Although Ned Buntlines four hundred action novels ( or "penny dreadfuls," as they were called) were pure fiction, the personalities he wrote about were often real, and they quickly became the public heroes of the Old West. James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok was one of the frontier characters Buntline chose to immortalize in his work. Wild Bill was born in Troy Grove, Illinois, on May 27, 1837. When he was still a teen-ager Hickoks reputation and skill with a gun earned him the marshals job in Monticello Township, Illinois. During the Civil War Hickok was a Union sharpshooter and scout. Much of his wartime activity was in the Ozarks. He was known to have participated in the Battle of Pea Ridge in Arkansas and in other battles in the region, and he also served the Union as a spy, posing as a Confederate throughout southern Missouri and Arkansas. It is generally believed that it was during this time that Hickok first met Dave Tutt of Yellville, Arkansas. Like most former scouts and Confederate guerrillas, Dave Tutt had become quite proficient with a gun. In early 1865 he moved with his widowed mother and sister to Springfield, Missouri. Here they lived in peace until Wild Bill Hickok showed up in the city. Hickok had evidently returned to Springfield to resume the love affair he had started during the war with a women named Savannah Moore. A while later they apparently had a fight and broke up for a few weeks. During this time Dave Tutt began to seek SavannahÕs affections. Although many Hickok historians feel that the quarrel between Hickok and Tutt had started long before their arrival in Springfield, Tutts affair with Hickoks former lover no doubt further divided the two men. Still more kindling was added to the fire when Hickok began courting Dave Tutts sister. Tutts mother strongly opposed this relationship-she had no use for the Yanks, especially those who had served as spies. Tutt, who shared his motherÕs feelings, confronted Hickok on the street one day and asked him to stop seeing his sister. A short time later Hickok, Tutt, and several other men were playing cards at the Lyon House (also known as the Old Southern Hotel) on the east side of South Street near the Springfield square. After Hickok won most of TuttÕs money, Tutt reminded him of thirty-five-dollar debt from a previous card game. Hickok said he only owed Tutt twenty-five dollars, and laid that sum on the table. As Tutt took the money from the table he also picked up Hickoks gold watch, explaining, "This ought to cover the extra ten, Bill." Hickok immediately rose from his chair and commanded, " Put the watch back, Dave." Tutt ignored Hickok, however, and hurriedly left with the watch. During the next several days the tension between the two men grew. Springfield citizens quietly waited around the square for the showdown that was fast becoming inevitable. On July 21, 1865, the confrontation finally came. Tutts friends notified Hickok that Tutt would be crossing the square at 6:00 p.m. if he wanted to try to get his watch back. Hickok responded, "He cant take my watch across the square unless dead men can walk." At exactly 6:00 p.m., as hundreds of Springfield citizens gathered in doorways and alleys around the square, Tutt appeared on one side and Wild Bill on the other. Hickok called a warning to Tutt, advising him not to attempt to cross the square if he hoped to live. Once more ignoring Hickok, Tutt started across the square. As he did he drew his gun. Hickok responded quickly; both men fired simultaneosly. Tutt fell dead, a bullet through his heart. Hickok turned quickly toward Tutts friends, who by then had also drawn their weapons, and exclaimed, "Put your arms up men, or there will be more than one man die here today!" The men put their guns away and the crowd quickly dispersed. Although Hickoks trial for murder was long and bitter, the jury found him innocent, declaring the shooting an act of self-defense. After his release, Hickok was no longer interested in Savannah Moore, and Tutts sister wanted nothing to do with the man who killed her brother. Wild Bill soon left Springfield to become a deputy U. S. marshal in Kansas. Over the years his reputation as a lawman and gunfighter grew - aided in large part by Ned Buntlines books, featuring many fictitious Hickok exploits throughout the West. Those who were closely involved with Hickok and Dave Tutt often commented that there was an "undercurrent of woman problems" in the Hickok-Tutt quarrel, that there was an "undercurrent of woman problems" in the Hickok-Tutt quarrel, and that "women and gambling just do not mix." Exactly what the real problem between these men was on that summer day in Springfield no one will ever know. It is certain, however, that it was more than Wild Bill Hickoks ten-dollar watch. This story was taken from the book Ozark Takes and Superstitions by Phillip W. Steele and is available at the Blue & Grey Book Shoppe for $7.95. Lion's Den Wargames will create a Western Gunfight Scenario in February at the Spring Manuevers Wargames convention in Ft. Leavenworth Kansas. Feb 24-25,2000 Back to Table of Contents Penny Whistle #46 Back to Penny Whistle List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by Lion's Den Publications. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com