| Wild Bill Longley Facts |
| William Preston Longley Born : Austin Texas Oct. 6, 1851 Died : Oct. 11, 1878 Father: Cambell Longley Mother: Sarah Henry Brother: Alex C. Killed in the Civil War " George W. " Joseph " James S. Sisters: Mary Catherine " Martha Jane " Elizabeth His Father was a native of Sevierville, Tennessee and served with Sam Houston's Army He died September 15, 1907. His came from a family that was highly respected. His brother James was as good as Bill with a gun. People said that He could hit a half dollar dead center at 10 paces and practiced every day. After Bill was hung he had to go through the rest of his life watching over his shoulder. Every gunslinger wanted to be the man who killed Bill's brother. He killed his first man with a Dancer .44 cal. pistol. When asked one time about how he got away from the law for so long He said "I never had any confidence in nobody" When captured by Texas Rangers on June 27, 1877, Longley admitted to killing 32 people. He was 27 years old when He was hung. He wrote a girlfriend once saying that his favorite way to die would be by hanging. Kinda funny ain't it. He was said to have been hanged 3 times. First time hung for rustling cattle, as the posse rode off one of the cowboys decided to put a bullet in Longley, instead he missed hitting the rope which later broke setting Bill free before he choked. The second time he was hanged in Giddings, Texas, the Executioner didn't take into consideration the fact that Bill was well over six feet tall and made the rope to long. When he pulled the lever Bill landed on his feet. Moments later the third time was a charm. No Problems. Folklore had it that Bill escaped the third hanging by paying the sheriff off with money he had gotten from a robbery. The hangman was to have made a special harness that would save Bill from choking. In 1986 Anthropologist Douglas Owsly became involved with trying to locate Longley's grave to find out if legend was true or not.. The problem was that Bill was not buried in the graveyard at the time of his death, but instead was laid to rest just outside the fence. Some of the people didn't want him buried there with him being an outlaw and killer. Bill wound up in the cemetery anyway getting the last laugh, because as the cemetery grew the fence was moved and included his grave. The grave was finally located in 1998 but not before twenty four bodies had been exhumed without any success. DNA test were later performed in 1999 proving that it was indeed Bill Longley's remains in the grave. A Lee County official, W.A. Knox, described Longley as "the worst man in Texas. ... He has committed many murders in this Giddings vicinity. ... He has even murdered a woman. He is about six feet high; weighs 150 pounds. ... I have been told by those who know him that he can be recognized in a crowd of 100 men by the keenness and blackness of his eyes. ... He will fight and is a good shot." |
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| Well, I haven't got much to say. I have got to die. I see a good many enemies around me, and only a mighty few friends. I hope to God you will forgive me. I hate to die, but I have earned this by taking the lives of men who loved life as well as I do. If I have any friends here, I hope they will do nothing to avenge my death; if they want to avenge my death, let them pray for me. I deserve this fate. It's a debt I owe for my wild, reckless life. When it's paid, it will be all over. I have nothing more to say." |
| Oct. 11, 1878, dawned in Giddings with threatening rain clouds overhead, but the crowd that had started gathering the day before were massing around the gallows. Toward midday, the cloud faded eastward, and the sun shone on 4,000 spectators. At 1:30 p.m., as Brown and his guards walked Longley to the gallows, bystanders greeted the killer by his first name. Guards had to restrain onlookers from reaching out to touch the gunman. |
| Last words |
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| Bill's father Campbell Longley wrote a letter 11 Oct 1878 to his daughter and son-in-law, Mary Catherine & Charles M. Tyler in Utah (excerpts from original donated by Loura Tyler Soto to the Bill Longley Collection, Texas State Historical Association) Dear son and daughter, We received your letter of October 8th. It found us all well and hope when these lines reach you, they may find you all in good health and still in the notion of coming to Texas. "I will not sell any corn or pork this winter, so as to have plenty when you come. "Corn is only 15 to 25 cents per bushel, and pork is $3.00 to $3.50 per 100 lbs. Calico 5 to 6 cents per yard, and everything else in proportion. Sewing machines is from 15 to 20 dollars. The very best for $25.00. Bacon sells for 8 cents per pound, flour 4 cents per pound, coffee 25 cents per pound, sugar 6 to 10 cents per pound. "Bill was hung October 11th at 12/pm in 3 miles of your old place at Giddings. I done everything I could to get him reprieved, but to no effect. "Little Lizzie Carnes was all the relative on the ground that saw Bill executed, her sweet little arms around his neck, a sweet kiss and good-bye was hart-rending in the extreem. There was 4 or 5 thousand people present. "I want you to come back, lock, stock and barrel. Tell me in your next about what time you can come. I remain your affather until death. C. Longley |
| Devil's Pass Hell's Half Acre, September the 41st, 7777 [sic] (probably 1877)Mr. Brown: Kind Friend, This leaves me fine after floating through the gentle breezes of misrie and feel just as hapy as a big sun flower that waves and bends in the breezes. Well, sir, I understand that I have threatened your life and if I done it, it must have been when I was asleep, for I know nothing about it myself. I killed the only one in that country that I had anything against at that time now Jim Shaw. If I ever kill any man in that country it will be eather for killing some of my kinfolks or else it will be in resulting being captured for if the court knows itself I will not be captured in that country alive, tho I will come there just when I pleas. I wrode by your house the first Monday night in August 1875. I stopped near the old road fence and stood for an hour and my mind run back over my whole life, and I thought of my childhood and the hapy hours that I had passed in the old cabin home. Oh, what dreadful thoughts pierced my heart's intermost core Second page for a little while, but I cursed my weakminded soul and treated myself to a drink of good old brandy and wrode on with a bold heart. It hurt me bad when I heard that Johnson McKowen had been hurting me with the intent of betraying me and getting me in a snare to be killed, for I loved him like a brother. Oh, the happy hours that I have palled with Johnson but now they are oer. Two nights before I passed your house I was at home and my own Dear Father told me never to put my foot in his house again, and Brother Jim quit me and said I was too bad for him, and now my kinfolks is all so God ---- cowards they don't want me to come about them, so I shall alone tread the living land destitute of friends. But God --- the world and every son of a bitch that don't like me, for I am a wolf and it is my night to howl. I expect to get killed some time but you may bet your sweet life that I will keep the flies off the son of a bitch that does it while he is at it. Third page Jim, I have got nothing against you and do not blame you for __?___me if you thought I had threatened you, but now if you will all let me alone, I will not bother none of you nor your property. I understand that some fellow in that country intends to get in with me and help me do mischief a while, then kill or capture me, but you tell the son of a bitch that I favor a lone hand or I would like very much to fall in with him. Tell old Anderson he will find me somewhere between the Riogrand and the Rocky Mountains, and if ever hires anyone to kill Uncle Cale, he may find me somewhere near his yard fence some dark night. You all know that Wils Anderson did kill Cale Longley and why in the hell does Fourth page want to take a hand in it for. Why not just say it is dog eat dog and all of you go on about your business and let the biggest dog eat the most dog if he can, and I will bet old Bill will get his share of dog. Brother Jim did not have any thing to do with killing Wils Anderson. He did not know that I was going to do it until it was done, and if they arrest him and you will use your influence in getting him out, I will be your bosom friend and will do anything for you that I can. I will be back through there in two weeks and I will come and see you. So no more at present. I remain ever your true friend until further orders, do not doubt Jim, for I am true. W. P. Longley Give my kindest regards to Mr. Cope, for I never hear of him doing anything against me. |
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| The Hanging |
| A letter written by Bill Longley |