Frontier killings mostly erupted from trivial saloon disputes, not deep grievances

Evidence

Nearly all the shooting affrays arise from the most trivial causes in saloons and bar-rooms. The deeper quarrels, arising from jealousy or revenge, are few, and are usually about some woman not worth fighting for. — Isabella L. Bird, A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains, 198

Categorization

• FICTION: The idea that lethal violence is triggered by a bumped shoulder or a careless word rather than real hatred is a strong tension source for a Western-set story, where the pettiness makes the death feel more absurd.