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376 “Hardin was a born leader of men, whether for good or evil, and had it not been for the unfortunate surroundings of his boyhood days, would undoubtedly have made a mark in civil life.” Publishers Smith & Moore, 1896 drian D. Storms, the El Paso County Attorney, kept notebooks concerning his business matters and on August 20 went to Thomas Powell’s funeral parlor with two friends, Maurice McKillegon and Joseph Woodson, to look at the body of John Wesley Hardin. With a tape measure he and Powell took measurements, and noted: “Bullet hole in back of head was even in heighth [sic] with large cavity of right ear and 3 ¼ in[ch] from edge of rim of right ear. Bullet hole in left eye between eye brow and edge of eye lid and at the extreme left of eye lid.” Storms sketched in his notebook the brow, the closed eye, and the bullet hole, and continued: “Bullet hole just 9 in. from base of neck and about 1 ½ in. from back bone on right side . . . and just at right of right nipple where Powell said drs. Said it went in. Another through right arm. Drs. Said it went in back side. It was in back of arm 10 in. from point of elbo[w] and on front side 8 ½ in. from front of elbo[w].” This he also sketched.1 Hardin was dead on the floor the night of August 19. The following day the corpse was delivered to the funeral parlor where Tom Powell cleaned it up prior to burial. While doing his work “a contraction of the muscles” caused Hardin’s arm to “swing around landing his fist in Powell’s back” as he leaned over the body. A surprised Powell “jumped around” demanding to know who had struck him. Being alone he quickly realized what had happened,.2 On the same day photographer J. C. Burge Chapter 23—The Youngest Brother 377 made at least one image of the deceased, showing the several bullet holes.3 From the photograph one can see that the fatal bullet entered the left eye and then went out the back of the head. The hole is small and neat. Unfortunately Burge did not photograph the back of the head. From examining the death photo and the testimony of witnesses it is clear that Hardin was facing Selman when he was shot. That one shot did the work; the others were added to make sure there was no reaction. When Powell was finished with his work the deceased was placed in a casket with the words “At Rest” on the top. It was transported to Concordia Cemetery where he was buried, only a few feet away from the grave of Martin M’rose. Today one can visit this historic cemetery and stand before the two graves and ponder the ironies, that Hardin had allegedly hired assassins to kill M’rose while having an affair with the man’s wife. Now they rest virtually side by side. M’rose’s headstone, installed many years afterward, has an unusual but simple inscription: “Martin M’Rose/ Polish Cowboy/ Died at the Hands of Others/ June 29, 1895.” Hardin’s headstone informs the observer even less: “John Wesley Hardin/ May 26, 1853/ Aug. 19, 1895.”4 But today Hardin’s grave is covered by a cement slab to deter grave robbers. There are two concrete benches in front of the grave for the viewers to relax and ponder his life. On August 25, 1995, one century and six days after his death, a group from Central Texas traveled to El Paso intending to dig up whatever remains were found and bring them back, with the stated intention of burying Hardin in his “home country.” A phone call to Leon C. Metz alerted friends in El Paso of what was to transpire, and amazingly during the night before the arrival of the would-be grave robbers the headstone was “stolen.” El Paso police were notified of the grave robbery and when the Central Texas delegation arrived crime scene tape surrounded the final resting place of Hardin. The group returned home unhappy and without the remains of anybody. A legal battle lasted for months, resulting in the court’s decision to leave Hardin buried where he was placed a century before. Today, besides the cement slab and the cage protecting the grave, is a state historical marker informing the viewer of the importance of John Wesley 378 Chapter...

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