Chapter 2 Meeting Matt Dillon

I've known Matt Dilon for almost as long as I've been in Dodge City. I consider him one of the best friends I've ever had, maybe even like a son. I will never forget the day that Matt Dillon stepped off the stagecoach. Small in stature definitely was not the way to describe him. Oh no, this man was a giant. I don't think any other citizen in Dodge City was as tall as him. He had to be at least six and a half feet tall, maybe a little taller. His size definitely made him intimidating. However, you can't judge a book by its cover. Just because he was a giant of a man, that does not mean he has what it takes to establish law and order in a lawless place like Dodge City.

There was going to be a town meeting to introduce Matt Dillon as the town's new U.S. Marshal. Many people were curious about the new man that had come to their town, myself included. We all wanted to know how he planned on changing Dodge City from ruthless and lawless to peaceful and law abiding. He had a huge task on his hands. The meeting began and he was given the floor. When he started to talk, he had this deep voice. You listened while he talked. It wasn't a voice that you necessarily feared, but one that seemed to demand respect. Matt Dillon informed the citizens of Dodge City that he was sent there to bring law and order. He told the town that he was a man that followed the law and that he expected the citizens to do the same. Anyone that chose to break the law would face consequences.

Matt Dillon reassured the town that he was a fair lawman. He wasn't some corrupt lawman that came to Dodge City to do things his way. He was a lawman that would serve Dodge City with justice. Dodge City's new U.S. Marshal wanted people to be able to approach him with any problems they may have. He didn't want them to fear him. The townsfolk liked what they were hearing. They had confidence in Matt Dillon. However, there were people that wondered if this was all talk and they wondered how long Matt Dillon would last. I must admit. I wondered the same thing.

Considering I'm the town doctor and I treat many bullet wounds, I thought it was a good idea to introduce myself to Marshal Dillon. Gunshots usually require the law to get involved, especially if those gunshots become fatal. A fatal gunshot is a possible murder. A possible murder would need the U.S. Marshal to be involved.

I didn't introduce myself to the Marshal right away. I wanted to give him some time to settle into his new position. My plan was to wait a couple of days and then go over to his office and introduce myself. Those plans changed. We were informally introduced the night he arrived in Dodge. That night there was a shooting at the Texas Trail. Apparently one patron thought another patron was getting too close to a girl that the first patron was trying to be sweet on. It didn't help that alcohol was involved. The man that was shot was armed, but witnesses said he never went for his gun. Matt Dillon took the shooter over to the jail. I briefly told the Marshal who I was and that I would take the victim up to my office. I had a couple of men help me.

Luckily for the man sitting in my office, the man that shot him was drunk enough to have his aim off target. The bullet grazed his side, just under his ribs. It went straight through, so there wouldn't be anything to remove. I cleaned the wound and told him I wanted to observe him overnight. He was in my recovery room, when the Marshal walked in. I knew why he was there. He wanted to know the status of my patient. He needed to know what kind of punishment to give to the man that was sitting in jail. I informed the Marshal that the man would live. It wasn't going to be murder. The wound wasn't too serious. That was all the information he needed. He said that he would keep the man in jail for a few days and then release him. Before Matt Dillon left, I decided to make a more formal introduction.

I told Marshal Dillon that I was Doctor Adams and that I was Dodge City's only doctor. He introduced himself as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal. We both had a feeling that we would be seeing a lot of each other. Every bullet or knife wound I treated would bring him my way. Those bullet and knife wounds wouldn't just happen to other people. Being a lawman, Matt Dillon was quite aware that he too would be a victim. There was always someone out there trying to get rid of the law. They thought they could do so by getting rid of the lawman. Matt was the recipient of gunshots and knife wounds, some a lot more serious than others.

When we first met, I called Matt Marshal or Marshal Dillon and he referred to me as Doctor or Doctor Adams. I'm not sure when things changed. Gradually our relationship turned from strictly professional to a more personal level. We weren't just acquaintances. We were becoming friends. During that time I started calling him Matt and he started calling me Doc. When he talked about me to other people, he called me Doc Adams. That name seemed to stick because that's what I'm now known as. People may call me Doc Adams, but they still call Matt Marshal or Marshal Dillon. Very few people use his first name when they address him.

One day while Matt and I were in his office chitchatting, he asked me why I came to Dodge City. In previous conversations, it came up that I was from out east. He came to Dodge because the government sent him here. He wanted to know why I came to Dodge. I told him I had this theory that if towns were still trying to establish themselves, then maybe they wouldn't have a doctor yet. If that were the case, I could situate myself as the doctor that the town would need.

In a way, I see my life similar to Matt's. You're probably wondering how that can be. Well, let me explain. Matt has always felt that he didn't deserve to have a family because of his job. He doesn't have set hours. Matt doesn't go to his office at eight o'clock and leave at five o'clock. If there is a shooting in the middle of night, he has to investigate. Trips out of town for trials, transporting prisoners, and even hangings are all part of his job. Because of all of that, Matt Dillon feels he would be shortchanging his family on time spent with him. That and he doesn't want to leave a wife widowed and children with no father. Aside from the fear of leaving a wife widowed or children without a father, I don't think it's fair to have a family put up with the hours of a doctor. I also don't have set hours. People get sick or injured, they get shot, and babies are born at all times of the day. Being a doctor is not a nine to five job. It wouldn't be fair to ask a wife and children to sacrifice their time with me. Maybe someday I'll have a wife, but not now.

I hope that someday Matt decides to give up that badge and settle down with a wife and a family. I don't want him to settle down with just any woman. I want to see him settle down with the love of his life, Kitty Russell. Who's Kitty Russell? I'll get to her at some other time.

Matt had been in Dodge City for six months and had been doing a great job. Dodge wasn't completely peaceful, but it was a bit better than it was when I came. Matt was doing his job, but I could see it was taking a toll on him. I suggested to him that he hire someone to assist him. He was hesitant at first. He really didn't know if he wanted to hire a deputy. I told him he didn't have to hire a deputy, just someone willing to help out around the office and when needed. Matt finally agreed and posted the job. There were men that inquired about the position. But when they realized they wouldn't be a deputy with a badge, they turned the job down. Matt was about to give up on finding someone, when a young man entered the office. I was there when the man came in. He told Matt he was traveling from Missouri and wanted a change of scenery. He had some experience working with the law and was interested in the position. If he was going to stay in Dodge, he would need a job. Matt made sure to let the young man know that this wasn't a deputy position. The young man let Matt know he was completely fine with that. Matt had been looking for an assistant for two months and in April of 1866 he hired Chester Goode.

TBC