Merritt Horrell - Lampasas Square Shoot Out

Lampasas Square Shoot Out

On June 7, 1877, John Higgins, brother in law Bob Mitchell, Bob's brother Frank, Bill Wren, and another brother in law, Ben Terry, rode into Lampasas. The Horrell brothers and several friends were already in town that day, gathered at the square. It is unknown who fired first, but it is believed that someone within the Horrell faction opened fire on the Higgins faction. When it was over, Bill Wren had been wounded, Frank Mitchell had been killed, and Horrell faction members Buck Waltrup and Carson Graham were killed.

Texas Rangers descended on the town only days later. All three Horrell brothers were arrested, and Texas Ranger Major John B. Jones acted as a mediator between the two sides to calm matters. Less than one year later, Mart and Tom Horrell were arrested in Meridian, Texas for armed robbery and murder. While confined to the local jail, vigilantes broke in and shot them both, killing them. Although never proven, it was speculated that John Higgins instigated the murders. Sam Horrell was now the only remaining Horrell brother. He moved his family to Oregon in 1882, then later to California. He died there in 1936. John Higgins was viewed as a hero locally, and is often credited with bringing down the Horrell Brothers. He later worked as a range detective, and developed a considerable reputation as a gunman, and in September, 1877, Higgins killed cowboy Ike Lantier, whom he caught stealing cattle, after Lantier drew on him. That shooting was also ruled self defense. On October 4, 1903, he killed gunman and former lawman Bill Standifer in a gunfight, after Standifer had threatened Higgins son Cullin, a local district attorney. Higgins died on December 18, 1914. At the time of his death, Higgins is believed to have killed fourteen men in gunfights.