Ed Masterson
Encyclopedia
Ed Masterson was a lawman and the brother of the American West gunfighters Bat Masterson
and James Masterson
.
. His family moved to near Wichita, Kansas
in the early 1870s. Ed Masterson, as reported by those who knew him, never possessed the characteristic personality of his more famous brother, Bat Masterson
, or his other brother James
. He was killed by gunfire while trying to disarm a drunken cowboy.
Prior to beginning his lawman career, he and his two brothers worked as buffalo hunters. During his service as the marshal
and Deputy Marshal of Dodge City, Kansas
, Ed Masterson was shot twice. The first incident occurred in November 1877, when he was shot in the breast by Bob Shaw in the Lone Star Dance Hall. Although his right arm was paralysed, Ed switched his gun to his left hand and shot Shaw in the arm and leg. After Masterson's recovery, he replaced Larry Deger as the town marshal. It is commonly believed that he replaced lawman Wyatt Earp
, but it was actually Deger. On March 15, 1878, Masterson assisted his brother Bat Masterson
, who was the Ford County
Sheriff
at that time, and lawman Charlie Bassett
in the capture of two train robbery suspects.
Later that same month, Masterson announced publicly that he had a new plan to rid Dodge City of vagrancy and street violence, which included the disarming of gun-carrying men inside the city limits, and that it would be implemented immediately. On April 9, 1878, while attempting to disarm a drunken cowboy
, Jack Wagner, Ed was shot once in his right side. Bat Masterson, who was nearby, responded, running across the street shooting at both Wagner, and his employer Alf Walker. Ed Masterson died shortly thereafter, after walking into the street and collapsing. Wagner, hit in the abdomen, died the next day. Walker, hit in the lung and twice in the arm, was thought likely to die but was taken back to Texas and subsequently recovered. Witnesses who saw the killing of Ed Masterson report that it appeared he was carrying a rather pungent cigar in his hand. Actually it was the close range muzzle blast from Wagner's gun which had set Ed Masterson's clothes smoldering.
There has been some debate as to whether Bat Masterson or Ed shot Wagner and Walker. The incident occurred at night and the local newspapers were ambiguous, perhaps trying to shield Bat from Texan vengeance, although Dodge City residents of the time generally knew that Bat had been responsible. In later years, the newspaper reports led some historians to conclude that Ed had shot his own attackers. However, the recent discovery of two court cases in which Bat testified that he had shot both men when it was hardly in his interests to do so means that it is now generally accepted that Bat avenged his brother.
Masterson was replaced by Charlie Bassett as marshal, with Wyatt Earp
, James Earp
, and Ed's brother Jim Masterson working as deputies. His brother Jim would later replace Bassett as marshal. Despite common belief, Wyatt Earp never served as the marshal of Dodge City.
television series, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
, a Desilu Production starring Hugh O'Brian
in the title role.
In the 1959 MGM film, The Gunfight at Dodge City
, Harry Lauter
portrayed Masterson, historically portraying him as killed, shot in the back by a man avenging his own brother's death.
In the 1994 Warner Bros film, Wyatt Earp, Bill Pullman
portrayed Ed Masterson, whom Wyatt Earp (played by Kevin Costner
) claimed did not have the temperament to be a lawman.
Bat Masterson
William Barclay "Bat" Masterson was a figure of the American Old West known as a buffalo hunter, U.S. Marshal and Army scout, avid fisherman, gambler, frontier lawman, and sports editor and columnist for the New York Morning Telegraph...
and James Masterson
James Masterson
James Masterson, also known as Jim Masterson, was a lawman of the American West and the brother of gunfighters and lawmen Bat Masterson and Ed Masterson.-Lawman career:...
.
Lawman career
Ed Masterson was born in Henryville, Canada EastCanada East
Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
. His family moved to near Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
in the early 1870s. Ed Masterson, as reported by those who knew him, never possessed the characteristic personality of his more famous brother, Bat Masterson
Bat Masterson
William Barclay "Bat" Masterson was a figure of the American Old West known as a buffalo hunter, U.S. Marshal and Army scout, avid fisherman, gambler, frontier lawman, and sports editor and columnist for the New York Morning Telegraph...
, or his other brother James
James Masterson
James Masterson, also known as Jim Masterson, was a lawman of the American West and the brother of gunfighters and lawmen Bat Masterson and Ed Masterson.-Lawman career:...
. He was killed by gunfire while trying to disarm a drunken cowboy.
Prior to beginning his lawman career, he and his two brothers worked as buffalo hunters. During his service as the marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
and Deputy Marshal of Dodge City, Kansas
Dodge City, Kansas
Dodge City is a city in, and the county seat of, Ford County, Kansas, United States. Named after nearby Fort Dodge, the city is famous in American culture for its history as a wild frontier town of the Old West. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,340.-History:The first settlement of...
