Strap yourselves in folks, we're about to embark on a thrilling journey through the wild and gritty tales of the legendary Wild West! Ever heard of the infamous Bat Masterson? Well, this episode is all about his equally intriguing brother, James Masterson. We shine a spotlight on his tumultuous life, culminating in his pivotal role in the Battle of the Plaza and the exhilarating Battle of Ingalls. This episode is not just a history lesson, it's a thrilling ride that will transport you back in time, making you feel like you're right in the heart of the action!
Are you ready to face the Doolin-Dalton Gang with us? Fasten your seatbelts as we delve into the notorious lives of outlaws like Bill Doolin, Bitter Creek Newton, Arkansas Tom Jones, Dan Clifton, Tulsa Jack, and George Redbuck Whiteman. Feel the tension rise as we relive the dramatic escape of George Bitter Creek Newcombe from a hostile Comanche band and his subsequent face-off with deputy Dick Speed in Ingalls. The adrenaline doesn't stop there! We intricately weave the narrative of the intense gun battle that ensued, with James Masterson and the townsfolk caught in the crossfire.
Finally, we dissect the heart-stopping gunfight in the tiny town of Ingalls, Oklahoma. Picture the scene - Arkansas Tom, trapped, his comrades escaping amidst a hailstorm of bullets. Experience the desperation of Doolan's frantic search for wire cutters for their escape. Feel the dread as Arkansas Tom watches the dust settle after his friends' escape, left alone in the deafening silence following the chaos. This episode is a wild rollercoaster of gripping narratives, fraught with danger, suspense, and the raw, unfiltered reality of the Wild West. So, hold onto your hats; this will be an unforgettable ride!
Return of the Great Hunters
Cattle Drives Website
Legends of Dodge City Website
Order Books
Strap yourselves in folks, we're about to embark on a thrilling journey through the wild and gritty tales of the legendary Wild West! Ever heard of the infamous Bat Masterson? Well, this episode is all about his equally intriguing brother, James Masterson. We shine a spotlight on his tumultuous life, culminating in his pivotal role in the Battle of the Plaza and the exhilarating Battle of Ingalls. This episode is not just a history lesson, it's a thrilling ride that will transport you back in time, making you feel like you're right in the heart of the action!
Are you ready to face the Doolin-Dalton Gang with us? Fasten your seatbelts as we delve into the notorious lives of outlaws like Bill Doolin, Bitter Creek Newton, Arkansas Tom Jones, Dan Clifton, Tulsa Jack, and George Redbuck Whiteman. Feel the tension rise as we relive the dramatic escape of George Bitter Creek Newcombe from a hostile Comanche band and his subsequent face-off with deputy Dick Speed in Ingalls. The adrenaline doesn't stop there! We intricately weave the narrative of the intense gun battle that ensued, with James Masterson and the townsfolk caught in the crossfire.
Finally, we dissect the heart-stopping gunfight in the tiny town of Ingalls, Oklahoma. Picture the scene - Arkansas Tom, trapped, his comrades escaping amidst a hailstorm of bullets. Experience the desperation of Doolan's frantic search for wire cutters for their escape. Feel the dread as Arkansas Tom watches the dust settle after his friends' escape, left alone in the deafening silence following the chaos. This episode is a wild rollercoaster of gripping narratives, fraught with danger, suspense, and the raw, unfiltered reality of the Wild West. So, hold onto your hats; this will be an unforgettable ride!
Return of the Great Hunters
Cattle Drives Website
Legends of Dodge City Website
Order Books
Our story goes back to April 6th 1881, after James Masterson lost his job as city marshal during a Dodge City government change. The government in Dodge City felt like the long-standing hard-lined stance of the marshal's office was past its prime and no longer useful. Masterson, then the owner of the Lady Gays Saloon, had a fallout with his business partner, aj Peacock. The fallout occurred over the hiring of Peacock's brother-in-law, al Uptograph, as a bartender. During this time someone wired Bat Masterson in Tombstone that his brother's life was in danger. Bat Masterson arrived in Dodge on April 16th 1881, and saw Peacock and Uptograph near the train station. Gunfire broke out, with others taking part in the Battle of the Plaza. Uptograph was the only casualty, taking a bullet through the lungs. Bat was fined for discharging a gun within the city limits and the brothers left Dodge.
