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 William
Matthew Tilghman was born at Fort Dodge, Iowa, on July 4, 1854. His
parents moved to Fort Ridgeley, Minnesota, where his father was an army
seargent, then on to a farm near the Missouri River, several miles from
Atchison, Kansas, when the boy was only two years old.On the outbreak of
the Civil War the father joined the Union Army as a quartermaster, and
his oldest son, Richard, became a drummer boy. Young Bill, only eight,
was left behind to help on the farm. It was quite a job for an
eight-year-old boy to plough the fields, reap the crops, and keep food
on the table.It was during this period that Bill Tilghman became an
expert with rifle, shotgun, knife, and pistol. When his father returned
from the war he was blind, and Bill's brother had married and moved from
the farm. Two years later, however, Bill's father regained the use of
one eye and was able to resume some of the work on the farm.
In June 1872 Bill Tilghman worked as a professional
buffalo hunter. With a group of other men Tilghman set out to make camp
near the confluence of the Kiowa and Bluff Creeks, about fifty miles
from Dodge City. There they built a dugout large enough to house a dozen
men. They also built a similar shelter for their horses and supplies.
When the buffalo herd in that area became depleted the hunters moved
southward, and made camp on the Kiowa Creek. South of the Cimarron River
lay the Gloss Mountains, inhabited by Cheyennes who resented the
invasion of their land by the white buffalo hunters. One evening when
Bill returned to camp he found the tents torn to shreds and all their
equipment destroyed.Cooler heads in the party decided it was safer to
move to another camp-site; but Bill took the act as a personal insult,
and wanted to do something about it. He waited silently in the tall
grass near the old camp-site, believing that the Indians would return.
Sure enough, they did, three of them, one armed with a rifle, the others
carrying vicious-looking knives. When they saw Tilghman they charged at
him. Bill's shotgun roared. Buckshot struck one Cheyenne brave in the
stomach, killing him almost instantly. Another raced up to Bill, only to
be met with a quick uppercut that sent him sliding through the grass.
The third Indian rushed in, knife raised. After a short struggle, Bill
rose from the ground, his jacket soaked with sweat, his breath coming in
quick gasps. On the ground lay the Cheyenne, a knife thrust in his
throat. The brave who had been struck on the jaw was running from the
scene.
A few days later, a large herd of buffalo was located
near the river. The hunters all used the standard Sharps rifle, but Bill
said he was going to use a shotgun. "That Sharps will knock me off
my feet, and I don't aim to get a broken shoulder, either," he
explained.
"How can you kill buffalo with a shotgun?" one
of the men laughed.
"I'm substituting a single lead slug in the shell
instead of buckshot." Bill's said.
In less than a half-hour he had bagged a dozen buffalo,
riding his pony and never jumping to the ground to shoot as the others
were forced to do when using their heavy Sharps.Tilghman killed nearly
four thousand buffalo that year with his shotgun, while the combined
total of the other hunters did not reach that figure. The news of his
new technique spread. Everyone wanted to use a shotgun to kill the
buffalo. In 1873 the slaughter of the buffalo was so great that the
value of their hides reached the fabulous sum of over two million
dollars.
In September 1875 Tilghman rode into Dodge City, and met
Charlie Basset. Charlie was the sheriff of Ford County and he asked Bill
if he would consider being his deputy. Early in this job, Tilghman had a
run in with a gunman named Texas Bill. The guman stepped in front of the
new deputy and blocked his path."
You'll have to turn in your guns until you leave town.
It's a new ordinance" Tilghman told the man.
"Never heard of it. If you want 'em, come and take
them from me!' Texas Bill shot back.
With this, Tilghman punched Texas Bill with his fist,
knocking out the gunman. Two of his companions joined the fight, but
soon were also out cold from blows to the stomach and head. The three
hoodlums were escorted to the town jail.
