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Bass Reeves 1879 Signed Voucher

Currency:USD Category:Western Americana / Collectibles - Old West Start Price:200.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 2,500.00 USD
Bass Reeves 1879 Signed Voucher
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Bass Reeves 1879 Signed Voucher. Voucher for payment of expenses to Marshal Bass Reeves. Signed by "Bass Reeves: D.U.S.M" with his "x" in several places. Also signed by J.H. Mershon, another U.S. Deputy Marshal. In 32 days, Reeves and Mershon traveled 1,000 miles and arrested 8 men.

The voucher lists the names of the arrested, locations and other information about the trip and the arrests. It reads, in part: "The United States of America / 1879 / To Bass Reeves / For 32 days services as posse comitatus, from October 3 to November 3 1879, both days inclusive, at $3.00 per day... $96.00" $6.00 is then subtracted in red ink as "Disallowed as Excessive 2 Days."

Lot includes a copy of the book "Black, Red and Deadly: Black and Indian Gunfighters of the Indian Territory, 1870-1907" by Art Burton. First Edition, copyright 1991. Signed and inscribed by the author

BASS REEVES
Born in 1838 to a slave family, Bass Reeves would become the first black U.S. Deputy Marshal (Fort Smith, Arkansas), and one of the first famous black lawmen of the Old West. Unable to read or write, he learned and spoke several Indian languages, which, along with his incredible marksman skills, served him well during his years of service in Indian Territory. He served as USDM for 35 years, and though he arrested over 3,000 felons, he was never harmed by gunfire. Some believe he was the model for the character the Lone Ranger. In 1992 he was the first African-American inducted into the Great Westerners Hall of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City.