Speaker 1:James Masterson moved to Trinidad, colorado, where he joined the police force. While in Trinidad, james Masterson arrested John Allen for the shooting death of Frank Loving in what became known as the Trinidad Gunfight. In 1889, james Masterson took an active part in the Gray County War in Kansas. He was one of a group of lawmen who made a raid on the courthouse at Cimarron which resulted in a famous gunfight known as the Battle of Cimarron. Masterson later moved to Guthrie, oklahoma, and then later became a deputy sheriff of Logan County, oklahoma. On September 1st 1893, as a special deputy, us Marshal James was involved in the Battle of Ingalls. The 30-minute gunfight occurred in Ingalls, oklahoma, against the Doolin-Dalton Gang and was responsible for the capture of gang member Arkansas Tom Jones. Wild West Podcast is proud to present the Battle of Ingalls.
Speaker 1:On a hot summer day in late August of 1893, bill Doolin's dusty, spur-bound boots clinked across the front porch of a small wooden-framed ransom saloon. Bill watched the sunset of the horizon spreading its largeness into a grateful sky Rich hues of red blended with oranges, purples, crimson. Bob's spirit soared at the sight that he was transported into a timeless existence, ready for a long awaited drink. After a hard, desperate ride, bill swung the saloon door wide. The sun rays pierced the dark room, overcasting the shadows of the other two cowboys who followed him. Litter Creek Newton entered the saloon while placing one hand on the handle of his holstered cult revolver. Arkansas Tom Jones followed carrying a winch-chested rifle held firmly across his chest. From the sun-lit door behind Arkansas Tom, four cowboys could be seen in the street. The cowboys outside were given instructions to keep a lookout for any approaching lawman who may have wandered into town. The dismounted dynamite dick held the reins of three horses. Dan Clifton, known as Dynamite Dick, was a noted safecracker and cattle wrestler wanted in the Oklahoma Indian Territory for robbery. The second cowboy in the streak was Tulsa Jack, who held the reins of Bill Doolan's prize iron grey mare.
Speaker 1:William Tulsa Jack Blake had just recently took part in the April 3, 1895 Rock Island train robbery. Tulsa Jack, during the train robbery, was put in charge of patrolling the passenger cars. He pillaged the passengers of their wallets, watches and jewelry. Bill Dalton sat in the saddle whose back could be seen through the saloon's front door. William Marion Dalton was the co-leader of the Wild Bunch gang and he was the brother of the founders of the Dalton gang. After three of his brothers were killed in an unsuccessful 1892 raid on Coffeeville, kansas, dalton moved to Oklahoma Territory. There he met up with Bill Doolan and the two formed their own gang. They called their gang by two names the Doolan Dalton gang for their joint leadership and the Oklahoma Brays For three years. They led their gang in committing robberies of banks, stagecoaches and trains in various places around Indian and Oklahoma Territories Texas, arkansas and Kansas.
Speaker 1:The dismounted George Redbuck Whiteman cast a shadow from his building's corner with his rifle tip sparkling in the late evening sun. Redbuck, originally from Texas, earned his nickname for his flaming red hair. By the time he wound up in Oklahoma he had become a horse thief and killer. Before joining the gang he had already killed four men and was willing to kill more for the price of just $50. Redbuck enjoyed killing and often bragged about his deeds Inside the dim, kerosene lantern-lit saloon.
Speaker 1:Bill walked toward the back, passing the tobacco case by the entry and approached the brass footrailed bar. Bill glanced at the shelf space full of liquor stock and glasses. He glanced into a large, long wall-mounted mirror seeing his two friends' images on both sides of the entry door and three men playing cards in a dark corner of the half-empty saloon. Next to the mirror hung a partially nude picture of a Buxom woman in a lazing position. The image embraced a woman with long dark hair flowing about her head and shoulders. Doolan laid a dime in a nickel on the bar and called for his first drink.
