Tag: Cochise County

Cochise County, located in the southeastern corner of Arizona, is renowned for its rugged desert landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture. Named after the legendary Chiricahua Apache leader Cochise, the county is a blend of natural beauty and historical significance. Its terrain ranges from high desert plains to dramatic mountain ranges, including the Huachuca and Chiricahua Mountains, offering outdoor enthusiasts opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, and exploring unique desert flora and fauna. Historically, the region played a pivotal role in the Old West era, with Tombstone, known for the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, as one of its iconic towns. Today, the county maintains a balance between its Wild West heritage and modern amenities, attracting visitors with its scenic vistas, archaeological sites, and warm southwestern hospitality.

Josephine Sarah Earp

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Josephine Sarah Marcus, known as "Josie" or "Sadie,"
Josephine Sarah Marcus, known as “Josie” or “Sadie,”

Josephine Sarah Marcus Earp, known as “Josie” or “Sadie,” was the common-law wife of Wyatt Earp, a legendary figure of the American West. Born around 1861 to German-Jewish immigrants in Brooklyn, New York

Early Life and Background

Josephine Sarah Marcus, known as “Josie” or “Sadie,” was born around 1861 in Brooklyn, New York, to German-Jewish immigrant parents, Hyman (Henry) Marcus and Sophie Lewis. The family, originally from Prussia, moved to Manhattan and later San Francisco in the late 1860s. Josephine, the second of three children, grew up with an older step-sister, Rebecca, an older brother, Nathan, and a younger sister, Henrietta. Her exact birth date is unrecorded, adding to the enigma of her life. Raised in a relatively prosperous household, Josephine developed a taste for adventure, inspired by a performance of H.M.S. Pinafore. At 17, she ran away to join a traveling theater troupe, seeking independence, but returned home after her parents’ persuasion.

Her restlessness persisted, and by 1879, at around 19, Josephine became involved with Johnny Behan, a rising politician and future sheriff of Cochise County, Arizona. Behan convinced her parents to permit an engagement, and she left San Francisco for Tombstone, Arizona, expecting marriage. Some evidence suggests she used the alias “Sadie Mansfield” and may have worked as a courtesan in Arizona, a claim supported by census records and Doc Holliday’s later assertions, though Josephine vehemently denied it. Her secrecy about this period indicates a desire to obscure parts of her early life.

Relationship with Johnny Behan

John H. Behan - Sheriff of Cochise County in the Arizona Territory
John H. Behan – Sheriff of Cochise County in the Arizona Territory

Johnny Behan, born in 1844, was a charismatic and ambitious figure in Tombstone, a silver mining boomtown. By 1880, when Josephine arrived, Behan was a prominent saloon keeper and politician, later appointed sheriff in 1881. Their relationship began with promise, as Behan presented himself as a stable suitor, but it quickly deteriorated. Josephine lived with him as his common-law wife, but Behan’s infidelity—reportedly with multiple women, including a prostitute named Sadie—caused a rift. Josephine’s discovery of his affairs, possibly as early as mid-1880, led to their separation by early 1881.

Behan’s political rivalry with the Earp brothers, particularly Wyatt, further complicated matters. As sheriff, Behan aligned with the Cowboys, a loosely organized group of outlaws including the Clantons and McLaurys, who clashed with the Earps’ law enforcement efforts. This rivalry culminated in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in October 1881, where Behan’s failure to intervene and his alleged bias toward the Cowboys heightened tensions. Josephine’s departure from Behan’s life coincided with her growing attraction to Wyatt Earp, marking a pivotal shift in her personal and social alliances.

Meeting Wyatt Earp and the Tombstone Years

Wyatt Earp - 1869
Wyatt Earp – 1869

In late 1880 or early 1881, Josephine met Wyatt Earp, a deputy U.S. marshal and gambler, in Tombstone. Wyatt, born in 1848, was already in a common-law marriage with Celia Ann “Mattie” Blaylock, but their relationship was strained. Josephine and Wyatt likely met at Sol Israel’s Union News Depot, and their mutual attraction was immediate, despite their respective commitments. By mid-1881, Josephine had left Behan, and she and Wyatt began a romance, possibly overlapping with his relationship with Blaylock.

