Sex, Lies & Betrayal
Private Detective J.W. Hawkins
used all the tricks in the book
to catch a gang of train robbers
by
Peter Brand © 2017
Private detectives were not uncommon in the West, but one literally stood out
above all the others. James William Hawkins was a giant of a man at 6-foot-6
and 220 pounds. His physically dominating presence was matched by his guile
and cunning when dealing with criminals. He used every trick in the book to
bring them to justice. Although highly effective, his methods were viewed as
anything but conventional, and the handsome detective was not averse to
breaking the moral codes of the day to get the job done. Sex, lies and betrayal
were just tools of the trade for Hawkins, and one case in Cripple Creek,
Colorado, in 1895 afforded him the opportunity to put all his skills to work.
Born in Hall County, Ga., in 1866, James William was the son of Jeremiah and
Mary Hawkins. Large in stature and in numbers, the family was well known in
the region, where Mary's father and uncle had both served as Baptist preachers.
Well educated during his youth, and well versed in the ways of the South,
Hawkins decided o leave home at 17. He was eventually drawn to the
adventurous life of a detective, apparently working first as a railroad detective
for the Southern Pacific line. After gaining experience, he hired on with other
railroad companies and detective agencies, including the famed Pinkerton
Agency. He would come to the public's notice and rise to fame in Colorado
after a train robbery near Cripple Creek in 1895. It was a case that would see
him clash with one of the worst outlaws to come out of Indian Territory
(present-day Oklahoma).
The above introduction is an excerpt from the article -
Sex, Lies & Betrayal, published by Wild West Magazine, June 2017 edition.
Private Detective J.W. Hawkins
used all the tricks in the book
to catch a gang of train robbers
by
Peter Brand © 2017
Private detectives were not uncommon in the West, but one literally stood out
above all the others. James William Hawkins was a giant of a man at 6-foot-6
and 220 pounds. His physically dominating presence was matched by his guile
and cunning when dealing with criminals. He used every trick in the book to
bring them to justice. Although highly effective, his methods were viewed as
anything but conventional, and the handsome detective was not averse to
breaking the moral codes of the day to get the job done. Sex, lies and betrayal
were just tools of the trade for Hawkins, and one case in Cripple Creek,
Colorado, in 1895 afforded him the opportunity to put all his skills to work.
Born in Hall County, Ga., in 1866, James William was the son of Jeremiah and
Mary Hawkins. Large in stature and in numbers, the family was well known in
the region, where Mary's father and uncle had both served as Baptist preachers.
Well educated during his youth, and well versed in the ways of the South,
Hawkins decided o leave home at 17. He was eventually drawn to the
adventurous life of a detective, apparently working first as a railroad detective
for the Southern Pacific line. After gaining experience, he hired on with other
railroad companies and detective agencies, including the famed Pinkerton
Agency. He would come to the public's notice and rise to fame in Colorado
after a train robbery near Cripple Creek in 1895. It was a case that would see
him clash with one of the worst outlaws to come out of Indian Territory
(present-day Oklahoma).
The above introduction is an excerpt from the article -
Sex, Lies & Betrayal, published by Wild West Magazine, June 2017 edition.
This publication is Out of Print
