Hey, Mason. Thanks. The Ike Harris story is in several books because it is illustrative of Wyatt Earp's character and style. Here is Bat Masterson telling the story in 1907. I find the Knights of the Green Cloth book very accurate, and he has filtered some of the stories.
Ike Harris was also a gunfighter, faro dealer. In Gunisson, Colorado, Wyatt had a faro bank. Ike accused the dealer of cheating when Wyatt was gone and demanded his money back. Wyatt went to him incredibly calmly, a big part of this story, and told him the dealer admitted cheating (he did not) but Wyatt was keeping Ike's money because people would think Ike made him give it back.
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-earpbymasterson.html
The reason the story is often repeated it that it shows Wyatt's calm, quiet, Type Two personality. Laid back. Speaking in a normal voice when everyone else is very excited. Wyatt did not drink, and all these other guys were drunk. He also had his brothers and, especially Doc Holliday, as backup. Holliday was so loyal to Wyatt that he was ready to kill anyone Wyatt fought with. Wyatt would beat the hell out of people, especially the leaders of the Cowboys, a loose confederation of 200 people who were afraid of Wyatt and Doc.
You want to see the Ike Harris story illustrated? Go to any John Wayne movie. The movie colony, famed directors and stars, were mesmerized by Wyatt Earp, and his quiet self-confidence. Wayne has said he got his walk, talk, attitude from Wyatt Earp. The cowboy stars and big directors admired Earp.
I think Wyatt knew that Ike Harris knew he had not been cheated. He was trying to muscle the joint. Wyatt's main job was to protect the gambling hall and its reputation. The big celebrity gunfighter/gamblers were a huge asset to a gambling house. The Oriental gave Wyatt a quarter of the action when competitors were sending in toughs to scare the crowd. Wyatt, Doc, Ben Thompson, Bat Masterson, and Luke Short were the rock stars of the day. People wanted to gamble against them. They all dealt faro and played poker. Every one of them could go into a boom town and go right to work for the house, but they nearly always got a piece of the play or they'd open a saloon. Nearly all served as lawmen, but for a short time in their lives. They were gamblers all their lives, and saloon owners.
Wyatt would walk through excited crowds, and disperse them or disarm people with guns because of his piercing blue eyes, and the fact he never showed fear in his life. Neither did Doc. Just as he had done with Ike Harris, Wyatt prevented trouble by being so calm and quiet. Wyatt did to the Cowboy leaders just what he did to lynch mobs and Ike Harris. His calmness, reputation, and fierce determination scared anyone with any sense. It was speak softly and carry a big stick. Basically he was saying, be reasonable and accept my position, or me or Doc will kill you. His persona, charisma, and the way he carried himself were rather special.
There is a famous picture of Wyatt at eighty sitting in a chair. One of the western mags has that picture and Clint Eastwood, also eighty, posing in the same attire, pose. I wonder if there is a movie coming about Wyatt's old age?
Last edited by Johnny Hughes; 03-16-2012 at 10:52 AM.