Speaker 1:Ransom, the saloon owner, entered from the back ice house. A muscle twitched involuntarily at the corner of Ransom's right eye. His mouth formed a rigid grimace. He folded his arms tightly across his chest and tapped his foot, while staring through a grimy window out into the street Behind the bar. Ransom reached into the top shelf, pulled down a bottle of Redtop Rye whiskey the best in the house and set it on the bar in front of Bill Doolan. Ransom then towel dusted the upside down shot glass, pulled the cork from the amber-colored bottle and poured it to the brim. Within a second and without saying a word, the small-framed, dark-haired, full-bearded Bill Doolan consumed his first shot while placing five gold eagle coins on the bar.
Speaker 1:Bill turned his back to Ransom and spoke to the card-playing cowboys who sat quietly at the table. He asked them if they were interested in joining him for a drink. One man, lehman Myers, sitting in a round card table, who was afraid to move, had a full mouth of tobacco that he almost swallowed, spitting into the nearby cuspidore. The choking Myers agreed to hold a drink at the bar. Murray, the regular bartender who's at next to Myers, placed his hand cards on the table, slowly pulled back his chair and moved behind the bar with caution. Standing at the entry, the two cowboys motioned out into the street for the others to come in while Murray set up the glasses.
Speaker 1:Arkansas Tom placed his rifle on the bar, reached over and pulled the bartender's head and sawed off shotgun from underneath the counter. He busted open the shotgun's breach, removed the shells from the chamber and stated you won't be needing this tonight. Bitter Creek, laughing, said he wanted a beer. Duhlin, looking across the bar, saw three of his other friends enter the saloon and asked what's it gonna be boys? The drinks are on me.
Speaker 1:Redbook was on the outside of the saloon watching over the horses and for any lawman in town there was a lot of drinking that night Bill buying drinks and making friends. While the boys became boisterous, bitter Creek threw beer on the guest and took sports at shooting the whiskey glasses off the top of the bar. Late into the night, more towns people joined the small crowded saloon while the beer and whiskey puddled on the floor, bar and tables. Losing his footing, bitter Creek fell into the bar, cracking his head against the railing and plunged into the wall. The fall backward caused the warren cokey was wearing to catch the hammer of his holstered sidearm, the Colt 45 discharged, silencing the saloon and smoke.
Speaker 1:It took a second for the misguided gunshot to sink in, even though it was right before Bitter Creek's eyes, larger than life. In response, bitter Creek then drew his colt from the leather holster and shot back at a mysterious source. Looking down at the barrel of his smoking gun, bitter Creek laughed, fell through the swinging doors and into the street. Bitter Creek, again on his back, began shooting holes into the ransom saloon sign Outside. The guarding, red Buck, drew and fired a shot at the fallen Bitter Creek, just missing his head. Haring the gunshot from the street Dulan, with two pistols drawn, appeared on the front porch and pointed them in the direction of Red Buck. Red Buck scratched his head in disbelief. He pulled Bitter Creek to the porch and rested him on a bench where he spent the remainder of the night.
Speaker 1:The morning sun climbed to the sound of quails. The chirp of crickets brought into the air a new day tingles. The rising eastern sun of late August opened the sleepy eyes of Bitter Creek as the hard planks of the wooden bench gave his back discomfort, his head hollowed with drink. Bitter Creek braved his rolling stomach and set up slowly. He snuggled his back to the bench as he saw an approaching shadow of a large man. He looked into the man's approaching shadow, looking with squinting eyes from the sun's glare, a tall and muscular black man carrying two sidearms. The man held out a crumpled piece of paper and printed on the flyer was the face of Bill Dalton. The text read Wanted $5,000, dead or Alive. The black cowboy named Charlie Pettit, a deputy hired by Marshal Ed Nix, was eager to collect the reward and boast it of how he would capture Bill Doolan. Bitter Creek shook his head in amazement. Charlie walked into the saloon and poured a cup of coffee.
