Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
12SmokeSignalsIntheWestofthe1870sand80slawenforcementwasaninexactscienceandcommunitiesfrequentlyelectedorappointedtheirofficialswithlittleornoregardtopastindiscretions.ManylawofficersoftenspentasmuchifnotmoretimeonthewrongsideofthebadgeastheydiddefendingthelawandMysteriousDaveMatherwasnoexception.BornDavidAllenMatherinConnecticutin1851anddescendedfromtheclanthatspawnedthenotoriouswitch-killerCottonMatherDavetraveledwestasateenageralongwithhisyoungerbrotherJosiahorCyandreportedlyjoinedanArkansasoutlawgang.BythetimehereachedhisthirtieshehadbeeninandoutofjailsinKansasTexasandNewMexicoservedaspolicemandeputysheriffmarshalandassistantmarshalinvarioustownsanddevelopedareputationasamannottobefooledwith.AfteronearrestinDallastheDallasDailyHeraldreferredtohimasthenotorioushorse-thiefstagerobberandmurdererwhohasbeenwantedbytheofficerssolong...ItwaswhilehewasresidinginDodgeCityKansasthatMathermostnotablyshowedthathewasnotamantobefooledwithespeciallyafterhelosthisjobasassistantcitymarshal.AlongfesteringfeudbetweenMysteriousDaveandthenewassistantmarshalTomNixoncametoaheadintwoJuly1884altercations.Inthefirstnobloodwasspilled.Thesecondclashonthe21stwasthedeadlyonethoughhardlythekindofshowdownthatepitomizedclassicHollywoodWesterns.InthosesagebrushsagasaswellasintraditionalWesternnovelsshootoutsbetweentwoantagonistsaregenerallyconductedface-to-faceinthemiddleofMainStreetatdawnorhighnoon.Lifehingesonthecomparativespeedofthecombatantsdrawbutfairplayistheunderlyingpremiseuponwhichtheduelisconducted.NotsointhehistoricWestandforgoodreason.Commonsensedictatedthatifyouresentedamanespeciallyaskilledpistoleerenoughtotakehislifeitwastheheightoffoolishnesstoallowhimanequalchanceatendingyours.Mostoftherenownedgunmenwhodiedviolentlywereshoteitherfrombehindorfromambush.ConsiderthefollowingWildBillHickokJohnWesleyHardinBillDoolinBenThompsonJohnKingFisherWilliamBillytheKidBonneyJesseJamesandPatGarrett.ThankstoMysteriousDavesactionsonthenightofJuly211884youcanaddthenameThomasClaytonNixontothatlist.MatheralsoknownasNewYorkDavewasafrequentcompanionandcohortofsuchnefariouscharactersasDirtyDaveRudabaughandJohnJoshuaWebbandwasaprominentmemberoftheso-calledDodgeCityGangacriminalbandthatruledEastLasVegasNewMexicoin1879-80.Atthesametimeheservedasthetownsassistantmarshalanditwasinthiscapacitythathisfirstrecordedkillingtookplace.WhenanapparentlyinebriatedformertelegraphoperatornamedJoeCastellomadewhattheLasVegasDailyOpticdescribedasthewrongplayandpointedhispistolatDaveMatherdidnothesitateheswiftlydrewhissidearmanddispatchedCastellowithoneshot.Thetowneventuallygrewwearyofthegangsshenanigansandassembleditsownvigilancecommittee.AnoteofwarningpublishedbythelocalnewspaperandaddressedToMurderersConfidenceMenandThievespromisedthatallthoseoffenderswhofailedtoleavetownforthwithwillbesummarilydealtwith...ifwehavetoHANG...everyviolatorofthelawinthecountry.Thewarninghadthedesiredeffect.WithinashorttimethemembersofthegangwhichtheOptichaddescribedasthemostdesperatemenontheplainsandwhichincludedDaveMatherdepartedforlessfinickyvenues.May1883foundDaveinDodgeCityFordCountyTheCuriousCareerofMysteriousDaveMatherByRonSoodalterAuthorArtistNewGrandpaHIGHNOON