahua, Mexico, where he hid out until around 1888, when his name was cleared and all charges against him were dropped. While in Mexico, he sent for his children. The two youngest boys joined their father, but the two oldest remained in Brown County, Texas—never to see their father again. He then moved to El Paso, Texas, and on August 23, 1893, he married Romula Granadine. He began working as a constable, and spent time gambling. On April 5, 1894, Selman killed a former Texas Ranger named Bass Outlaw. Outlaw had recently been fired, due to his drinking problem and threats he had made against a judge. Selman, encountering Outlaw, had suggested that a very drunk Outlaw needed to go home and sleep it off. However, when Outlaw declined to go home, the two instead walked to 'Tillie Howard's,' a local brothel favored by Outlaw. Outlaw proceeded to create a great deal of disturbance at Howard's place, and shot Texas Ranger Joe McKidrict. He also drew on Selman, who was shot and wounded twice in the thigh. Selman returned fire and killed Outlaw. Selman was not arrested for the shooting, which was ruled justified.

Incident with John Wesley Hardin

El Paso policeman and Selman's son, John Selman, Jr., arrested the mistress of gunman John Wesley Hardin, Beluah Morose (or "the widow M'Rose"), for "brandishing a gun in public." Hardin confronted Selman, Jr., and the two men had a verbal dispute. In some accounts, supported by members of Selman's family, Hardin actually pistol-whipped 'Young John' Selman, and threatened his life. After hearing of the argument, Selman, Sr., approached Hardin, on the afternoon of August 19, 1895. The two exchanged angry words. That night, Hardin went to the Acme Saloon, where he began playing dice. Shortly before midnight, Selman, Sr., walked into the saloon to confront Hardin. Drawing his gun at the door, he fired, and hit Hardin in the head, killing him instantly as he went for his gun. As Hardin lay on the floor, Selman fired three more shots into him. Selman was arrested, charged with murder, and stood trial. Selman testified that he had observed that Hardin had seen him enter in the mirror, and Hardin had gone for his gun. Selman swore he fired in self-defense, and a hung jury resulted in his release on bond, pending retrial.

Final gunfight

On the night of April 5, 1896, Selman was killed in a shootout by US Marshal George Scarborough. The two men had been playing cards and gotten into an argument. It has been alleged that the argument that night was due to Scarborough having been good friends with Outlaw, who had been killed on that same date two years earlier by Selman. However, this is highly unlikely, as Scarborough and Selman had known one another for many years, and Outlaw was generally disliked by the other Rangers and was buried with no mourners present. Also, Selman had killed Hardin, who had in the past had serious disputes with Scarborough. Instead, it is far more likely that Scarborough's own testimony when he was tried for killing Selman was actually truthful. By this time, Young John had fallen in love with a Mexican girl, whose father, an ambassador, disapproved. He had the younger Selman jailed in Juarez. On this particular night, Selman, who had also been drinking with Scarborough, had prevailed upon him to help spring Young John from the jail across the border. Scarborough, usually a far more cautious type, had tried to decline, stirring Selman's wrath. According to Scarborough, both men exited to the alley where Selman drew on him first and Scarborough then killed Selman in self-defense, after which Scarborough returned alone. Scarborough was arrested for murder because it was found that Selman had no gun. Just before his trial, a thief was arrested and it was discovered he had Selman's gun. The thief stated that he had seen the shooting, and stolen Selman's gun before the crowd arrived. Scarborough was acquitted on murder charges and released.

Burial

John Henry Selman was originally buried in an unmarked grave (but now marked) in the Catholic section of El Paso's Concordia Cemetery.

Notes

• : John Henry Selman; at FrontierTimes.com
• Selman Guest Ranch, Harper County, Oklahoma; selmanguestranch.com

Further reading

• John Selman, Gunfighter; Metz, Leon Claire; 1992.

External links

• John Selman at Find a Grave