Gus Krempkau

Gustav Krempkau (c. 1856 – April 14, 1881) was an El Paso County constable in the late 19th century in El Paso, Texas, during the climax of the "Wild West" era. He died in the Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight, which was overshadowed by the events of a few months later at the O.K. Corral. Little is known of his early life, but he is believed to have been about 25 years old when he was killed.

On Thursday, April 14, 1881, only three days after El Paso received its sixth town marshal in 8 months, a gunfight took place which would be called the "Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight". This gunfight was well publicized in newspapers in cities as far away as San Francisco and New York. The events leading to the gunfight began a mile south, at the Rio Grande which divided the U.S. and Mexico. Roughly 75 heavily armed Mexican cowboys rode into El Paso. The Mexicans were on a quest for two missing young Mexican cowboys, Sanchez and Juarique, plus 30 missing cattle that were stolen from their ranch in Mexico. The missing cattle belonged to a wealthy Mexican rancher who hired the armed posse to locate them. El Paso County Constable Gus Krempkau accompanied the Mexican cowboys in locating the two young youths. Their bodies were discovered at the ranch of Johnny Hale, a rancher and cattle rustler, in the Upper Valley about 13 miles northwest of El Paso.

The two bodies were recovered and brought back to town. Records indicated that these young Mexican cowboys were in that vicinity in an attempt to locate the stolen cattle. It was not clear who had killed them, but it was likely that Hale and his men had rustled the cattle in question, then killed the young Mexican cowboys when they trailed the herd to Hale's ranch.

A large crowd gathered in El Paso, including John Hale and his friend, former town marshal George Campbell. There was animosity among Americans about the Mexicans being heavily armed within the city limit, but at the same time tensions were high among the Mexicans, who wanted justice for their two young men who had been killed. Constable Krempkau was fluent in Spanish and was inquired to interpret for the judge. An inquest was held in court. The court was adjourned and the crowd dispersed. The Mexicans, bringing the two bodies, quietly rode back to Mexico.

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