Short wired Bat Masterson in Denver to come to Kansas City, and Masterson answered his friend’s call. Masterson suggested that Short go to Topeka and see Governor George Washington Glick, an anti-prohibitionist. The Kansas City Evening Star got wind of what was happening and on May 9, 1883, reported: ‘The fact, that for the past ten days a very remarkable and startling state of affairs has existed at as well known a point as Dodge City, Kas., and that all mention of them has been kept out of the press, the matter, in short, entirely suppressed from the outside world, is an excellent illustration of what western lawlessness can do and the state of society in some of the border towns. That trouble of a serious nature has existed there can be surmised from the fact that prominent Kansas City attorneys left to-day for Topeka to petition Gov. Glick in the interest of Dodge City property owners that the town be placed under martial law.

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‘The difficulty, which began only a little over a week ago, is but the culmination of a long standing feud between two elements of the peace. Dodge City has long enjoyed the reputation of being a hard place. It was one of the few points in Kansas where saloons run openly and gambling is legitimized. The headquarters of the cowboys and cattle men of that vicinity, the majority of the institutions are designed for their especial selectation. Just before the last city election the mayor was a man named Webster, the proprietor of a dive, half saloon and the other half gambling house and variety hall. He was a representative of the tougher element of the sporting fraternity. The head of the other faction was W.H. Harris, of Harris and Short, proprietors of the Long Branch saloon. Harris represented the quieter and more respectable element and there was bitter feeling between the two. At the last election Harris was beaten in the race for mayor by one Deger, Webster’s candidate, and since then it has been conceded that it was only a matter of time when all of Harris’s sympathizers would be driven out of the town. Thus Dodge has been hovering on the brink of trouble for a long time. About ten days ago it came. Mr. Short, who is Harris’s partner, and a police officer had a shooting affray. Neither were hurt and the evidence showed that Short was fired on first. He was nevertheless placed under bonds, and next day thrown in jail. The marshal of Dodge, who made the arrest, is Jack Bridges, a well-known character, who formerly lived here and traveled principally upon having ‘killed his man.’ A short time later five gamblers were arrested, and also jailed. That night a vigilance committee was formed with Tom Nixon, the proprietor of one of the hardest dance halls that ever existed in the west, at the head. This crowd repaired to the jail and notified the prisoners that they must leave town next morning and that they would be given their choice of trains going east or west. Meantime the vigilantes took possession of the town.

‘The correspondent of the Chicago Times and other leading papers were notified that they must not be permitted to send any telegrams in reference to the situation and a body of armed men watched the arrival of each train to see that there was no interference. A lawyer from Larned, sent for by one of the prisoners, was met by a vigilante who leveled a shot-gun at his head and told him not to stop. He passed on. Next morning the five gamblers were put on a westward bound train and Short left for Kansas City where he is at present. The trouble has by no means yet abated. The place is practically in the hands of the ‘vigilantes’ and the situation is more serious from the fact that the mayor is acting with them and it was he who notified the prisoners that they must go. The trains are still watched and armed men guard the town while a list of others who will be ordered out has been prepared. Every source of reliable information indicates that Dodge is now in the hands of desperadoes, and that incident to the objection of Short and the others, the lives and property of the citizens are by no means safe. For this reason martial law is being asked. That there will be trouble of a very serious character there, is anticipated.’

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