Virgil had been constable in Prescott and was the deputy United States Marshal in Tombstone. Corral, which fronted Allen Street and had a rear entrance lined with horse stalls on Fremont Street. [82]:214–216 Lucas' corroborated Addie Bourland's testimony that Billy Clanton was standing throughout the fight, which contradicted prosecution witnesses who maintained he went down immediately after being shot at close range in the belly. Joyce ordered Holliday removed from the saloon but would not return Holliday's revolver. Wyatt Earp offered to prove this when Holliday and the Clantons next returned to town. Corral" in the public consciousness. In July 1882, Wyatt left Colorado and went to San Francisco,[70] where he sought out Sadie and his brother Virgil, who was seeking treatment for his arm. On March 18, 1882, a Cowboy fired from a dark alley through the glass door of Campbell & Hatch's saloon and billiard parlor, killing Morgan Earp. [5] When Virgil was maimed by an assassination attempt, Wyatt was appointed Deputy U.S. The day was chilly, with snow still on the ground in some places. Spicer noted that no powder burns were found on his clothing.[115]. A story by Richard Rule in the Cowboy-friendly newspaper, the Nugget, told the story in the manner of the day, without attribution. The city suspended him as town marshal after Ike Clanton filed murder charges.[27]:238. The suspects in both incidents furnished alibis supplied by other Cowboys and were not indicted. [75] They told the Earps that they could expect retaliation. Behan said he broke his promise to appoint Earp because Wyatt Earp used Behan's name to threaten Ike Clanton when Wyatt recovered his stolen horse from Clanton. Only Virgil or one of his city police deputies, including Morgan Earp and possibly Warren Earp, could search him and take any required action. When he attempted to disarm Curly Bill Brocius, the gun discharged, striking White in the abdomen. Tombstone resident George Parson wrote in his diary, "A Cowboy is a rustler at times, and a rustler is a synonym for desperado—bandit, outlaw, and horse thief."
There are no contemporary Tombstone records that indicate a relationship between Sadie and Earp, but Earp certainly knew her, because both Behan and Earp had offices above the Crystal Palace Saloon. Remember, this is a real cemetery! Wyatt thought Tom fired a revolver under the horse's neck and believed until he died that Tom's revolver had been removed from the scene by Wesley Fuller. [93][126] On the strength of the prosecution case, Spicer revoked the bail for Doc and Wyatt Earp and had them jailed on November 7.
I have been murdered. Corral shooting, only Virgil had any real experience in combat. Corral at 2:30 p.m. when I saw the two Clantons and the two McLaurys in an earnest conversation across the street at Dunbar's corral. Virgil, Wyatt and other witnesses testified that Holliday was carrying a shotgun. ", McLaury said he was not armed. [8]:38[53], After he was passed over by Johnny Behan for the position of undersheriff, Wyatt thought he might beat him in the next Cochise County election in late 1882. But when the gunfight broke out, Clanton ran forward and grabbed Wyatt, exclaiming that he was unarmed and did not want a fight. C.S. Stilwell had until the prior month been a deputy for Sheriff Behan but had been fired for "accounting irregularities". When the Earps approached the lot, the four law men initially faced six Cowboys: Frank McLaury, Tom McLaury, Billy Clanton, Billy Claiborne, Wes Fuller, and Ike Clanton. Reviewed February 19, 2020 . Reporters from both newspapers covered the hearings and recorded the testimony there and at the coroner's inquest, but only the reporter from the Nugget knew shorthand. [74] The newspapers, however, reported that they had been arrested for a different stage robbery that occurred on October 8 near Contention City. Congratulations to the 2020 Breakdown Breakouts! They were finally reimbursed by Wells, Fargo & Co. later on, but the incident caused further friction between county and federal law enforcement, and between Behan and the Earps. Marshal Virgil Earp to help him track Cowboys who had stolen six U.S. Army mules from Camp Rucker. The Cowboys maimed Virgil and murdered Morgan but escaped prosecution, and Wyatt's extra-legal campaign for revenge captured people's attention. 