James H. "Dog" Kelley
James H. "Dog" Kelley
Born
James H. Kelley

(1834-02-19)February 19, 1834
Manchester, England
DiedSeptember 8, 1912(1912-09-08) (aged 78)
Kansas Soldiers' Home, Fort Dodge US
Resting placeFord Dodge Cemetery in Ford County
Occupation(s)Army Scout, soldier, mayor, businessman and saloon keeper
Known forMayor of Dodge City, Kansas 1877 to 1881
Part ower of Alhambra Saloon
Dodge City War
US Army under George Custer.
OpponentJames Kennedy
Dora Hand, stage name Fannie Keenan, Kelley's friend and singer, was killed at his home on October 4, 1878
As mayor Kelley worked with the Dodge City Peace Commission (photo)
Dodge City in 1875. Beatty and Kelley Restaurant at the corner of First Avenue and Front Street

James H. "Dog" Kelley was the Dodge City, Kansas mayor from 1877 to 1881. As mayor Kelley worked with US Marshalls and sheriffs. As mayor Kelley worked with well known lawmen in the Old West. The lawmen included: Bat Masterson, James Masterson, Ed Masterson, Wyatt Earp and Morgan Earp. Kelley arrived in Dodge City with General George Custer in 1872. Kelley worked for Custer as his orderly and took care of Custer's horses and his pack of greyhounds. His friend and entertainer, Dora Hand, was killed on October 4, 1878, in his home while he was out of town. James H. Kelley was born on February 19, 1834 in Manchester, England. Kelley died in September 1912 and is buried at the Fort Dodge Cemetery.

Biography

In the American Civil War Kelley was in the Confederate States Army after the war, needing a job he joined the Union Army's 7th Cavalry Regiment under George Custer. After completing his service in the Union Army, Kelley was given an honorable discharge in 1872. As a parting gift, Custer gave Kelley one of his horses and 12 of his prized hunting greyhound dogs. Custer and his troops were later all killed on June 25, 1876. Kelley stayed in Dodge City and because of his pack of dogs, he was given the nickname of James H. "Dog" Kelley. Kelley joined P.L. Beatty and founded the Beatty and Kelley Restaurant. Kelley, a lover of animals, tamed an American black bear and called him Paddy. Kelley kept Paddy behind his restaurant. Kelley became a part-owner of the Dodge City Alhambra Saloon. Kelley stood out in Dodge City, as his rode a white horse and often wore white corduroy suit. When Kelley became mayor in 1877, Dodge City was very wild. The city's law enforcement was very weak as group of the towns merchants, saloon operators, and gamblers called the Gang like the business that the cowboys brought to the town and did not what law and order to slow business. In May 1877 cowboys in town were so out of control and had shot up business while drunk Kelley took action. Kelley sent a telegraph to Wyatt Earp in Deadwood, South Dakota asking him to come to Dodge City and restore Law and order. Wyatt and Morgan became the marshals and restored restore Law and order. Kelley town sheriff Ed Masterson was killed on duty on April 9, 1878 at aged 25. Kelley had appointed Charlie Bassett as sheriff on December 15, 1877. At Kelley request Larry Deger city marshal was removed by the city council. James Masterson and Neil Brown were appointed as marshal and assistant marshal of Dodge City on November 4, 1879, after Bassett and Wyatt stepped down.[1] Wyatt Earp departed Dodge City in 1879. [2][3] In 1885 a fire destroyed the wood built Beatty and Kelley Restaurant. The fire also destroyed the Alahambra Saloon/Junction Saloon. In its place Kelley built and opened the Kelley Opera House at the corner of First Avenue and Front Street. Dora Hand, her stage name was Fannie Keenan, became one of the well know singer at the Alahambra Saloon, singing five nights a week. While Kelley was out of town, in a hospital in Fort Dodge, he let Hand and her friend Fannie Garretson, stay at his home. Fort Dodge was United States Army outpost about five miles from Dodge City. On October 4, 1878 at 4 am, cowboy James Kennedy (1855–1884), known a Spike, fired shots in to Kelley home, thinking the mayor was home sleeping, one of the shots hit Hand in the side and killed her instantly, she was 34-years old. James Kennedy, was the son of a rich Tascosa, Texas cattleman, Mifflin Kenedy, owner of the Laureles Ranch. Before the Laureles Ranch, Mifflin Kennedy was in a partnership with Richard King in the King Ranch. Cattleman would did cattle drives on the Chisholm Trail, to take there product to Dodge City, this is what made Dodge City a boomtown. James Kennedy and Kelley had a dispute that led Kennedy to shoot at his house. Hand friends and the town's lawmen, Sheriff Bat Masterson and Assistant US Marshal Wyatt Earp pursued Kennedy. A posse also took after Kennedy. Masterson caught up with Kennedy the next day and stopped him with a shot. Masterson's 50-caliber rifle took Kennedy off his horse with a hit in the shoulder.[4] Kennedy was arrested, but did not go to trial for the murder of Hand. Judge R. G. Cook and acquitted, claiming lack of evidence. Rumors are that Mifflin Kenedy may have paid Cook money. [5] Kennedy had been arrested in Dodge City two times before. Wyatt Earp arrested Kennedy for carrying and brandishing a pistol in Dodge City and on August 17, Marshal Charlie Bassett arrested Kennedy for disorderly conduct, but the Judge only gave Kennedy a warning.[6] Kennedy became sick in 1884 and died while awaiting trial for murder. Kelley was a very generous his whole life and well liked. Never saving up money he lost the Kelley Opera House in down turn in 1888. Kelley retired and moved back to Fort Dodge, living at the Kansas Soldiers' Home. Kelley became the head of retired widowers housing unit, called Angel Barracks. Kelley came down with tuberculosis and died in September 1912 at the age of 79. He was survived by his daughter Irene, her mother is unknown as there are no records of Kelley being married.[7][8]

Television and film depiction

  • As Kelley is key figure in the life of Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson and Dora Hand. Kelley has been played by a munber of actors in television shows and films about these famous old west figures.
  • In Death Valley Days, Stephen Roberts plays Kelley in a show with Hand has a nurse. Crawford says he will kill Kelley due to a hurt hand, but kills Dora. [10]

References

  1. ↑ Shillingberg, William B. (Summer 1976). "Wyatt Earp and the Buntline Special Myth". Kansas Historical Quarterly. pp. 113–154. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  2. ↑ Kathie Bell, "Dodge City's Own James "Dog" Kelley", Dodge City Daily Globe, March 14, 2007
  3. ↑ Bill O'Neal, Encyclopedia of Western Gunfighters (Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, (1979), p. 217
  4. ↑ "Haile: Rich rancher's son charged with Dodge City murder". The Courier. October 16, 2015.
  5. ↑ Laughead, George (September 23, 2009). "Robert M. Wright, 1840–1915: Dodge City, Kansas, Town President, founder, pioneer". kansashistory.us. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  6. ↑ Silva, Susan Leiser; Silva, Lee A. (October 1, 2009). "The Killing of Dora Hand". Wild West Magazine. historynet.com. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Jim Kelley, Dodge Pioneer, Is Dead". Dodge City Daily Globe. September 10, 1912. p. 1.
  8. ↑ Jim Kelley, Dodge Pioneer, Is Dead", The Dodge City Daily Globe, September 10, 1912, p. 1.
  9. ↑ "Dodge City Gets a New Marshal". IMDb. September 4, 1956. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  10. ↑ "The Left Hand Is Damned on Death Valley Days". IMDb. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
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