Frank Loving
Encyclopedia
Frank Loving, sometimes called "Cockeyed" Frank Loving (1860 - April 21, 1882) was an Old West gambler and gunman. His two known gunfights were two of the better known and well publicized shootouts of the day, although over time they have become obscure.
Loving was born in Jackson County, Missouri
, and later moved with his family to Texas
, where his father died in the early 1870s. He began making his living as a professional gambler by his late teens, frequenting saloons and eventually landing in Dodge City, Kansas
. Once settled in Dodge City, Loving began to frequent the Long Branch Saloon
, where he became associated with other well known gamblers, gunmen and lawmen
, to include Doc Holliday
, Bat Masterson
, Wyatt Earp
, Charlie Bassett, John Allen, and with a friendship developing between him and gunman/gambler Levi Richardson
. He also became good friends with Long Branch Saloon owner Chalkley Beeson
.
. In early 1879, Loving quarreled with Richardson. Loving, who was married, claimed that Richardson was making unwanted and disrespectful advances toward his wife, Mattie Loving. The two threw taunts back and forth for a time, but with nothing more than verbal confrontations until March, when the two became involved in a fist fight on Front Street. After exchanging punches, Richardson exclaimed "I'll blow the guts out of you, you cockeyed son of a bitch". Loving, not being armed, simply turned and walked away.
On April 5, 1879, Richardson had evidently had enough. He strode into the Long Branch Saloon, specifically looking for Loving. However, Loving was not there at that time. Richardson then settled into a game of poker
, and around 9:00pm Loving strode in. Loving took a seat at a long table, at which point Richardson moved over and sat across from him. The two men could be heard talking low to one another, but what was said could not be understood. Suddenly, Richardson said loudly "You wouldn't fight anything you damned son of a bitch", to which Loving said calmly "Try me and see".
Richardson stood and drew his gun, which prompted Loving to do the same. Both men began firing, with Richardson firing five rounds and Loving firing six. When the shooting stopped, Richardson had been shot in the chest, the side, and the arm. Loving was grazed on the hand by one bullet, but otherwise was uninjured. Town Marshal
Charlie Bassett quickly responded, having heard the shots, but his Deputy Marshal Duffey arrived first, taking hold of Richardson just before he crumpled to the floor. No one else in the saloon was injured, and Loving was arrested per standard procedure in such a case. On April 7, 1879, a coroner
s inquest ruled the shooting self defense, and Loving was released without charges. The newspaper
The Globe later reported "It seemed strange that Loving was not hit, except for a slight scratch on the hand, as the two men were so close together that their pistols almost touched each other". The shootout was dubbed the Long Branch Saloon Gunfight
, and although there were numerous gunfights that took place in that saloon, this would be the most well known.
, where he settled in to gamble for a matter of months before moving on to Trinidad, Colorado
. There, he quarreled with John Allen, an acquaintance from Dodge City, who worked at the Imperial Saloon. On April 15, 1880, the two men seemed destined for a gunfight, but it was thwarted when friends intervened. Had the gunfight happened that day, it likely would have ended differently.
The next day, April 16, 1880, as Loving entered the saloon, Allen immediately opened fire on Loving while Allen shielded himself behind another patron. Loving drew his revolver and fired one round, missing. As people scrambled to escape, Loving's gun was knocked from his hand. Allen fired a total of three shots at Loving, two while Loving was unarmed and trying to retrieve his dropped pistol. Allen then fled out the rear door. Loving went in pursuit, firing the remainder of his rounds as Allen fled. Loving was unable to find Allen. John Allen feared Loving, and had gone into hiding inside the Hammond's Hardware Store. Trinidad Deputy Marshal Jim Masterson
responded to the shots, finding Loving still in the vicinity of the saloon. Disarming Loving, Masterson then went to find Allen. Unable to do so, Masterson returned to the saloon, only to find that Loving had rearmed with two more revolvers, and again went looking for Allen. Masterson again found Loving, and again disarmed him, then yet again went seeking Allen.
While Masterson was seeking Allen, Loving entered the hardware to buy more ammunition. Allen shot and killed Loving from behind, shooting from a darkened area where Allen had hidden. Deputy Masterson and Town Marshal Lou Kreeger responded and arrested Allen, finding him hiding in the back of the store. Loving, upon seeing Masterson, stated, "Jim, I'm shot". Loving was treated for his wound, but died five days later. Allen was later acquitted due to jurors believing that had Loving located Allen he certainly would have killed him. The shootout became known as the Trinidad Gunfight
.
Loving was born in Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. With a population of 674,158 in the 2010 census, Jackson County is the second most populous of Missouri's counties, after St. Louis County. Kansas City, the state's most populous city and focus city of the Kansas City Metropolitan...
, and later moved with his family to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, where his father died in the early 1870s. He began making his living as a professional gambler by his late teens, frequenting saloons and eventually landing in 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...
. Once settled in Dodge City, Loving began to frequent the Long Branch Saloon
Long Branch Saloon
The Long Branch Saloon is a famous saloon that existed during the Old West days of Dodge City, Kansas. It had numerous owners, most notably Chalk Beeson and gunfighter Luke Short...
, where he became associated with other well known gamblers, gunmen and lawmen
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
, to include Doc Holliday
Doc Holliday
John Henry "Doc" Holliday was an American gambler, gunfighter and dentist of the American Old West, who is usually remembered for his friendship with Wyatt Earp and his involvement in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral...
, 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...
, 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...
