After the war, Coe drifted through Texas, becoming friends with gunfighter
Bill Longley, and learning to gamble from gunman Ben Thompson, with whom he had served in Mexico. He then settled in
Salina, Kansas, where he became a
saloon owner and talented gambler. In May 1871, Coe became Ben Thompson's business partner in Abilene, managing the popular ''
Bull's Head Saloon''. They outraged the townspeople of Abilene by painting a bull, complete with an
erection on the outside wall of his tavern. He got to know many of the Old West's leading figures, including
John Wesley Hardin and Abilene's town
marshal,
Wild Bill Hickok. Coe took an immediate dislike to Hickok, while Ben Thompson usually got along with him. On October 5, 1871, Hickok stood off a crowd alone following a street brawl. Phil Coe was in the crowd and shot twice at Hickok, missing him both times. Hickok fired back, seriously wounding Coe. However, Hickok also mistakenly shot and killed his deputy, Mike Williams, who was running to his aid. Williams was due to return to
Kansas City that night. This fatal accident haunted Hickok for the rest of his life. Phil Coe lingered for several days, before dying on October 9, 1871. He would be Hickok's last known killing. Coe's body was taken to
Brenham, Texas, where he had relatives. He was buried there in Prairie Lea Cemetery. ==References==