, Ed Masterson was shot twice. The first incident occurred in November 1877, when he was shot in the breast by Bob Shaw in the Lone Star Dance Hall. Although his right arm was paralysed, Ed switched his gun to his left hand and shot Shaw in the arm and leg. After Masterson's recovery, he replaced Larry Deger as the town marshal. It is commonly believed that he replaced lawman Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was an American gambler, investor, and law enforcement officer who served in several Western frontier towns. He was also at different times a farmer, teamster, bouncer, saloon-keeper, miner and boxing referee. However, he was never a drover or cowboy. He is most well known...
, but it was actually Deger. On March 15, 1878, Masterson assisted his brother Bat Masterson
Bat Masterson
William Barclay "Bat" Masterson was a figure of the American Old West known as a buffalo hunter, U.S. Marshal and Army scout, avid fisherman, gambler, frontier lawman, and sports editor and columnist for the New York Morning Telegraph...
, who was the Ford County
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
at that time, and lawman Charlie Bassett
Charlie Bassett (lawman)
Charles Bassett was a lawman and saloon keeper associated with the early days of Dodge City in the American Old West.Charles E. Bassett was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, on October 30, 1847 to the parents of Benjamin Bassett and Julia Bassett. -Early life, career as a lawman:Bassett was...
in the capture of two train robbery suspects.
Later that same month, Masterson announced publicly that he had a new plan to rid Dodge City of vagrancy and street violence, which included the disarming of gun-carrying men inside the city limits, and that it would be implemented immediately. On April 9, 1878, while attempting to disarm a drunken cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
, Jack Wagner, Ed was shot once in his right side. Bat Masterson, who was nearby, responded, running across the street shooting at both Wagner, and his employer Alf Walker. Ed Masterson died shortly thereafter, after walking into the street and collapsing. Wagner, hit in the abdomen, died the next day. Walker, hit in the lung and twice in the arm, was thought likely to die but was taken back to Texas and subsequently recovered. Witnesses who saw the killing of Ed Masterson report that it appeared he was carrying a rather pungent cigar in his hand. Actually it was the close range muzzle blast from Wagner's gun which had set Ed Masterson's clothes smoldering.
There has been some debate as to whether Bat Masterson or Ed shot Wagner and Walker. The incident occurred at night and the local newspapers were ambiguous, perhaps trying to shield Bat from Texan vengeance, although Dodge City residents of the time generally knew that Bat had been responsible. In later years, the newspaper reports led some historians to conclude that Ed had shot his own attackers. However, the recent discovery of two court cases in which Bat testified that he had shot both men when it was hardly in his interests to do so means that it is now generally accepted that Bat avenged his brother.
Masterson was replaced by Charlie Bassett as marshal, with Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was an American gambler, investor, and law enforcement officer who served in several Western frontier towns. He was also at different times a farmer, teamster, bouncer, saloon-keeper, miner and boxing referee. However, he was never a drover or cowboy. He is most well known...
, James Earp
James Earp
James Cooksey Earp was the little known older brother to old west lawman Virgil Earp and lawman/gambler Wyatt Earp. Unlike his lawmen brothers, he was a saloon-keeper and was not present at the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral....
, and Ed's brother Jim Masterson working as deputies. His brother Jim would later replace Bassett as marshal. Despite common belief, Wyatt Earp never served as the marshal of Dodge City.
Westerns
On April 2, 1957, the western actor Brad Johnson played Ed Masterson in the episode "The Nice Ones Always Die First" of the ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television series, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp is a Western television series loosely based on the adventures of frontier marshal Wyatt Earp. The half-hour black and white series ran on ABC-TV from 1955 to 1961 and featured Hugh O'Brian as Earp. An off-camera barbershop quartet sang the theme song and hummed...
, a Desilu Production starring Hugh O'Brian
Hugh O'Brian
Hugh O'Brian is an American actor, known for his starring role in the ABC television series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp .-Early years and career:...
in the title role.
In the 1959 MGM film, The Gunfight at Dodge City
The Gunfight at Dodge City
The Gunfight at Dodge City is a 1959 color western film, set in the Kansas cattle town of Hays City.-Cast:* Joel McCrea as Bat Masterson* Julie Adams as Pauline Howard* John McIntire as Doc Sam Tremaine* Nancy Gates as Lily, Lady Gay Saloon Owner...
, Harry Lauter
Harry Lauter
Herman Arthur "Harry" Lauter was an American character actor originally from White Plains, New York....
portrayed Masterson, historically portraying him as killed, shot in the back by a man avenging his own brother's death.
In the 1994 Warner Bros film, Wyatt Earp, Bill Pullman
Bill Pullman
William James "Bill" Pullman is an American film, television, and stage actor. Pullman made his film debut in the supporting role of Earl Mott in the 1986 film Ruthless People. He has since gone on to star in other films, including Spaceballs, Independence Day, Lost Highway, Casper and Scary Movie 4...
portrayed Ed Masterson, whom Wyatt Earp (played by Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
) claimed did not have the temperament to be a lawman.