Truly inconsequential TV western question

[gak]

...but still puzzling. I am wondering, in the "old west," did they really leave a deceased gunman's rig and gun on their grave cross--supposedly out of respect or recognition--if out in the boonies--as shown in old TV yarns? - or was it just liberties taken for TV dramatic effect? (They wouldn't do that would they? ) I'm thinking - perfectly Colt and leather that supposedly took a cowboy many weeks' or months' wages...Would those that placed the guy in the grave really leave the good stuff behind?! Things like this are bothersome--also including leaving otherwise good Winchesters behind in the dust and the dead guys' horses adrift after the gunfight!

[Blaine]

Those shooters would not stay there more than a few minutes after the burial...

[Hobie]

Would you hang $1000 in cash on a gravestone?

[Mescalero]

I would not leave them.

[gak]

If I knew the guy(s) on good terms, I'm sure they would want me or mine to have their stuff...and if not, I wouldn't care

[JerryB]

I have seen that in movies and tv, but I have also seen gunbelts and rifles collected and loaded on horses. I sure wouldn't leave them behind,cause them 'ol corpse sure won't need 'em.

[mikld]

I sincerely doubt if they would hang their foe's guns on a headstone/marker. I'm sure they would make use of all the dead guy's stuff; horse and saddle, guns, grub, pocket watch, chaw, and any pocket money. You know there wasn't a department store or LGS around every corner...

[Griff]

Heck, you'd never know whether that Colt/Winchester/ammo/moneybelt is the one thing that stood between you and certain death. Another reason to "hang" with folks that used the good stuff and took care of it! And if it came to pass that their gear saved your worthless grave-robbin' carcass, then you might wanna hoist one or two in their honor and memory! Otherwise yer a low-down, mangy, thievin' cur!

[gamekeeper]

In ancient times warriors were often buried with their weapons as were some Native Americans, so I suppose dumb as it sounds it could happen, especially if you ended up being buried by Quakers...

I have read that sometimes graves out on the prairie were disguised to stop them being disturbed by Indians.

[gak]

As a symbol of respect/recognition I can see the guy's old gunbelt and hat, devoid of cartridges or gun, at a maximum...if the guy was a friend or other (presumbly!) good guy. Never any hardware.

[L_Kilkenny]

I'm a firm believer in the "spoils of war", betting most were back then too. No $30/month rider was gonna leave anything of value laying in the dirt.

Watching movies and TV or reading books we come to think that most people were found after being killed by BG's, indians or nature but in reality it seems many were just swallowed up and never heard from again. Bad guy or good, a lot of lone riders left a lot of good stuff laying on the dirt after their demise. Betting a lot of it is still there in some very horrific condition.

[Old Savage]

Well, Stew Beard - Andy D wanted to be cremated with a bottle of Jack Daniels but ... they said no accelerants in the crematorium. Guns on the grave - not likely.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I often thought,as I watched Gunsmoke on TV, I bet Matt Dillon has a huge collection of guns!!!

[gak]

Just saw a Rifleman where Lucas mowed down three escaped convicts in the toolies and very likely left behind three perfectly good Model 92s with the bodies. Often wondered why he too didn't have quite the collection of nice levers and Colts from his many "efforts" His fancy 92 must've been down occasionally, but I never heard him mention a back-up 44-40, and certainly never a revolver. How about one for son Mark? 'Tiz a puzzlement I tell ya! (Yeah I know, it's just a 26 minute TV show - but you get invested in these things!)

[Mescalero]

I do'nt.

[piller]

In war, if your firearm is messing up, and someone is killed, it is common for the living soldier to pick up the better firearm and continue the fight. Why then would this not carry over to the situation in the Westerns? Were I a $30 a month cowhand, and a deceased co-worker owned a good firearm, I would not let it stay to rust. If nothing else, the items which could be sold should be and the money sent to the nearest living relative. Or, as Jeremiah Johnson did, take the better firearm and continue to carve out the frontier.

[bdhold]

I think they took his boots and hat, too.

at the very least, living from a horse, you could think of a dozen situations where all this stuff would come in handy

[FWiedner]

If it were laying there as a discard, I'd probably claim a good working firearm.

If the deceased had a next of kin, there's a right thing to do.