Four Men Shot Dead

Here, on April 14, 1881, four men were shot dead in about five seconds.

El Paso, then, was the wildest twenty-four hour town in the old west and east of Suez.

Johnny Hale, gunman and cattle rustler, was suspected of the murder of two young Mexican ranchers near Canutillo. An inquest, ordered by the district attorney, was in progress nearby with Gus Krempkau, ex-Texas Ranger, acting as interpreter. At recess, Hale, enraged by Krempkau's interpretation of Mexican testimony, shot and killed him.

Immediately, capable Dallas Stoudenmire, city marshall, went into action. His first shot killed a Mexican bystander; his second got Hale, and his third dispatched George Campbell, a Hale supporter and former marshall of El Paso, who had drawn his gun.

Presented by The State National Bank of El Paso, Texas

4 August, 1966.