Not so wild Wild, the West. Was Wild West That Wild? – RDR2 vs Facts
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Let's refute the first myth – the Wild West was not that wild. It was a much calmer place than the westerns try to convince us. Even the biggest criminals or law enforcement officers of that time usually greatly exaggerated, telling of their epic exploits – attributing to themselves murders and crimes which they had never committed. Billy the Kid killed less than 10 people in reality, whereas he claimed it was more than 20. Wild Bill Hickok didn't kill more than ten people, although he claimed he'd parted a 100 souls with this world, and Jessie James made extra sure to leave letters for the press that would ensure the crimes were linked to him.
In these more civilized cities, the centers of pastoral life, at the end of the XIX century, there were, on average, 0.6 murders per year. In Dodge City, Ellsworth and Tombstone records were set at 5-6 murders a year. It was a bit more dangerous in the countries down at the border, or near settlements and mines, or railway construction camps, where the ban on carrying guns wasn't that strict. The death toll was similar there, but happened among a smaller number of residents. Meanwhile, authorities of Los Angeles in 2017 called it a success when 282 people were murdered in the year (63% were associated with gang violence). Of course, modern Los Angeles is a gigantic metropolis in comparison to cities that used to exist in the Wild West, but this analogy may stimulate our imagination and provide a good example of how it was back then.
Bank fortresses
Whether in a serious movie or in the Dalton brothers' comic books, one of the most frequently used western motives is bank robbery. Masked bandits burst into the room, terrorize everyone around and run away with bags full of money, blindly shooting in random directions to frighten all witnesses. Obviously, such a scene was included in Red Dead Redemption 2, and the publisher encouraged gamers to purchase a special edition with an additional mission, in which you can rob another bank. However, if Dutch's gang members had enough brain cells in their heads and the game wanted to be more authentic – they would certainly drop such a heist. Wild West banks were the last places where criminals would want to get rich!
According to historians, there have been about eight bank robberies in fifteen states for almost the entire second half of the 19th century, that is, in a period of 40 years. In small towns, banks were a central point and usually were located in the same complex of buildings as the shop and sheriff's office. It was extremely difficult to get in and out of the bank without nodding to the law enforcement officers (to say 'hi'), which made the robberies incredibly risky and unprofitable. If someone has decided to make this type of robbery, he has gone down in history – both in books and pop culture. Butch Cassidy or Jesse James are great examples of such individuals.
For comparison, in 2016 there were 3,733 bank robberies in the USA and 343 attacks on Credit Unions. The increase from initial eight robberies in 40 years to more than four thousand in a year may indicate a serious problem and seems significant. Especially considering that the population in the USA only quadrupled between 1890 and 2016.
Bandits usually chose much "safer" targets, such as trains or stagecoaches, often secluded and wandering alone on the route. The spectacular jumps from a rushing horse to a riding train, also present in Red Dead Redemption 2, are just a Hollywood invention. The bandits boarded the train as ordinary passengers and waited for the right moment. Sometimes they've blocked the rail tracks somewhere in the middle of nowhere, forcing the train to stop. This is where the game scores a point, because Dutch's gang has selected this second option in the real life. Gangs of Butch Cassidy and Jesse James were also famous for robbing trains.
AN UNLUCKY BANK IN NORTHFIELD
On September 7, 1876, eight members of the James-Younger gang (including the famous Jesse James – his face is on a miniature) entered Northfield to rob the First National Bank. Three bandits went in the bank, the rest stayed outside on a watch. Employees refused to give away any money, and one of staff members has paid for it with his life. However, the local shopkeeper noticed some commotion and suspicious people around the bank. He quickly raised an alarm, and ordinary residents of the town rushed for their weapons (as we remember – stored in designated places).
The spontaneous "social" defense of the bank has begun. In a shooting that lasted about seven minutes, two bandits and one civilian were killed. The rest of the gang members fled away and the law enforcement officers started the greatest manhunt in the history of the United States. Jesse James didn't get caught, but it was the end of the James-Younger gang. The people of Northfield continue to celebrate the day when Jessie James gang was defeated. It's a sort of annual holiday. During the celebrations you can witness a reconstruction of those events, take part in a rodeo or attend a concert.
