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Lawman: The Life and Times of Harry Morse, 1835-1912. By John Boessenecker. (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1998. xviii, 366 pp. $29.95, ISBN 0-8061-3011-3.)
Elected sheriff of California's Alameda County (on the east side of San Francisco Bay) in 1864, young Harry Morse had political qualifications but no experience in law enforcement. According to attorney John Boessenecker, within a few years Morse gained fame by capturing or killing some of the most dangerous outlaws west of the Sierra Nevada, showing bravery and hardihood as well as growing skills in criminal detection. Friendly newspaper editors praised Morse, while his own accounts of encounters with desperate criminals polished his reputation. After fourteen years as county sheriff Morse left public office, founded a highly successful detective agency, and added to his celebrity with exploits such as the capture of Black Bart (Charles...