Henry Andrew (Heck) Thomas was one of the West's most revered lawmen. His career spanned from being a 12-year-old courier for the Confederate Army to U.S. Deputy Marshal to Police Chief. Not only was Thomas an incredibly effective officer, he was one of virtue and determination.
Thomas, born January 3, 1850 in Athens, Georgia was the son of Lovick Pierce Thomas and Martha Fulwood Bedell. Growing up in Atlanta, Heck (he gained this nickname as a child) was the youngest of five children and would not grow up to become a Methodist minister as his parents had wanted. Rather, at the onset of the Civil War, young Master Thomas would accompany his Father and two paternal uncles to join the Confederate Army. It was for his Uncle Edward Lloyd Thomas (a Brigadier General) that Heck would serve as a courier on the front lines of the fighting in Virginia.
Following the war, Heck's father became the first City Marshal of Atlanta and at the age of 17 Heck joined the police force. Heck married his cousin, Isabelle Gray in 1871 and the two began their family. Heck distinguished himself in Atlanta as a fearless fighter after being wounded during a race riot. In 1875 he moved the family to Galveston, Texas and secured a job with the Texas Express Company as a railroad guard.
The route between Denison and Galveston was widespread with robberies. Heck would foil one such robbery by the notorious Sam Bass Gang twelve miles southeast of Dallas. During the robbery attempt Heck was shot but was still able to secure the money. He had hidden the funds from the safe in an unlit stove. The Bass Gang managed to make off with the decoy and they didn't discover the switch until the train was gone. Following this, Thomas was promoted to detective and by 1879 we see him holding the position of Chief Agent.
In 1886, Thomas was appointed U.S. Deputy Marshal and moved his family to Fort Smith, Arkansas. This put Heck under the purview of Judge Isaac Parker, who had also distinguished himself. Parker was know as the "Hanging Judge". This new job cemented Heck's reputation as an effective lawman. In the next seven years Heck would apprehend more outlaws than any other Marshal working in Indian Territory. 1891 found Thomas working with two other well known Deputy Marshals, they became known as the Three Guardsmen. As a member of the Guardsmen with Deputy Marshals Bill Tilghman (previously written about) and Chris Madsen, Thomas was responsible for arresting dozens of notorious outlaws including members of the Doolin, Dalton, and Sam Bass Gangs.
The Three Guardsmen would eventually put such pressure on the Dalton gang that they would attempt two simultaneous bank heists in Coffeyville, Kansas. Their intent was to secure enough money that they could "retire" and flee to South America. Heck would eventually be tasked to identify the bodies of Bob and Grat Dalton following the bank robbery in Coffeyville. Bob and Grat could have been considered friends of Heck as they were once U.S. Deputy Marshals themselves and Heck had worked closely with their brother Frank Dalton who was killed in the line of duty.
Following the fall of the Dalton Gang, the Three Guardsmen would be employed in Perry, Oklahoma. Perry was a town formed as a result of the land rush of September 16, 1893. This town quickly became known as "Hell's Half Acre" due to the influx of people and lawless pandemonium. This town was also the home of the Doolin Gang. The Doolins had been terrorizing the area for four years, robbing banks and trains in the Indian Territory, Kansas and Texas. In August of 1896, a posse led by Heck would corner Bill Doolin. (Note: Doolin was previously arrested by Tilghman but escaped from prison.) During the ensuing gunfight, Doolin was killed.
Over the years Heck Thomas would amass a great deal of money thru bounties. He would regularly go after the most dangerous criminals because they were the most profitable. He had the rewards to show for his work but also the scars. Thomas was wounded more than six times in the line of duty.
In 1902 Heck moved to Lawton, Oklahoma to serve as Police Chief for seven years. He retired following a heart attack in 1909 at the age of 59. On August 15, 1912 Heck Thomas would succumb to Bright's Disease and is buried at Highland Cemetery in Lawton.
Charles Bennett
Charles Bennett was born in our Nation's Capital and grew up in the Maryland suburbs. Mr. Bennett has been working in all aspects of the publishing industry since the late 1980s primarily in the fields of commercial photography and magazine production. Moving to California in 1992 to attend college resulted in B.F.A and Masters degrees. California also supplied Mr. Bennett with his wife. The two of them are avid sports persons and participate in shooting, scuba diving, surfing, running and bicycling. As a long time hobby Mr. Bennett has studied the legends of American law enforcement which led to his writing these columns.
