Dodge City, Kansas – Old Hell-Raising Trail’s End

In the annals of the American West, few towns conjure up images of untamed lawlessness and frontier grit quite like Dodge City, Kansas. Emerging from the vast plains as a vital hub for the burgeoning cattle trade and westward expansion, Dodge City quickly earned a reputation as a "wicked little town," a place where fortunes were made and lost, and where the echoes of gunfire punctuated the night. This is the story of Dodge City, a town that embodied the spirit of the Wild West in all its chaotic glory.

The story, as told by William MacLeod Raine in 1925, captures the essence of this era, a time when the iron horse of the railroad was forging its way through the territory of the Plains Indians. The narrative begins with a colorful anecdote – a drunken cowboy seeking passage to "hell" and being unceremoniously deposited at Dodge City, Kansas, a testament to the town’s notorious reputation.

Dodge City’s origins are intertwined with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. A.A. Robinson, the railroad’s chief engineer, laid out the town, naming it in honor of Colonel Richard I. Dodge, the commander of Fort Dodge and a key figure in the town’s establishment. From its inception, Dodge City was destined to be a place of dynamism and disorder.

Raine paints a vivid picture of Dodge City as a "wild and uncurried prairie wolf," a place where the law was often a distant concept and where the crack of a six-shooter was as common as the sound of laughter. It was a town populated by the brave, the bold, and often the unscrupulous – individuals who were shaping the future of the American West, for better or for worse. Respectability was not a virtue highly prized in Dodge City; energy, ambition, and a willingness to take risks were the qualities that defined its character.

Three primary factors contributed to Dodge City’s notoriety as the wildest town in the West. First, it served as the end of the line for the railroad in 1872, a temporary terminus that attracted a transient population of railroad workers, gamblers, gunfighters, and various other unsavory characters eager to capitalize on the large payrolls. Towns like Hays, Abilene, Ogallala, and Kit Carson experienced similar booms and busts, but Dodge City managed to sustain its reputation for longer.

Secondly, Dodge City was the destination of the great cattle drives from Texas. Each year, hundreds of thousands of longhorn cattle were driven north, and Dodge City became the primary shipping point for these herds. Cowboys, fresh off the trail and flush with cash, descended upon the town, eager to spend their hard-earned money on the various "diversions" it offered. These cowboys, often as untamed as the cattle they herded, had a penchant for shooting up the town, gambling, and generally making their presence known. They were not necessarily malicious, but they wanted to make it clear that they were a force to be reckoned with in Dodge City.

Finally, Dodge City sat at the heart of buffalo country. Buffalo hunters flocked to the town to outfit their expeditions, and vast quantities of buffalo hides were shipped east via the railroad. Robert M. Wright, one of Dodge City’s founders, estimated that his firm alone shipped 200,000 hides in a single season. The sheer number of buffalo in the region was staggering, with estimates ranging from twenty-five million to four times that number. The buffalo, however, was more than just a commodity. It was the lifeblood of the Plains Indians, providing them with food, fuel, and shelter. The relentless slaughter of the buffalo by white hunters led to conflict and resentment, and the buffalo hunter became a target for Indian attacks. These hunters, including legendary figures like Buffalo Bill Cody, William Mathewson, and Wild Bill Hickok, faced constant danger from Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, Sioux, and Arapaho warriors.

These three elements – the railroad, the cattle trade, and the buffalo hunt – converged to create a unique and volatile atmosphere in Dodge City. It was, as the editor of the Kingsley Graphic aptly described it, "the beautiful bibulous Babylon of the frontier." However, prosperity was not everlasting. The relentless slaughter of the buffalo eventually decimated the herds, and Dodge City fell on hard times. Buffalo bones, gathered and shipped east for fertilizer, became the town’s primary source of income, a stark reminder of the boom-and-bust nature of the frontier economy.

Despite the eventual decline, Dodge City thrived for years, its streets teeming with activity. Wagons belonging to freighters, hunters, cattlemen, and government officials clogged the roads, and the sounds of cowboys, bullwhackers, and muleskinners filled the air. In the early days, law enforcement was virtually nonexistent, and Dodge City was largely left to govern itself.

This lack of law and order inevitably led to violence. In its first year, Dodge City witnessed 25 killings and twice as many woundings. The diverse population, consisting of freighters, railroad workers, soldiers, cowboys, and buffalo hunters, often clashed, resulting in a steady stream of burials in Boot Hill, the town’s infamous cemetery for those who died with their boots on.

Even the natural environment posed a threat. During the early months, Dodge City was a city of camps, and skunks were a common nuisance. They would crawl into the warm blankets of sleeping men and bite them when disturbed. These bites were initially believed to be from a special "hydrophobia skunk," but later research suggested that the deaths were likely caused by blood poisoning from the skunk’s foul teeth.

