by James R Coffey

Created on: December 12, 2010

The gunslingers of the American Wild West have become as famous as any figures in American history. In fact, names like Jessie James, Wyatt Earp, and Billy the Kid are more easily recognizable than the names of many U.S. Presidents. And while many of the most notorious men (and women) of this era are remembered for their fast tempers and even faster guns, they have come to represent not just what many consider the most violent period of American history, they represent the pioneering spirit that tamed a frontier fraught with countless inherent dangers. A romantic spirit that lives on in the hearts and minds of millions of Old West enthusiasts even today.

But, who can be said to have been was the “deadliest” gunslinger of them all? The one with the most kills? The one said to have been the fastest draw? Or perhaps, the one with the reputation for being the most ruthless? Whatever the measure, here are ten who came to define what it meant to be “bad to the bone” during this age when men (and women) lived by the gun.

1. Thomas "Tom" Horn, Jr. (November 21, 1860–November 20, 1903): 37 to 50 kills

Respected lawman and Pinkerton detective Thomas Horn was in actuality one of the most cold-blooded killers of the Old West. After making a name for himself as a scout and tracker in the late 1880s, Tom was hired as a tracker, bounty hunter, and then promoted to detective by the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency. Quickly becoming known for his volatile temper and propensity for violence, he was forced to resign his position with the Agency after becoming linked to the murders of 17 people. Following his resignation, Horn quickly developed a reputation as a killer-for-hire, and is said to have been responsible for killing some 20 cattle rustlers over the course of several years. Horn was finally caught and hanged in 1901 after being linked to the murder of a 14-year-old boy, who, ironically, some historians believe he was actually innocent of killing. Even so, Tom Horn is believed to have committed as many as 50 murders in his 43 years of life.

2. James B. “Killer” Miller, aka “Deacon Jim” (October 25, 1866-April 19, 1909): 14 to 50 kills

One of the darkest and most sadistic figures of the Old West was James “Killer” Miller, a paid assassin and gunslinger known to have killed at least 14 people, though legend has that number closer to 50. Also known as “Deacon Jim” because he regularly went to

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