The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-19

passing through partition, killed Fan
ny keenan,, a variety actress who was
in bed in an adjoining room.
Kennedy headed south for his Texas
ranch, but he took a flask along with
him and got so drunk that he made
slow progress that night, with the re-
suit that MaStersCn, who was notified
and got out of bed and followed, had
no difficulty in making circuit and
getting ahead of the murderer. Master
son took no posse; that wasn't his way
of doing things. He merely slung his
needle gun over his shoulder, slipped a
couple of six-shooters into his belt, and
jumping astraddle of his horse, started.
At noon the next day he struck the
road Kennedy was travelling, as he be-
lieved, and judging he was ahead of his
man, tied his horse in Il rayine End
waited in the road for the murderer to
appear. He hadn't long to wait, not
more than half or three quarters of an
hour, when he saw horseman in the
distance, who on coming near proved to
be Kennedy. Masterson waited till he
was within hai1ing distance, and COW
ering him, ordered him to throw down
his gun. Kennedy, who was prepared
for just such an emergency by carrying
his gun across his lap, responded by
cutting loose at the officer, but he EVIL
IDENTIFY hadn't counted on that charm
that always made the first shot miss
when aimed at Masterson, or the liquor
in him or something else in him un-
steadied his nerve, for at all events the
shot missed, and the murderous half
breed tumbled off his horse dead before
he could fire again. Bat hired the
nearest settler to haul the body back
TO town.
The Kennedy incident was the last in
which Masterson was called upon TO
take human life in the capacity of sher-
iff. His second term of office expired in
1880, and the statute prohibiting sher-
iff to serve more than two terms con-
secutiyely, he once more became a pri-
vate citizen, but not without the re-
greet of every aw-abiding inhabitant of
Ford county, for during his official ca
reer he more than exceeded the ante
election expectations which gave him
practically the solid vote of the county
when it was first proposed to run him.
and it is a matter of pride with every
cid timer of that locality to-day that
the cowboys never won a fight in Dodge
while MaSterson was sheriff.
In 1881 Masterson went to Tombstone,
Ariz.. and soon after his arrival there
received a telegram from his brother
Jim that he had gotten into trouble
with a saloonkeeper named Peacock
and his bartender named Ubdergraff.
They had sent word they intended to
XIII him ana taken
shot at him. Bat jumped on a train
and started back. On the way il leak
out that Masterson was on his way
back to Dodge 10 make fight. and
the news was telegraphed ahead to
Dodge. Peacock and Ubdergraff. hear
ing Bat was coming. prepared TO meet
him in the public square, which. as
everybody knows who has ever been to
Dodge City, lies between the town and
the railway station. The whole town
was soon excited with the news and
the inhabitants turned out to see the
fun. Bat stepped off the train and
started across the square. Peacock and
| Uhdergraff met him halfway and OPP
/ ened fire. Peacock was badly fright
I ened and fired wild. but Ubdergraff
/ shot straight. and the ball whistled un-
pleasantly close to Bats ear. Again,
/ however. the first shot failed to do the
/ work. and then II was Bats turn, and
+ the distempered bartender fell. shot
I through and through. Bat fired for the
/ heart. but the ball struck rib and
T drove a piece of it clean through the
7 lung Peacock lost his nerve and dodg-
ed behind music stand in the center
j of the square. Reaching out 10 see II
j the enemy were pursuing, Peacock