Wiley Ulysses Lynn (May 28, 1888 – July 17, 1932) was an American prohibition agent during the early 20th century, best known for having killed legendary lawman Bill Tilghman, on November 1, 1924, in Cromwell, Oklahoma.
For a number of years, Lynn worked deals with bootleggers and other illegal factions, keeping them out of jail in exchange for money paid to him.
In 1915, he co-wrote, directed, and starred in the film The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws, which dramatized the law enforcement activities of Tilghman and the other members of the Three Guardsmen, which included Heck Thomas and Chris Madsen.
On November 1, 1924, Tilghman was seated inside Murphy's Café with a friend and his Deputy Marshal, Hugh Sawyer.
Wiley Lynn then fled the scene, turning himself in at the Federal District Headquarters in Holdenville, Oklahoma, pleading self defense.
However, Deputy Marshal Sawyer was inexperienced, and froze when the shot was fired, watching Lynn as he fled, then going to Tilghman's aid.
To make matters worse for the prosecution, Deputy Marshal Hugh Sawyer, whether he was coerced or incompetent, testified that he could not see clearly as to what actually happened.
Wiley Lynn survived the trial, and amazingly continued to work in his prohibition agent position for a very short time, but eventually lost his job.
Lynn entered the Corner Drug Store, intoxicated, where Long was visiting with stock buyer Bill Baker, and the local undertaker Paul Watts.
Despite Lynn having his pistol pointed at Long, the latter drew his own gun and the two men fired simultaneously, with witnesses saying it sounded like only one shot, despite there having been two.
By that time, the store owners Forney Keller and Jack Blalock had fled, and patron Knute Turley had dropped to his hands and knees crawling outside.
Rody Watkins and John Hilburn, two young men who were standing at the soda fountain, were both hit by the bullet fired by Wiley Lynn, which had passed through the body of Crockett Long.
Wiley Lynn staggered out of the store and across the street to a service station, where citizen Clyde Lewis took him to a doctor.