Trailing Dave Rudabaugh

Wyatt Earp hits the trail to track the outlaw.

In October 1876, Dave Rudabaugh robbed a Santa Fe Railroad construction camp and fled south. Wyatt Earp was issued a temporary commission as deputy U.S. marshal and left Dodge City, following Rudabaugh over 400 miles towards Fort Griffin, Texas. Rudabaugh arrived at the frontier town ahead of Earp by just a few days. In Earp’s first meeting with Doc Holliday, the ex-dentist said he thought Rudabaugh was headed back towards Kansas. Earp telegraphed the new information to Bat Masterson, which led to Rudabaugh’s later capture.