The Nine Lives of Charlie Wright

I have no way of proving this but...

Doc Holliday once attempted to kill a Las Vegas, NM, bartender named Charlie Wright.

John Henry “Doc” Holliday

Details are scarce, but what follows is an eyewitness account:

“Doc entered the saloon with a cocked revolver in his hand and began hostilities at once, without previously making his presence known. Wright was in the act of serving some thirsty customers, but recognizing his old enemy from Dodge City, he ducked behind the bar just in time, while the customers ducked on the floor. Wright quickly emerged with a six-shooter, and a duel began in dead earnest, many shots being exchanged at short distance without effect.”

“The meeting was so sudden that both participants were evidently somewhat off their accustomed good marksmanship, but finally Wright dropped to the floor. At first, it was thought that the shot had killed him, and Holliday, feeling that he had fulfilled his mission in Las Vegas, departed for the New Town to mingle with his old friends of Dodge City. A doctor was called at once for Wright, and it was found that while the bullet only grazed his skin, it had been so near the spine as to stun him temporarily. He was up and around in a couple of hours, as good as ever.”

The crazy part is, we don’t even know for sure why Doc had it out for Wright.

Apparently, they had known one another back in Dodge City. Holliday biographer Gary L. Roberts describes Wright as running “crooked faro games, commonly called ‘brace games,’ in Chicago” and that he had a “shady reputation in Dodge.”

Mr. Roberts also alleges that Wright was related to Dodge City businessman, Robert M. Wright, who, as fate would have it, is the same ole boy who tried to get Clay Allison to kill Wyatt Earp. And when money came up missing from Robert Wright’s store, Charlie Wright falsely accused Doc Holliday of being the culprit. I’m not sure how much evidence we have to support these claims, but if true, that could somewhat explain Holliday’s actions in Las Vegas.

The Wright & Beverly Store at Dodge City

Now, here’s where things get a little crazy. There’s not a lot known about Charles Wright, but he may have also participated in the 2nd Battle of Adobe Walls in 1874.

Layout of Adobe Walls

The aforementioned Robert M. Wright, although not present, was co-owner of Rath’s store, where many of the defenders holed up. The only thing I don’t know for certain is whether the Charles Wright at Adobe Walls was the same Charles Wright that Doc shot in Las Vegas.

Skip ahead to 1890, and Charles Wright narrowly avoided death at the hands of fellow gambler and noted gunman Luke Short.

Luke Short

Short and Wright had been feuding for some time before Luke entered Fort Worth’s Bank Saloon on December 23rd, 1890, and evicted the patrons with a six-shooter. That’s when Wright grabbed a shotgun and wounded Short in his left hip, leg, and hand.

Short’s shooting hand, however, remained unscathed. That being the case, he returned fire and shot Wright in his right wrist. Short would later be found guilty of assault and fined $150.

As for Wright, he appears to have passed away in 1907 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Maybe.

Here’s the thing: Much of what you just read is speculation. We don’t know for sure that the Las Vegas Charles Wright is the same Charles Wright who shot Luke Short. We also don’t know for certain that the Las Vegas Charles Wright was related to Robert Wright, or even if the Charles Wright who died in Fort Worth in 1907 is the same guy who fought at Adobe Walls.

HOWEVER…

If this really is the same guy, then he certainly appears to have had nine lives. Not only did he survive the Comanche, but also two of the deadliest gunmen to have ever drawn a six-shooter. He walked the dusty streets of Dodge City and Las Vegas when tipping your hat the wrong way could lead to death. And yet he somehow survived all the way until the 20th century.

History is fascinating, and it’s little unproven rabbit holes like these that often cause me to procrastinate for hours on end!

Happy New Year!

I hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. I’ve been largely silent, but I can assure you I’ve been a busy little beaver. In fact, I’ve been submerged in the world of Doc Holiday for the last several weeks and I’m very excited to share everything I’ve learned.

I just don’t know when.

The script is almost complete, but it needs several revisions before I’ll be ready to record. I’ll most likely end up releasing it in two separate installments. The first will focus on Holliday’s life up to his time in Tombstone, and the second will focus on his life following the storied Vendetta Ride. Once complete, we’ll dive into a series on Wyatt Earp.

Until then, I’ll probably be releasing an episode with my friend David Lambert, counting down the top 10 most authentic Western movies. I’m also hoping to release another episode detailing the attempts at exhuming his body.

That’s all I’ve got for today! Until next time…

ADIOS!