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by Ken Edwards (Author)
Nearly a dozen people witness the violence occurring in the Palace Saloon on a summer night in 1884, and at least half of them are involved. Who is guilty of what? Will the the public outcry for retribution require the hangman's noose? Undermined by explosive publicity, where in the region can an impartial jury be found? What form will the shifting sands of frontier justice take in the capital of Arizona Territory?This true and well-documented story of crime and punishment provides insight into the pioneer days of the Southwest, as justice struggles to find its roots.
Author Biography
Ken Edwards is a former chemistry professor who turned historian upon his retirement in Prescott, AZ, in 1994. He and his wife, Evelyn, became volunteers in Sharlot Hall Museum, an outstanding museum of Arizona history during its territorial days and beyond. Prescott was the first capital of Arizona Territory and had a newspaper from the time of origin of the town in 1864. So documentation is very good for the evolution and growth of Prescott and the Territory. Ken and Evelyn became tour guides for the museum and conducted downtown walking tours for the Chamber of Commerce. They also worked in the extensive archives of the museum. In such an environment one stumbles upon many fascinating stories of the pioneer days in Arizona, and many of these are well documented. It is hard to resist the temptation to share some of these with the public. Such is the case with the "abominable crime" that took place in the Palace Saloon on Whiskey Row on a warm summer night in 1884. With detailed information available in local and state archives, the crime itself and the trial that followed make an excellent study of crime and punishment in the west in pioneer days. Ken is the author of numerous newspaper articles of historical interest and has written two previous books, "In Search of Abby" and "Hotel Vendome."
