Augustine Chacon
| Augustine Chacon | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | 1861 Sonora, Mexico |
| Died | November 21, 1902 Solomonville, Arizona Territory, United States |
| Nationality | Mexican |
| Other names | El Peludo |
| Known for | Armed robbery, Cattle rustling, Horse theft |
Augustine Chacon (1861 – November 21, 1902), or El Peludo (English: "The Hairy One"), was a Mexican outlaw and folk hero of Arizona Territory. Although a self-proclaimed badman, he was well liked by settlers, who treated him as a Robin Hood-like character, rather than a typical raider. According to Old West historian Marshall Trimble, Chacon was "one of the last of the hard-riding desperados who rode the owl-hoot trail in Arizona around the turn of the century." He was considered extremely dangerous to authorities, having killed about thirty people before being captured by Burton C. Mossman and hanged.
Chacon was born in 1861 in the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora, which was a sparsely populated wilderness at the time. He is first recorded in history as being a peace officer in the town of Sierra del Tigre, though he also found work hauling wood and ore at some point. In 1888 or 1889, Chacon moved across the international border to Morenci, where he became known as an "excellent cowboy throughout the Arizona Territory." However, in 1890, he had a disagreement with his employer, a rancher named Ben Ollney, about three months' worth of pay. For some reason, Ben refused to pay Chacon his wages so the two "exchanged heated words" before the latter rode off towards Safford in disgust. After spending the night drinking, Chacon armed himself and then returned to the ranch on the next day with the intention of collecting his money. Once again, Ben refused to pay, but he went even further by insulting Chacon and laughing at him. No doubt a few more heated words followed, at the end of which, Ben attempted to draw his pistol, but Chacon drew first and shot his antagonist dead. Five cowboys rushed to the scene to avenge their slain employer, but Chacon held his ground and shot all of them. Four of them died, but the fifth escaped to Whitlock Springs, where he raised the alarm. Ben Ollney's brother lived at Whitlock Springs and he quickly organized a posse of six men to go after Chacon, who by that time was fleeing south towards the border. The posse followed Chacon's trail to a box canyon, cornered him in and then called out for his surrender, but, the day-old outlaw decided he wasn't going to. Chacon then equipped himself with two revolvers and charged his pursuers on horseback. Four more cowboys were killed and Chacon rode off with a slight wound to one of his arms.
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