Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-02-28

of their party had been killed by the
bullets Of the Indians.
1t was Immediately after this oc-
lcurrence that General Miles sent for
Masterson and put him in command
Of a body Of famous scouts. While
engaged on government work BAT"
singie-handed, followed up a body Of
Indians that had carried away four
young girls after attacking a wagon
train on the line Of the Kansas Pacific,
and numbering all the others in the
party.
| Masterson had abandoned the chase
as hopeless. when one day, while hunt
ing antelope, he saw an Indian slip
ping along the bed Of a creek, mile
away from him. He followed and
found the four white girls sleeping in
ravine, guarded by three Indians, the
main body being absent on a maraud-
ing expedition. Masterson at once be-
gan firing, and three Of the Indians
were killed by his gun-the fourth
running away. He took the four girls
and brought them in safety to General
Miles camp.
Famous In Dodge City.
| When BAT" heard, a year after this
incident, that his brother had been
appointed marshal Of Dodge City.
Kan, at that time one of the most no
torious Of all the settlements on the
frontier, he gave up his government
work and went out there. He found
that his reputation had preceded him,
and was welcomed by the peaceably
disposed townspeople with open arms.
A number of well-known desperadoes
in the district made up their minds
to put him out of the way, but gave
up their attempts at murder after
Bat. In his first six months in the
town, had killed nine Of them in open
fight.
In the spring Of 1877 he was elected
sheriff Of Dodge City, his brother still
being marshal.
Revenges Brothers Murder.
A party of Texas cowboys came into
town one day and. after blowing holes
in all the lamps and wounding num-
ber Of people on the streets, decided
to wind UP their fun" in a dance hall.
One Of the few regulations that were
strictly enforced in Dodge City at that
time was the rule that before entering
dance hall weapons Of all kinds were
to be left in an outside Office. This
law the cowboys refused to obey. and
Marshal Masterson set out to compel
them to observe 1t. In the fight that
followed he was killed, receiving no
less than seven wounds. any one OF
which would have been fatal.
BAT" was In gambling-house at
the other end Of the town. when he
was told of the killing. The cowboys
were In the dance hall. He got up
from his chair, walked over to the
hall, and after making inquiries, de-
cided that the responsibility for the
murder lay among four cowboys, who
were pointed out to him. He began
to fire in the middle Of a dance, and
although he was shot at number OF
times, was not hit. He killed all four
Of his men. and arrested the remainder
of the band, three of whom were af-
terward lynched.
Battle on the Rocks.
This incident, while 1t made Master
son a greater power than ever among
the reputable people Of the state, was
responsible for his being looked on by
the cowboys all over the west as a Bit
ter enemy. Time after time men came
into Dodge City boasting that they
were there to kill Bat" but they
either went away peaceably after be-
ing ordered by him to leave town or
were killed as the result Of gun fights
precipitated by themselves.
Once when Masterson was out hunt
ing alone he was corralled by three
desperate characters-Jim Bender,
Green" Nevill and BLACK and Tan"
McCarthy-all Of whom were wanted
for killing In various parts OF the
west and all Of whom had declared
many times that they would murder
Masterson on sight. They caught him
I'D among the barren rocks and a bat
tie royal followed.
Bat" slipping off his horse and
using pieces Of rock for protection,
held his enemies at bay for several
minutes. Then, leaving his hat and
the tip of an extra revolver so that
they would imagine him to be still
waiting for them in front. he crept
round the rocks like a cat and came
on them in the rear.
In four shots Of his revolver, fired
so closely together that the murderers
had barely time to turn on him, he
killed two of them and dangerously
wounded the third. The latter, how
ever, was able to draw his gun, and
with II he shot Bats" horse. Before
he could fire again he was killed, and
Masterson, walking into town three
hours later. told his deputies to go out
and bring in the bodies.
Leading a Quiet Life.
In the past fifteen years BAT mas
led rather a quiet life. AS full OF his
sporting proclivities as ever. he has
gravitated, naturally enough. toward
all the big prize fights Of the country
and invariably held the Job Of keeping
the crowds in order
II the marshars office for the district
Of New York needs a whirlwind gun
artist, who knows every prominent
gambler, crook and horse thief In the
United States rather intimately. Bat
will certainly fill the place. He may
never be able to exercise any OF MS
old talents In his new position, but
probably the government thinks MS
picturesque history alone will make
him worth his wages.-John r. Rath-
ON In New York Sun.
Tow, AMI Sunp-r IETTFRS-SherWin