One of the most violent feuds of the American West—more violent than the Lincoln County War, the Johnson County War, the El Paso Salt War, and the genocidal Graham-Tewskbury Feud—was the Botas and Guaraches (or Boots and Sandals) rivalry. It was at its bloodiest on April 7, 1886 following elections in Laredo. The U.S. Army was summoned from nearby Fort McIntosh to halt the bloodshed.  At least sixteen and perhaps as many as thirty citizens were killed.  With this book, Thompson filled a gap in the history of South Texas by exploring the power struggle and corruption that fueled the conflict.

El Paso:  Texas Western Press, 1991. 1st edition.  218 pages. Hardcover book with dustjacket, both in FINE condition.