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18SmokeSignalsGlobeLiveStockJournalsMay12coverageDavidBarneswaskilledtwobystanderswereshotinthelegsandMysteriousDavehimselfwascutacrosstheforehead...TheMay16editionoftheDodgeCityDemocratreportedthateverybodywhohadapistolwasfiringandattributedthesavingofadditionallivestothefortuitouspresenceofSheriffSughrue.ThesheriffarrestedtheMatherbrothersbeforethesmokehadcleared.IronicallyMysteriousDavespistolwasfullyloadedindicatingthatalthoughhehadstartedtheruckushehadnotparticipatedintheactualshooting.NonethelessbothMatherboyswereindictedformurder.ThreeweekslaterDavewasbackinKinsleyscourtwhereheandCywereallowedtopostbond.UnwillingtotryhisluckincourtasecondtimeonJuly29monthsbeforetheirtrialswerescheduledtocommenceDaveleftDodgeCityandKinsleyfarbehindhimtakingCywithhimanddefaultingonthe3000bondstheirfriendshadpostedforthem.Thebrotherssplitupnevertomeetagain.CywenttoColoradowhileDavebrieflyvisitedTopekaandthentraveledtotheSouthKansastownofNewKiowa.TheAugust20editionoftheDodgeCityTimesreportedonDavesappearanceinNewKiowaDaveMatheronFridaylastwasappointedCityMarshalofNewKiowaandatonceentereduponthedutiesoftheoffice.DavewasmarshalatDodgeCityandalsoassistantmarshalforalongtime.Davemakesagoodofficer.Inthosethreeshortsentencesthenewspapermadearecordnumberoffactualerrors.InfactDavehadnotbeenappointedcitymarshalthejobwasalreadytakenbyoneMikeOShea.MatherhadneverservedasmarshalofDodgeCityandhisstintasassistantmarshalwasnotablyshort-lived.Andfinallythereweremanywhowouldhavequestionedhisqualitiesasanofficerofthelawifnotasahumanbeing.WhenMathermadehisappearanceinNewKiowaitwasinthecompanyofDaveBlackhisformerpartnerinDodgeCitysOperaHouseSaloon.Thepairimmediatelymadetheirpresenceknown.WithindaysofhisarrivalDaveBlackshotandkilledasoldierinasaloonfightandtheauthoritiesspiritedhimoutoftownafewjumpsaheadofalynchmobcomprisedofsome100soldiers.AlthoughthekillerhadeludedthemobwordsoonspreadthatthesoldiersconsideredMysteriousDaveanequallysatisfactoryguestatanecktieparty.UponwordthatthemobwasabouttoseekhimoutMatherwhohadraisedafewhundreddollarsforhisfriendsdefensefundalloweddiscretiontoplaythebetterpartofvalorandfled.Truetocharacterhetookthedefensefundwithhim.ItisherethatMysteriousDaveMatherlivesuptohisnickname.Hedisappearedcompletelyfromtheannalsofwesternhistory.Therecontinuedtobereportedsightingsaswellasaccountsofhisdeath.AsnippetinaMay171886Dallasnewspaperreportedanunidentifiedbodyfoundbesidearailroadtrackwithabulletwoundinthehead.SomecametobelievethedeadmanwasDaveMather.Thiswasneverproven.AccordingtobiographerDeMattoswhohasruneveryconceivableiterationofMathersdemisetogroundthereweresomewhoclaimedthatDavelivedwellintothe1920sandbeyondandthathecommittedcrimesinNewMexicoandCaliforniainthelate1880sunderthenameMysteriousDaveTaylor.OnestoryhadhimservingasamemberoftheRoyalCanadianMountedPoliceaslateas1922bywhichtimehewouldhavebeen71.TheMountiesrecordsrefutethisclaim.SomeaccountshavehimdyinginAlbertaCanadain1916.OneoldacquaintancesworethatMathersuccumbedinBlaineWashingtonwhileservingasaU.S.CustomsofficerneithertheU.S.CustomsServicenorthetownofBlainepossessesasinglementionofMather.Thestoriespersist.OneimprobableaccountappearedinFrontierTimesmagazinein1963.ThemostrecentstorydidnotdescribeDavesdeathbutratherhiscapturebyaliensApublicationcalledWeeklyWorldNewsrananeyewitnessstoryinFebruary1988titledUFOShockerDidAliensKidnapOldWestLawmanin1889TheymightaswellhavetodatenoreliablerecordsexistthattraceMathersmovementsfromthedayheleftNewKiowaontherun.UntilandunlesssuchrecordssurfacethelifeanddeathofDavidAllenMysteriousDaveMatherlawmanbadmanconmangamblerthiefandkillerofTomNixonmustremain...well...mysteriousHIGHNOON