"Mysterious Dave" Mather
Mysterious Dave spent time in Dodge City in the late 1870’s where he was associated with Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp and Bill Tilgham. His whereabouts in 1879 are a trifle mysterious. Various accounts have him in two places. He and Rudabaugh were recruited by Bat Masterson as part of an army of gunfighters Masterson raised to the cause of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe during the so called Royal Gorge War with the Denver & Rio Grande. That action had him in southwestern Colorado in spring and early summer. Other accounts have Mather and Dirty Dave in Las Vegas, New Mixico as part of an outfit known as the Dodge City Gang. That gang controlled gambling and prostitution in Las Vegas on its way to obtaining political power. Funny how often history finds those bedfellows sleeping together. Some things never change. The most likely explanation for Mather’s activities in 1879 is that he and Rudabaugh repaired to New Mexico following the railroad war.
By March 1880 the Dodge City Gang moved on. Mather drifted to Texas before returning to Dodge in May 1883. Once resettled in Dodge, Dave bought the Opera House Saloon and inserted himself into local politics. By wider examination of the events that followed, it appears Dave got into politics a little late and on the wrong side of Dodge City political power, ironically known as ‘The Dodge City Gang’. The mayor and city council passed an ordinance that year prohibiting music and dancing in saloons. The ordinance was selectively enforced to the competitive advantage of the mayor’s saloon ownership interests, including Tom Nixon’s Lady Gay Saloon. The Dodge Lady Gay is not to be confused with the Sweetwater Texas Lady Gay where Bat Masterson came into his gunfighter reputation.
The first confrontation over the ordinance pit Luke Short backed up by Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp and assorted competent friends against the mayor and his cronies. What became known as the Dodge City War was settled without gun play, owing to Short’s firepower. Once Short left Dodge the mayor went back to his old tricks, this time putting Mather to disadvantage. The dispute between Nixon and Mather turned violent when Nixon drew on Dave, fired and missed. Nixon posted bond on assault charges. Three days later Mather accosted Nixon and killed him. The shooting was ruled self-defense.
Dave disappeared soon after the Nixon incident. What became of him is uncertain. Most identify him with a gunshot body found sprawled on a railroad track in Dallas Texas in 1886. Mysterious indeed.
Next Week: Ben Thompson
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Paul Photo-art by Jim Hatzell
https://www.flickr.com/photos/fiddler...
By March 1880 the Dodge City Gang moved on. Mather drifted to Texas before returning to Dodge in May 1883. Once resettled in Dodge, Dave bought the Opera House Saloon and inserted himself into local politics. By wider examination of the events that followed, it appears Dave got into politics a little late and on the wrong side of Dodge City political power, ironically known as ‘The Dodge City Gang’. The mayor and city council passed an ordinance that year prohibiting music and dancing in saloons. The ordinance was selectively enforced to the competitive advantage of the mayor’s saloon ownership interests, including Tom Nixon’s Lady Gay Saloon. The Dodge Lady Gay is not to be confused with the Sweetwater Texas Lady Gay where Bat Masterson came into his gunfighter reputation.
The first confrontation over the ordinance pit Luke Short backed up by Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp and assorted competent friends against the mayor and his cronies. What became known as the Dodge City War was settled without gun play, owing to Short’s firepower. Once Short left Dodge the mayor went back to his old tricks, this time putting Mather to disadvantage. The dispute between Nixon and Mather turned violent when Nixon drew on Dave, fired and missed. Nixon posted bond on assault charges. Three days later Mather accosted Nixon and killed him. The shooting was ruled self-defense.
Dave disappeared soon after the Nixon incident. What became of him is uncertain. Most identify him with a gunshot body found sprawled on a railroad track in Dallas Texas in 1886. Mysterious indeed.
Next Week: Ben Thompson
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul Photo-art by Jim Hatzell
https://www.flickr.com/photos/fiddler...
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He is indeed. Thanks for the comment. You can find our posts each week on Facebook @paulcoltauthor.
Their ancestry goes back to Puritan New England.
Dave is one interesting character.