Necktie Parties circa 1880

In cattle country, Cattle Kate Watson and her lover James Averill lived in neighboring ranches near Sweet water River in Wyoming.  The story goes that Averill set up Cattle Kate with her own bordello where she accepted cattle for payment of her services.

Once Cattle Kate had accumulated a  large enough herd, she began shipping beef by railroad to Denver - gaining the attention of the Stockman's Association.  At the same time, James was attacking by press the land holders in Casper's Weekly Mail editorials.

A group of Winchester clad men paid Averill and Cattle Kate an unexpected visit to their ranches and both were hung side by side at the edge of the river.  You see, horse and cattle stealing was as bad as murder and would get you hung by rope a whole lot sooner that shooting a man would.  Averill and Cattle Kate were cattle thieves, and had accumulated a vast wealth at the other land owner's expense.

Lynching a woman was a rare event.  The men who did so were never brought to trail for a couple of reasons...the witnesses either disappeared prior to trial, or were found dead.  Considerable anger and bitterness existed toward the lack of justice until civil war was feared.

It is still said that even today the name of Cattle Kate Watson is seldom mentioned in polite conversation...

Next a Madame who did shoot and often...