Arkansas Dave(3/2/2014)

He rode up on a winter day
Steam rising off a streak faced bay
Said, you probably know my name
If you don't it's Arkansas Dave

David Rudabaugh was born on July 14, 1854 in Fultan County, Illinois. Rudabaugh's career as a cowboy, cattle rustler, and stagecoach robber began in Arkansas in 1870 and continued through the years to 1886. Not much is known about his early years except his father was killed in the Civil War and the family moved several times between Illinois, Ohio and Kansas. Some researchers believe Rudabaugh left Ohio in 1870 or 71 because he participated in a train robbery there

He talked of fifteen years ago
And how he got the bay he rode
Said, he killed a man in Ohio
First man he killed, first horse he stole

When Rudabaugh met Mike Roarke and Dan Dement they formed a gang known as the Trio. The three specialized in holdups and cattle rustling. In a short period of time the group expanded to six. Now known as the Rudabaugh-Roarke gang they added the more serious crime of train robbery. This apparently was not their specialty. They failed at their first train robbery in January 1878 at Kinsley, Kansas and came away empty handed. What they did succeed in was attracting attention.

The gang was hunted by legendary lawman Bat Masterson. Sheriff Masterson organized a posse and tracked Rudabaugh 27 miles from Dodge City, Kansas in the snow. Masterson rode through snow squalls and camped at a ranch owned by Harry Lovell. Bat knew that the fugitives would need to seek shelter and that there was a good chance they would stop at the Lovell ranch. He hid out in the barn and waited. Bat's instincts turned out to be right, he recognized Rudabaugh and a fellow gang member approaching the ranch. Swiftly, the wily sheriff sprang from the barn shotgun in hand. The man who Wyatt Earp once called "the most notorious outlaw in the range country" raised his hands and surrendered.

It was a long road for Arkansas Dave
He shot and left him where he lay
Said he'd never forget that winter day
He road off on a streak faced bay

This was not the end of the line for Arkansas Dave. He made a deal with the prosecutor and testified against his partners. He walked away a free man. He later signed on as a hired gun in the Royal Gorge War.

The Royal Gorge Railroad War was a historic event lasting about two years between the Denver and Rio Grande, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroads. Since only one railroad could lay tracks through the narrow gorge a battle ensued over who would get the rights.

Dave would go on to join a group of Kansas gunfighters known as the Dodge City Gang. This gang would get their friends into local law enforcement positions with the goal of controlling gambling establishments. Rudabaugh became close friends with the leader, John Joshua Webb. Doomed by greed, the gang only lasted a few months. Rudabaugh was jailed for his crimes but eventually escaped. In an attempt to spring Webb from jail, Rudabaugh shot and killed deputy Antonio Lino Valdez.

On December 23, 1880 Rudabaugh, Billy Wilson and other members of the gang were captured by Sheriff Pat Garrett and his posse. They were taken to Las Vegas, but the danger of a lynching prompted the officers to move them to Santa Fe.

After his capture Rudabaugh was sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of the sheriff deputy. Once again Arkansas Dave escaped along with five other men by chipping a stone out of the jail wall and escaping out of a 7"x19" hole. Dave may have gone to Tombstone and joined the Clanton Gang during the infamous Earp-Clanton feud. He possibly participated in the attempted assassination of Virgil Earp and the assassination of Morgan Earp. He was very probably in the gunfight at Iron Springs in which Wyatt Earp killed Curly Bill Brocius.

I stood up and shook his hand
Told no one that I knew this man
Started thinking of a plan
'bout how I'd deal him his last hand

Dave Rudabaugh went to the town of Parral, Mexico in 1886. On February 18, Dave was in the local cantina causing trouble. He started playing a card game with a few locals. Rudabaugh new the card game well. He was schooled by Doc Holiday while Dave taught Holiday how to use a pistol.

Didn't take him long to come unwound
He jumped up and gunned two men down
Ran outside to leave the town
But ol' bay was nowhere to be found

Someone called someone else a cheater and everyone drew their guns. Dave shot one man through the head, killed him, shot another through the heart, killed him, and another in the arm, wounding him. He left the saloon planning to ride off into the sunset but was unable to find his horse.

I hid out with my 44
And when he walked back through the door
I shot till I could shoot no more
And Dave Rudabaugh fell to the floor

A few minutes later he made the fatal mistake of re-entering the saloon. He was shot several times by men hiding in the shadows, then was decapitated with a machete and his head placed on a pole.

It was the end of the road for Arkansas Dave
I shot and left him where he lay
I'll never forget that winter day
I rode off on the streak faced bay

No, I'll never forget that winter day
I rode home on daddy's streak faced bay *

However, some other sources say Dave escaped and died in Oregon in 1928, a destitute rancher.

Interesting comments are appreciated and will be received at: RayPascali@yahoo.com

Ray Pascali

* Arkansas Dave is a song written by Bubba Strait and sung by George Strait on his hit album Twang.
Click here to hear to listen to the song