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James Middleton Riley(February 9, 1851 – December 27, 1913), better known asDoc Middleton,chose the aliasDavid Charles Middleton(but most often called"Doc"), was a famedoutlawandhorse thief,whose exploits of stealing perhaps 2,000 horses over a 2-year period earned a spot in theWild West Show.[citation needed][which?]
Doc Middleton | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Middleton Riley February 9, 1851 |
| Died | December 27, 1913 |
| Other names |
|
| Occupation(s) | Cowboy, horse and cattle rustler, outlaw, gunman, saloon owner, farmer |
| Conviction(s) | Guilty |
| Criminal charge | Horse theft, (multiple counts) Murders {1 known} |
Criminal career
editMiddleton stole his first horse at the age of 14. In 1870, he was convicted of murder[2]and was sentenced to life in prison at theHuntsville Prison.In 1874, he escaped the prison.[3][4][5]
He was caught stealing horses inIowa.After serving18 months, he moved toSidney, Nebraska,where he shot and killed a soldier, Pvt. James Keith of the5th Cavalry Regiment,on January 13, 1877, from nearbyFort Sidneyin a bar fight.[6][7]He was arrested but he escaped as alynchmob gathered.[3]
He was eventually wanted by theWyoming Stock Growers Associationand theUnion Pacific Railroad,which offered rewards for his capture. Army officerWilliam H. H. Llewellyn,seeking to protect pony herds on thePine Ridge Reservation,[8]was dispatched to capture him. Llewellyn, along with an army from detachment underGeorge Crooklured him to a meeting with a promise of a pardon from the governor. In a melee, two of Doc's gang were killed and a lawman named Hazen was wounded[9]but Middleton was captured and was taken toCheyenne, Wyoming,where he was convicted ofgrand larcenyand served a prison sentence from September 18, 1879, and was released on June 18 1883.[10]At the time of his 1879 arrest, it was reported that he had stolen thirty-five horses from William Irving of Cheyenne in 1877.[11]
In 1884, he and his third bride moved toGordon, Nebraska,where he operated a saloon, and was briefly a deputy sheriff.[12]
In 1897, it was reported that he was the City Marshal ofEdgemont, South Dakota.[13]
In 1900, he later moved toGordon, Nebraska.He had a saloon in both Gordon andArdmore, South Dakota,and he also became the town marshal.[14]In 1913, he moved toOrin Junction, Wyoming,where he opened a saloon. After getting into a knife fight at the bar, he was arrested for dispensing liquor illegally. While in jail, he contractederysipelasand died.[3]He is buried in Douglas Park Cemetery inDouglas, Wyoming.[1]
Media produced of his life
editA shortdocumentaryfilm aired onNebraska PBSin 2017 by filmmaker David Higgins (The Aviation Cocktail) calledDoc Middleton: The Unwickedest Outlaw.The opening of the short states that Higgins has spent a decade researching the life of the famed Nebraska outlaw.[15]The film uses reenactments and animation, along with interviews from individuals such asPlatte Countyhistorian Tim Benson, President of theAssociation of Professional GenealogistsRoberta King,Rock Countyhistorian Carolyn Hall andConverse Countyhistorian Steve Gregersen.
References
edit- ^abc"Doc Middleton: Life Story".Leaders and Legends.Archived fromthe originalon February 8, 2009.RetrievedJanuary 8,2009.
- ^[However see footnotes 4 & 5]
- ^abc"Doc Middleton: Road Agent and Bandit".Rootsweb, an Ancestry.com community. April 2005.RetrievedJanuary 8,2009.
- ^Note: however the Texas Convicts Register notes a James Reily born 1851 of Grayson County, Texas, in Huntsville Prison July 12, 1875 {Ancestry.com. Subscription to see entire record}
- ^See also footnote # 17 page 161 ofDavid Johnson's "The Mason County" Hoo Doo "War
- ^Omaha daily bee., January 16, 1877, Image 1
- ^Baddader's Blog
- ^Roeder, Wilfried E. “Fred”."Colonel William H. H. Llewellyn: Troop H, 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry (" Rough Riders "), (1851–1927)".The Spanish American War Centennial Website.Retrieved2010-03-16.
- ^yesteryearsnews
- ^"Doc Middleton (February 9, 1851 – December 27, 1913)".WOLA – Western Outlaw Lawman History Association. 2002–2007. Archived fromthe originalon 3 March 2009.
- ^The Columbus journal.,August 20, 1879, Image 4
- ^Omaha daily bee.,December 31, 1885, Image 3
- ^The Saint Paul globe.,February 15, 1897, Image 1
- ^Yesteryear.wordpress
- ^"Nebraska Stories: Doc Middleton, The Unwickedest Outlaw, 806".Nebraska Educational Telecommunications.Retrieved19 July2017.
External links
edit
- "Doc Middleton".Find a Grave.RetrievedSeptember 14,2010.
- Doc Middleton: The Unwickedest Outlaw (short doc) on Vimeo