ON FEB. 8, 1887, IN ONE OF THE FEW ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN REAL KILLERS, SHORT OUTDREW COURTRIGHT, HIS FIRST SHOT REMOVING COURTRIGHT'S HAMMER THUMB. UNABLE TO COCK HIS PISTOL, COURTRIGHT TRIED TO SHIFT IT TO HIS LEFT HAND, BUT SHORT PUT SEVERAL MORE BULLETS IN THE MARSHAL; WHEN MARSHAL AND GUNMAN JIM COURTRIGHT (L) OFFERED PROTECTION TO FELLOW GUNMAN LUKE SHORT'S (R) BUSINESS, SHORT TOLD HIM IT WOULDN'T BE NECESSARY. COURTRIGHT WAS TOO INSISTENT. SEEMS FORCING PROTECTION ON A MAN WHO DOESN'T NEED IT CAN BE COSTLY