As the violence escalated, the need for law enforcement became increasingly apparent. Jack Bridges, a noted scout and buffalo hunter, was appointed as the first marshal of Dodge City. Bridges, a man who was willing to fight for peace, quickly established his authority. In one instance, he shot and killed a cowboy who was shooting up the town, sending a clear message that lawlessness would not be tolerated.

While Bridges’ actions were deemed justifiable homicide, they sparked resentment among the cowboys. However, Dodge City stood firm, and in the future, the cowboys were more discreet in their displays of exuberance. In the early days, the law generally turned a blind eye to casualties resulting from personal disputes, provided that the incidents were not particularly heinous.

The first major incident of mass violence occurred at Tom Sherman’s dance hall, a conflict between soldiers and gamblers that resulted in several deaths. The officers at Fort Dodge downplayed the incident, perhaps feeling that the soldiers were at fault.

One of the most notorious figures to arrive in Dodge City during its early years was Billy Brooks, a man who quickly earned a reputation as a killer. Emanuel Dubbs, a buffalo hunter turned preacher, claimed that Brooks killed or wounded 15 men in less than a month. While this number may be an exaggeration, it is clear that Brooks was a dangerous and violent individual. He even served as an assistant marshal, a common practice in frontier towns where officials often appointed known killers to maintain order.

Other towns, such as Abilene and Austin, followed similar strategies, appointing figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Ben Thompson as their marshals. Thompson, described by Bat Masterson as the most dangerous man with a gun he knew, was a man of unparalleled audacity. Stories of his exploits, such as shooting the plates at a banquet because a friend was not invited, illustrate his fearless and unpredictable nature.

Ben Thompson was so feared that sheriffs avoided serving warrants on him. One story recounts how he rode into a courtroom on a Mustang, daring anyone to accuse him of a crime.

In one instance, Thompson faced a young English remittance man who accused him of cheating at cards. Thompson gave the lad a chance to retract his accusation, but the young man refused, daring Thompson to shoot him. Thompson, perhaps impressed by the young man’s courage, ultimately let him go.

Perhaps the most incredible story of Thompson’s prowess involved a confrontation with Mark Wilson, who fired a double-barreled shotgun at Thompson from close range. Thompson whirled instantly, killing Wilson and wounding Wilson’s friend Mathews, who had ducked behind the bar.

Thompson eventually met his end in a hail of bullets at the Palace Theatre, along with his friend King Fisher, another notorious badman. Both men had become so dangerous that their enemies felt they had no choice but to eliminate them.

King Fisher was known for his dark humor, putting up a sign that read, "THIS IS KING FISHER’S ROAD. TAKE THE OTHER."

El Paso, in its wild days, also chose notorious killers like Dallas Stoudenmire and John Selman as its marshals. Selman famously shot John Wesley Hardin, a man with 27 notches on his gun, from behind. Selman was later killed in a duel by Deputy United States Marshal George Scarborough, who was himself later slain by Kid Curry.

Dodge City, like these other frontier towns, relied on men who were quick to draw and deadly accurate with a gun to maintain order. A partial list of its marshals reads like a "who’s who" of frontier gunfighters, including Jack Bridges, Billy Brooks, Ed and Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, Billy Tilghman, Ben Daniels, Mysterious Dave Mathers, T.C. Nixon, Luke Short, Charley Bassett, W.H. Harris, and the Sughrue brothers.

When the superintendent of the Santa Fe Railroad suggested that Dodge City employ less notorious marshals, the town refused, believing that the best way to deal with desperadoes was to pit them against men who were even more dangerous and deadly.

The term "bad" in this context did not necessarily imply evil. It simply meant that a man was dangerous to oppose – unafraid, deadly with a gun, and tough as nails. Some, like Dave Mathers, were truly ruthless, while others, like Billy Tilghman, were known for their fairness and restraint.

Dave Mathers, also known as "Mysterious Dave," had a reputation for being one of the deadliest men in the West. One account claims that he killed seven men in a single night. Despite his violent reputation, Mathers also demonstrated courage, leading a charge against the Henry gang of desperadoes while serving as a deputy marshal.

Billy Tilghman, on the other hand, was known for his restraint and reluctance to use a gun. He cleaned up Dodge City during his three years as marshal and played a key role in breaking up the Doolin gang. Bat Masterson claimed that Tilghman captured or drove more criminals from Lincoln County, Oklahoma, than any other official. Despite his effectiveness, Tilghman always tried to arrest criminals without resorting to violence. He was eventually shot to death by a drunken prohibition agent, a tragic end for a man who dedicated his life to law enforcement.

