Riverside County Archives - Destination4x4

Incident Overview

On May 11, 1943, a fatal gunfight occurred in what is now Joshua Tree National Park, near the county line between San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, California. The incident involved William (Bill) F. Keys, a cattle rancher and miner, and Worth Bagley, a former deputy sheriff and neighboring rancher. The conflict resulted in Bagley’s death, with Keys claiming he acted in self-defense.

William F. Keys reenacts the scene of the fatal shooting of Worth Bagley – Photo NPS

Background

William F. Keys and Worth Bagley were neighbors engaged in a long-standing feud over a property line dispute and Keys’ use of a road on the contested land. The disagreement had escalated over time, creating significant tension between the two men. Bagley, leveraging his past experience as a deputy sheriff in Los Angeles County, was known to be assertive, while Keys, aged 63 at the time, was a well-established rancher in the region.

Details of the Gunfight

Date and Location: May 11, 1943, on or near Bagley’s property in the Joshua Tree area.

Events Leading Up to the Incident: The exact circumstances immediately preceding the shooting are not fully detailed in available records, but the ongoing property dispute was the primary catalyst. The confrontation likely occurred when Keys and Bagley encountered each other, possibly during a heated exchange over the disputed road or land boundaries.

The Shooting: According to Keys, Bagley posed an immediate threat, prompting Keys to shoot him in self-defense. The precise sequence of events, including who initiated the confrontation or whether Bagley was armed, remains unclear from available sources. Bagley was fatally wounded and died at the scene.

Aftermath: Hours after the shooting, Keys turned himself in to law enforcement in Twentynine Palms, California, asserting that he acted to protect himself. The legal outcome of the case is not specified in the provided records, but Keys’ decision to surrender suggests he sought to justify his actions through the legal system.

Investigation and Legal Context

Law Enforcement Response: Local authorities in Twentynine Palms processed Keys’ surrender and likely conducted an investigation into the shooting. Given the self-defense claim, the investigation would have focused on corroborating evidence, such as witness statements, the presence of weapons, and the physical scene.

Historical Context: The incident occurred in a remote, rugged area during a time when disputes over land and resources were common in rural regions. Self-defense claims in such conflicts were often evaluated based on limited evidence and the credibility of the individuals involved.

Analysis

The gunfight reflects the challenges of resolving property disputes in sparsely populated areas with limited law enforcement presence. The feud between Keys and Bagley underscores how personal animosities, combined with competing economic interests, could escalate to violence. Keys’ claim of self-defense suggests he perceived a credible threat, but without detailed records of the investigation or trial (if one occurred), it is difficult to assess the validity of his account.

The incident also highlights the cultural and legal norms of the era, where individuals often relied on personal means to settle disputes, sometimes with deadly outcomes. The lack of clarity in the historical record about the legal consequences for Keys indicates either a resolution in his favor or minimal public documentation of the case.

Conclusion

The gunfight between William F. Keys and Worth Bagley on May 11, 1943, was a tragic outcome of a prolonged property dispute in the Joshua Tree region. Keys’ self-defense claim and subsequent surrender to authorities suggest he sought to justify his actions, but the absence of comprehensive records limits a full understanding of the event. This incident serves as a case study of how personal and economic conflicts in rural settings could lead to fatal confrontations, shaped by the social and legal dynamics of the time.

“Back in the 1960s. Desert Magazine published a letter by a person who claimed to have found Peg Legs Lost Gold or treasure in the Colorado Desert. Interesting, was the fact that the writer included some sample gold nuggets with his letters. The nuggets were coated with a black coating that seemed to match the original legend, Numerous letters were exchanged between the “finder”, the “doubters”, and “interested others”. Some even though is was a second mine owned by the Peralta Family with the Lost Dutchman in Arizona.”

A folder of Desert Magazine Articles about Peg Legs Lost Treasure given to me by my dad.

This message was scribbled by my dad, on the outside of a manilla folder, which contained numerous articles from Desert Magazine on the Lost Treasure of Peg Leg Smith. At the time of Publication in 1965, my dad loved exploring the desert southwest in his International Scout, and like many others, collect magazine articles on places to explore. This is how I learned about the Lost Peg Leg Treasure.

