Charlie Storms
Childhood
Charles Spencer Storms was born in 1823 in New York. Limited information exists about his childhood years, though public records confirm his New York origins. Historical accounts place him in California during the Gold Rush of 1849, a fact documented in the Tombstone Epitaph and corroborated by the 1852 California state census for Sacramento, which lists a 29-year-old "Chas. S. Storms" as a laborer born in New York who had previously resided in Mexico.
Career
Charlie Storms established himself as a professional gambler during the 1870s, traveling extensively throughout the American West to pursue gambling opportunities. His itinerant lifestyle took him to numerous frontier towns, including Deer Lodge, Virginia City, Leadville, Dodge City, and Deadwood.
Storms developed a reputation not only as a skilled gambler but also as a proficient gunman. Historical accounts suggest he was involved in at least three shooting incidents during his gambling career, contributing to his notorious reputation in Western saloons and gambling establishments.
After leaving El Paso, Texas, in early 1881, Storms arrived in Tombstone, Arizona. He quickly became a familiar figure in local saloons, particularly frequenting establishments where he could engage in gambling activities.
Personal life
Records indicate that Storms was married to Mary Storms, born at sea according to the 1870 Census. The census documents show the couple living in San Francisco, sharing a household with two brothers, Henry and George Goodman, aged 24 and 16, respectively, who may have been Mary's sons from a previous marriage. Following Charlie's death in 1881, Mary continued living in San Francisco until her death on November 24, 1903, at the University Mound Ladies Home, an assisted-care facility for elderly women. She was 84 years old at the time of her passing.
Interesting facts
When Jack McCall murdered Wild Bill Hickok in Deadwood, South Dakota, Storms was reportedly in town simultaneously. Rumors circulated that he had stolen one of Hickok's pistols as a souvenir, though this claim was never substantiated.
Storms' death became notable in medical history when Dr. George E. Goodfellow, who examined his body, discovered that the bullet that killed him had wrapped itself in silk from Storms' handkerchief. This observation led Goodfellow to begin experimenting with the first designs for bullet-resistant clothing made of multiple layers of silk.
According to Bat Masterson, who knew both Storms and his killer Luke Short, Storms had "successfully defended himself several times with his pistol" throughout his life as a gambler and gunfighter.
Legacy
Charlie Storms met his end in a notorious gunfight on February 25, 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona. After drinking heavily all night and making rude remarks to faro dealer Luke Short at the Oriental Saloon, a confrontation ensued. Despite Bat Masterson's attempt to defuse the situation by escorting Storms outside, Storms returned shortly thereafter and drew his pistol. Short responded by firing twice at point-blank range into Storms' chest, killing him instantly. The bullets tore through Storms' heart and set his shirt on fire.
During the subsequent hearing, Masterson testified that Short had acted in self-defense, leading to Short's release from custody.
Storms' legacy is primarily a historical footnote in the annals of frontier gambling and Western gunfighters. His fatal miscalculation in confronting Luke Short serves as a cautionary tale from the violent gambling culture of the American frontier.
Frequently asked Questions
Charlie Storms was a professional gambler and gunfighter of the American Old West, born in 1823 in New York. He traveled extensively throughout Western towns during the 1870s, gaining a reputation as both a skilled gambler and a capable gunman. He is most remembered for being killed in a gunfight with Luke Short in Tombstone, Arizona in 1881.
Charlie Storms died on February 25, 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona, after a confrontation with faro dealer Luke Short. Following a night of drinking and after making rude remarks to Short, Storms drew his pistol on Short, who responded by firing twice at point-blank range into Storms' chest. The shots tore through Storms' heart, killing him instantly. The shooting was later ruled self-defense.
No, Charlie Storms was not related to Wild Bill Hickok. However, historical accounts place Storms in Deadwood, South Dakota at the time of Hickok's murder by Jack McCall in 1876. Unsubstantiated rumors suggest that Storms may have stolen one of Hickok's pistols as a souvenir following his death.
Charlie Storms exemplified the professional gambler archetype of the American Old West. While not as famous as contemporaries like Wild Bill Hickok or Bat Masterson, he represents the dangerous intersection of gambling, gunfighting, and frontier justice that characterized Western saloons and gambling establishments during the latter half of the 19th century.
According to available records, Charlie Storms was born in 1823 and died in 1881. However, some newspaper accounts at the time suggested he was around 60 years old.
