By GEORGE, This Is A HANDy Historical Document!

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WHISKEY, SIX-GUNS & RED-LIGHT LADIES: George Hand's Saloon Diary, Tucson, 1875-1878
edited by Neil Carmony
copyright: 1994
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The miner, Civil War soldier, butcher, Saloon-keeper and night watchman, GEORGE HAND, kept a diary throughout most of his adult life. This book includes all of the entries from his Tucson, Arizona, saloon-keeping years of 1875 through 1878, as well as his separate "obituary" sections encompassing the years '72 through '87. Don't let the cheesy, unfortunate title fool you, WHISKEY, SIX-GUNS & RED-LIGHT LADIES is an absolute gem! This really is a Five-Star, must-own book for anyone interested in American West history! 
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Through HAND's day-by-day observations, we get an extraordinarily clear picture of life in the untamed Southwest territory of the 1800s. The Old West comes vibrantly alive as this common working-man records his unvarnished impressions of what was then an unruly outpost on the frontier. WHISKEY, SIX-GUNS & RED-LIGHT LADIES is far from being a dry cataloging of names and events because the effervescent and humorously ironic personality of GEORGE HAND weaves wit and fascinating details into the simple diary, thus exhibiting for us the many textures of real Western life. The dust, heat, danger, boredom, "romance" and hardship of the authentic Wild West are on display on nearly every page. For example: 
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1875, JUNE 21. "...Cockeyed Jones left for Sonora -- what for, no one knows, not even himself." 
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SEPT. 30. "...Bedford was drunk all day -- he talked several men nearly to death." 
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1876, JAN. 27. "...In the evening I had a singing match with Morgan, with McDermott critic and sufferer. It was decided in my favor." 
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JUNE 25. "...The church was busy today. All the whores in town went to get Holy Water and pray off the sins of yesterday." 
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JULY 9. "...I took a bath, changed clothes, and feel tip-top for one who has been drunk for 6 years." 
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1877, JAN. 7. "...Mollie Monroe was arrested for wearing men's clothes and put in jail." 
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JUNE 19. "...A new law firm has been established -- Clark & McDermott. Principal business -- drinking whiskey." 
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JULY 5. "Very dull today. All the boys have the blues." 
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SEPT. 3. "...Stage came -- very little mail. Sorghum Smith arrived with his horse Pumpkins. Very windy and dusty today... got drunk today, the first time in my life." 
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OCT. 4. "...I went to bed at 9:30 -- slept very little -- the streets were full of barking dogs and drunken whores." 
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1878, MAR. 7. "...I raised the flag to the masthead in honor of the birthday of a celebrated old pisser named George Hand -- 48 years old. A few less than three thousand people have asked why the flag was up, but they all went away as wise as when they came." 
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NOV. 26. "...Took a walk with McKey to see a young lady -- we 'saw' her." 
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I find it particularly fascinating when GEORGE HAND mentions well-known historical events which were contemporary to his time. For example, in one place he mentions a telegram informing them of General George Custer's death at Little Bighorn in Montana, and in another, he notes the trouble in nearby Tombstone and the revenge taken upon Frank Stillwell for the killing of Morgan Earp. His corpse having been discovered on a Tucson railroad track, Hand comments, "Frank Stillwell was shot all over, the worst shot-up man that I ever saw." 
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WHISKEY, SIX-GUNS & RED-LIGHT LADIES includes very informative commentary by editor Neil Carmony, an extensive index, and wonderful old photographs showing some of the places and characters mentioned by GEORGE HAND in his diary. While moral flaws of his society (and occasionally even his own character) are exposed in HAND's writing, virtually every American West history buff will find this book thoroughly entertaining, enlightening, and indispensable! 
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The next time you're out Tucson-way, be sure to visit GEORGE HAND. I'm sure he'd love to have you stop by and say hello. His wild Western life behind him now, he resides peacefully on North Oracle Road at the Evergreen Cemetery.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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