In the spring of 1876 Mayor 'Dog' Kelly, owner of the
Alhambra saloon, wired Wyatt Earp at Wichita to report at Dodge City to
replace the current town marshal. Kelly had heard that a record number
of Texas cowboys were coming to town, and he was afraid that Tilghman
and Masterson might need assistance. Major George Hoover had also wired
Earp.Earp brought with him Neal Brown and Ed Masterson, brother of Bat.
Thorough co-operation between the law enforcement men enabled them to
keep the rough element in town. It was not an easy job, for such men as
Ben Thompson, Doc Holliday, and Wes Hardin frequented Dodge at various
times.Bat Masterson was elected sheriff of Ford County late in 1877, and
took office on January 1, 1878 Tilghman served under him as a deputy
sheriff. One day a wire arrived from Kingsley, advising Masterson of a
hold-up of the Sante Fe train by a gang of outlaws headed by the
notorious Dave Rudabaugh.
Sheriff Masterson rounded up a quick posse, which
included J. J. Webb, "Prairie Dog" Dave Morrow and Kinch Riley
and raced to Lovell's Camp. Masterson figured this might be where the
outlaws would pick up needed supplies and horses on their way out of the
territory. The outlaws came into Lovell's totally unaware that the posse
was waiting for them. They surrendered without a shot being fired and
were subsequently turned over to the Kingsley authorities. Bill
Tilghman was shortly detained in connection with this robbery, but was
releaed when no evidence surfaced linking him to this crime. By now Bill
had built a cabin and homesteaded several hundred acres of ground on
Bluff Creek, between Fort Dodge and Dodge City. Tilghman later married
the widow Flora Robinson, and brought her to live on the homestead. Neal
Brown became his partner, and Tilghman was doing very well.
In 1893, Tilghman, Chris Madsen, and Henry
"Heck" Thomas brought law to the town of Perry, where the
three became known as the "Three Guardsmen." About
this time, the Three Guardsmen were tracking down the members of the
Doolin gang, headed by Bill Doolin.
One night, while on patrol with Neal Brown, Tilghman
noticed a crude dugout several hundred yards off the trail. Smoke rose
from the chimney."Neal, there's a place I don't know about. You and
the Indian wait here while I check it out."
Tilghman made his way through the storm up to the
dugout. He pushed in the door and stepped inside. On both sides of the
interior were bunks covered with hanging blankets. At the end of the
room a wide-mouthed fireplace sent cheery heat waves across the floor.
In the center a lone occupant sat, a Winchester rifle across his lap.
"I'm looking for Bee Dunn's place" said
Tilghman. "How far is it from here?"
''That's for you to find out" was the surly reply,
but the man glanced off in the direction of a bunk.
"All right, I'll do that. This fire certainly feels
good" he added as he stamped his feet and rubbed his cold hands in
front of the blaze. Tilghman then noticed the tips of several rifle
barrels aimed at him from behind the hung blankets. Acting has calmly as
he could, he edged towards the door and said his goodbyes. He quickly
walked back to where Neal was waiting and informed hime that there were
a few men hiding in the dugout and that they would need some help in
getting this men out. They rode Pawnee and collected a posse under the
leadership of Chief Deputy John Hale. On their return to the dugout,
Will Dunn (the man Tilghman was talking to inside the dugout)
informed them that the outlaws had left hours before. Dunn told him how
Bill Doolin had prevented one of the members of the gang from shooting
him in the back. He also explained how Doolin, Bill Dalton, and half a
dozen other outlaws had been hiding in the bunks while Tilghman was
standing before the fire.
In May, the Doolin gang held up the express station at
Woodward and escaped with around ten thousand dollars. Will Dunn
informed Tilghman that some of the bandits were to meet at his brother
Bee's place within the next few days. Deputies Tilghman, Heck Thomas and
a large posse rode over to Bee Dunn ranch, where they informed the owner
he would be imprisoned for protecting the outlaws unless he cooperated
in the capture of the men coming to his ranch. Bee Dunn had no
alternative but to consent. On the third night of this stake out, Bitter
Creek Newcombe and Charlie Pierce rode up to corral. As they neared the
house, Heck Thomas called to them to surrender. Instead, the two wanted
men leaped from their horses, running at full speed and firing their
weapons in the direction of the voice. The lawmen opened up and the two
outlaws were killed within seconds.
