Arthur Bourter
Redirect from The Gentleman
Redirect from The Gentleman
Arthur Bourter (b Feb 11, 1840; d May 20 1875) better known by his moniker "The Gentleman" was a gunfighter, bounty hunter, robber and murderer. A divisive personality both during and after his life, he is best now known for his villainous role in pulp dime novels and movies opposite his real life adversary Fredrick "Dandy" Seeder, modern evidence suggests his real life was different than the Hollywood portrayal as a scheming and duplicitous character. There is undoubtedly evidence that he committed several murders of both civilians, law officers, and other famous gunfighters, as well as multiple bank robberies. Bourter was eventually shot and killed by Sheriff Ezrah King. After his death, Bourter's body was to be buried in his family's plot but the executor of the estate was bribed to sell the body and any memorabilia to a traveling wild west show. His body and the attraction it was apart of were eventually lost.
Early Life
Born into a wealthy southern family Bourter was the second born of three kids and the second oldest male. Arthur was born and raised in the city of New Bern, North Carolina. His family were old gentry of the town, with ancestors having taken part in the Revolutionary War and the family took a major part in local affairs. Arthur grew up fishing and hunting in the woods, and in the elite socialite circles of the south, where he gained a reputation for being a gentleman and charmer. While his brother Ajax was the eldest and considered to be both smarter and more handsome, Arthur was still known for a fast wit and excellence in both riding and shooting. Because of his standing and skills, Bourter was known for taking his role as a Gentleman seriously and was thought to have been involved with several duels before the age of 18. With the outbreak of the American Civil War, the state of North Carolina was deeply divided, due to their deep roots and business interests the Bourters sided with the Confederacy. The eldest, Ajax, went to war, while Arthur as the heir apparent stayed home to help with family interests. Events culminated on New Years Eve of 1862, when the new money and Northern loyal, Seeder family threw a party. There, Arthur and the Seeder's son Fredrick came to an argument, what was said is unknown, but combined with longstanding political and personal tensions the only conclusion could be a duel.
1862 Duel
Not wanting to wait, a duel was immediately planned to take place in the morning, and a location on an island in the harbor chosen. Bourter traveled to the island with his second, Samuel Darr. The events that took place on the island after their arrival are disputed. The long time theory was that the duel went accordingly, with both Seeder and Bourter taking shots with revolvers at a dozen paces. Bourter was then wounded in both his face and gun hand, causing him to declare vengeance against all those present, and left never to be seen again. Newly discovered evidence seems to corroborate what Bourter maintained until the day he died: that when coming to the location of the duel, Bourter was ambushed and by Seeder and several others, as well as his second Samuel Darr, but still resulting in a damaged face and right hand. Bourter disappeared for several months afterwards. In March of that year Union forces attacked and occupied New Bern, in the resulting chaos the Bourter mansion was burned.
Criminal Life
Regardless of why, while the civil war raged on, Bourter made good on his own personal war. First forming a gang with, among others Ira "Iron" Smith, Bourter robbed several banks and trains belonging to businessman Willet Yukes, Fredrick Seeder's second. Eventually the gang assaulted a hotel owned by Yukes and killed the man himself. Bourter would target various people he claimed were involved in the ambush in similar ways including the gambling king Darby Sothers. Eventually Bourter went after Fredrick Seeder himself. Seeder had made a name in the war as a scout and fighter, eventually making his officers commission and being honorably discharged. Bourter went to his mansion, leaving after having killed Seeder and his sister Miranda, this despite that Bourter had a relationship with her and that the great 1862 duel was over her.
After the death of Seeder, Bourter fled west, largely giving up his criminal ways and instead making a living as a bounty hunter. It is during this time that Bourter became involved with many of the famous names and personalities he is associated with. Bourter's shooting of the famous criminal Blackbird, relationship with Rebecca "The Viper" Barber, and his incarceration and escape from Callach Gerney. Bouter even allegedly helped Marshall Abel Williams catch The Agners gang. These tales came to an end in 1875 when he was cornered by Ezrah King and given his "funeral dressing" the method of shooting someone in the chest, neck and head, so the deceased can have an open casket, King made famous.
After Death
Bourter had been quiet as of the time of his death and his reputation had already made the transition to pop culture, Largely as a villain in the many popular Dandy Seeder novels. After his death, Bourter's body was purchased by Abner Kilroy, himself a former famous gunfighter and mummified, becoming part of the Carnival of Killed Killers. Bourter was displayed with the clothes he was shot in and with his trademarked Colt Dragoon, among many of his contemporaries. Ezrah King was alleged to have been to the carnival and found it to be the funniest thing he ever saw. The Carnival toured well into the 1910s but appears to have been lost at some point. The whereabouts of his body and the Carnival is still unknown.