Elfego Baca

Elfego Baca (1865–1945) was a legendary lawman, lawyer, and politician in the closing days of the American wild west.

The Frisco Shootout

On December 1, 1884, in the town of Frisco (now Reserve), Elfego Baca arrested one of the cowboys who had been shooting up the town and had taken pot shots at Baca. The man’s friends wanted him released but Baca refused to do so. After threats from the cowboys, Baca took refuge in the house of Geronimo Armijo. A standoff with the cowboys ensued and a gang of 80 cowhands attacked the house. The story has it that the cowboys fired more than 4,000 rounds into the house until the house looked like Swiss cheese. Incrediby, not one of the rounds hit Baca. During the siege Baca killed four of the attackers and wounded eight others. After 36 hours, the attack ended when the cowboys ran out of ammunition. Baca walked out of the house unharmed.

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December 1 - 1884

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In May 1885 Baca was charged with the murder of one of the cowboys who had attacked the cabin and he was jailed until his trial for murder. In August 1885 he was acquitted after the door of Armijo’s house was entered as evidence. It had over 400 bullet holes in it.

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