John E. “Curly” Marshall is a favorite subject of The Way West. The notorious border character made his living in many ways, most of them “nefarious.” Marshall is probably best known for establishing the First Chance/ Last Chance saloon along the Chisholm Trail on the north bank of Bluff Creek about a mile north of the Kansas border with Indian Territory.

The ranch consisted of a double log house in which whiskies, provisions and feed for horses were kept. Alcohol was prohibited in Indian Territory, making Marshall’s saloon the first chance to wet a man’s whistle after leaving The Territory. As a rider rode in the opposite direction, the words “Last Chance” were a reminder that it would be a long ride to Texas and another drink.

Marshall surrounded himself with recognized desperate characters. It seemed their main goal in life was to get drunk, get in a row and shoot the lights out of something. The Last Chance became a notorious hangout for desperadoes and questionable border characters.

Marshall may have been a tough hombre, but his entrepreneurial spirit set him apart from his devil-may-care pals.

Marshall hired a manager to operate the Last Chance, splitting his time between the isolated saloon and Wichita.

Not content to operate a single enterprise on the border, Marshall opened a dance hall in Wichita.

In the latter part of 1870, he was even persuaded to fill the vacated position of Wichita City Marshal, serving into 1871.

Back on the southern border the Last Chance was making money.

Marshall made plans to expand the favorite resort of the desperado and horse thief. If a dance hall made money at Wichita, there was plenty of money to be made entertaining lonely border men.

By 1872, Marshall set about building a proper dance hall next to the Last Chance. A frame building was built with lumber freighted by wagon from Wichita.

With that accomplished, Marshall went back to recruit a bevy of adventurous Wichita women to entertain “the boys.”

In Marshall’s absence, one of his carousing customers, Mike McCarty, killed a man by the name of Dan Fielding at a nearby prairie dugout.

McCarty might have gotten off with the killing, but just days later he killed Doc Anderson at Caldwell in an unprovoked shooting. A posse rode directly to the Last Chance. In their enthusiasm to discover McCarty’s hiding place, the new dance hall was burned to the ground.

The bartender of the surviving Last Chance was taken into custody at the point of Newt William’s revolver. In due time, Busey Nicholson rode in and was offered the prospect of acquiring a new hemp necktie conveniently secured to the rafters of the Last Chance or he could give up McCarty’s hiding place. With Nicholson’s information, McCarty was finally captured and killed with his own pistol.

In Wichita, Marshall learned of McCarty’s death and the loss of his new dance house. He immediately started for the Last Chance. In Caldwell, Marshall learned as many details as he could glean. He was especially irked by the ambush of his bartender and the temporary seizure of the Last Chance. Hearing of Newt Williams’ active part in gaining possession of the Last Chance, Marshall threatened to kill him on his return from Wichita.

George D. Freeman wrote about the showdown in his book “Midnight and Noonday.” At the time, Freeman was Caldwell’s constable. Marshall was determined to rebuild his dance house. In Wichita, he purchased lumber and hardware in preparation for his return to the Last Chance. Constable Freeman was on hand when Marshall arrived at Caldwell. Williams was waiting for Marshall.

Williams was known as a man of quiet, unassuming manner. Even so, he feared no man, even Curly Marshall, who was described as a giant of a man. Freeman tried to get Williams to step out of sight into a nearby store. Instead, as Marshall drove his wagon past them, Williams drew his revolver and called out, “Halloo, Marshall. I want to see you.” Recognizing a developing shooting scrape, Constable Freeman accompanied Williams. Walking directly toward Marshall’s wagon, Williams boldly prodded, “I understand, Mr. Marshall, you intend to kill me on sight.”

With trouble at hand, Freeman grabbed Williams’ revolver while a citizen from the opposite side of Marshall’s wagon gained control of Marshall’s revolver. The two men were now face-to-face, and although Marshall was physically the stronger man, Williams did not weaken. “Buoyed up by a spirit of right and backed by public sentiment made him as courageous as a lion.” Freeman recalled that few words were spoken, but Marshall was compelled to understand that the citizens of Caldwell would never allow him to “to run such a den of iniquity.”

Knowing the whole town was against him, Marshall’s characteristic bravado deserted him. Tears forced their way down his cheeks as he asked to be permitted to leave town and never return. Within a few short minutes, the Last Chance was sold to Dave Terrill. Marshall turned his team toward Wichita. As far as is known, Newt Williams was the only man to ever face Curly Marshall down on The Way West.

“The Cowboy” Jim Gray can be reached at 220 21st Rd., Geneseo, KS 67444, (785) 531-2058 or kansascowboy@kans.com.