3. However, many of the graves are of citizens of Tombstone and others who ventured there to try to get rich in silver. It is generally regarded as the most famous shootout in the history of the American Wild West. Wyatt and a deputy took Brocius in a wagon the next day to Tucson to stand trial, possibly saving him from being lynched. Fearful of Holliday's reputation, he confessed to holding the reins of the robbers' horses, and identified Bill Leonard, Harry "The Kid" Head and Jim Crane as the robbers. "[121], The funerals for Billy Clanton (age 19), Tom McLaury (age 28) and his older brother Frank (age 33) were well attended. The Cowboys were located in a narrow 15–20 feet (4.6–6.1 m) lot[91] between the Harwood house and Fly's 12-room boarding house and photography studio at 312 Fremont Street,[92] where Doc Holliday roomed. At Fly's boarding house where Holliday and his common-law wife Mary Katharine Horony were sleeping, proprietor Mary Fly heard Clanton's threats and banged on Holliday's door. [80][110] Spicer noted that the doctor who examined the dead Cowboys established that the wounds they received could not have occurred if their hands and arms had been in the positions that prosecution witnesses described. Morgan Earp was standing on Fremont Street to Wyatt's right, and Doc Holliday anchored the end of their line in Fremont Street, a few feet to Morgan's right. Once Behan said that he'd disarmed the Cowboys, Virgil moved Doc's cane to his right hand and shifted the pistol in his waistband from the right side to his left. Billy Clanton was armed with a Colt Frontier 1873 revolver in .44-40 caliber, which were identified by their serial numbers at the Spicer hearing. [118] Witness Fallehy wrote that he saw Morgan Earp and Doc Holliday shooting at a man who was using a horse to barricade himself, and once shot the man fell. [56] Williams was later dismissed from Wells Fargo, leaving behind a number of debts, when it was determined he had been stealing from the company for years. Three Cowboys attempted to rob the stage. Morgan Earp tripped and fell over a newly buried waterline and fired from the ground. They got into a heated argument. Virgil decided he had to disarm the Cowboys. [82]:164 Behan's testimony was significant, since he was a prime witness for the prosecution but had equivocated on this point. Author Stuart N. Lake later said Hayhurst 'mutilated' the transcription. [101], In 1952, Victor Clyde Forsythe, a popular painter of desert scenes and cowboy artist, painted "Gunfight at O.K. [11], Much of what is known of the event is based on month-long preliminary hearings held afterward, generally known as the Spicer hearings. After a day of heavy drinking with friends near Antelope Springs, Ringo headed toward Sulphur Springs for more whiskey. Wyatt had held two jobs as a police officer in the cattle-drive towns of Wichita and Dodge City, Kansas. [47], While Wyatt waited for Virgil to return with Justice Wallace, witnesses overheard Wyatt tell Clanton, "You cattle thieving son-of-a-bitch, and you know that I know you are a cattle thieving son-of-a-bitch, you've threatened my life enough, and you've got to fight! Forced to shift the revolver to his left hand, Clanton continued shooting until he emptied the gun. Wyatt testified that he thought the shooting was accidental. Both Wyatt and Virgil believed Tom McLaury was armed and testified that he had fired at least one shot over the back of a horse. [99], Judge J.H. Prior to the movie, the media often criticized the Earps' actions in Tombstone. A few days later Virgil was appointed as town marshal in his place. [8] In direct conflict with the Earps' roles as lawmen, Johnny Behan was Cochise County Sheriff. any obituary with your condolences, stories or photos. Newspaper accounts of the painting reported that Forsythe had interviewed Tombstone residents and examined many of the existing buildings before beginning to plan his painting. [47], On the morning of Tuesday, October 25, 1881, the day before the gunfight, Ike Clanton and Tom McLaury drove 10 miles (16 km) in a spring wagon from Chandler's Milk Ranch at the foot of the Dragoon Mountains to Tombstone. [107] Fallehy also saw Tom stagger across the street until he fell on his back. This indicated to the judge that Billy could not have been holding his coat's lapels open, his arms raised, as the Cowboys testified. [80] Deputy Marshal Andy Bronk also heard the talk around town. 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