, Charlie Bassett, John Allen, and with a friendship developing between him and gunman/gambler Levi Richardson
Levi Richardson
Levi Richardson was an Old West gunman, gambler and buffalo hunter. During his lifetime, Richardson was quite well known....
. He also became good friends with Long Branch Saloon owner Chalkley Beeson
Chalkley Beeson
Chalkley McArtor "Chalk" Beeson was a well known businessman, lawman, cattleman, saloon owner, manager and keeper of the Old West, best known as being one of the many owners of the famous Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City, Kansas.-Biography:Originally from Salem, Ohio, Beeson was the seventh born...
.
Long Branch Saloon Gunfight
Levi Richardson had a tough disposition and was disliked by most, but did get along fairly well with Bat Masterson. He had a reputation as a gunman, despite it being mostly hearsayHearsay
Hearsay is information gathered by one person from another person concerning some event, condition, or thing of which the first person had no direct experience. When submitted as evidence, such statements are called hearsay evidence. As a legal term, "hearsay" can also have the narrower meaning of...
. In early 1879, Loving quarreled with Richardson. Loving, who was married, claimed that Richardson was making unwanted and disrespectful advances toward his wife, Mattie Loving. The two threw taunts back and forth for a time, but with nothing more than verbal confrontations until March, when the two became involved in a fist fight on Front Street. After exchanging punches, Richardson exclaimed "I'll blow the guts out of you, you cockeyed son of a bitch". Loving, not being armed, simply turned and walked away.
On April 5, 1879, Richardson had evidently had enough. He strode into the Long Branch Saloon, specifically looking for Loving. However, Loving was not there at that time. Richardson then settled into a game of poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
, and around 9:00pm Loving strode in. Loving took a seat at a long table, at which point Richardson moved over and sat across from him. The two men could be heard talking low to one another, but what was said could not be understood. Suddenly, Richardson said loudly "You wouldn't fight anything you damned son of a bitch", to which Loving said calmly "Try me and see".
Richardson stood and drew his gun, which prompted Loving to do the same. Both men began firing, with Richardson firing five rounds and Loving firing six. When the shooting stopped, Richardson had been shot in the chest, the side, and the arm. Loving was grazed on the hand by one bullet, but otherwise was uninjured. Town 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...
Charlie Bassett quickly responded, having heard the shots, but his Deputy Marshal Duffey arrived first, taking hold of Richardson just before he crumpled to the floor. No one else in the saloon was injured, and Loving was arrested per standard procedure in such a case. On April 7, 1879, a coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
s inquest ruled the shooting self defense, and Loving was released without charges. The newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
The Globe later reported "It seemed strange that Loving was not hit, except for a slight scratch on the hand, as the two men were so close together that their pistols almost touched each other". The shootout was dubbed the Long Branch Saloon Gunfight
Long Branch Saloon Gunfight
The Long Branch Saloon Gunfight was a gunfight taking place in the famed Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City, Kansas, between Frank Loving and Levi Richardson, both gamblers who frequented the saloon.-The gunfight:...
, and although there were numerous gunfights that took place in that saloon, this would be the most well known.
Trinidad Gunfight
Loving would later leave his wife Mattie, along with their children, son John and daughter Mintie to travel elsewhere as a gambler. By 1880 Loving had moved on to Las Vegas, New MexicoLas Vegas, New Mexico
Las Vegas is a city in San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. Once two separate municipalities both named Las Vegas, west Las Vegas and east Las Vegas , divided by the Gallinas River, retain distinct characters and separate, rival school districts. The population was 14,565 at the 2000...
, where he settled in to gamble for a matter of months before moving on to Trinidad, Colorado
Trinidad, Colorado
The historic City of Trinidad is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Las Animas County, Colorado, United States...
. There, he quarreled with John Allen, an acquaintance from Dodge City, who worked at the Imperial Saloon. On April 15, 1880, the two men seemed destined for a gunfight, but it was thwarted when friends intervened. Had the gunfight happened that day, it likely would have ended differently.
The next day, April 16, 1880, as Loving entered the saloon, Allen immediately opened fire on Loving while Allen shielded himself behind another patron. Loving drew his revolver and fired one round, missing. As people scrambled to escape, Loving's gun was knocked from his hand. Allen fired a total of three shots at Loving, two while Loving was unarmed and trying to retrieve his dropped pistol. Allen then fled out the rear door. Loving went in pursuit, firing the remainder of his rounds as Allen fled. Loving was unable to find Allen. John Allen feared Loving, and had gone into hiding inside the Hammond's Hardware Store. Trinidad Deputy Marshal Jim 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:...
responded to the shots, finding Loving still in the vicinity of the saloon. Disarming Loving, Masterson then went to find Allen. Unable to do so, Masterson returned to the saloon, only to find that Loving had rearmed with two more revolvers, and again went looking for Allen. Masterson again found Loving, and again disarmed him, then yet again went seeking Allen.
While Masterson was seeking Allen, Loving entered the hardware to buy more ammunition. Allen shot and killed Loving from behind, shooting from a darkened area where Allen had hidden. Deputy Masterson and Town Marshal Lou Kreeger responded and arrested Allen, finding him hiding in the back of the store. Loving, upon seeing Masterson, stated, "Jim, I'm shot". Loving was treated for his wound, but died five days later. Allen was later acquitted due to jurors believing that had Loving located Allen he certainly would have killed him. The shootout became known as the Trinidad Gunfight
Trinidad Gunfight
Trinidad Gunfight was a gunfight of the Old West that took place in Trinidad, Colorado, between two professional gamblers, Frank Loving and John Allen...
.