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Mayor By Intimidation
- After terrorizing opponents, Cottrell ran for mayor and used intimidation to secure unanimous support at first.
- He then installed drinking pals as deputies who acted as a private goon squad for the town.
Public Intimidation And Drunken Rampages
- Cottrell and his gang forced people to dance at gunpoint and shot up bars while drunk.
- His unpredictable violence extended to public spectacles that terrorized daily life.
Local Power Enables Lawlessness
- Cedar Key tolerated Cottrell because isolation and local power structures let violence substitute for law.
- His status and family connections normalized his behavior until federal attention intervened.