Bill was now determined to find Bill Doolin himself and
bring him in. On September 15, 1895, Tilghman and Heck Thomas traveled
to a ranch in the Osage Nation. They had heard that Doolin was hiding
out there. When they arrived, Doolin could not be found, but
"Little" Bill Raidler, a member of the Doolin gang, was there
and had no idea the two lawmen were nearby.
"Halt, Raidler. This is Bill Tilghman
talking." At the sound of Bill’s voice, Little Bill whirled and
fired his gun. The shot missed Tilghman, but Tilghman fired two quick
shots from his Winchester rifle, bringing Raidler to the ground. He was
taken to Guthrie and placed in the care of Dr. O. Smith, a Government
surgeon. Later he was tried, convicted of train and bank robbery, and
sentenced to ten years in the Ohio State Penitentiary. After serving his
term, Raidler married and settled down.
Tilghman next tried to locate the outlaw through Mrs.
Pierce, the woman who owned the hotel at Ingalls. She had protecting
members of the Doolin-Dalton gang over the last few years. Several days
after Tilghman approached her Mrs. Pierce informed him that Mrs. Doolin
had written her, asking her to forward her mail to the home of Mrs.
William Barry at Burden, Kansas. It was learned that Doolin was
operating a farm at Burden, which was just a few miles from the Cherokee
Strip. He had assumed the name of Barry, and was hoping to settle down
to a peaceful life.
When Tilghman arrived at Burden he was unable to locate
Doolin, and no one seemed to know his whereabouts. The postmaster was
alerted to intercept any mail addressed to Mr. Barry, but, strangely
enough, no mail came. Tilghman heard a few days later that the outlaw's
wife had visiting Winfield, so he decided to check the post-office
there. Shortly afterwards the Winfield postmaster reported to Tilghman
that Doolin had gone to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, to visit the hot baths
to ease his rheumatism.
The coach bearing Tilghman pulled into Eureka Springs in
the morning of December 5. Bill went directly to the Basin Hotel, where
he left his Winchester and baggage. Feeling fatigued, he decided to take
a steam bath before trying to locate Doolin. Imagine his surprise, as he
walked through the lobby leading to the private baths, to see Bill
Doolin stretched out on a couch, calmly reading a newspaper.As is the
custom of the wanted man, Doolin peered over his newspaper to get a
glimpse of the newcomer. Tilghman turned his head and hurried into the
bath assigned to him. He then got his gun from holster and stepped out
directly in front of the Bill Doolin.
"Bill Doolin, you are under arrest!" Said
Tilghman
Doolin tried to act like nothing should be wrong and
asked "What is the meaning of this?"
''I am Deputy Marshal Tilghman" Tilghman grabbed
Doolin's arms as the outlaw tried to reach the weapons in his shoulder
holsters. As Doolin struggled to reach his revolvers, a clerk named
Allen came running to inquire what was going on. Tilghman told the young
man to remove Doolin's pistols from beneath his waistcoat. The clerk
managed to open the garment, but then got scared and ran from the room.
Thie put Tilghman was in a difficult situation and it seemed that the
only alternative was to shoot Doolin.
Tilghman told Doolin that he would shoot him if he had
to. With this, Doolin relaxed and was taken into custody by the sheriff
and walked down to the town jail. Later that day, they boarded a train
back to the Oklahoma Territory.
Tilghman served as sheriff of Lincoln County, Oklahoma
Territory, in 1900, and eleven years later as chief of police of
Oklahoma City, retiring three years later at the age of sixty. He was
persuaded to come out of retirement in 1924 and clean up Cromwell,
Oklahoma. Early on this job, a drunk prohibition officer, Wiley Lynn,
shot and killed the 70-year-old Tilghman as he led Lynn to jail.
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