Luke Short’s Last Gunfight
Luke Short, a name synonymous with the tumultuous era of the Wild West, is best remembered not as a lawman or outlaw, but as a remarkably successful professional gambler and gaming promoter. A true "sporting man," Short’s keen intellect and business acumen made him one of the most well-known and wealthiest figures in the United States during his time. His story, interwoven with the threads of risk, reward, and raw survival, culminated in a dramatic event: Luke Short’s Last Gunfight.
Short honed his skills and built his reputation in the vibrant and often volatile settings of burgeoning Western towns. From the silver boomtown of Leadville, Colorado, to the infamous streets of Tombstone, Arizona; from the dusty plains of Dodge City, Kansas, to the bustling cattle town of Fort Worth, Texas, Short navigated a world where fortunes were made and lost with the turn of a card or the pull of a trigger. These environments, rife with opportunity and danger, naturally made him a target for rivals and those seeking to exploit his success. Along his journey, Short cultivated friendships with other prominent sporting men, individuals who shared his interests and understood the precarious nature of their lifestyle. William H. Harris, Jake Johnson, and the legendary Bat Masterson were among those who recognized Short’s talents and helped him expand his gaming interests into the lucrative realms of thoroughbred horse racing and boxing.
Whether it was the inherent risk associated with his profession or perhaps a perception fueled by his relatively small stature, Luke Short found himself embroiled in several dangerous disputes throughout his career. He emerged victorious from two of the most celebrated showdowns in Old West history. The first was the intense Oriental Saloon Gunfight with Charlie Storms in Tombstone, Arizona, in 1881. The second was the equally famous duel with Jim Courtright in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1887, a contest that solidified Short’s reputation as a man not to be trifled with.
By the 1890s, Short had significantly diversified his interests, focusing primarily on the racing of thoroughbred horses. During the early part of 1890, his horses were competing on racetracks in major cities like Chicago and New York, as well as various other locations across the country. It was in Memphis, Tennessee, that Short, along with Jake Johnson, a wealthy Texas businessman, and a gambler named Charles M. Wright, became deeply involved in horse racing and formed a partnership in several faro games, a popular card game of the era. A crucial decision was made to entrust Wright with the management of their earnings. However, instead of depositing the substantial sum in the hotel safe, Wright made the ill-fated decision to keep the cash in his hotel room. Predictably, the money was stolen, igniting a firestorm of accusations and recriminations among the partners, with the most heated exchanges occurring between Luke Short and Wright.
The demanding schedule of the racing circuit occupied much of Short’s time during the late spring and early summer of 1890. However, by winter, he had returned to Fort Worth, Texas, a place where old scores were rarely forgotten. The long-simmering feud with Charles Wright, fueled by the Memphis gambling loss, was about to reach its explosive conclusion. On December 23, 1890, Luke Short entered the Bank Saloon, a gambling establishment owned by Wright. Driven by a desire to put an end to Wright’s gambling activities, Short took matters into his own hands, forcibly evicting the patrons at gunpoint, effectively shutting down the operation. Wright, unsurprisingly, did not take kindly to this bold intrusion. He retaliated by aiming a shotgun directly at Short and firing. The blast struck Short, inflicting wounds to his left hip and leg, and also injuring his left hand. Undeterred, Short responded with remarkable speed and accuracy. He drew his pistol and shot Wright in the right wrist, effectively preventing him from firing another shot. Following this exchange of gunfire, both men, albeit wounded, separated. Short went outside to meet his waiting friends, while Wright remained inside the saloon, clutching his injured wrist.
The local newspaper provided a graphic description of the severity of Short’s leg wound, stating that "The full charge of buckshot passed through the flesh, making a tunnel, the muscles on the outside were torn out." The injury to his left hand was equally debilitating, resulting in the loss of his thumb "taken off at the joint."
This dramatic confrontation was immediately deemed the "most exciting affray" in Fort Worth since the infamous shooting of Jim Courtright nearly four years prior. News of the shooting, along with regular updates on Short’s condition, rapidly spread, appearing in newspapers across several states. A paper in Hutchinson, Kansas, offered a testament to Short’s legendary toughness, observing that "his wounds are enough to kill a common man, but Luke Short may get well."
Short’s recovery was a long and arduous process, keeping him confined to bed for several months. In 1891, a Chicago newspaper published an extensive profile of Short, delving into his life and exploits. Regarding the gunfight with Wright, the paper reported, "It was supposed at the time that Short was fatally wounded, and his recovery was wholly due to the careful nursing of his wife, who for three months hardly left his bedside." This reveals a more intimate side of the gunfighter, highlighting the dedication and support of his wife during a critical period.
The legal aftermath of the shooting saw both Short and Wright indicted and charged with assault with intent to murder. Both men were able to secure bonds without difficulty, each set at $1,000. The trial date was subject to multiple postponements, and a final resolution was not reached until March 1, 1892. Ultimately, Short was found guilty of aggravated assault against Charles Wright, and a fine of $150 was assessed against him. This relatively lenient outcome suggests that the jury may have taken into account the circumstances leading up to the shooting, including the theft in Memphis and Wright’s initial attack with a shotgun. The incident, forever etched in the annals of the Wild West, stands as a testament to the dangerous life led by Luke Short, a sporting man who navigated a world where fortunes were won and lost, and where disputes were often settled with bullets.