Black Jack Christian

Black Jack Christian, aka 202, or Ed Williams, (1856? - 1897) was an outlaw of the Old West.

Early life and outlaw activity

Christian was born William Christian, in Logan County, Oklahoma. Very little is known about his youth and early life. He first appears in reports of outlaw activity in the late 1880's, along with his brother Bob Christian. He first earned the nickname "202" due to his large frame of build. However, he quickly became better known as "Black Jack" due to his tendency to have a short temper, and during this time, during the late 1880's and early 1890's, he and his brother Bob Christian organized the "High Fives Gang", operating mostly around New Mexico Territory.

In 1895, while the two brothers were in Guthrie, Oklahoma, they shot and killed a lawman, and were arrested, but escaped with the assistance of their gang. They fled to Arizona Territory, and on August 6th, 1895, the gang robbed the "International Bank" in Nogales, Arizona. During their escape from town, gang member Jess Williams was shot and wounded by newspaper man Frank King, causing him to drop the money taken during the robbery. Williams, both Christian brothers, and gang member Bob Hays were able, however, to escape town.

Sheriff Bob Leatherwood of Tucson, Arizona pursued them with a posse, and engaged the gang in a shootout in Skeleton Canyon, during which Special Deputy Frank Robson was shot and killed. The gang again escaped, riding into Mexico, where they intended to remain for a time, hoping that lawmen would eventually stop their pursuit. In 1897, the gang returned to Arizona, where they committed several stagecoach robberies. A posse located them in a small canyon, and ambushed them, killing all four members of the gang. Their bodies were placed on display, and the canyon is now known locally as "Black Jack Canyon".

External links

* [http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-OutlawGangsList4.html High Fives Gang]
* [http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-OutlawList-C.html#Will%20Christain,%20aka:%20Black%20Jack,%20Ed%20Williams,%20202 Black Jack Christian]
* [http://www.badhombres.com/outlaws/will-christian.htm Black Jack Christian, aka Will Christian]