Speaker 1:It did not take long for the word to get out that the wild bunch was holed up in the town of Ingalls. When US Marshals got word of the gang's location, marshall Everett Dumas, ed Nix formed a posse. Based on the information in the report, marshall Hixon and other officers devised a plan to get the drop on the Dueling Gang. It was decided to locate two big wagons covered in white canvas, load them with men, guns and ammunition and drive them into town without drawing any attention. If anyone asked, they were to say they were hunters. Marshall Heck Thomas pronounced it a fool's errand and refused to have anything to do with it. Regardless of any dissension, the plan was put into action.
Speaker 1:The night of August 31st Before midnight, a wagon left from Stillwater, driven by Marshall Dick Speed, under the command of Marshall Houston and with deputies Hamilton, ham Houston, his brother, Henry Keller, george Cox, ma Iason and HA Hi Thompson. A little earlier, a wagon left from Guthrie driven by Marshall Hixon and with deputies Doc Roberts, ike Steele, steve Burke, laph Shadley and James Masterson. It was midnight when both wagons from Guthrie and Stillwater met up. Red Lucas was outlining his plan of attack with an oak branch drawing in the dirt. He drew out the town's boundaries when he spotted a boy. He quietly whispered downward in a low tone. As he continued to sketch he whispered to the others I think someone is rustling about in the plum thickets. It was the boy who hid between the sagebrush and thickets that had become the thorn in the side of the lawman, the boy whom the lawman captured until a concerned crowd searching for the boy wandered into the night lighting a way of lanterns to find the lost boy. Early the next morning the boy slipped away and ran into Ingalls, telling the outlaws the Marshalls are coming. The boy's warning gave the outlaws time to saddle their horses at the livery stable, but rather than making a run for it they chose to return to their poker game at the saloon. The sun was at mid-morning and cast forth the shadows of thirteen deputies standing and staring into the unknown vigilance of what breaks a man's bravery into fear, a fear that rushes into the hearts of a man's adrenaline, that quivers into the thought of uncertainty, reluctance and doubt. Each man was holding his rifle, each man forecasting what may lay ahead in the town of Ingalls.
Speaker 1:Ingalls was a quiet western Oklahoma town in the eastern part of Payne County. The established town had a livery, stable, saloon and hotel and by the winter of 1890, a post office was built. The citizens of Ingalls were for the most part respectable and hardworking. Some of the settlers had come to Oklahoma to stake a claim along the Cimarron River, just on the edge of Cowboy Flats. Cowboy Flats was well known to the cattle-drovers, indians, outlaws and several military camps. This land was both fertile to the soil and tainted to the soul of both civility and wildness. At any given moment, a change from peacefulness could erupt to reckless violence like a thunderstorm without warning as it rolls across the plains.
Speaker 1:George Bitter Creek Newcombe, who had filed his claim to Cowboy Flats, sat on the OK Hotel's front porch dreaming about Rose, the Rose of his Heart, cimarron Rose. He had fallen for Rose when he worked as a cow puncher for CC Slaughter, driving his herd along the Chisholm Trail to Fort Scott Kansas. That's when he was given his first availies, the Slaughter Kid. It was on one of these cattle-drives that he met up with a band of Comanches. He was moving his herd with four other cow punchers now laying dead in the prairie grass behind him. This early morning, attack by Indians to his camp and a trip to a nearby riverbank allowed him to escape a flood of oncoming arrows. A lone horse trotting toward him led him quickly escape, as he was now riding in full gallop, without his herd, to Fort Scott Kansas.
Speaker 1:As Bitter Creek looked back over his shoulder, he spotted a band of Indians leaving a wake of red dust behind them. He could almost feel the air of their lungs as they heard the high yelps of war cries bouncing around his eardrums with the clarity of vengeance. What troubled him most were the dismounted Indians who remained behind and the burning chuck wagon that he left. That's when he grabbed for his hat to check the hairline of his scalp and kicked two spurs hard into his horse's side. It was then that he felt the sting of pain running up from his right lower thigh. Reaching back, he felt a long post. As he followed it down to his upper thigh that bounced between his saddle and his hip. He had been shot with an arrow and it was lodged deep within his skin and into the bone. He rode hard for over 20 miles just keeping ahead of the hunters.