The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881, was a defining moment in Tombstone and indirectly in Josephine’s life. The 30-second shootout saw Wyatt, his brothers Virgil and Morgan, and Doc Holliday confront the Clanton and McLaury brothers, killing three. Behan, as sheriff, attempted to arrest the Earps but was overruled, and his testimony against them in the subsequent hearing reflected his animosity. Josephine’s memoir claims she witnessed the aftermath, running to ensure Wyatt’s safety, though some evidence suggests she may have been in San Francisco. Her account, like much of her narrative, blends fact and embellishment.

After the gunfight, violence escalated. Virgil was ambushed in December 1881, and Morgan was killed in March 1882. Wyatt, now a fugitive, embarked on his “Vendetta Ride” to hunt his brothers’ assailants. During this chaotic period, he sent Josephine, along with the other Earp women, to San Francisco for safety. Wyatt never reunited with Blaylock, who died of a drug overdose in 1888. By 1882, Josephine and Wyatt were together in San Francisco, beginning a lifelong partnership.

Life with Wyatt Earp

Josephine and Wyatt claimed to have married in 1892, possibly on a yacht off California, though no record confirms this, suggesting a common-law union. For 47 years, they led a nomadic life, chasing wealth in boomtowns across the West and Alaska. They ran the Dexter saloon in Nome, Alaska, reportedly earning $80,000 (about $3 million in 2024), though Josephine’s gambling often drained their funds. They pursued mining and oil ventures in Colorado, Idaho, Arizona, and California, settling seasonally in Vidal, California, from 1925 to 1928.

Wyatt and Josephine Earp in the Lucky Day Mine mining camp near Vidal, California: This is the only confirmed picture of the two of them together.
Wyatt and Josephine Earp in the Lucky Day Mine mining camp near Vidal, California: This is the only confirmed picture of the two of them together.

Their relationship was passionate but turbulent. Josephine, bold and outspoken, sometimes clashed with Wyatt over finances and his reserved nature. Both may have had extramarital affairs, and Josephine’s controlling tendencies strained their bond. Yet, their partnership endured, with Wyatt calling her “Sadie” (a name she disliked) and Josephine doting on him, as noted by relative Jeanne Cason Laing. They had no children, possibly due to health issues, though no clear evidence exists.

Josephine fiercely guarded Wyatt’s legacy, denying his involvement in gambling or prostitution despite evidence. She interfered with biographers, notably Stuart Lake, whose 1931 book Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal she tried to suppress to avoid references to her past with Behan or Wyatt’s with Blaylock. Her memoir, I Married Wyatt Earp (1976), edited by Glenn Boyer, was later criticized as largely fictional, reflecting her efforts to craft a heroic narrative.

Creating the Legend

Beyond her role as his companion, Josephine actively shaped Wyatt’s legacy as a heroic lawman, influencing how history remembers him. Through her memoir, interventions with biographers, and efforts to obscure less savory aspects of their lives, she crafted a narrative that elevated Wyatt to mythic status while navigating the complexities of her own past.

Crafting a Heroic Narrative

Josephine was determined to present Wyatt as a paragon of virtue, emphasizing his role as a fearless lawman while downplaying or denying his involvement in gambling, saloon-keeping, and other morally ambiguous activities. After Wyatt’s death in 1929, she became the primary guardian of his reputation. Her most significant contribution was her memoir, I Married Wyatt Earp, compiled with relatives Mabel Earp Cason and Vinnolia Earp Ackerman and published in 1976, edited by Glenn Boyer. The memoir portrayed Wyatt as a stoic, principled figure, focusing on his law enforcement exploits, particularly the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in 1881, while omitting or sanitizing details of his less reputable ventures, such as his management of saloons and gambling houses.

