El Paso, TX, est. 1873, pop. (2015) 679,000 • Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, est. 1659, pop. 1.4MM) • El Paso-Juárez Metropolitan Area, pop. 2.7 MM • Life on the Line, NY Times Magazine
• one of the first major buildings to be erected downtown after the arrival of the railroad in 1881 • destroyed by fire, 2012 [photos] • vintage interior photo
Marker: First National Bank
"The First National Bank Building was constructed in 1882-83 as part of the real estate boom that took place after the arrival of the railroad. Joshua and Jefferson Reynolds, active in New Mexico banking, financed its construction and were the bank’s first presidents. It was originally a two-story structure in the Italianate style but in the mid-1880s a pitched roof, which served as the walls of a third floor, was added. This transformed it into the Second Empire style. The interior had elaborate woodwork and glass partitions that separated the many offices and professional spaces. By 1900, a main entrance was installed near the center of the East San Antonio side of the building.
"Over the years the First National Bank Building has housed many businesses and services, including the Wells-Fargo and Company’s Express, the Texas & Pacific Railroad, and the El Paso Herald newspaper. The building’s most famous tenant was gunfighter John Wesley Hardin who had his law office here on the second floor, on the El Paso Street side, in the 1890s. When the First National Bank merged with the American National Bank in 1914, it vacated the building. As one of El Paso’s most prosperous banks it thrived for more than fifty years but closed its doors in 1933 during the Great Depression. Since that time the building has undergone several renovations and continues to serve as retail and professional office space."
• John Wesley "Wes" Hardin (1853-1895) [photo] was an outlaw, controversial folk icon & arguably the most feared gunslinger in the American West
• born near Bonham, Texas • named after John Wesley, founder of the Methodist faith • said to have run away at age 9 in an attempt to join the Confederate army • his father, Tennessee-born Methodist preacher James "Gip" Hardin (1823-1876), was also a circuit rider, farmer & slaveholder • his mother was Mary Elizabeth Dixson (1826-1885) • the couple raised 10 children
• although most of the killing in the Old West was accomplished by not particularly accurate back-shooters, Hardin was reputed to be fast & deadly, honing his marksmanship & draw through practice • killed 12-40 men, the 1st, a former slave, at age 15 • an apocryphal story has him killing another for snoring • claimed to have killed 42 men, but contemporary newspapers said the actual number was 27 • met & befriended Western legend Wild Bill Hickok through a dispute involving a large logo of a bull with an erection, painted on an Abilene, KS saloon
• with a $4,000 price on his head, was captured & sentenced to serve 25 years in Huntsville Prison • while in "the joint," he studied law & wrote an autobiography, The Life of John Wesley Hardin: As Written by Himself, much of its content now considered wildly exaggerated or simply made up • conducted a Bible class for fellow convicts • released from prison with a law degree, 1894 • passed the state bar exam • opened a law practice in this El Paso building, c. Feb. 1895
• one of his early clients was former prostitute Helen Beulah M’rose (1872-1904), mistress of Polish cowboy/rustler Martin M’rose • hired Hardin to fight extradition of her "husband," who was incarcerated across the border in Juárez • as he arranged for M’rose’s release pending approval of Mexican citizenship, Beulah became her lawyer’s mistress • hearing of the affair, Martin R’rose decided to cross the border into the U.S. • theories as to why he did this include: 1) he decided to surrender to American authorities 2) he was lured over by crooked lawmen looking to collect the substantial bounty on his head 3) Beulah (& possibly Hardin) wanted him killed • M’Rose crossed the border into the U.S. and was immediately shot dead — probably ambushed — by waiting lawmen —Wikipedia • Goddess of War, Dennis McCown
• in Aug., young El Paso lawman, John Selman, Jr., arrested "widow" M’Rose for "brandishing a gun in public" • Hardin confronted Selman & the two men argued • on Monday afternoon, 19 Aug., 1895, Selman’s father, the cane-carrying Constable John Selman, Sr. (1839-1896) [photo] — himself a notorious gunslinger & sometime outlaw — tracked down Hardin & exchanged heated words • that night, Hardin played dice at the Acme Saloon at 225-227 San Antonio St. (now San Antonio Ave.), about 1.5 blocks from his office
• shortly before midnight Selman Sr. walked up to Hardin from behind & shot him in the head, killing him instantly & leaving an exit wound by his left eye [post mortem photo] • Selman fired 3 more shots into the corpse on the floor • was arrested for murder • pled self-defense claiming Hardin attempted to draw, resulting in a hung jury • released on bond, pending retrial • before the retrial, Selman was killed in a shootout with US Marshal George Scarborough, 6 April, 1896 —Tumbling Dice Wins Hardin a One-Way Ticket to Hell • Murdertopia • The Man Who Killed John Wesley Hardin, Gun Raconteur • Hardin’s Deadly Tools, True West
"Like most of his contemporaries, Selman would have laughed hilariously at the idea of today’s Hollywood confrontation of two protagonists walking toward each other down the middle of an open street, guns left holstered until the opposition commenced festivities by essaying a draw. It just wasn’t done that way, and on the night of August 19, 1895, "Uncle John" Selman gave a classic demonstration of the style that had kept him alive long past the age when most good gunslingers had passed to their reward." …read on at Dark Canyon
"In a vintage 1924 article, John Hunter quotes John Wesley Hardin’s midwife as predicting he would either turn out to be a ‘great hero’ or a ‘monumental villain.’ In truth he was wholly neither…. and a little of both.
"Hardin was a prime example of that special breed of men known collectively as ‘gunfighters.’ Given the proliferation of firearms in the Old West of the 1860’s, 70’s and 80’s, just the fact of packing a Colt wasn’t near enough to qualify someone as a true gunslinger. Nor did a single occasion of firing a gun in defense or anger make one an accomplished gunfighter." …read on at Legends of America
• Bob Dylan named the song & album John Wesley Harding (1967) after the gunslinging outlaw/lawyer, accidentally misspelling his name
• video: John Wesley Driving Tour (2:48) • HABS TX-3308
Posted by lumierefl on 2017-01-30 21:52:14
Tagged: , El Paso , el paso county , texas , tx , united states , usa , southwest , north america , architecture , building , commercial , business , office building , bank , italianate , second empire , gunslinger , wild west , acme saloon , john wesley hardin , 1880s , 19th century
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