Bat Masterson Describes Gunfight between Luke Short and Jim Courtright (Recollections)
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- Timothy Isaiah Courtright, known as "Longhair Jim" or Jim Courtright, met his match on February 8, 1887 in Fort Worth Texas, when he was killed by gambler Luke Short. Courtright had a reputation as a feared gunfighter, having been city Marshal of Fort Worth, but by 1887 many saw him as a bully. Courtright began a protection racket and on that February day in 1887 was attempting to force Luke Short to pay him for protection, Luke refused. What followed is one of the most famous gunfights of Fort Worth. In this episode of "Recollections" we learn from Bat Masterson, who was with Short at the time, his version of what transpired.
You don't hear or read much about Luke Short. But in the brief time that Dodge City had a peace commission, it boasted among its members Luke Short, Bat Masterson, and Wyatt Earp, all of whom were on friendly terms with each other and all of whom were respected by friend and foe alike.
According to my grandfather I’m related to this guy. The legacy of the mustache is strong in our family.
I assume this is an accurate description of the fight.
Bat tended to tell it like it is.
The version I read was that Short fired cutting off Courtright's thumb,
thus leaving him unable to cock his pistol.
While he was thus encumbered, Short put three more into him,
just to make sure.
I heard the same thing and that after his thumb was torn off he tried to use the palm of his left hand in an attempt to cock his gun (I believe the technique was called fanning) but was unsuccessful. I read that in a soft back book that my Parents bought called, "Gunfighters Of The Old West". If memory serves me right the story describing that gunfight was one of Wyatt Earp's Deputies.
@@tommyskinner9467 l happened to have the same book, l was on vacation with my parents in 1971. It was either in Ft.Sumner,New Mexico at a gift shop near William H. Bonney's grave or at Dodge City, Kanass (oops, l meant Kansas).
I remember that that deputy claimed 90% of gunslicks were blue eyed fellers. And a photo of the deputy in the book also. Being from Texas, l always a have had penchant for the stories of those gunslicks and Old West history in general.
@@carywest9256 would you consider photo copying it and sending it to me? I can pay for it if you want. Please let me know. Thanks.....
ARailway sorry I just received your response but that exactly what I read. Thanks for answering.....
Hey Luke short is my ancestor!!! oh and don’t see me as a child lying.
Luke and Jim are buried in the same cemetery. Not close to each other though. There is also a historical marker in downtown Ft. Worth near where the White Elephant was with the story of Jim and Luke.
Anyone watching the new TV series '1883' will see a brutal Fort Worth Marshall played by Billy Bob Thornton called Jim Courtright.
I'm going to have to check that out!
I reckon you have to be smart enough to not pick a fight, and,if you do, check your equipment first.
Hell's Half Acre
moncorp 1 Isn't that what they called Jacksboro Hwy????? Or maybe that was the nickname for the whole city of Fort Worth.....
Actually Luke short pulled the gun I'm sure he lied and said Jim Cartwright did but witnesses said Luke short for the gun and Jim caught right actually told him don't you pull no gun on me
Both men were known gunmen, both of them were known to.. For lack of better description, walk down their enemies.. But luke was the quicker and more "deliberate" gun man. He was known to draw fast but shoot slow.
Make no mistake, Luke was fast and he was a very sound minded, confident man.
Wyatt Earp had once been quoted as saying; "Luke Short was a deliberate man when poked."
As a resident of Fort Worth and an avid reader and supporter of my home's history, I've stood over Luke's grave on several occasions wishing that I could have met the man. Luke was a product of his time just as we are. I truly believe that Luke had a good heart. He simply dealt with issues as the came up. Yes, he was a gun fighter. So what. Are any different today? Turn on the news. Now days for better or for worse, you be judge, even in Texas, we're not allowed to act this way. In his day, they were. Maybe we should take a look back - Just saying. As a retired U.S military man, I'd share a fox hole with Luke Short.
Saw the likes sitting at 665 after almost 28K views... I a'int afraid of the like button.
Luke Short was exonerated by Texas' "He needed killin' " clause.
I heard it a little differently. Jim had confronted Luke about protection money while the later was in the White Elephant with friends and colleagues. Luke had told Jim to " ...
go straight to hell" in no uncertain terms. Indeed, a gunfight did follow.
But not in the lobby, - rather the two met one another outside on the street
(an uncommon face to face showdown). I think that Jim did get the drop on Luke, but like his friend Wyatt, Luke took his time. This proved decisive. Courtwright had exhausted one pistol without even hitting his target - and while Court-
Wright was doing a border-shift (switching guns) Short shot-off Jim's
hammer-thumb. At this Luke blasted him dead to the ground.
Just looking at all the comments about Courtright's gun being dirty, resulting in the stuck cylinder. I have to admit that's the likely scenario, but here's another one: he'd loaded all six chambers (as you would if you KNEW you were on your way to a gunfight). The bullet under the hammer wasn't seated tightly enough in its case, and slipped forward during carry just enough for its tip to cross the cylinder gap and enter the forcing cone. This might lock up the cylinder. Yeah, I know it's a longshot. I bring it up only because it actually happened to me once (double action revolver, factory round), and the mention of the "cartridge" issue in the article.
That's what I was thinking, too. I doubt you could get it dirty enough that it was completely locked up unless you let it rust out from seawater exposure.
A mistake old courtright made was warning little short he was coming to get him short probably pulled his gun out as soon as he seen him and shot him dead 🇺🇲
Luke was scared so he called his boys and must of set courtright up being a courtright that's what I say 🇺🇲
Every bully eventually meets their match and is beat down or killed.....This story kinda reminds me of the washout DC dirtbags in the United snakes gov.nowadays.....
it pays to keep yer weapon clean....lesson to late for the learning...he'll know better next time around
*too
There won't be a next time, there is no violence in Heaven!