Josephine’s narrative control extended to her own past. She obscured her early life, particularly her time as Johnny Behan’s common-law wife in Tombstone and allegations of working as a courtesan under the alias “Sadie Mansfield.” By distancing herself from these associations, she ensured that Wyatt’s story remained untarnished by her controversial background. Her memoir also minimized Wyatt’s relationship with his previous common-law wife, Celia Ann “Mattie” Blaylock, who died of a drug overdose in 1888, presenting Josephine as his sole and devoted partner.

Influence on Biographers and Media

Josephine actively intervened in early efforts to document Wyatt’s life. In the 1920s, she collaborated with but also clashed with Stuart Lake, author of the 1931 biography Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal, which became a cornerstone of Wyatt’s legend. Fearing Lake’s inclusion of her past with Behan and Wyatt’s with Blaylock, Josephine threatened legal action to suppress the book. Although she failed to stop its publication, her pressure ensured a more favorable portrayal of Wyatt, cementing his image as a heroic frontier marshal. This book inspired numerous films, television shows, and books, including the 1993 film Tombstone and the 1994 film Wyatt Earp, which drew heavily on the sanitized narrative Josephine promoted.

Her efforts extended to other biographers and family members. She worked with John Flood, Wyatt’s secretary, on an unpublished manuscript that aligned with her vision of Wyatt as a noble figure. Josephine also corresponded with early researchers, selectively sharing information to steer narratives away from inconvenient truths, such as Wyatt’s arrests for minor crimes or his involvement in prostitution-related activities in his early years.

Challenges and Criticisms

Josephine’s efforts, while effective in shaping Wyatt’s legend, were not without flaws. Her memoir, I Married Wyatt Earp, was later criticized for its inaccuracies. Editor Glenn Boyer admitted to embellishing details, and in 1998, the University of Arizona Press withdrew the book from its catalog after scholars, including historian Gary L. Roberts, questioned its authenticity. The memoir’s blend of fact and fiction muddied historical records, complicating efforts to separate truth from legend. For instance, Josephine’s claim of witnessing the aftermath of the O.K. Corral gunfight is disputed, as some evidence suggests she was in San Francisco at the time.

Her selective storytelling also alienated some contemporaries. Her disputes with Lake and others created tensions, and her refusal to acknowledge Wyatt’s less heroic traits frustrated historians seeking a balanced account. Additionally, her efforts to erase her own past, including her Jewish heritage and early life in Tombstone, limited the historical record’s clarity, leaving gaps that researchers still struggle to fill.

Impact on Wyatt Earp’s Legacy

Josephine’s influence was pivotal in transforming Wyatt Earp from a multifaceted figure—lawman, gambler, and entrepreneur—into an enduring symbol of the Wild West. Her curated narrative emphasized his role in the O.K. Corral gunfight and his Vendetta Ride, overshadowing his less glamorous activities. This romanticized image resonated with the public, fueling the Western genre’s popularity in the 20th century. The films, books, and media inspired by her efforts continue to shape perceptions of Wyatt as a stoic hero, even as modern scholarship uncovers a more complex figure.

Her protective stance also ensured that Wyatt’s story remained tied to her own. By burying their ashes together in the Marcus family plot at Hills of Eternity Memorial Park in Colma, California, Josephine symbolically linked their legacies, reinforcing her role as his partner in life and myth. The gravesite remains a popular destination, reflecting the lasting impact of her narrative control.

Later Years and Legacy

After Wyatt’s death in 1929 in Los Angeles, Josephine lived modestly, dying penniless on December 19, 1944. Her ashes were buried with Wyatt’s in the Marcus family plot at Hills of Eternity Memorial Park, a Jewish cemetery in Colma, California, a site that remains a popular attraction. Her Jewish heritage shaped her identity, and Wyatt’s respect for it—evidenced by his kissing the mezuzah at Jewish homes—strengthened their bond, though it also caused friction, notably with Doc Holliday’s antisemitic remark in 1882, which ended his friendship with Wyatt.

