Purported to be (from an excellent historical source) Irish American gunfighter/gambler James (Jim) Levy or Leavey. Some called him Jewish but that has never been proved. He is featured in Robert K. DeArment's book "Deadly Dozen" as one of the 12 underrated and least known of the Old West gunfighters. He was born in 1842 and was killed in 1882. He traveled in the West in Nevada, Wyoming, Deadwood South Dakota, Colorado and Arizona (including Tombstone). Both Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson knew him and mentioned him. He was known to have taken part in two quick draw duels in the 1870's. He is also suspected as having been involved in at least 16 gun fights in his life. In 1882, in Tucson, he got into a dispute with a faro dealer by the name of John Murphy. The two agreed to a duel but Murphy chickened out and, with two friends, ambushed Levy and murdered him. Two, including Murphy were caught and found innocent in California (OF COURSE!) and the third, a man by the name of Moyer was convicted and sentenced to life. He was pardoned later and released in 1888. Although virtually unknown today, Levey was one of the most notorious gunfighters at the time. The other man is identified as one of his lawyers in Deadwood, D.T. He used many in his carrier.
