He was part of a band of outlaws who robbed and participated in cattle rustling along with Milton Yarberry and Mysterious Dave Mather.

Rudabaugh arrived at the frontier town on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River ahead of Earp by just a few days.

The next day, a posse led by Bat Masterson, including John Joshua Webb, captured Rudabaugh and fellow gang member Ed West.

Shortly following his release, Rudabaugh accepted Masterson's offer to join a group of gunfighters to fight for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in the Railroad Wars.

After the railroad wars, he and Webb traveled to the town of Las Vegas, New Mexico, where they became important members of the Dodge City Gang.

The attempt failed, and Rudabaugh shot and killed deputy sherriff Antonio Lino Valdez in the process.

In February 1881, while in court, Rudabaugh pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 99 years in prison for several counts of mail robbery.

He was then found guilty for the murder of Las Vegas deputy Lino Valdez and was sentenced to death by hanging.

He left the saloon unharmed, but unable to find his horse, he re-entered a few moments later and was shot several times and died.

[citation needed] Legend says he belonged to Soapy Smith Denver gang and was killed near Cripple Creek, Colorado in a miners' riot.