Speaker 1:The Indians, who were determined to claim a prize for their warriors, built a trophy to a victory over another white man who had taken their land. The last thing he remembered was looking up into an evening sky lying on his back amid the pain of tears. He had fallen from his horse in front of Rose Dunn on the footsteps in front of her hotel. The 14-year-old Rose Dunn called for assistance. The wounded Bitter Creek was moved from the dust-ridden front street into a room adjacent to hers as she nursed him back to health. This was his rose, the rose of his heart, as he sang his favorite song I'm a wild wolf from Bitter Creek and it's my night to hell. And he howled four times, calling into the wind. The deputies heard the howls in the quiet of their camp. These taunting howls made them stare down at the barrels of the Winchester rifles and shotguns. The deputies raised their arms in the direction before them, a town that called from the wild the wild bunch of Duhlin and Dalton calling them into battle, a battle that they were soon to face, as deputy Dick Speed took the first step.
Speaker 1:On September 1st 1893, two wagons full of deputy sheriffs, disguised as homesteaders, descended on Ingalls. Federal officer Red Lucas reported that Duhlin, bill Dalton, bitter Creek, newcomb, tulsa, jack Blake, red Buck Waipman and Dynamite Dick Clifton were bellied up at the bar at the Ransom Saloon. The 13 lawmen entered town and scattered to cut off all avenues of escape. Lawman Dick Speed was the first to enter Ingalls and pulled his wagon up in front of Pierce's livery stable. He walked inside, threatened the owner and his stable boy with his Winchester. Dick told them both to be quiet or suffer the pain of death.
Speaker 1:Up the street in Ingalls outlaw Bitter Creek, newcomb saw the wagon halt near the livery stable. Ever wary, bitter Creek decided to investigate. He would also check on his horse, left for shooing at Wagner's Blasmice Shop. Finding that his mount was ready, he saddled and began to walk his horse toward the suspicious wagon. Now Speed, spotting the horsemen approaching, asked a passerby, 14-year-old Del Simmons, demands identity. Surprised the lad blurted out why that's Bitter Creek. Newcomb heard the exclamation, whirled to see the boy pointed at him and yanked his Winchester from its scabbard.
Speaker 1:Looking down the barrel of his Winchester rifle, dick Speed had his sights locked onto Bitter Creek Newcomb. Dick's speed eager, with the headlong zest of a hunter for the game, stepped from behind the wagon's rear wheel. Dick's right index finger squeezed off the first shot. The hammer met the cap with a brass casing, sending the.45 caliber bullet toward Bitter Creek. The bullet hit with such force that it threw the horse-driven Bitter Creek onto the ground. The sound of the shot echoed terror into the town.
Speaker 1:As the bullet made its mark on Bitter Creek's rifle, dick aimed once more at the fallen Bitter Creek and saw his boots lying still behind the cover of a well Seeing no movement. Dick made a complete circle and slowly approached the lying cowboy with caution. The adrenaline rushed from Dick's heart into his brain as he froze to the second shot that whirled past his head. The second bullet fired from Bitter Creek's single-shot rifle had missed. The third and fourth shots coming from Bitter Creek's revolver were relentless and sent Dick into a spinning panic of darkness. Dick fell to the street like an apparition, seen and gone. The blue smoke whirled from Bitter Creek's revolver and drifted over the fallen Dick's speed as anxious pain and the sight of blood entered his mind. It was his blood that trickled over the fingers that clambered onto the damaged rifle. The bullet splintered off the rifle, sending one half through the groin and splitting off his spine's lower tip. The other half of the bullet lodged into a nearby hitching post. Bitter Creek screamed out in pain of anger, yelling and cursing at his fallen prey. In front of him laid Dick's speed, still and motionless, with his right breast open to a blood pool. Using the broken rifle as a crutch, bitter Creek pulled up from the ground, limped to his nearby standing horse, grabbed the harness and looked into the eyes of his startled mount. Still clutching the center of his rifle, he gripped the saddle horn and spun the horse around with one foot in the strop, half hanging off and in full gallop.
