The Choza

“At Tunstall’s ranch, I saw sandbags before the doors of the house and port holes cut between the logs. The sandbags looked new, and the portholes looked like they had been recently cut.”

-Panteleon Gallegos, Posse member

Bob Boze Bell described Tunstall’s Ranch house as a 14-foot-square log cabin with sand-filled grain sacks piled in front. When the Sheriff’s posse takes inventory of the property, it finds the following: 360 head of cattle, two shovels, and an anvil. Not exactly the “spread “of popular fiction.

On the evening of February 17th, 1878, Tunstall arrived at his little ranch following a disappointing trip to South Springs Ranch, hoping that John Chisum would assist in the form of riders. He was counting on John’s help, hoping it would detour any violence from the Dolan faction. Tunstall informed Widenmann upon his arrival that he did not want a fight and to not give the other side a reason for violence. Wishing to avoid such a conflict, the following day, around 8 am, Tunstall and his men left for Lincoln. Fred Waite was driving a wagon, and the others - Widenmann, Middleton, Brewer, and Billy were on horseback. Going with them was a small herd of six horses and two mules.

Two hours after the departure of Tunstall and his men, the posse led by Mathews arrived at the Choza. Left behind was the cook, Gauss. Gauss was harmless, and being an older man, it was assumed that he would not be harmed. Gauss later testified that upon their arrival, “I gave them something to eat, or rather they helped themselves to what they wanted.” 

After the party ate, Dolan picked out the men he wished to pursue after the Tunstall party. Gauss also testified to hearing Morton cry, “Hurry up boys, my knife is sharp, and I feel like scalping someone. They were all excited and seemed as though they were going to kill someone.”

Now better known as the Flying H, the main entrance is north of highway 82, twelve miles east of Elk.

(Photos were taken by Josh Slatten in 2001. Sadly the structure has since been destroyed.)