Sherman McMaster

Sherman W. McMaster
Born	c. 1853 Rock Island, Illinois
Occupation	Texas Ranger

Sherman McMaster (c. 1853 - c. 1892) was an outlaw turned lawman, who was one of the six men involved in the Earp vendetta ride.

Sherman W. McMaster was born in 1853 in Rock Island, Illinois, the son of Sylvester W. McMaster. Not much is known of his life before heading out west, but he moved to Texas and became a Texas Ranger. He met "Curly Bill" Brocius, who was a prisoner under McMaster's Ranger division. In 1878 Curly Bill escaped from prison, allegedly helped by McMaster. Soon after, along with Brocius, Johnny Barnes, and Pony Diehl, McMaster moved to Arizona.

McMaster worked for the Texas Rangers in 1878, the same year that he first met Brocius. By most accounts he was a good lawman, and was respected for his talents with a gun. In July 1880 he was suspected of stealing U.S. Army mules and two horses from a camp near Tombstone. He was also a suspect in a stagecoach robbery near Globe, Arizona.

On February 24, 1881, two men robbed the stage traveling between Globe and Florence. When they found that the Wells, Fargo & Co. strongbox was empty, they stole the U.S. mail. Pony Diehl (aka Charles Ray) and McMaster were suspects. In Tombstone, City Marshal Virgil Earp knew that McMaster was wanted for the robbery, but according to the The Tombstone Epitaph Virgil had received instructions from Pima County Sheriff Bob Paul to wait to arrest McMaster until Diehl was in custody.

On September 10, 1881, Tombstone City Marshal Virgil Earp attempted to arrest McMaster, who resisted. McMaster fired several shots at Virgil before escaping.

Some accounts have since indicated he was possibly working undercover for the Rangers to break up the outlaw Cowboys, By the time the clash between the Earps and the Cowboys came about, McMaster's allegiance was with the Earps.

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