Each century has its folk figures in which villainy and heroism combine to produce larger than life individuals who then become part of American history and legend celebrated in song and story. This is particularly true of the western United States in the 19th century when the restless expansion of a growing nation was reflected in an era of extreme individualism. This was not only the time of Horatio Alger's "rags to riches" sagas but also a time when violence was seen as another way of achieving material success. By its very nature the American West attracted men (and some women) who...