Conclusion

Josephine Sarah Marcus Earp was a complex figure, blending Jewish immigrant roots with the rugged individualism of the American West. Her relationships with Johnny Behan and Wyatt Earp shaped her life’s trajectory, from a fleeting engagement marked by betrayal to a decades-long partnership defined by adventure and loyalty. Her efforts to control her and Wyatt’s legacy, though often misleading, ensured their place in Western mythology. Josephine’s story, fraught with contradictions, embodies the blurred lines between truth and legend in the Wild West.

Sources

  • Wikipedia, “Josephine Earp”
  • Shapell, “Wyatt Earp & Josephine Marcus”
  • Jewish Women’s Archive, “Josephine Sarah Marcus Earp”
  • OldWest.org, “Josephine Earp: Adventurous Woman of the West”
  • Amazon, “I Married Wyatt Earp: The Recollections of Josephine Sarah Marcus Earp”

Dr. George E. Goodfellow, the “Gunfighter’s Surgeon”

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Dr. George E. Goodfellow, also known as the "Gunfighter's Surgeon"
Dr. George E. Goodfellow, also known as the “Gunfighter’s Surgeon”

Dr. George Emory Goodfellow (1855–1910) was a renowned physician and surgeon in Tombstone, Arizona, during its 1880s silver-mining boom. Known as the “Gunfighter’s Surgeon,” he settled in Tombstone in 1880, practicing above the Crystal Palace Saloon. A pioneer in trauma surgery, he became the nation’s leading expert on gunshot wounds, performing the first documented laparotomy for abdominal injuries, using sterile techniques like lye soap or whiskey, and developing spinal anesthesia. He treated lawmen and outlaws alike, including victims of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral aftermath, and served as county coroner, conducting autopsies like Morgan Earp’s in 1882. Goodfellow observed silk’s bullet-resistant properties, influencing later body armor development, though he held no patents. A civic leader, he co-founded local societies, studied Gila monster venom, and mapped an 1887 earthquake rupture. His work in Tombstone (1880–1891) solidified his legacy as a pioneering trauma surgeon and key figure in the town’s history.

Early Life and Education

George Emory Goodfellow was born on December 23, 1855, in Downieville, California, a gold-mining town in the Sierra Nevada. His father, Milton J. Goodfellow, was a mining engineer, and his mother was Amanda Ann Baskin. At age 12, George was sent to Pennsylvania for schooling, later attending the California Military Academy in Oakland. In 1872, at 17, he enrolled at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, where he became the school’s boxing champion. However, his naval career ended abruptly after he assaulted John Henry Conyers, the academy’s first Black cadet, in a hazing incident, leading to his dismissal in December 1872 amid a national scandal.

Undeterred, Goodfellow pursued medicine, studying under his cousin, a physician, and enrolling at the Wooster University School of Medicine (now the College of Wooster) in Ohio. He graduated with honors in 1876. That same year, he married Katherine Colt, cousin of Samuel Colt, the revolver manufacturer whose .45-caliber firearms would later contribute to Goodfellow’s surgical expertise.

Move to Arizona and Early Career

Goodfellow briefly practiced medicine in Oakland, California, before his restlessness led him to Arizona Territory. In 1876, he served as an acting assistant surgeon at Fort Whipple in Prescott, where his father worked for a mining company. He later became a contract surgeon at Fort Lowell near Tucson in 1879 and briefly at Fort Bowie in 1880, though he likely did not participate in Apache campaigns. On September 15, 1880, Goodfellow canceled his Army contract and relocated to Tombstone, Arizona Territory, a silver-mining boomtown founded in 1879 with a population exceeding 2,000.

Role in Tombstone, Arizona

Tombstone, known as “The Town Too Tough to Die,” was a volatile frontier town teeming with miners, outlaws, and lawmen, including Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and the Cochise County Cowboys. Goodfellow opened his medical practice above the Crystal Palace Saloon, one of the West’s most luxurious establishments, strategically placing him in the heart of the action. Only four of the town’s 12 doctors, including Goodfellow, held medical diplomas, earning him a reputation as a skilled and scientific physician in a region where improvisation often defined medical care.

