The pretend marshal and his boa constrictor technique (6 photos)

Fake it until you get it and get it. This tactic was used by Marshal Bass Reeves. And it proved to be very effective.





The wild, wild West... It provided fertile ground for a huge number of semi-mythical characters. But some heroes of that era were also real. One of them is that Bass Reeves is absolutely real, even if his exploits now seem like a fairy tale.



Bass Reeves

Reeves was one of the most noteworthy figures of the Old West, serving as a deputy U.S. marshal from 1875 to 1907, mostly in what was once most of what is now Oklahoma.

Born a slave, Reeves escaped from slave owner George Reeves by allegedly knocking out his master during an argument. Bass then fled to Indian Territory, where, although he never learned to read, he learned the languages of the Cherokees, Seminoles, and other large tribes that were forced into the region.

After the passage of the amendment abolishing slavery in 1865, Reeves was finally able to settle on an Arkansas farm and start a family. He and his wife Nellie had a dozen children and worked the land peacefully. But Bass's story was just beginning.





Bass Reeves

In 1875, Reeves was called upon to help restore order in Indian Territory. US Marshal James Fagan was tasked with gathering a couple of hundred deputies to restore order in an area that had become a haven for criminals of all stripes and ranks. Reeves was not only an excellent shooter and a guy of impressive size (about 1.90 in height), but also knew the area and the customs of the inhabitants very well. Which made him the ideal candidate for this position. In addition, he was black, which was very valuable in an area where white people were viewed with wariness and suspicion. Fagan took advantage of this fact by hiring several blacks as assistants.

During his service, Reeves quickly became a legend. Reeves not only had superhuman strength, but also a phenomenal memory. He could neither read nor write, but he remembered every warrant after it was read to him, and never made a mistake in arresting a person.

Reeves earned the nickname "The Invincible Marshal" from tales of dramatic incidents in which a bullet knocked his hat off his head or snapped the reins of his horse. He also had a habit of transforming himself to get close to his target. His illiteracy even became part of the legend. One of the most powerful stories of Reeves' exploits is when he used a letter trick to save his life and catch a criminal.



"Lawmen: Bass Reeves", series 2023

One day, Reeves was chasing a pair of Texas killers. He met these two men on the road and they asked him if he was Bass Reeves. The marshal replied no. The bandits pointed guns at him, forcing him to ride with them until they met someone who knew him.

Some time later, the Texans grew tired of holding Reeves hostage and ordered him off his horse to kill him. In true Western tradition, they asked Reeves if he had the last word. To which he replied that he had a letter from his wife. He wants the killers to read it to him. Jumping off his horse, Reeves handed them the letter with trembling hands.

When the men looked away from Reeves, the marshal pointed his gun at the criminal holding the letter. The second killer opened his mouth in surprise and lowered his weapon. Reeves grabbed them both. A clever trick he is said to have used several times over the years.



Still from the TV series "Lawmen: Bass Reeves"

His career was associated with many similar stories of half-mad audacity, shootouts and adventures. When he, being on the brink of death, destroyed entire gangs. In 1901, five years before his retirement, Reeves claimed to have arrested 3,000 people during his career.

When Reeves finally took off his marshal's badge, he became a man who had never been hit by a bullet during his service. He died of nephritis in 1910.



"The Lone Ranger" 2013

There is a version that it was Reeves who became the prototype for the Lone Ranger - a Western character who wears a mask and fights lawlessness. But the story about Bass Reeves is amazing precisely because it is true.