Speaker 1:Bitter Creek headed down Main Street and to the edge of town. The sounds of gunfire broke out around him. Looking back over his shoulder he saw Reverend Platt attending the fallen deputy marshal Dick Speed, the man he had just shot, the man without warning, who had shot at him With his right leg over the saddle. He looked at the gun barrels coming out from undercover, finding the streets as a volley of shots rang over him. Five rifle barrels appeared from the breaking glass windows of the saloon. The five outlaws poker game had been interrupted and all chips were lying on the floor. While taking aim to give covering shots to Bitter Creek's escape, two deputies stepped forward into the street, blocking Bitter Creek's escape route. In contrast, the other deputies fired repeated rounds into the saloon. Two deputies in the street let off another volley of rounds. The escaping Bitter Creek, noticing his exit being blocked, turned his horse hard left and rode into the open door of Ransom's livery barn. He dismounted his horse with the near escape of being hit.
Speaker 1:The second time Bitter Creek took cover inside the barn behind the large wooden door and looked out into the street. Reverend Platt had pulled Dick Speed onto the porch of the saloon. The gun barrels over the stooping reverend's head led out a series of bursts. The burst from the outlaw's rifle was like a sudden blast from an open furnace door. The gunfire caused the jolted reverend to let go of the water canteen which he had held in the aid of the dying Dick Speed. Awakened by the gunfire, the livery barn owner jumped up from the saloon's pool table, he instantly ducked as appearing in front of him. From inside the saloon, the glimmering light to four bullet holes smashed through the wooden boards.
Speaker 1:George Ransom pushed away from the pool table and dashed for the front door. With glass breaking around him, he reached for the door handle. He instantly found himself off his feet and onto the saloon's porch front. Ransom, getting a short glance of the reverend on the outside, grabbed hold of his red-soaked thigh and rolled back through the half-open door. The next shots rang out over his head as he crawled back into the saloon, resting in the ice house behind the protection of a block of ice.
Speaker 1:A few seconds had passed when several shots were fired into the saloon from the street. These shots caused Murray to fall through the framework of the ice house and into George's hiding place. Lehman Myers, the third tenant of the saloon, fell unhurt on top of the wounded Murray. Murray held his right shoulder with his left hand and, with his dangling right arm, applied pressure to his wounded left side. Murray had been shot twice from the street by three deputies who continued to rain a hail of bullets into the saloon and ice house.
Speaker 1:Bitter Creek, still hiding behind the barn door, looked further down the street seeing two boys playing marbles in front of the hotel. Above in the second-story window of the hotel was a flashing muzzle of Arkansas Tom. Arkansas Tom was well into the fight by repeatedly firing shots at three deputy marshals. The shots fired from the window caused the marshals to dive behind a water trough at the saloon's corner. One of the boys' mothers could be seen running to the rescue to the already scampering marble playing boys. A few seconds later, dall Simmons, a student from Duncan, kansas, was seen running from the drugstore. As the boy crossed the street, one of the deputies fired a shot into his back. The boy dropped instantly. Seeing the boy fall into the street from the deputy's misguided gun, arkansas Tom immediately fired down at the deputy. The unexpected shots from the hotel window forced the deputy to take cover by a nearby trough. Deputy Hickson, under cover of the trough, felt three more bullets pass over his head. The shots ricocheted off the ground and startled a horse tied to the hitching post. Two more shots were fired from the saloon. A horse pulled the reins away from the hitching post, running directly in front of the saloon's gunfire. Hickson saw the horse falling and moved out of the way for fear of the horse falling on him.
Speaker 1:Dr Sulf was in his office at the back of the store when he first heard the shots fired at Bitter Creek. He also heard the other two shots that brought down Dick's speed. These were the shots that brought him to the store's front porch. Dr Sulf looked down the street where James Masterson hid behind a blackjack tree. James mentioned to the doctor to get out of the way. Get down, get down, yelled Masterson, while two chunks of bark from a bullet splintered tree landed the doctor's feet. Dr Sulf ignored James' warning and continued walking in the direction of the saloon's flashing rifles. Masterson dove for the ground as one round hit the tree. A second shot branded a loud, indelible ring, a ring that seemed to hang in the air, reverberating echoes around his ears. The shots were so close to his ear that the sound of passing bullets peeled through his brain like a muffled bell.
