It is a cool night in October of 1874, the night of the final game of the poker tournament at the Deadwood Saloon. At the table are Gambling Jack, card shark Clay Coldwell, land speculator Montgomery Money, southern belle Holly Hickok, the dealer, Poker Alice, and a traveling salesman, Mitch Maverick.
But for one of the players, it was the last hand.
Last Saturday, townsfolk of Calhoun and Henry County cowboys and gals gathered at the Colt Show building in Calhoun for an interactive murder mystery dinner. Called Murder at the Deadwood Saloon, the fundraiser was staged by the Broke & Busted Saddle Club and drew 66 people, most in western garb — gamblers in black suits, lawmen in black hats, Levis, vests and boots, cowboys in chaps and dusters, saloon girls in satin dresses.
Bartender Jason Smith cooked the chicken for the dinner and served drinks. Dee Ensor and Kelly Marriott, plus officers of the Broke & Busted Saddle Club and the Calhoun Colt Show committee, also prepared and served food.
After dinner, saloon girls circulated, soliciting dances from patrons in return for play money. When the poker game started, everyone gathered around the table to watch the action, but drifted away until a gun shot rang out, bringing everybody’s attention back to the front of saloon, where a body lay on the floor.
Taking charge of the scene was Marshal Dalton, played by Henry County deputy Rob Hill of Deepwater. Sheriff Sam (Travis Quigley) was also on hand. Suspicious characters included the outlaw Jesse Wales, played by Crystal Stevenson, and Stage Coach Mary, played by Deborah Schreiner. Linda Freese of Heartland Community Theatre, was Elizabeth Money, wife of Montgomery Money.
As Harry and Henrietta High-Stakes, owners of the saloon, Rick and Shelly Acosta welcomed guests to the event, and explained the premise — that neither the murder or the murderee knew who they were until they opened their characters’ instruction envelopes. Everyone was a suspect, even Banker Bob, played by Cass County deputy Mike Klinefelter of Urich. Sound was provided by Kenny Price.
Popular vote for murderer was the saloon owner, Harry High-Stakes, Shelly said, played by her spouse, Rick Acosta.
“Our real murderer was Joe Trogden as Montgomery Money, but only three people guessed him,” Shelly said.
The first to guess correctly was Corrine Lesmeister, who received the Smoking Gun award.
Rob Hill, as Marshal Dalton, was voted “Dressed to Kill” for best costume. Emma Sosa, aka Cuttin Lil, collected the most play money, $4,000. Amanda Sears, playing debutante daughter Minnie Money, was named Drama Queen.
The Broke & Busted Saddle Club, headed by Shelly Acosta, and the Calhoun Colt Show committee, headed by Nicole Smith, put on fundraisers throughout the year to help cover the costs of the community celebration. The Broke & Busted Saddle Club hosts the Colt Show Follies and the Equestrian Day events during the weekend at the Lonnie Price Memorial Arena north of Highway 52, both free to spectators.
Founded in 1900, the Calhoun Colt Show is one of the oldest town festivals in the state, evolving from a fall event at which horse breeders showed young stock to other breeders. It always on the second weekend of September. The theme of this year’s festival, the 114th, is “Kicking Up the Dust in Jugtown,” as Calhoun was known in the 19th century, when dozens of kiln towers of potteries dotted the landscape, supplying earthenware throughout Missouri.
Contests, games, and activities for families and children are scheduled on the Square, on Hwy. 52, for the Colt Show plus a parade, car show, outdoor church service, pie auction, and a host of other events (see www.coltshow.com.) Free concerts on the Square with a beer garden and concessions take place on Friday and Saturday evenings. New events for this year are a stick horse rodeo, Pinewood Derby and karaoke contest, and possibly a revival of the Men’s Legs contest.
For more information, go to www.coltshow.com or call the Calhoun Colt Show festival president, 660-924 -6335. To sign up for a vendor spot, call Nicole or the Calhoun City Hall, (660-694-3634).
For more whodunits, check out Heartland Community Theatre’s summer production, an interactive murder mystery titled “Just Desserts.” Set at a baking cook-off contest, it will presented on June 9, 10, 11 and 17, and is directed by Linda Freese. The theatre is located just off the Clinton Square at 108 N. Washington.
The weekend after the Calhoun Colt Show is the HCT fall production, “West of the Pecos,” a frontier-themed comedy, on Sept. 15, 16, 17 and 23.
The Broke & Busted Saddle Club also hosts murder mystery dinners at Halloween and on New Year’s Eve, Shelly said. Check the club’s Facebook for information.
