In the annals of the Old West, the story of Charley Pierce, a man of about 28 or 29 years of age, came to a violent end near Pawnee, Oklahoma. Once a cowboy, Pierce's life took a turn that led him down the path of an outlaw, riding with the notorious Dalton and later the Doolin-Dalton gangs. His time with these gangs was marked by a series of train and bank robberies, cementing his reputation as a wanted man.
The final chapter of Pierce's life unfolded on May 2, 1895.
He and a fellow outlaw, 'Bittercreek' Newcomb, sought refuge at the home of Newcomb's girlfriend, Rose Dunn. However, a substantial bounty had been placed on both of their heads. In an act of betrayal, Rose's brothers, who were bounty hunters, seized the opportunity. As Pierce and Newcomb dismounted their horses, they were ambushed and fatally shot by the Dunn brothers, who were motivated by the reward money.
Following the deadly encounter, Charley Pierce's body was taken to Guthrie, Oklahoma. There, the Dunn brothers presented it as proof to collect the bounty that had been offered for the capture or death of the outlaw. His death marked the end of another figure from the turbulent era of outlaws in the American West.
