Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-11-08
Page Six
WAS FAMOUS GUN FIGHTER
Bat Masterscn Of Wild West Days is
Dead,

tiersman and sporting writer OF New
York, is dead. The New York Times
has the following story of the death
of Mr. Masterson:
William Barclay Masterson, better
known as Bat Masterson, sporting
writer, friend of Theodore Roosevelt
and former sheriff of Dodge City, Kan.
died suddenly yesterday while writing
an article at his desk in the office OF
The Morning Telegram. He had been
connected with the, paper for more
than 10 years and for the last few
years had been one of its editors.
cat one time Masterson was said to
have been the best known man be-
tween the Mississippi and the Pacific
Coast, and his exploits and his ability
as a gun fighter have become part of
the tradition Of the middle west OF
many years ago. '..
"de was the last of the old time gun
fighters. He IVES born in lroquois
county, Illinois, in 1854, the son OF
farmer who came originally from st.
Lawrence county, New York Little
more than a boy, Bat, his rife across
his knees, left the farm and rode into
the : then Fort Dodge and joined
party OF buffalo hunters. Then his
actual career began, and probably
more weird and bloodthirsty tales
have been written about him than Of
neatly any other man. His fights,
however, were in the cause of justice,
ard: he was one of a group of gun
fighters who made that part of the
country unhealthy for the bad men OF
the period
'Whileo dn the frontier town Bat
heard one day that his brother had
been killed across the street. Bat hur-
ried over. What happened he thus
told later on the witness stand:
1.-THE cowboys had been on the
range for some time and were drink
ing. My brother was the town mar
shall. They were carrying shoot
ers and he attempted to disarm one
of them who was particularly mean.
They shot ard killed him and they at
tempted to kill me, shot and killed
them-one at any rate-and shot the
other one
His second killing was cowboy
named Jim Kennedy, who had come to
town seeking the life of the mayor
Kennedy shot several times through
The door of the mayors house and
killed a woman. Then Masterson
started out to get him. And he did.
zone of Mr. Masterson's most IA
nous exploits was the battle of Dobe
Wells: when with nine companions he
stood off 800 Indians in a siege OF Il
days. The attacking force was COM
posed OF Arapahoes and Cheyennes. A
fortunate accident-the fall of part OF
the dirt roof of saloon in which the
buffalo hunters were sleeping-pre-
vented the party from being surprised
by the Indians and murdered in their
sleep, for the attack was not antlcl-
pated. In the gray light of a June
morning, when the hunters were en-
gagged in restoring the roof, the In
dians descended upon them. The
hunters abandoned the roof and TOOK
to their guns. Time after time the In
dian attack was stopped and the enc
my driven back to the shelter of
fringe of cottonwoods along the Cana
dian river.
"Masterson was only IS years old
when he joined Lieutenant Baldwn's
civilian scouts under Colonel Nelson
A. Miles. He participated in the bat
tie of Red river, where the Indians
were commanded by Geronimo, and in
other Indian engagements. Masterson
lived Is years IL Denver. There he
became interested in pugilism. he
went broke backing Charlie Mitchell
in his fight with James J. Corbett. He
was an official in the fight between
Fitzsimmons and Corbett.
when the Santa Fe railroad, was
being constructed from Trinidad, Col,
TO Springer, y. NJ, Masterson was ap-
pointed chief of police of the railroad.
The section of the country was bad
one, infested by gamblers and thieves.
Mr.. Masterson received $4,000 a
month, and so well known was he and
so feared was he as a gun fighter of
ability that he was never called upon
to make an arrest. Later he was city
marshal of Trinidad, and he held the
same office in Tombstone, Tucson, and
United States marshal in Denver. He
was shot and seriously wounded once.
The shooting was done by a gambler
named King, who lay in wait for him.
He shot and killed King.
when Theodore Roosevelt was
ranchman at Medora, 5. d., he met
NTasterson and the two became fast
friends When the colonel was pres
ident he sent for Masterson, who was
then in Denver, and made him deputy
United States marshal for the south
ern district Of New York. Mr.. Master
son left n widow, who was Emma Wa
ters of Philadelphia. There are no
children. Mr. Masterson is survived
also by n brother, Thomas Masters0n'
and a sister, Mrs. James Cairs, both