John Morco

Who was John Morco?

John Morco, usually known as "Happy Jack" Morco was an alleged gunman by his own accounts as well as a corrupt lawman of the Old West, most notably during the wildest days of the cattletown Ellsworth, Kansas.

Morco is believed to have been born in the east, possibly in New York, venturing west some time around 1866. Morco first traveled to California, where he became known for his drunken brawls and boasting. Morco is believed to have killed four men in saloon brawls during that time, reportedly with all of the men being unarmed. However, there is little way of confirming that. In around 1870, Morco turned up in Ellsworth, Kansas, then a bustling boomtown due to the cattle industry. Boasting of having killed twelve men in gunfights, Morco was hired by the local police force, which at the time was in desperate need of good men. The hiring of Morco would be a mistake that they would later regret. The remaining members of the police force included Ed Hogue and Ed Crawford, both equally as corrupt and both bullies.