The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-13
EMOTIONS OF A BAD MAN.
TEARS. FEARS AND CHIVALRY OF MR.
nat MdSTkRSON.

Gsnerout Conduct Toward tho Man for
whom He Destined Fourteen Loads Of
observation-disclosures Shock of Brass
Ring When the had People wept.
GUTHRIE. Oklahoma, Aug. 1.-The South
west has reached reminiscent age. In gen
eral way the professional bad man Is talk ell
about not seen. Probably nowhere are stories
of the old times told oftener than In Oklahoma.
where scores and scores OF men who followed
the frontier In its palniest days now live.
Tales OF Dodge City. Kan. once the paradise
OF tho gambler and the killer. but now town
OF peace and quiet. are most frequently heard.
group Of story tclers were sitting In the
shade the other day talking OF Dodge when
Judge Jeremiah C. stranR. once Judge OF the
Sixteenth Judicial district OF Kansas. came
along. Judge Strang held court at Dodge in
It's widest days One story teller mentioned
the fac. that Bat Masterson. ut one time the
most noted gambler and six-shooter artist In
Dodge. was now following the monotonous life
OF faro dealer at Hot Springs. Ark. Judge
Srang began talking OF Masterson by saying
that the nervicst man he ever know was A. b.
Webster, who was Mayor OF Dodge In the early
eighties. Webster was also proprietor OF a
saloon. Said the Judge:
Bat Masterson was making things lively at
Dodge In those day land his re putation as a
shooter was known all over the West His
brother Jim had been shot and wounded In u
fight while Bat was out OF town. Bat came
homo with the.decared intention OF killing the
man who shot Jim. He soon ca ne In sight Of
the man he was after. aud both began shoot
Ing but without hitting each other. Webster.
who was then Mayor. stepped out OF his saloon
with q shotgun and called to Masterson. say
Ing:
Bat throw down you- gun and como over
here
Bat turned and Jaw that Webster meant
business. He hesitatcd. but finally threw
down his gun and went TO Webster. who eaid:
" DO you see that freight train standing on
the track over there? Well. I want you to 20
straight to that train, get aboard and leave
town. There's been killing enough here. and
I'm tired OF. men showing up here Just to kiln
each other. l want you to stay out OF Dodge
for year. II you don't do it. I'll kill you on
sight
"Mastersop left town. Months had elapsed,
when Webster heard one day that Masterson
was preparing to come back and kill him. The
plan was for Masterson and six friends to start
from Kansas City. Masterson organized his
expedition at the Marble Hall. then Ioted
gambling place in Kansas City. One man
came from Tombstone, Ariz another from
Trpidnd; Col. aud the proprietor Of the Mar.
seven armed hi mself with a double barreled
shotgun. In addition to his brace OF pistols.
got oil Each man cooked his shotgun and
laid 1t across his arm. Masterson led the pro-
cession. his allies walking behind. two and
two
that war was at hand. and that the Masterson
a aoon eseeSs Webster and
tender; a German got out Of the way. Webster
walk with his hands at his side and looked at
his approaching enemies, as unconcerned as
they were STRANGERS Ira myers, Not a muscle ot his
an other called the Long Branch The Mas
a few ieet Of %ebster' but did not rase their
Guns Guns To the suEPTsS of all Masteyson sY I'd
seven marched into the Long Branch.
Once ia; ,s Ma n, said Boys did
to stand up against a game OF this kind without
hipching. Why. that mans face looked Just us
, FILLED IN S this country I'm going to call the
panons to STAY S bshnd and WaFsd
into Websters saloon Each knew the other
s o 9 .so os sEB s NIX Sass
Webster replied. I'm glad to know you. MI
Masterson., My, name is Webster. Web for
ordered the drinks and after they had empted
their glasses threw down handful OF money
remark that his friends couldn't pay for any
thing in his saloon.
each OF his companions. one at a time. went
into Webster s.place, formally introduced him
self, shook hands and called for the drinks.
acted MS spokesman.
Web. he began. we came to Dodge to-day
want to repeat NV statement that You are the
bravest man ever saw and are too good a man
for anybody to kill. / want to call this thing
Webster seized his outstretched hand and
said: Bat, we vii not talk about 1t any more;
Nothing. but. webster's ,unlnchinR cour-
age, and Masterson's admiration OF \, saved
.on. whom know we'll. told me after ward that
Tie plan was 8 TO empty fourteen loads Of buck
he did. III be damned II had The heart to
The fear OF death from an unseen enemy
was something that even the most daring In
that DESPERATE crowd Of men could not escape.
ter In gambling room these men would risk
their Ives without hesitation but the assassin
was abroad at Dodge City and a crack in a
opportunity Of which he ottep took advantage
The only time | ever saw Masterson tremble
was standing in tho dark outside window
waiting for an ppportun,y to shoot into the
was Mysterious Dave Mathes. who was BY ma.
ture coward and who killed 1ost OF his enc
P1se Dave az e. as
manner in which he moved from place to place
Mathes had q hatred for Masterson and re-
solved to kill him, He came 70 Dodge from tho
Indian country one day and told his brother
in-law, man named Brown. that no was there
to put Masterson out OF the way. His plan was
to hide behind high board fence at night and
shoot Massterson as the lnttsr was going from
the gambling houses to the room where he
slept. Brown told Mathes that he was tired OF
thar kind OF business and that i he did not
leave town at he would put Masterson on
his. guard Mathes refused to 70 and Brown
told Masterson.
II was sitting in my room one night writ
Ing an opinion In q case when Masterson came
in, MS he often did. The room was q long one
and the single lamp that was burning left rart
OF the room In shadow. We sat talking. when
suddenly bright light flashed into the room
and as suddenly disappeared. Masterson
spranR to his feet. drew his pistol and stepped
behind brick chimney that projected into the
room. When ! looked Mt him he was tren-
bling like u leaf.
Judge. do you know what that WASP he
asked In whisper. told him that did not.
That was the fash al a dark lantern thrown
into the room to see II | was here. said he.
and Mathes IL the man who did IT,
II I0ked and told him that would find out
what It was. as | knew of no one who wanted
IN kill me ] went outdoors and made n care
II n.nl, l,tf sly,l