James Masterson
| James Masterson | |
|---|---|
James Masterson
|
|
| Born |
September 18, 1855 Canada |
| Died | March 31, 1895 (aged 39) Guthrie, Oklahoma |
| Occupation | Deputy Marshal |
| Relatives |
Bat Masterson (brother) Ed Masterson (brother) |
James Masterson, also known as Jim Masterson, (September 18, 1855 – March 31, 1895) was a lawman of the American West and the youngest brother of gunfighters and lawmen Bat Masterson and Ed Masterson.
After working on the western frontier as a buffalo hunter with his brothers, he returned to Kansas. He and Ben Springer were the co-owners of the successful Lady Gay Dance Hall and Saloon in Dodge City, which employed the popular singer Dora Hand.
Masterson became the assistant marshal in Dodge City in June 1878. At that time Charlie Bassett was the Marshal, having replaced Jim's brother Ed, who was killed in the line of duty two months earlier. Wyatt Earp was a Deputy Marshal under Bassett at that same time, along with Earp's brother James. In the summer of 1878, a cowboy named George Hoy opened fire on the Comique Variety Hall, outside of which stood Masterson and Wyatt Earp. Earp had been involved in an altercation with Hoy previously. Both Earp and Masterson returned fire, and Hoy was shot from his horse by one bullet that severely injured his arm. Hoy died a month later, and Earp always claimed to have fired the shot that ultimately killed Hoy. However, that was never confirmed, and it is entirely possible that the shot was actually fired by Jim Masterson. Masterson, however, never disputed Earp's claim, and simply didn't comment.
He made several hundred arrests during the next two year time span, mostly of drunken cowboys who came through Dodge City on cattle drives. In November, 1879, he was promoted to Marshal after Bassett's resignation. He shot at least one man during his service with the Dodge City Marshal's Office, aside from the Hoy shooting. On April 6, 1881, he lost his job after a change in city government, and the belief that the long-standing hard-lined stance of the Marshal's Office was past its prime and no longer useful.
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Wikipedia