Great story, I have always been a fan of Luke Short, (not so much for "Longhair Jim" Courtright.)
The White Elephant Saloon is in the Fort Worth Stockyards and was used as CD's bar in Walker Texas Ranger.
Moral of the story, take care of your tools and your tools will take care of you. Be sloppy with their maintenance and they'll fail you at the worst possible time.
👀👍
This entire story is wrong the first shot Luke missed by so much that he actually blew his thumb off and caused the other man to do a Mexican switch to the other side which allowed courtright to die because Luke short who missed by mall on the first shot had time to correct his aim while he was switching the gun to his other hand courtright I mean everyone in town said court right would kill Luke short and there was no doubt on who would win one of them freak things meant Luke short survive for six more years where he died at a relatively young age
If he blew his thumb off, he didn't miss. I hate when people word something a way that makes it sound worse than it actually is.
These are great videos. Just found your channel today. I'm impressed. I've read that the Courtright/Short shootout took place at a distance of about 3 feet. Shot 5 times? Courtright must have been on his back for the last 4.
That's not true. Bullets are not brick walls, and in fact you oftentimes dont even feel them when they 1st strike your body.
The story I had heard was as they discussed the problem of the protection racket, Courtwright had to adjust his pants. Short took that to mean Jim was going for a gun. When Short drew, Courtwright also drew but his pistol was snagged on his watch chain. Short proceeded to empty his revolver into Courtwright and even hit his thumb which made things even worse for Courtwright meaning he couldn't cock the single action. The trivia fact was the fight wasn't at the White Elephant Saloon. It was further down the street at..... A shooting gallery. Both are buried at the same cemetery. Jim's gravestone was replaced. Luke's is the original.
They forgot to add thug to his tombstone
Descendant of Jim Courtright. What they say about his temper holds true. Same with the draw of pistols too
80 yrs later, near Fort Worth, I when to school with a kid named Short. He once told me his Dad said they had a great uncle who was a gunfighter in Kansas and Texas. My friend did (does) have a resemblance to Luke Short . I've lost track of him, nice guy and a pretty good baseball player too.
The city where i was born and raised.
This is one of the few gun fights with a gunman that was the best lost they said Jim courtright was as good as any gunman they knew at the time and was much better than Luke short. The Old timer said Luke short yeah he was right quick with the plow handles but they said Jim courtright was like a snake racing into the hole that no one that they knew could beat him and they were including John Wesley Hardin Bill longley and others. Luke short pulled the gun before court right knew what was going on but it was courtrights on fault he was offering protection to the saloons and stuff but the ones they need protection from with him so basically he was scaring people to pay up
Started watching your chan recently and have been widely impressed with the lore you leave behind while presenting facts - or as close as we’ll ever get - say, testimony, of the time. Straight-forward delivery, and I pause on your bib. for recommendations! As a Fort Worthian by birth, I commend your work on this topic of these two Rogues, in particular!
Kudos and continued success!
Thanks!
The White Elephant is still open in Ft Worth and bears a plaque at the entrance about the event.
Bad reloaded 45's cartridges will do it everything on a Peacemaker
Came back to add on to your astute statement as to courtwright being a bully. He was known to intimidate and outright murdered people who stood up to him and his style of upholding the frontier law And short himself was actually said to be the opposite personality. Amicable and even tempered with all but ruthless when provoked.
A perfect case of mantain yer weapons.
Yes! One of the lessons to be learned from that gunfight!
Bikers just love to pretend their bikes are horses.
I don’t remember any of this.
Sounds like courtright was not the most intelligent fellow.
Stops with gall
Actually are there any details on the revolvers Jim Courtright carried? I am very interested in finding (if possible obtaining the originals) information on them making replicas for competitions.
That's a really good question! I'll see what I can dig up.
This is from the El Paso Times, February 12, 1887:
"I cam upon Luke short, who was at that time the only man that I saw. I dodged around him and grabbed his pistol. It was a Colt's 45 calibre. Then I saw Courtright. He had fallen just inside the shooting gallery, his feet extending into the sidewalk. When I reached him he was dying, and though I bent over and spoke to him he never uttered a syllable. He grasped his gun in one hand, a "45" of the same make as the one that killed him." This was from Officer Tucker who arrested Short.
@@legacyofthewest thank you for the assistance. Anything else you come across let me know. The sources ive exhausted have only said about him wearing 2 revolvers with the butts forward. Ive also come across an auction of (apparently, not sure) a singular revolver with “Timothy I Courtright” engraved in the backstrap.
I've tried finding the old newspaper articles about Courtright before his death, but so far haven't found any description of his pistols. I've been reading that at one time he was a member of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show and performed as a crack shot like Annie Oakley, so maybe the Buffalo Bill Museum would have some information about him? It's possible.
Officer W.B. "Bony" Tucker, with his brother Rowan, who were the first to reach the scene (followed moments later by Officer John J. Fulford) said later:
"I dodged around him [Short} and grabbed his pistol. It was a Colt's .45 caliber. Rowan grabbed him . . . Then I saw Courtright . . . I bent over him . . .He grasped a gun in his right hand, a "45" of the same make as the one that killed him . . .he had failed to get in a shot." Short's gun was said to have a short barrel which he carried in a leather lined hip pocket.
Interesting stuff
Thanks Mr. Short!
No problemo just getting to know the other Luke shorts from the past
@@lukeshort8230 Hope you like this Luke Short, Mr. Short!
I still carry my weapons in an open holster
And like Hickok
I love the cross draw
You sound like the voice guy for Daffy Duck. Some American accent I assume???? I like it.
I'm from Kansas-basically the state in the center of the continental U.S.
I'm near Sydney Australia. Thanks. Appreciate your videos.
Thank you!