History with Phil: Frontier justice in the American West

George Parrott, better known as “Big Nose George,” was one of the most notorious outlaws of the American West, whose life and death became legendary for both his criminal exploits and the macabre treatment of his remains. Born in 1834, in Montbéliard, France, Parrott immigrated to the United States, eventually settling in Wyoming and Montana, where he became involved in cattle rustling, train robberies, and highway theft.

Parrott’s criminal activities reached a peak in 1878 when he participated in a failed attempt to rob a Union Pacific train near Medicine Bow, Wyoming. The robbery went awry, leading to a deadly confrontation with law enforcement. Deputy Sheriff Robert Widdowfield and Union Pacific Detective Tip Vincent were ambushed and killed by Parrott’s gang. The brazen murders prompt