Cast of Characters – Dance with the Devil

John Henry Holliday: Born in Georgia in the last days before the Civil War, has faced first love and family tragedy and a violent encounter that starts him on the road to Western legend. Now he’s in Texas hoping to regain his place as a Southern gentleman and win back the respect of his father and the love of the girl he left behind.

Jonathan McKey (John Henry’s Uncle): Plantation owner in Washington County, Texas.

Eula and Lottie McKey (John Henry’s Cousins): Daughters of Jonathan McKey.

Dr. John Seegar: Dentist in Dallas, Texas.  He and his wife Martha are originally from Georgia and old friends of the Holliday family.  Dr. Seegar is President of the Dallas Temperance League.

Lenora Seegar: Dr. Seegar’s teenaged daughter.

Emmanuel Kahn (rhymes with can): French-born tailor in Dallas, Texas, and founder of E.M. Kahn and Company, the first retail clothing store in Dallas.

Thomas M. Miers: Proprietor of Miers and Caldwell, Wholesale Dealers in Foreign and Domestic Liquor and Cigars, Elm Street at Poydras in Dallas, Texas.  Becomes John Henry’s surety in a court case.

John Milton McCoy, Esquire: Pioneer lawyer in Dallas, Texas.

“Champagne Charlie” Austin: Butcher and bartender in Dallas, Texas.  Takes his nickname from a popular song of the era.  Arrested after a New Year’s Day shooting affray with Doc Holliday.

Hurricane Minnie: Prostitute in the frontier trail town of Fort Griffin, Texas

Johnny Shaughnessey: Irish saloon owner in Fort Griffin, Texas. 

Jake Smith: Black “Buffalo Soldier” stationed at Fort Griffin, Texas.

Dr. Homer Judd: Dentist in St. Louis, Missouri and dean of the Missouri Dental College.  Former preceptor to Jameson Fuches, John Henry’s college friend.

Tom McKey: John Henry’s favorite uncle back in Valdosta, Georgia.  John Henry uses his name as an alias in Denver, Colorado.

Charlie Foster: Runs the gaming tables at Babb’s Variety House in Denver, Colorado where “Tom McKey” takes a job.

Parlor House Girl: Kindly prostitute who entertains John Henry during his summer in Denver, Colorado.

Barney L. Ford: Former slave and millionaire owner of the Inter-Continental Hotel in Denver, Colorado.

Bud Ryan: Denver gambler who has a run-in with “Tom McKey.”

Justice Whittemore:  Court  judge set to hear John Henry’s assault case in Denver, Colorado.

Henry Kahn: Faro dealer in Breckenridge, Texas who takes shots at John Henry.

George Holliday (John Henry’s cousin):  Travels from Atlanta, Georgia, to Texas to bring John Henry home after a shooting.

Katie Elder: Dance hall girl in Fort Griffin, Texas whom John Henry knew as Kate Fisher in St. Louis, Missouri.

Johnny Ringo: Cowboy and cattle rustler, and Kate’s lover in Fort Griffin, Texas.

Elizabeth Boyle Smith: Scottish and very virtuous Presbyterian landlady of the Occidental Hotel in Fort Griffin, Texas.

Pony Diehl: Cattle rustler in Fort Griffin, Texas.  Friend of Johnny Ringo.

John Larn: Wealthy cattleman and former sheriff of Shackleford County (Fort Griffin), Texas.   Suspected of running a cattle rustling operation.

Hurricane Bill Martin: Cowboy working for cattleman John Larn.  Married to Fort Griffin, Texas, prostitute Hurricane Minnie.  Plays cards at the Beehive Saloon.

Curly Bill Brocious: Cowboy working for cattleman John Larn.  Plays cards at the Beehive Saloon in Fort Griffin, Texas.

Lottie Deno: Lady gambler and Fort Griffin, Texas bordello madam.  Saloon-owner Johnny Shaughnessey is her current lover, but she once had a brief affair with John Larn.

Wyatt Earp: Former Kansas lawman, working as a detective in the Texas cowtowns.  Meets John Henry at Johnny Shaughnessey’s saloon in Fort Griffin, Texas.

Bill Crueger: Sheriff of Shackleford County (Fort Griffin), Texas who presents John Henry with an arrest warrant from the Dallas courts.  His young deputy is left to guard John Henry under house arrest in the Planter’s Hotel in Fort Griffin, Texas.

Midwife: Prostitute in Sweetwater, Texas, who cares for Kate.

Deacon Cox: Former Georgian who owns the Dodge House Hotel in Dodge City, Kansas.

Chalk Beeson: Owner of the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City, Kansas.

Jack Johnson: One-time buffalo hunter from Fort Griffin.  John Henry runs into him again in Dodge City, Kansas.

Ned Buntline (Edward Zane Carroll Judson): Most famous writer of his era, making a fortune off dime novels about the Wild West.  After four-hundred books and hundreds of magazine articles, his stories have dried up and he comes to Dodge City, Kansas for inspiration.

Morgan Earp: Wyatt Earp’s look-alike younger brother.  Gambler and would-be lawman in Dodge City, Kansas.

Bat Masterson: Former buffalo hunter injured in a saloon fight in Sweetwater, Texas.  Now Sheriff of Ford County (Dodge City), Kansas.  He and his brothers Ed and Jim are old friends of Wyatt Earp.

Louisa Houston: Beauty from Texas who visits Dodge City, Kansas and captures the affections of Morgan Earp.  Rumored to be the granddaughter of General Sam Houston of Texas independence fame.

Josh Webb: Owner of the Lady Gay Saloon in Dodge City, Kansas.

Eddie Foy: Popular vaudeville performer, star of the Lady Gay Saloon stage while on tour in Dodge City, Kansas.

Cockeyed Frank Loving:  Card dealer at the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City, Kansas.

Tobe Driskill and Ed Morrison:  Texas cowboys causing trouble in Dodge City, Kansas.

Kid Colton: Teenaged gambler and would-be gunfighter in Trinidad, Colorado who fancies himself another Billy the Kid.

Dr. Beshoar: Medical doctor in Trinidad, Colorado who advises Kate to take the ailing John Henry to the hot springs in Las Vegas, New Mexico Territory. 

Dr. Fagaly: Dentist in Otero, New Mexico Territory, with whom John Henry shares an office.

Billy Leonard: New York born jeweler, watchmaker, and gunsmith in Otero, New Mexico Territory.

Flor: Serving girl at John Henry’s saloon in Las Vegas, New Mexico Territory.  The saloon gets its nickname “The Señorita” from her.

Mike Gordon: Gambler in Las Vegas, New Mexico Territory and Flor’s lover. 

Hoodoo Brown: Coroner and acting mayor of the railroad boomtown of New Town Las Vegas, New Mexico Territory.  His associates Police Chief Joe Carson, Constable Jack Lyons, Bill Baker, and “Mysterious Dave” Rudabaugh are all suspected stage and train robbers.

Russell Kistler: Crusading editor of the Otero Optic newspaper and soon to be editor of the Las Vegas Optic, New Mexico Territory. 

Lee Smith: Atlanta saloon owner and mining investor, touring the Western territories.  Visits John Henry in Las Vegas, New Mexico Territory. 

Jim Earp: Wyatt Earp’s older brother traveling with his family to Arizona in Wyatt’s wagon train.  Also, Wyatt’s common-law wife, Celia.