Gunfights and Brawls
| | Hot Springs Central Avenue Historic District | |
In the late 1800s, gunfights and brawls occurred frequently in downtown Hot Springs. In 1889, five men were killed in a shootout on Central Avenue, just north of Spencers Corner. The Chief of Police was among those killed, and several others were wounded.
Erected by City of Hot Springs.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Law Enforcement. A significant historical date for this entry is March 16, 1899.
Location. 34° 30.597′ N, 93° 3.248′ W. Marker is in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in Garland County. It is on Central Avenue (U.S. 7) just south of Spring Street, on the right when traveling south. The marker is embedded in the sidewalk, beside a streetlamp post. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 726 Central Avenue, Hot Springs National Park AR 71901, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Arkansas’ Ouachita Mountains. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Miss Arkansas Pageant (a few steps from this marker); Bridge Street (within shouting distance of this marker); Jay Hanna Dizzy Dean & Paul Dee Daffy Dean (within shouting distance of this marker); Jimmy Driftwood (within shouting distance of this marker); Chester Lauck & Norris Goff (within shouting distance of this marker); Edward Durell Stone
this page online
Also see . . .
1. Hot Springs Gunfight (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: The spa town of Hot Springs had a long history of illegal gambling, which had developed into frequent violence by the late 19th century. Beginning in the 1870s, two factions the Flynns and the Dorans fought one another for control over the gambling inside the city of Hot Springs. The two factions were involved in numerous gun battles in downtown Hot Springs during the course of that feud.(Submitted on January 6, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)The Hot Springs gunfight, also known as the Gunfight at Hot Springs, or the Hot Springs Shootout, was a series of gunfights on March 16, 1899, between the Hot Springs Police Department and the Garland County Sheriffs Office two separate law enforcement agencies with overlapping jurisdiction in town. Thomas C. Toler was the chief of police during this period. The Hot Springs Police Department had acquired a reputation for enforcing the will of the gambling
factions, often assisting gambling houses with the collection of unpaid debts or forcing unwanted competition to leave town. County Sheriff Bob Williams supported the mayor, William L. Gordon, who ordered Toler to enforce new regulations that would restrict gambling activities.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 14, 20242. Gunfights and Brawls MarkerLooking south along Central Avenue; the marker is beside the streetlamp post. Spencer's Corner is in the left background, at the Bridge Street intersection.As tensions built between the two law enforcement agencies over the proposed crackdown on gambling, there were several heated verbal disputes between law enforcement officers. Although from the outside it would appear that the county sheriff was siding with the mayor to rid Hot Springs of gambling, in reality the clash was ultimately over whether the county sheriff's office or the city police department would control the illegal profits.
On March 16, 1899, the conflict erupted with parties from both agencies shooting it out on Central Avenue. Toler was hit twice, killing him. Either shot would have been fatal. When Toler went down, the shooting stopped. Toler, Goslee, and Hinkle lay dead, and Johnny Williams, son of Sheriff Williams, lay dying. Bystander Alan Carter had been wounded by a stray bullet. Hot Springs Detective Jim Hart was shot by both Sheriff Williams and Deputy Will Watt, nephew to Sheriff Williams. By 9:30 p.m., Johnny Williams died, bringing the total to five killed and two wounded.
2. Hot Springs Shootout (Encyclopedia of Arkansas).
Excerpt: The following day, Bob Williams, Ed Spear, Will Watt, and Coffee Williams were charged with murder. All four were arrested but were released on bail. Eventually, Spear and Coffee Williams were found not guilty by reason of self-defense. The trials of Bob Williams and Will Watt ended in hung juries due to conflicting testimonies from witnesses.(Submitted on January 6, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)Although gambling kingpin Frank Flynn was run out of Hot Springs by a citizens commission formed by Mayor Gordon, illegal gambling in Hot Springs continued well into the twentieth century, as did corruption in both the Garland County Sheriffs Office and the Hot Springs Police Department.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 6, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 6, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 366 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 6, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
