The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-06-22
>>,,,H Has Killed Tweny>Eight Men,,,>>

from me. and It was a big one, too.
will pay a fine for that. suppose. and
will do 1t willingly. have not been In the
habit of carrying a weapon for more than
sixteen years, and when put one in my
pocket 1t is because I have good reason
for believing that my life is in danger.
You may know. then. that there was rea-
| son back of that revolver. Yes. l feared
| that I would have to use It, / will not
say who thought might attack me. The
| man mean will know II you print what
I say"
When brought before Captain Titus the
| four prisoners gave the following names:
William B. Masterson. forty-e years
old. bookmaker, Chicago; Joseph c. Sui
Ivan, thirty eight years old, horseman,
| Pacific coast: ]. F. Sanders, thirty-nine
years old, horseman, Denver; Leopold
Frank ihirty-two years old, gambler,
| Chicago.
The police would not discuss the case
further than to say that the evidence
against the men arrested seemed to be
clear and convincing. They will be ar
ra'gned In Central Street Police Court
this morning.
BAT" Masterson has lived strenuous
life for more than thirty years. In the
far West he Is known as one OF the old
time bad men," He never belonged to
that class of DULLES who kill for the sake
of shedding blood and when he has had
a part in fight 1t has been because he
believed that he had to fight He first
came into prominence in the West as the
Marshal of Dodge City, Kan. He was
put into office by the respectable ele-
ment-which out there meant the gam
blers who believed in running honest
games.
He drove the thieves out of town, but
he did not do so until more than one
pitched battle had been fought. He kill
| ed his first man in a settlement known
as Adobe Wall, on the Canadian river,
and he shot just in time to save his own
| life That was back In 1874, and that
same night he and his companions were
attacked by a band of Indians led by
renegade negro. The fight lasted for
nearly two hours, and the Indians were
| not finally driven away until their leader
/ fel. from a bullet fired from Masterson's
revolver at close range.
Masterson went to Dodge City in 1871
and he was Immediately made Marshal
At one time the opposition arose and
placed Masterson in the city jail, and
| then, after soaking 1t with kerosene, gave
him an hour to promise to leave the
place Masterson says that 1t was the
| only time In his life when he was fright
| ened, or when he weakened He waited
| until the hour was nearly up and then
| promised to leave. He kept the promise
going to Kansas City, where ne gathered
his friends about him and with them re-
turned to Dodge City AS ne rode in his
| enemies rode out.
Not long after that six cowboys rode
/ into Dodge City from Texas, and pro-
| claimed themselves to be wild and shay
gy wolves, declaring that 1t was their
night to howl
Mast ersons brother attempted to quiet
them and they shot him through the
brain Then they went into dance hall
and proceeded to make merry. Masterson
heard what had happened and, strapping
on the same revolver that was taken
from him yesterday, he went into the
dance hall and announced that he wanted
all of the crowd to leave except the STAY
ers of his brother. The shooting began
forthwith and 1t did not end until the
six cowboys were dead. Masterson did
not waste a shot, and he had no help.
At that time he was believed to be the
best shot with a revolver in America.
His closest friends were Luke Short, who
has since died, BLACK jack Thompson
and his own brother-in-law, James
Kearns, who afterward became well
known as the City Marshal of Wichita,
when the city took the place of Dodge
City as the toughest town in the West.