This Infamous Wild West Outlaw Caused Controversy At Teddy Roosevelt’s Inaugural Parade

The crowd is enjoying a fine day as it waits for the inauguration of Theodore Roosevelt for his second spell as president of the United States. But as they sit in the March 1905 sunshine, a whisper of disbelief starts to spread. A figure is riding in the parade that nobody can have expected.

Astride his warhorse comes an outlaw instantly recognizable to everyone in the crowd. But why has the president invited such a controversial figure to take part in his inauguration? After all, the days of the American frontier are not over, and many remember the bloody struggles in which this fearsome fighter took part. 

One year previously, Roosevelt had beaten out Democrat Alton B. Parker in the race to become leader of the United States. And in keeping with his personality, he had planned a theatrical inauguration to mark the occasion. But it wasn’t the brass bands or the cowboys that would draw the biggest applause.

That honor, reports claim, was reserved for an infamous Wild West outlaw known throughout the New World. As Roosevelt himself cheered, though, many questioned the presence of a man who was technically a prisoner of war. So what is the story behind this controversial parade and the figure who took center stage?

When Roosevelt was first inaugurated back in 1901, of course, the ceremony was a far more somber affair. On September 6, President William McKinley had been shot while making an appearance in Buffalo, New York. And although officials initially expected him to pull through, he died from his injuries just eight days later.