The Lawman: Life and Times of Harry Morse, 1835–1912

Harry Morse - gunfighter, manhunter, and sleuth - was among the West?s most famous lawmen. Elected sheriff of Alameda County, California, in 1864, he went on to become San Francisco?s foremost private detective. His career spanned five decades. In this gripping biography, John Boessenecker brings Morse?s now-forgotten story to light, chronicling not only the lawman?s remarkable adventures but also the turbulent times in which he lived.

Armed only with raw courage and a Colt revolver, Morse squared off against a small army of desperadoes and beat them at their own game. He shot to death the notorious bandidos Narato Ponce and Juan Soto, outgunned the vicious Narciso Bojorques, and pursued the Tiburcio Vasquez gang for two months in one of the West?s longest and most tenacious manhunts. Later, Morse captured Black Bart, America?s greatest stagecoach robber. His exploits were legendary.

Drawing on Morse?s diaries, memoirs, and correspondence, Boessenecker weaves the lawman?s colorful accounts into his narrative. Rare photographs of outlaws and lawmen and of the sites of Morse?s exploits further enliven the story.