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Brandon, Whitey

Bank robber and gambler in the Arizona Territory in the 1870s.[1] (July 13, 1841 – December 10, 1877)[2]

On May 8, 1872, Brandon robbed a bank in Dry Springs, Arizona Territory with Lefty Dolan, Ben Maxwell and Rex Clark. The four men wore bandanas to cover their faces, but Dolan's fell off and his face was seen by witnesses at the scene. All four escaped, but Jed Ferris, a new-comer in Dry Springs and also left-handed as Dolan was, was mistakenly identifed as the man who shot and killed a bank teller during the robbery. Ferris was sentenced to life in prison.[1]

Five years later, Dolan was mortally shot during a stage robbery in Wyoming Territory. While he was dying, he confessed his crime to Bret Maverick and made him promise to do whatever he could to see that Ferris was cleared of the murder charge and set free, but Dolan refused to name his partners in the crime.[1]

In December of 1877, Bret learned he was playing poker with Brandon and Clark, and confronted Clark after the game. Brandon interrupted the confrontation, resulting in a gun fight. Brandon accidentally shot and killed Clark and fled the scene, apparently running for the Mexican border.[1]

Bret tracked Brandon to Dry Springs, where he realized that he wasn't running for the border, but was trying to meet up with Maxwell. Bret cornered Brandon in Maxwells' barn and tried to force him to sign a confession that would clear Ferris of the bank teller's murder. But before he could sign the paper, Maxwell appeared and shot Brandon dead.[1]

See: The Long Hunt