New-York tribune., 1921-11-06

course, they were using blank cartridges. but
the audience raised the long yell and poured
out through the windows and doors, and the
lecture was over. A couple of police cama
later, so McNulta said, and escorted the pro
fessor to his room in the hotel and advised
him that Dodge was hardly capable of sDpre
ciating anything so advanced as q lecture on
the occult sciences"
"Bat" Masterson went to Kansas when he wac
a mere boy and for while was hide hunter
Buffaloes were being slain by thousands On
the plains of Kansas and in the Panhandle n
Texas. The business of hide hunting lastes
only few years. The buffalo hunters lived
a hard, adventurous life and were in Constant
danger from attack by Indians.
While at Adobe Walls, collection of adobe
buildings, the origin of which is a mystery
some claiming that they were built by the
early Spaniards, who roamed through the
Panhandle into Kansas-Masterson and Other
hide hunters were besieged by Indians. The
story Of the defense of Adobe Walls--or Dobe
Walls, as it is generally known-is ona Of
the Western classics, ranking as a saga with
the story of the defense of the Alamo and
the fight Of Forsyth's scouts against tbe
allied Indians at Beecher Island, on the Colo
rado-Kansas line.
The hide hunters and the men who eon-
Quoted the general store at Adobe Walls mt
up an unexpectedly strong defense It is said
that the Indians had been advised bv their
medicine man that no one except the store
people were present at the trading post. Con-
sequently when the hide hunters. reused from
their sleep early in the morning, fired voley
after volley upon the advancing Indians. there
were surprise and CONSERVATION in the ranks
of the attackers. The hide hunters we're Of
necessity al crack shots, as one could not
afford to waste ammunition firing at buffaloes,
which were likely to attack their human
toes when wounded. Every shot against the
indians found its mark, and after long and
determined siege the redskins finally with
drew, carrying with them large proportion
OF their number, wounded or dead It is said
that they were enraged at the false infor-
nation given them by their medicine man that
the unfortunate prophet was killed.
For years Bat" Masterson was q prominent
figure in the West He was marshal in Lead
vile when that mining camp was new and
when it required a man of nerve to hold the
JOB. Also he was a peace officer in Trinidad
Colo, which knew its wild days He became
interested IN the promotion of boxing matches
and fight club in Denver late in the
9O's. He was appointed Deputy United States
Marshal in New York City in 1905. In later
years he wrote sporting comment for "The
Morning Telegraph" and he wrote as he shot
straight to the mark
One of the most celebrated gun fighters Of
Bat" Mastersons day was Ben Thompson
Ben, like many others, came to the marshalship
after he had proved his skill in combat. In
fact, they were not given to trying out
amateurs in such jobs anywhere in the West
in those times. Ben migrated to AUSTIN
where he became marshal, and was called
upon to slay many men in the course of his
duty. Finally, his foes banded together and.
catching Ben unawares in theater, literally
riddled him with bullets.