Speaker 1:Dr Sulf was well out into the middle of the street when the last shot brought silence into the air, almost in eerie silence, a silence abrooted like a gentle spirit, heavy as a dark cloud passing over, casting a shadow as deep as death. All was silent. Only smoke remained in the air. All eyes were now on Dr Sulf motioning to his wife to cross over into the street. Mrs Sulf covered her baby with a blanket and ran into the secure arms of her husband. The doctor had Grinn grab the wrist of his wife's arm and pulled her and the baby from the street. They both hid under the protective window of a walkway. This is when James Masterson noticed a man running out of the saloon. James mistakes the man for an outlaw and fires a shot into NA Walker. Three other marshals surrounding the saloon took James's lead and fired two more rounds at the falling innocent man.
Speaker 1:Seconds after NA Walker hit the ground, heavy gunfire from the hotel and saloon forced the marshals to take protective cover. The barrage of bullets became the covering fire for the already mounted Bitter Creek Newcombe who spurred his horse to a full gallop and out of the livery barn came horse and rider. The gunfire was at its heaviest during Bitter Creek's escape. Bitter Creek's ride out of town looked like a great express train, flashing and dashing headlong into the open prairie. The outlaw bullets rained down from the hotel and saloon. While two deputies ran to a better cover position, dr Self, his wife and baby could be seen running down the sidewalk with wood ships bursting above their heads from the outlaw's misguided aims.
Speaker 1:Bitter Creek had escaped from the livery barn and was well out of town when Dr Self, his wife and baby had taken cover into their house From their exposed positions. The deputies opened up once again on the saloon and hotel. The outlaw's sight of James Masterson lay directly in the path of the self-house. The returning fire from the outlaws ripped through the house's curtains, causing both his wife and baby to jump to the floor. All three took cover under a bed mattress at the dwelling's far end. While Mrs Self comforted her baby, two more shots hit the mattress from which they had found cover.
Speaker 1:During the lull in the fighting, hickson's men had moved in from the west. They were taking a position to the rear of the saloon. Masterson and his men had abandoned the street's heavy fire by taking better cover behind haystacks and some trees near Dr Pickering's home. Some of the deputies had advanced behind the hotel, while a few deputies made their cover behind the houses of Dr Self, dr Call and the livery stable. Simultaneously, the deputies were repositioning themselves.
Speaker 1:Dr Self, his wife and baby ran for cover to a nearby cave, overflowing with frightened townspeople. The cave was maintained for the protection of tornadoes that were frequently known to the Oklahoma Territory. Women, men and children were taking refuge from the gunfire. The gunfire that drove the population of Ingalls away from their homes into a dark cave where they prayed for their lives and the safety of their loved ones. The cave sheltered those who were mixed with emotion. These were the emotions that flashed across each face, like the sweep of sun-scattered plows over a landscape plain of hopelessness. Some blamed others who entertained the outlaws. Some said nothing. Those who spoke loudly cursed the terror that brooded outside the cave and in their town. Their faces fell pale with misery as they stared out from the deep, dark well of fear and sorrow.
Speaker 1:As more shots from the town echoed within the next, two shots fired from the hotel window struck a wooden plank above Tom Houston's head. Houston became concerned on how his hat stuck up from behind the water trough where he was hiding. Houston quickly removed his hat as he hid where the two deputies, hickston and Houston, were silenced. Another shot from Arkansas' Tom Rifle struck close to Houston's hand, causing him to run for better cover on the side of Perry's store. Feeling secure with Houston's new position, hickston yelled out from behind the trough. He shouted to Bill Doolan to come out and surrender or risk being killed. Doolan answered with his Colt 45 revolver and two more shots were heard coming from the hotel window. Houston could now be seen fully exposed down in the street. The bullets from Arkansas' Tom's rifle downed Houston and brought out Doolan from the side of the saloon. The second barrage of shots came from the deputies' rifles. The hail of bullets was so heavy that Bill Doolan fell back into the alley.
