01. Only Bones

In this episode of Gunslinger's Shadow, we delve into the personal history Bill Long. Through the discovery of a cherished family photograph of his sisters, we trace Bill's roots and explore the impact of his immediate family on his life. We recount the mischievous tale of young Bill's prank—putting gunpowder in a preacher's pipe—which led him to flee his home and join the outlaw camps of Tom McCarty and Hank Vaughan. And FINALLY...we read a the full letter from Bill Long's daughter, Viola, sharing her father's stories and memories about his family. Join us as we uncover the lesser-known aspects of Bill Long's life and the influences that shaped him into one of the Wild West's most elusive outlaws.

Despite the comedic name, this episode delves deep into the  lives of the McCarty brothers, Tom and Bill the rest of the McCarty  clan living in the American frontier.  Our journey begins with a somber warning from a voice of the past, reminding us of the harsh realities faced by those who chose the outlaw path. "You don't want to be an outlaw; it's a miserable life," echoes through the annals of history.In this episode, we explore the origins of the McCarty family, starting with their patriarch, Alexander McCarty, a Civil War doctor who ventured west in search of a new beginning. The McCartys' arrival in Grass Valley, Utah, marks the start of their complex relationship with the land, the law, and the local Navajo tribes, whose lives would become intertwined with the McCartys' destiny in unforeseen ways.We also include description of the Telluride Bank Robbery in 1889 as well as Tom McCarty's robbery of the First National Bank in Denver Colorado.  He robbed David H. Moffat and his bank of $21,000, all using his six-shooter and a bottle full of sweet oil.  Listen in!

Episode 3 - Gunslinger's Shadow: Who was Bill Long?  His DNA told us everything we needed to know.  And, like usual, the truth is stranger than fiction.  Bill Long was directly connected to the McCarty gang--Tom McCarty and Bill McCarty.  He may have been even closer to Hank Vaughan, the McCarty's brother-in-law and notorious Oregon outlaw.  Bill Long's exhumation and DNA analysis led us to the McCarty connection and to the real story of Bill's youth.  Bill Long was a rebel and a trouble maker.  In this episode, we share a few mores stories about his outlaw days and also about a prank he pulled on a preacher in southeast Washington--in a ghost town known as Columbia Center.  Enjoy. 

Join us to explore the mystery of Bill Long as we discover the secrets behind his aliases, delve into family stories passed down through generations, and learn about the legend of a gunslinger who fired enough rounds to fill a cabin with bullets. 

For generations our family has been digging into the past of our ancestor, William (Bill) Henry Long. Family stories mention him side-by-side with the likes of Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and the McCarty Brothers, but he kept his real identity hidden even from his own children until the very end, and even then, the details are scarce. Who was Bill Long, really?