Returning to the story of Billy Brooks, Emanuel Dubbs recounted an incident in which Brooks confronted four men who had come to Dodge City to avenge the death of their brother, whom Brooks had previously killed. Brooks, standing in a doorway with a revolver in each hand, opened fire, killing two of the men and mortally wounding the other two.

Brooks also had a reputation as a ladies’ man. After Brooks shot the yardmaster, Browney, in the head over a woman, Browney recovered and returned to his job. In another incident, Brooks got into a dispute with Kirk Jordan, a buffalo hunter. Jordan, unafraid of Brooks, drew his buffalo gun, forcing Brooks to take cover. Brooks fled to Fort Dodge and left Dodge City, his reputation tarnished.

While men like Billy Brooks and Ben Thompson are remembered for their ruthlessness and gunfighting skills, Dodge City was also home to men like Bat Masterson, whose courage and leadership were widely respected.

Owen P. White claimed, based on the account of Charlie Siringo, that Bat Masterson was intimidated by Clay Allison. However, this claim is disputed by other old-timers in Dodge City, who maintain that Masterson was fearless. He fought at the Adobe Walls battle and served as sheriff of Ford County at the young age of 22.

In any case, Masterson was an effective lawman. He captured Dave Rudabaugh, who later joined Billy the Kid’s gang, after Rudabaugh staged a train robbery.

Masterson also demonstrated loyalty to his friends, returning to Dodge City on two separate occasions to help them resolve disputes. The first time, he and Wyatt Earp came to the aid of Luke Short, a gambling house owner who was being harassed by the mayor and his cronies. The second time, he returned to help his brother James, who was having a dispute with his business partner.

Masterson was a friend of Theodore Roosevelt, who admired his courage and offered him a position as United States Marshal of Arizona. Masterson declined, fearing that he would be forced to kill a young man seeking to make a name for himself. Roosevelt then offered him a position as Deputy United States Marshal of New York, which Masterson accepted. He spent 17 years working for a newspaper in New York and was respected by the entire newspaper fraternity.

To maintain order, cowboys entering Dodge City were required to surrender their weapons to the marshal. The guns were stored at Wright & Beverly’s store, and receipts were issued. Sometimes, as many as 100 six-shooters would be held at once. The guns were only returned when the cowboys were sober.

Being a marshal in Dodge City was a dangerous job that required nerves of steel and exceptional gunfighting skills. Tom Smith, one of the bravest lawmen on the frontier, was killed in the line of duty. Ed Masterson was mortally wounded by two desperadoes who were terrorizing Front Street. Bat Masterson avenged his brother’s death by killing both of the assassins.

Among the visitors to Dodge City during the cattle drive season were Ben and Bill Thompson, gamblers who had previously ruled Ellsworth before killing the sheriff. Bat Masterson helped Bill Thompson escape from Ogallala, where he was being threatened.

Emanuel Dubbs once encountered Buffalo Bill Cody, who impressed him with his shooting skills. Cody advised Dubbs to practice more before carrying a six-shooter.

Life in Dodge City was not all violence and lawlessness. The town had legitimate theaters, hurdy-gurdy houses, gambling dens, and churches. However, even these establishments were not immune to the town’s wild spirit.

One night, a drunken cowboy began shooting at the Lady Gay theater while Eddie Foy was performing. A deputy marshal shot and killed the cowboy, apologizing for his marksmanship due to the horse’s movements.

The killing of Dora Hand, a young actress, was widely mourned in Dodge City. A young man named Kennedy accidentally shot her while trying to murder James Kelly. Bat Masterson, William Tilghman, Wyatt Earp, and Charles Bassett formed a posse and captured Kennedy.

Despite the violence, Dodge City’s residents had a sense of humor and enjoyed practical jokes. One such joke involved "Mysterious Dave" Mathers and an evangelist who was trying to convert him.

Rustlers were a constant problem in Dodge City. The most notorious gang was led by Dutch Henry and Tom Owens. Emanuel Dubbs led a posse that engaged the rustlers in a bloody battle, killing Owens and wounding Dutch Henry.

After the battle with the Henry-Owens gang, rustlers operated more discreetly, but they continued to steal cattle. Three men were hanged for rustling near Saw Log Creek, a place that is still known as Horse Thief Canyon.

During its years of prosperity, Dodge City welcomed many prominent visitors, including Generals Sherman and Sheridan, President Hayes, and General Miles. Its reputation as the wild and woolly cowboy capital of the Southwest attracted attention from far and wide.

While most of the cowboys, buffalo hunters, bad men, and pioneers who once roamed its streets have long since passed away, Dodge City’s legacy as a symbol of the Wild West lives on. It remains a place where the echoes of the past can still be heard, a testament to the town’s unique and unforgettable history. Dodge City once truly had its day and its night of glory.