Speaker 1:The other outlaws in the saloon in earnest made their run for the side door. While dodging bullets, fragments and wood chips that flew in all directions, bill Doolan ran to the livery barn along with the wooden plank porches of Front Street. The other three outlaws gave cover outside the saloon. Bill Doolan with his Colt pistol fired in the direction of the deputies. Red Buck and Bill Dalton followed in Doolan's order, firing more shots in the deputies' direction.
Speaker 1:Arkansas' Tom kept the deputies undercover from the hotel window. Red Buck and Bill Dalton dodged in and out of the storefront entries Simultaneously. Bill Doolan, undercover of the livery stable, shot at everything that moved. Red Buck started saddling the horses in the livery barn. When Tulsa Jack and Dynamite Dick made their way to the stable where Doolan provided cover fire. Arkansas' Tom continued his rounds from the hotel window, keeping the deputies pinned down, and undercover the outlaws under the shelter of the livery barn, saddled and bridled their horses still under fire.
Speaker 1:From Arkansas' Tom's hotel window the deputies moved in and around the livery stable. Laef Shadley made a run to get within the exact aiming distance of the front of the livery barn. Marshall Hixon moved around the side of the barn to cover the back exit. Doolan and Dynamite Dick traded places with Red Buck, bill Dalton and Tulsa Jack who kept the deputies at bay. Doolan and Dynamite Dick rigged and mounted their horses and dashed out to the livery's rear door.
Speaker 1:Hixon, guarding the back exit, took his first shot at the exiting Doolan. The shot missed and hit Doolan's horse in the jaw. The horse spun instantly out of control. Doolan, fighting for command of the unmanageable horse, rode hard for another 75 feet. Shadley, who had been covering the livery's front, ran in Doolan's direction and his unwieldy horse, hoping to get a shot at Doolan. Shadley had become exposed to Tulsa Jack's rifle, incurring a bullet through his side. The wounded Shadley ran from the corner of the house in an attempt to reach the shelter of the cave. Doolan spotted the staggering Shadley and without warning, fired two times from his winchester. Both shots hit the unaware Shadley in the chest. Shadley, by luck, got off one round before dropping backward and hard to the ground. The bullet hit Doolan's horse in the leg and buckled the animal beneath him.
Speaker 1:The other escaping outlaws rode southwest past Doolan, down a draw and into the barbed wire fence. The gang's only escape from town was blocked. Doolan, seeing the escape route blocked by the fence, crawled back to his downed horse. Reaching inside of his saddleback, he grabbed some wire cutters. Seeing Doolan crawling towards them, the outlaws, stranded at the fence and under gunfire, yelled for Doolan to hurry. Doolan made his way now on foot, cutting the wire and making way for all to escape, except for Arkansas Tom who was still firing shots from his hotel window.
Speaker 1:The town of Engels grew silent. Arkansas Tom now looked from his window into the street, a street covered in blood. Through the shell-ridden window pane he saw Dick's speed lying frozen on the saloon's front porch and a walker was in the street, wounded in the leg and calling for help. The horse that broke loose from the hitching post still kicking, and Tom Houston faced down by the livery barn. Dall Simmons, a 14-year-old boy, lay motionless behind the saloon. The wounded Chadley was out of sight and accrued to the safety of the cave. The outlaws last sight was now only a trail of dust. Arkansas Tom was a trapped victim, a victim of the revengeful deputies that now called him down from his second-story window.
Speaker 1:The gun battle was close to an end. Thirty minutes had passed since the first shots brought Arkansas Tom from his sleep, a sleep that he will remember. In a nightmare, the outlaws, his friends, had now slipped away like a vision. They had vanished like the shapes that float upon a summer's dream. His life had now fallen away like a speck in space. The man solely responsible for his friend's getaway was alone. The thoughts of being abandoned streamed over him like a forest in flame. Tom looked on the floor of his second-story hotel room and saw the piles of spent casings. He had four shots remaining in his half-loaded rifle, and he heard footsteps coming up the stairs.