User:Hutcher/Jim Crane (cowboy)

Jim Crane (died 1881) was an American outlaw. He was known for his the Clanton-McLaury ring of outlaws. He was involved in cattle rustling in Cochise County.

Stagecoach robbery
Robert H. Paul renowned local lawman was working for Wells Fargo as a shotgun messenger. On the evening of March 15, 1881, the driver of the Kinnear & Company stagecoach carrying US$26,000 in silver bullion (about $0 in today's dollars) en route from Tombstone to Benson, Arizona took ill in Contention City and Paul took the reins and the driver's seat. Crane plus two Cowboys Harry Head & Bill Leonard attempted to rob it near Drew's Station, just outside of Contention City, by first stepping into the road and commanding them to "Hold!"

Immediately, Crane fired at the guard's seat killing the popular and well-known driver Eli 'Budd' Philpot. Paul believed that this shot was meant for him because Philpot was in the shotgun messenger seat that he would normally have been seated at. This would led to theories of an assassination attempt. Paul fired his shotgun and emptied his revolver at the robbers, wounding a Cowboy later identified as Bill Leonard in the groin. In the exchange a miner named Peter Roerig, riding in the rear dickey seat, was also killed.

Philpot's body lurched forward onto the horses and they spooked running off. Paul was able to bring the stage under control after a mile by jumping onto the tongue at which point they had lost the robbers. Paul returned to the attempted robbery site near Drews Station and joined in with the posse on an 18-day chase that produced Leonard King. King was holding the horses for the robbers and identfied them by name.