John Higgins (gunman) - 1880s and After

1880s and After

In 1882, believed to have been in May, Higgins accompanied two hired hands into Mexico to buy horses. However, he became engaged in a gunfight with one of the Mexican men with whom he was buying the horses, after the two squabbled over the previously agreed price. Higgins killed the man, and he and his employees fled. Friends to the dead man pursued them, numbering around twenty men, resulting in a running gunbattle between the two groups. One of his men was wounded, but they continued to move as quickly as possible toward the Rio Grande River. All three made it across the river safely. Higgins would later comment that it was during this incident that he fought harder than at any other time in his life.

By the late 1880s, Higgins had moved to the Texas Panhandle, specifically Spur, Texas, and was hired by Fred Horsbrugh to work as a "protection man" for the Spur Ranch. While in this employment, Higgins was involved in several gunfights with rustlers, in addition to lynching several he captured. In 1900, Higgins became involved in an ongoing dispute with fellow range detective and former sheriff Bill Standifer, which resulted in both men being fired in 1903. Standifer is alleged to have threatened Higgins son, Cullin, over a particular case involving Standifer's wife, which Cullin had handled, which possibly sparked the general dislike the two had for one another, and resulted in Higgins telling Standifer that if they met again it would be with guns. However, although that incident did happen, it is unlikely it was the only factor, and in reality the animosity between the two has never really been explained completely. During their time working on the Spur Ranch, they often worked together, and were quite productive. However, Standifer was connected through family to the Horrell brothers, and it is possible that the troubles originated with that.

Standifer had only recently, in 1898, killed a man named Kiggings in a gunfight in Clairemont, Texas. Standifer had previously worked for the Spur Ranch, and was elected as Sheriff for Hartley County, Texas, and after a two-year term he once again returned to Spur. Higgins, it is said, had by that time accused Bill McComas, a friend to Standifer, of cattle rustling. Although it is not certain, Standifer evidently believed that Higgins had also included him in this accusation. Standifer confronted Higgins, and when the two began arguing, Fred Horsbrugh fired them both. However, Higgins convinced Horsbrugh to keep him on for another couple of months, until he could make arrangements to move his family. This infuriated Standifer.

On October 4, 1904, Standifer had spoken publicly about settling his differences with Higgins once and for all, indicating that one or the other would be killed. That day Standifer rode out to Higgins house. Higgins saw him coming, and rode out to meet him. Both men were armed, and although it is unknown exactly what was said, Standifer drew his gun as he went to dismount, to which Higgins reacted by shooting and killing him. The shooting was witnessed by Higgins' daughter and brother in law. Ruled self-defense, Higgins was never indicted.