During the infamous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Virgil Earp, serving as Deputy U.S. Marshal and Tombstone City Marshal, was shot through the calf. Dr. Goodfellow, a skilled surgeon known as the “Gunshot Physician,” provided immediate medical care to Virgil. The sources do not provide specific details about the treatment process for this particular wound, but Goodfellow’s general approach to gunshot wounds emphasized sterile techniques, which were innovative for the time. He often cleaned wounds with lye soap or whiskey to prevent infection, a practice that set him apart from many contemporary physicians. Given the nature of a calf wound, Goodfellow likely cleaned and dressed the injury, ensuring it was stabilized to promote healing and prevent complications such as infection. His treatment was successful, as Virgil survived and continued his duties, though he likely experienced lingering effects from the injury.

Virgil Earp 1843 -1905
Virgil Earp 1843 -1905

Two months later, on the night of December 28, 1881, Virgil was ambushed by three men hiding in an unfinished building across Allen Street from the Cosmopolitan Hotel. He was hit in the back and left arm with three loads of double-barreled buckshot from about 60 feet. The injuries were severe, resulting in a longitudinal fracture of the humerus and damage to the elbow, with approximately 20 buckshot pellets lodged near his hip bone and above the groin. Dr. Goodfellow treated Virgil at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, using the medical tools in his bag and additional supplies fetched from the local hospital by George Parsons and another individual.

Goodfellow advised amputation of Virgil’s left arm due to the extent of the damage, but Virgil refused. Instead, Goodfellow performed a complex surgery under challenging conditions, removing more than 3–4 inches (76–100 mm) of shattered humerus bone. The procedure was unable to fully repair the longitudinal fracture or the elbow, leaving Virgil’s arm permanently crippled. Additionally, Goodfellow extracted the buckshot pellets embedded in Virgil’s back and hip area, addressing the risk of infection and further complications. His use of sterile techniques, such as cleaning wounds with lye soap or whiskey, likely played a critical role in preventing sepsis, a common cause of death in such injuries at the time. Despite the permanent disability, Goodfellow’s intervention saved Virgil’s life and preserved his arm, allowing him to later serve as a marshal in Colton, California, using his good arm to handle a gun.

Medical Innovations and Gunshot Wound Expertise

Goodfellow became the nation’s foremost expert on gunshot wounds, earning the moniker “Gunfighter’s Surgeon.” Tombstone’s frequent violence provided ample opportunity to hone his skills. He treated both lawmen and outlaws, including members of the notorious Cowboys like Curly Bill Brocius. His pioneering work included:

  • First Documented Laparotomy: On July 4, 1881, Goodfellow successfully performed a laparotomy—small incisions to treat abdominal gunshot wounds—on a miner shot nine days earlier, a procedure that became the standard for such injuries. He emphasized that without surgery within an hour, victims of .44 or .45-caliber abdominal wounds faced certain death due to hemorrhage.
  • Sterile Techniques: Goodfellow insisted on cleaning wounds with lye soap or whiskey, a practice ahead of its time when many surgeons ignored sterile protocols. His methods improved survival rates and contrasted with the unsanitary care that led to President James Garfield’s death from a gunshot wound in 1881.
  • Perineal Prostatectomy: In 1891, while in Tucson, Goodfellow performed the first documented perineal prostatectomy to remove an enlarged prostate, a significant urological advancement. He completed 78 such operations with only two deaths.
  • Spinal Anesthesia: He pioneered spinal anesthesia by mixing cocaine with spinal fluid, injecting it into the spine to numb patients during surgery, a technique rare in the frontier.

