Aces High
On the 21st of July in 1865, two men drew their weapons. Only one man walked away. It was a shootout between Wild Bill Hickok and Davis Tutt – one of the few documented quick-draw gunfights in a public place that became the keystone of Westerns on film and TV. Hickok and Bill argued over poker and over the course of a few days, the argument had heated up to the point where neither could back down. On the evening of the 21st, the two men stood at opposite corners of the town square, about 50 yards apart from each other. Both men fired. Tutt missed but Hickok’s bullet struck home. Tutt called out, “Boys, I’m killed” before he collapsed and died. The bullet had gone straight through his heart.
The Killing of David Tutt, 1865, Springfield, Greene County, Missouri
Bill’s shot was a fine one, but it is said by those who knew him well that it was a chance shot, for it is averred that when here as he had fired and seen that his shot had taken effect Bill handed over his pistols to the sheriff, who came up, and informed that officer he was his prisoner. A few minutes afterward Bill was observed riding leisurely up South street taking the morning air. The circuit court was in session at the time. Bill was promptly indicted, arrested on a bench warrant, and brought to trial. He was vigorously prosecuted by the circuit attorney, Maj. R. W. Fyan, and ably defended by Hon. John S. Phelps. Witnesses testified that they heard two shots, and that the first came from near where Tutt’s body was found. The empty chamber of Tutt’s revolver was exhibited, and upon the ground of “reasonable doubt” that Hickok was the aggressor, the jury acquitted him.
Hickok continued to play poker and eleven years later he was holding a pair of aces and a pair of eights, all black. He was shot in the back by a buffalo hunter called John McCall and the cards that Hickok was holding have since been known as the dead man’s hand.
Meanwhile, on the 21st of July in 2012, the following photographs were thrown into the pot:
- Amsterdam
- Putrajaya
- Kent
- Providence, RI
- Bardsey
- Dorset
- Coeur d'Alene, ID
- Tynemouth
- Oxford
- London
- St. Gallen
- Didcot
- Worcester
- Thornton le Dale
- Hampshire
- Oxford
- Malaga
- Newport
- Ruislip
- Wales
- Mesilla, NM
- Varberg
- Yosemite
- California
- Walmer Beach
- Savernake Forest
- San Antonio, TX
- Spokane, WA
- Solvang, CA
- Reading
- Scotland
- North Smithfield, RI
- Plymouth
And here are the cool hands who raised the ante with such marvellous photographs:
- rnout
- CarolineBignell
- martin_chrisj
- JanetIsserlis
- JeannieKelly
- RAFairman
- jamesnnb
- weeweegie
- oxonlady
- Korwhai
- raumsinn
- ernmander
- akrabat
- kyleorchid
- DaughterofLir
- icklemouse
- thermalhound
- robdavies
- maidbloke
- SockYarnShop
- HeideSpruck
- kittendew
- dudleypj
- mousewords
- JLM1974
- sahfenn
- B_Tahnlenes
- drewbenn
- HarryMyhre
- carocat
- noirem
- pixelesh
- Conot
Would you like to add your photo? It’s simple to join in:
- Take a photograph on a Saturday
- Upload the photograph
- Send a tweet to @SatScenes with the location
We’d all love to see even more SatScenes in the next edition!