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Cook Outlaw Gang Revolver Merwin & Hulbert, Single Action, Pocket Army Revolver, .44-.40 Caliber Winchester, Manufactured mid 1880's, Total Production: Approximately 9,000 A whiskey runner and member of the notorious Cook Outlaw Gang used this weapon before he was killed by lawmen near Fort Sill Indian Territory (Oklahoma) sometime in the mid 1890's. Bill and Jim Cook assembled a motley crew of outlaws who joined forces in the Creek Nation in 1893 and went on to terrorize the territory by robbing banks, trains, post offices, stores and individuals. They were cold blooded killers as well; the most notorious of which was Crawford Goldsby alias "Cherokee Bill" who would later be caught and hanged. This heavy, powerful and deadly gun was popular for its ability to use the same cartridge as the Winchester Rifle. It survived the fire intact with its original grips. 
 William "Bill" Cook (left) circa 1897 in his mid-20's and Crawford "Cherokee Bill" Goldsby at age 19 (right) |
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Sheriff G. Cooper Wright's
.44 Revolver Spanish Double Action, .44 Caliber Revolver G. Cooper Wright, Sheriff of Clay County, Texas from 1889-1895, owned this gun for many years and used it in making countless arrests throughout north Texas. It was given by him to Harrison Schwend in 1895 for his collection as he left office. Schwend would later serve as a Deputy, Town Marshal and Constable in Henrietta in a career in law enforcement that lasted more than 35 years. During Cooper Wright's six years as Sheriff, numerous accounts of heroic deeds performed by him have been recorded. Noted western figure Tex Rickard considered Wright "the gamest man I ever met".  Mr. & Mrs. G. Cooper Wright in the 1890's |
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A Thief's Special Revolver Colt's Model 1877 Double Action, "Lightning" Revolver, .38 Caliber CF Family and Museum records state that "the thief who owned this gun stole a barrel of whiskey from the Satterfield Store in Henrietta, Texas before being arrested by Deputy Harrison Schwend". The thief was relieved of this gun which found its way into the collection. As you will note, the hammer has been bobbed to allow for smoother draw from a holster. |
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A Twice
Burned Colt .45 Revolver Colt's Single Action, .45 Caliber Revolver Manufactured in 1900 Family records indicate that Harrison Schwend found this revolver, just after the turn of the century, somewhere on the Wichita Flats, an area of bottom land that runs between the Big Wichita and Little Wichita Rivers, just north of Henrietta. This was terrain that Harrison often crossed as he made trips by horseback to retrieve prisoners or escort them to the penitentiary in Fort Sill, Indian Territory. It was found loaded with one of the cylinder chambers blown out. It had evidently been through a prairie fire when Harrison discovered it. It is seen at right with a replacement cylinder as well as the original one that shows the exploded chamber. The grips are replacements and the finish has been taken down to bare metal. |
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Outlaw
Smith & Wesson .44 Revolver Smith & Wesson Double Action Revolver, .44 Caliber, 1876 Patent If only this gun could speak, what amazing stories it might tell. The horn grips have notches scribed throughout which usually indicates "kills". The wax museum acquired this gun in 1978 so it wasn't part of the original Schwend Collection. It was displayed and promoted as belonging to Sam Bass, the notorious Texas outlaw. However on closer inspection, any observer would note that it carries 1880 patent dates. Sam was killed by Texas Rangers in Round Rock in 1878. Why the museum overlooked this obvious inconsistency is not know. It is a model preferred by many outlaws including Jesse James. The original horn grips survived the fire and still carry the mysterious notches. |
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Death
Wielding Texas Cowboy Gun Remington Model 1875, Single Action Army, .44 Caliber Revolver 
This gun was very recently identified by the ancestors of the original owner, William Armstrong "Buck" Lewis Engledow (see photo above). Buck Engledow was a cowboy on the Ikard Ranch in Clay County, Texas for 35 years. He came to the area in 1874 and operated a stage line from Gainesville to Henrietta before the railroads were completed. The display tag in the museum reads: "Buck Engledow, a cowboy, used this six-shooter that is thought to have killed 5 men". The original grips were burned off in the fire, however the pre-fire photos of this gun show grips with the initials "BE" carved crudely in the wood (see inset photo). |
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Remington 44 Caliber Revolver Remington Model 1875, Single Action Army, .44 Caliber Revolver This Remington model was made in the early 1880's to compete with the very popular Colt Single Action. This particular gun's lineage is still under investigation but the bone grips are original since they appear in all the surviving family and museum photos. The owner cut the barrel to allow for a quicker draw from his holster, an unlikely task by a lawman but typical of an outlaw. Total production of this model was around 25,000. |
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Colt
Single Action Revolver Colt's Single Action, .45 Caliber Revolver This all original Colt model was made in 1883. This particular gun's lineage is still under investigation but the beautiful horn grips are original as they appear in all the surviving family and museum pre-fire photos. |
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A Civil War Rifle Colt Model 1855 Full Stock, Revolving Percussion, Sporting Rifle, .44 Caliber, 30" Barrel Production of this model was limited to a few hundred as the Colt factory continued make improvements and refinements to design and ammunition. These rifles were made between 1856 and 1864. This particular one is dated 1863 on the back strap and saw limited use in the Civil War according to family records. It was heavily damaged in the fire losing all its wood parts but all the original metal parts were recovered. After a 3 year, meticulous restoration, this revolving rifle is in its original pre-fire condition. Pains were taken to match the wood from the original. It is a true show piece. |
IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION
ON THE WHEREABOUTS OF GUNS, PIECES OR PARTS FROM THE GRAND PRAIRIE WAX MUSEUM
FIRE OF 1988, PLEASE EMAIL:
schwendguns@gmail.com.
MAYBE YOU'VE SEEN A TAGGED GUN AT A SHOW OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS A SURVIVING
PIECE. I AM ACTIVELY SEEKING AND WILL PURCHASE COLLECTION PIECES.
THANK YOU!