As county coroner, Goodfellow conducted autopsies, including Morgan Earp’s after his 1882 assassination. His report detailed the bullet’s path through the left kidney, spinal column, and great vessels, causing fatal hemorrhage. His dark humor was evident in reports, such as describing a corpse as “rich in lead, but too badly punctured to hold whiskey” or ruling a lynching victim’s death as due to “emphysema of the lungs” caused by strangulation.

Notable Incidents and Community Involvement

Goodfellow’s practice extended beyond gunshot wounds. During the June 1881 Tombstone fire, he reconstructed George W. Parsons’ nose, deformed by falling wood, using a wire framework, refusing payment for the service.

He was a civic leader, co-founding the Tombstone Club, a reading society, and the Tombstone Scientific Society. He invested in the Huachuca Water Company, which built a 23-mile pipeline to Tombstone. His naturalist pursuits included studying Gila monster venom, debunking myths about its lethality by surviving a self-induced bite in 1891, and publishing findings in Scientific American.

In 1886, Goodfellow joined the pursuit of Geronimo after the Apache leader’s escape from the San Carlos Reservation, later befriending him and winning a $20 bet by testing Geronimo’s silent arrow-shooting technique. In 1887, he led a relief effort to Bavispe, Sonora, after a devastating earthquake, earning the title “El Santo Doctor” and a horse from Mexican President Porfirio Díaz. With photographer Camillus S. Fly, he mapped the earthquake’s surface rupture, publishing the first such map in North America in Science.

Later Career and Life

In 1891, Goodfellow moved to Tucson after his friend Dr. John C. Handy was fatally shot, taking over Handy’s practice and becoming chief surgeon for the Southern Pacific Railroad. He performed Arizona’s first appendectomy that year. His wife, Katherine, died in 1891, leaving him with their daughter, Edith (born 1879); their son, George Milton, died in 1882. Goodfellow remarried Mary Elizabeth before March 1906.

In 1898, he served as a civilian surgeon in the Spanish-American War, leveraging his Spanish fluency to negotiate a peace settlement in Cuba, earning a Distinguished Service Order. After the war, he practiced in San Francisco, becoming a leading physician. In 1910, while working as chief surgeon for the Southern Pacific Railroad in Mexico, he contracted multiple neuritis, likely from overwork or exposure, and died in Los Angeles on December 7, 1910, at age 54.

Legacy

Dr. George E. Goodfellow’s 11 years in Tombstone (1880–1891) cemented his reputation as a pioneering trauma surgeon and scientist. His innovations in laparotomy, sterile techniques, prostatectomy, and spinal anesthesia were decades ahead of their time, earning him recognition as the first civilian trauma surgeon. His work on silk’s bullet resistance foreshadowed modern body armor. The University of Arizona School of Medicine honors him with the George E. Goodfellow Society. Despite personal flaws—hard drinking, womanizing, and a pugnacious temperament—Goodfellow’s contributions to medicine and Tombstone’s history remain legendary.

Sources:

  • Didusch Museum, “A Truth Stranger Than Fiction: The Life and Times of Dr. George Emery Goodfellow”
  • True West Magazine, various articles
  • Sharlot Hall Museum
  • DeGruyter Brill, “Bulletproof Silk: Observations of Dr George E. Goodfellow”

The Tombstone Epitaph – March 27, 1882

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Frank Stilwell
Frank Stilwell

On March 27, 1882, The newspaper the Tombstone Epitaph announced the murder of Frank Stilwell in Tucson Arizona.

Frank Stilwell was an outlaw and a member of the Cochise County Cowboys, a group of rustlers and bandits who operated in southern Arizona during the late 19th century. Stilwell’s life took a fatal turn after he was implicated in the murder of Morgan Earp, the younger brother of lawman Wyatt Earp. On March 18, 1882, Morgan Earp was ambushed and killed in Tombstone, Arizona, while playing billiards. Wyatt Earp, seeking revenge for his brother’s murder, believed that Stilwell was one of the men responsible. Stilwell was known for his criminal activities, including cattle rustling, robbery, and involvement in various violent conflicts, which made him a prime target for Earp’s vendetta.