Peg Leg Smith
(1801–1866)

Thomas L. Smith, widely known as “Peg Leg” Smith, was an American mountain man, trapper, explorer, and storyteller who became a legendary figure of the American West. Born in Crab Orchard, Kentucky, in 1801, Smith’s life was characterized by adventure, resilience, and a penchant for tall tales, which helped cement his place in frontier folklore.

Early Life and Career

Little is known about Smith’s early years, but by his late teens, he had ventured westward, drawn by the opportunities of the burgeoning fur trade. He joined trapping expeditions in the Rocky Mountains and quickly developed a reputation as a skilled trapper and resourceful frontiersman. However, his life took a dramatic turn when, during an expedition, he lost part of his leg in a skirmish with Native Americans or possibly from an infection after an accident (accounts vary). Undeterred, Smith fashioned a wooden prosthetic leg, earning him the nickname “Peg Leg.”

Gold and Storytelling

A Map of Henry E. W. Wilsons search area published in Desert Magazine

In the 1830s and 1840s, Smith shifted his focus from trapping to guiding and trading with Native American tribes. By the 1850s, he had gained notoriety for his tales of adventure and his claims of discovering a rich gold deposit in Southern California’s Colorado Desert. According to his story, Smith stumbled upon a series of gold-laden black rocks while traveling through the region. Unable to carry much, he filled his bandana with the gold nuggets which were laying on the ground. He marked the location mentally, intending to return later. Despite numerous attempts by others to find this so-called “Peg Leg Mine,” its exact location remains one of the enduring mysteries of the West.

Smith capitalized on his fame by entertaining travelers and settlers with his colorful storytelling, often exaggerating or inventing details to captivate his audience. He operated trading posts and was known for his charisma and humor, though some viewed him as a conman who exploited the gullibility of gold-seekers.

Later Years and Death

As the West grew more settled, Smith’s lifestyle became increasingly precarious. He spent his later years wandering between towns and trading posts, regaling listeners with his tales and living off their generosity. He died in 1866 near San Bernardino, California, reportedly from complications related to his leg or alcoholism.

Peg Leg Smith is remembered as a symbol of the adventurous and often eccentric spirit of the Old West. His name remains associated with the fabled Lost Peg Leg Mine, which continues to intrigue treasure hunters and historians. Annual events and gatherings, such as the Peg Leg Smith Liars’ Contest held in Borrego Springs, California, celebrate his legacy as one of the West’s most colorful characters.

Smith’s life, blending fact and fiction, captures the essence of a time when the American frontier was a land of boundless opportunity, danger, and mystery.

Desert Magazine March 1965

In March, 1965, Desert Magazine published a letter from one of their subscribers, who claimed to have found Peg Legs Lost Gold. To add some gravitas to the claim, the author included several gold nuggets tarnished with a dark desert varnish, which matches the claims for Peg Leg Smith from over one hundred and thirty years prior.

Dear Desert Editor:

Although the enclosed story has no byline, I believe it and the photographs will be of interest to you. After you have read the story, you will understand why the reasons for my remaining anonymous are too obvious to enumerate.

You have my full permission to publish the story and this letter if you wish. They may be of minor interest to the readers of Desert Magazine.

More important, I am also enclosing two of the Peg Leg’s nuggets. One is still black, exactly as found, and the other has had the black copper oxides removed by the process mentioned in the story and is now native “gold” in color. You will have these nuggets to show one and all who have doubted the story of Peg Leg’s black nuggets. You may keep them with my compliments for Desert Magazine’s collection of desert artifacts, in this case you can start a new collection of items from lost mines that have been found.

Very sincerely yours,

The Man Who Found
Peg Leg’s Black Gold

The author of the article mentions that he spent six days out at the site of the Lost Gold and removed about 720 ounces of nuggets. He claimed that all of the easy gold was removed by him and that he was sure other gold existed below the reach of his metal detectors.

For the next ten years articles and letters are published in Desert Magazine debating the claim along with reassertions of his claims.

No matter what your thoughts are on the story of Peg Legs Lost Treasure, it is without a doubt, that the lure of blacked gold nuggets just laying about on the desert floor near the Salton Sea is without doubt.

Tag: Riverside County

Report on the Gunfight Involving William F. Keys