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| Luke Short |
Despite their small body size to the size of the Western, Luke Short known as the cowboy gunman who could kill opponents tough. Luke was born in Mississippi, September 1854, known as a brat and familiar with guns. At age 15, when his family moved to Texas, Luke suddenly ran away from his father's ranch. Rumor has it, Luke was forced to run away for allegedly stabbing to death his friend. Luke then lived in Kansas and worked as a cowboy and gambler.
Luke Short was born in Mississippi, his family moving to Texas when he was two. As a teenager he left home, rumored to having killed another youth with a pair of scissors, and became a cowboy, working herds north to the Kansas rail heads. He traveled to Abilene, Kansas in 1870, and attempted to make a living as a professional gambler.
In 1876 he arrived in Sidney, Nebraska where he obtained employment as a whiskey peddler. During this time he sold whiskey illegally to Sioux Indians from a trading post far north of Sidney. This was a federal offense. Short later admitted to killing a half dozen inebriated Sioux natives on various occasions during this venture. Despite this record, Short was hired as a scout for the US Cavalry, and worked for them from 1878-1879.
According to Ed Lemmon in "Boss Cowman," he hung around end of The Texas Trail Ogallala, Nebraska, in late 1877 and the first half of 1878 gambling at Cowboy's Rest Saloon, sometimes in the company of Bat Masterson. James Cook, in "40 Years" he watched Short practicing draw-and- shoot on the banks of South Platte River and said he never saw anyone faster.
He then wandered through Dodge City, Kansas, where he became associated with Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson, among others. Shortly afterward he moved to Tombstone, Arizona, a boom town full of dozens of saloons and gambling halls. He developed a habit of "dressing to the nines", which gave him the reputation of a dandy. By this time, Short had already developed a reputation as being fast with a gun, and as being a man of few words, although there are no real accounts prior to this of any gunfights involving him. It is thought that this reputation, as with many Old West gunmen, was a reputation based more on hearsay than actual fact.
In June 1881, Wyatt Earp telegraphed Short, who was living in Leadville, Colorado, and offered him a job as a faro dealer. While in Tombstone, Short and professional gambler and gunfighter Charlie Storms had a verbal altercation which was defused by Bat Masterson, who knew both men. On February 28, 1881, outside the Oriental Saloon, Storm confronted Short, pulling a .45 caliber revolver. But Storms was too slow, and Short shot him twice at point-blank range, killing him. The fight was at such close quarters that Short's muzzle flash set Storms's clothes on fire. Short was alleged to have then turned to Bat Masterson who was with him, and stated "You sure pick some of the damnedest friends, Bat." Short was arrested, but the shooting was determined to have been self defense.
Short left Tombstone in April and returned to Leadville. Although friends with Wyatt Earp, Short was not present at the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral later that year. He is thought to have been out of town.
In 1883 Short settled in Dodge City, Kansas, where he purchased a half interest in the now famous Long Branch Saloon, partnered with friend W.H. Harris. This put him at odds with the mayor of Dodge and his allies, who made attempts to run him out of town as an "undesirable." In what became known as the Dodge City War, Luke's friends rallied a formidable force of gunfighters to support him, including Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and Charlie Bassett. Faced with the threat of force, Short's opponents allowed him to return without a shot being fired. Later that year he sold his interest and moved to Fort Worth, Texas.
In 1876 he arrived in Sidney, Nebraska where he obtained employment as a whiskey peddler. During this time he sold whiskey illegally to Sioux Indians from a trading post far north of Sidney. This was a federal offense. Short later admitted to killing a half dozen inebriated Sioux natives on various occasions during this venture. Despite this record, Short was hired as a scout for the US Cavalry, and worked for them from 1878-1879.
According to Ed Lemmon in "Boss Cowman," he hung around end of The Texas Trail Ogallala, Nebraska, in late 1877 and the first half of 1878 gambling at Cowboy's Rest Saloon, sometimes in the company of Bat Masterson. James Cook, in "40 Years" he watched Short practicing draw-and- shoot on the banks of South Platte River and said he never saw anyone faster.
He then wandered through Dodge City, Kansas, where he became associated with Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson, among others. Shortly afterward he moved to Tombstone, Arizona, a boom town full of dozens of saloons and gambling halls. He developed a habit of "dressing to the nines", which gave him the reputation of a dandy. By this time, Short had already developed a reputation as being fast with a gun, and as being a man of few words, although there are no real accounts prior to this of any gunfights involving him. It is thought that this reputation, as with many Old West gunmen, was a reputation based more on hearsay than actual fact.
In June 1881, Wyatt Earp telegraphed Short, who was living in Leadville, Colorado, and offered him a job as a faro dealer. While in Tombstone, Short and professional gambler and gunfighter Charlie Storms had a verbal altercation which was defused by Bat Masterson, who knew both men. On February 28, 1881, outside the Oriental Saloon, Storm confronted Short, pulling a .45 caliber revolver. But Storms was too slow, and Short shot him twice at point-blank range, killing him. The fight was at such close quarters that Short's muzzle flash set Storms's clothes on fire. Short was alleged to have then turned to Bat Masterson who was with him, and stated "You sure pick some of the damnedest friends, Bat." Short was arrested, but the shooting was determined to have been self defense.
Short left Tombstone in April and returned to Leadville. Although friends with Wyatt Earp, Short was not present at the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral later that year. He is thought to have been out of town.
In 1883 Short settled in Dodge City, Kansas, where he purchased a half interest in the now famous Long Branch Saloon, partnered with friend W.H. Harris. This put him at odds with the mayor of Dodge and his allies, who made attempts to run him out of town as an "undesirable." In what became known as the Dodge City War, Luke's friends rallied a formidable force of gunfighters to support him, including Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and Charlie Bassett. Faced with the threat of force, Short's opponents allowed him to return without a shot being fired. Later that year he sold his interest and moved to Fort Worth, Texas.
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