Just two days after Morgan’s death, Wyatt Earp and his posse tracked Stilwell to the train station in Tucson, Arizona, on March 20, 1882. Stilwell had been trying to flee, likely aware that Earp was on his trail. Earp and his men confronted Stilwell at the train station, and in a swift and brutal act of retribution, they shot and killed him. Stilwell’s body was found riddled with bullets, with some reports suggesting as many as five or six gunshots were fired into him at close range. This killing marked the beginning of Wyatt Earp’s infamous “Vendetta Ride,” a bloody campaign of vengeance against those he believed responsible for the death of his brother, further cementing Earp’s legend in the American West.

The following is a copy of the article from The Tombstone Epitaph, March 27, 1882 announcing the killing of Frank Stillwell.

The Tombstone Epitaph, Marth 27, 1882 headlined with the murder of Frank Stillwell by Wyatt Earp et all
The Tombstone Epitaph, Marth 27, 1882 headlined with the murder of Frank Stillwell by Wyatt Earp et all

ANOTHER ASSASSINATION.

Frank Stilwell Pound Dead this Morning,

Being Another Chanter In the Earp-Clanton Tragedy.

Special Dispatch to the Epitaph.

Tucson, March 21. This morning at daylight the track-man at the Southern Pacific railroad depot found the body of Frank Stilwell about one hundred yards north of Porter’s hotel, at the side, of the track, riddled with bullets.

The circumstances of the case, so far as learned, are as follows: Stilwell arrived here Sunday to appear before the grand jury on a charge of stage robbery near Bisbee last November. He was under bonds for his appearance. Last night when the west bound passenger train arrived, it brought the REMAINS OF MORGAN EARP, who had been killed Saturday night at Tombstone, and his three brothers, accompanied by Sherman McMasters, Doc Holliday and a man known as Johnson, all heavily armed with shotguns and revolvers. A few moments before the train started, Stilwell and lke Clanton (brother to W.M.-Clanton, who was killed in Tombstone by the Earps) went to the depot to meet a man by name of McDowell was to have come in witness before the grand jury. On their arrival at the depot they saw the Earp party walking on the platform. Stilwell advised Clanton to leave at once, saying they wanted to kill him. Clanton left a few moments later.

Stilwell was Seen WALKING DOWN THE TRACK in the direction where his body was found. Four of the armed men who were on the platform soon followed. One was described as a slender, light complexioned man wearing a white hat. Just as the train, was leaving, six shots wore heard in the locality of the assassination, but attracted no particular attention, and nothing was known of the tragedy until this morning whop the body was discovered. Six shots went into his body four rifle balls and two loads of buckshot.

Both legs were shot through and A CHARGE OP BUCKSHOT to his left thigh, and a charge through his breast, which must have been delivered close, as the coat was powder burnt, and six buckshot holes within a radius of three inches. Stilwell had a pistol on his person which was not discharged. He evidently was taken unawares, as he was desperate in a, fight and a quick shot. His watch was taken, in the hurry of which a part of the chain was left. There is much excitement here concerning the assassination, and many speculations are rife.

Some say that he was DECOYED TO THE SPOT where he fell as ho possessed strong evidence against certain stage robbers. Others think he was trying to get away from the Earp party and was overtaken, while it is thought by some that he went down the track to shoot one or more of the Earp party as the train was moving out, two of them being on board. The killing is thought to have been done by four of the party who accompanied the Earps here, as the four men who followed the deceased down the track WERE NOT SEEN AGAIN. This morning at one o’clock as the east bound freight train approached Papago, nine miles east of here, it was flagged and four armed men got on the train. They are strongly suspected.

The deceased was 27 years of age; was a native of Texas; is a brother to the famous scout Jack Stilwell. He has been in Arizona four years; was a teamster at Signal for some time and lately has been keeping a livery stable at Charleston and Bisbee, and was an ex deputy sheriff of Cochise county. Yesterday, Ike Clanton received several dispatches from Tombstone, warning him to look out that a party were coming down to put him out of the way, which put him on his GUARD. The authorities here are determined to get to the bottom of this matter, and if the parties are apprehended there will be no sham examination, but a trial on merits, and the guilty parties, whoever they may be, will suffer the penalty of the law.

References

Los Angeles Daily Herald – December 30, 1882

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On December 30, 1881 the Los Angles Daily Herald broke the news of the Assassination attempt on Marshall Virgil Earp
On December 30, 1881 the Los Angles Daily Herald broke the news of the Assassination attempt on Marshall Virgil Earp

The Los Angles Daily Herald reported on the assassination attempt on Virgil Earp, a key figure in the law enforcement of the Old West, occurred on December 28, 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. This event was part of the larger conflict known as the Earp-Cowboy feud, which culminated in the infamous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

Background

Virgil Earp 1843 -1905
Virgil Earp 1843 -1905

Virgil Earp, along with his brothers Wyatt and Morgan, was heavily involved in law enforcement in Tombstone. The town, at the time, was a hotbed of tension between the Earps and the Cowboys, a loosely organized group of outlaws and rustlers. The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881, where Virgil played a leading role as Tombstone’s town marshal, escalated these tensions. In this shootout, three Cowboys—Tom McLaury, Frank McLaury, and Billy Clanton—were killed, while Virgil and his brothers emerged relatively unscathed. This event intensified the animosity between the Earps and their enemies.

The following is the newspaper account printed in the Los Angeles Daily Herald on December 30, 1882

Lawlessness at Tombstone Condition of Marshal Earp

Tombstone, Dec. 29th. The condition of United States Deputy Virgil Earp is Critical. The surgeons this afternoon took out the fractured bone in the arm above the elbow. The shot that penetrated the back above the left hip, passed through the body and lodged near the point of the hip, above the groin. The Doctor says that there are four chances in five that he will die. The local authorities are doing nothing to capture the assassins as far as it known. A telegram has been sent to the United States Marshall Dake, at Prescott, of the state of affairs here. Judge Spicer, Marshall Williams, Wyatt Earp, Rickabough and others are in momentary danger of assassination.

This morning a crank named Reilly started down Allen Street with a Winchester rifle in his hands, which caused great excitement. The officers arrested him without damage. The same man tried to jump down the Fiora Morrison shaft a week ago, but was prevented by men in the mine. His condition is said to be the effect of hard drink.

References

Robert Findley McLaury

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The only known portrait photo of Frank McLaury of Tombstone.
The only known portrait photo of Frank McLaury of Tombstone.

Robert Findley McLaury, known as Frank McLaury (1857–1881) was a notable figure in the American Old West, primarily remembered for his involvement in the infamous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. Born in 1857 in the town of Belton, Texas, McLaury, whose birth name was Frank McLowery, was the youngest of four siblings. His family moved to Arizona Territory in the early 1870s, seeking new opportunities.

In Tombstone, Frank, along with his brothers Tom and an associate, Ike Clanton, became known for their involvement in various outlaw activities. The McLaury brothers were cattle ranchers and occasionally engaged in rustling, which contributed to their controversial reputation.

The most notable event in Frank McLaury’s life was the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, which occurred on October 26, 1881. This 30-second shootout between the Earp brothers (Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan) and their ally Doc Holliday against the Clanton-McLaury faction is one of the most famous confrontations in Western history. The clash was fueled by longstanding tensions between the two groups, primarily over control of the town and its surrounding cattle interests.

During the gunfight, Frank McLaury, who was armed and prepared for confrontation, was killed alongside his brother Tom McLaury. Frank’s death, along with the broader context of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, played a significant role in shaping the legendary status of Tombstone and its associated figures.

Frank McLaury’s legacy is largely defined by this dramatic episode in Western history, contributing to the enduring mythology of the American frontier. His life and death continue to be subjects of fascination and speculation in both historical accounts and popular culture.

References