Testimony of H. F. Sills in the Preliminary Hearing in the Earp-Holliday Case

The "Gird Block" in Tombstone, Arizona, housing (L-R) the Old Hotel Nobles, the Tombstone Epitaph, and the Mining Exchange Building. The Mining Exchange was where the Earps and Doc Holliday defended themselves against murder charges after the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. At far right is Schieffelin Hall.
The “Gird Block” in Tombstone, Arizona, housing (L-R) the Old Hotel Nobles, the Tombstone Epitaph, and the Mining Exchange Building. The Mining Exchange was where the Earps and Doc Holliday defended themselves against murder charges after the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. At far right is Schieffelin Hall.

H.F. Sills was a relatively obscure figure in the broader narrative of Tombstone, Arizona, but his testimony during the hearings following the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral holds historical significance. As a witness during the legal proceedings that aimed to determine whether the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday acted lawfully during the famous gunfight, Sills provided crucial observations that contributed to the understanding of the events.

Background of H.F. Sills

Little is known about Sills beyond his involvement as a witness in Tombstone. He was likely a resident of the area and, like many others, had his life intersect with the dramatic events that unfolded on October 26, 1881. His testimony is one of several that were recorded during the Spicer Hearing, which sought to establish whether the Earps and Holliday were guilty of murder or whether they had acted in self-defense.

The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

The gunfight itself was the culmination of long-standing tensions between the Earp brothers, who were lawmen in Tombstone, and a group of outlaws known as the Cowboys. The confrontation resulted in the deaths of three Cowboys and left the town of Tombstone in a state of shock.

H.F. Sills’ Testimony

H.F. Sills’ testimony during the Spicer Hearing is noted for its detail and its role in providing an outside perspective on the events. His account was significant in corroborating or challenging the statements made by the Earps, the Cowboys, and other witnesses.

Testimony of H. F. Sills in the Preliminary Hearing in the Earp-Holliday Case, Heard before Judge Wells Spicer

On this 22nd day of November, 1881, on the hearing of the above entitled cause, on the examination of Wyatt Earp and J. H. Ho­liday; H. F. Sills, a witness of lawful age, being produced and sworn deposes and says as follows:

H. F. Sills, of Las Vegas, Nevada, a locomotive engineer for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. On furlough and visiting in Tombstone.

(Q) Was asked about any threats he may have heard on October 26, 1881.

[Objection by Prosecution. Question withdrawn.]

(Q) [Question rephrased.]

(A) I saw four or five men standing in front of the O.K. Corral, talking of some trouble they had had with Virgil Earp, and they made threats at the time, that on meeting him they would kill him on sight. Someone of the party spoke up at the time and said that they would kill the whole party of the Earps when they met them. I then walked up the street and made enquiries to know who Virgil Earp and the Earps were. A man on the street pointed out Virgil Earp to me and told me that he was the city marshal. I went over and called him to one side and told him the threats I had overheard this party make. One of the men has a bandage around his head at the time, and the day of the funeral he was pointed out to me as Isaac Clanton. I recognized him as one of the party.

(Q) Questioned on the shooting.

(A) A few minutes after I had spoken to the marshal, I saw a party start down Fourth Street. I followed them down as far as the Post Office. Then I got sight of the party I had heard making those threats. I thought there would be trouble and I crossed the street. I saw the marshal and party go up and speak to the other party. I wasn’t close enough to hear their conversation, but saw them pull out their revolvers immediately. The marshal had a cane in his right hand at the time. He threw up his hand and spoke. I didn’t hear the words, though. By that time, Billy Clanton and Wyatt Earp had fired their guns off and the marshal changed the cane from one hand to the other and pulled his revolver out. He seemed to be hit at that time and fell down. He got up immediately and went to shooting. The shooting became general at that time and [I] stepped back into the hallway along the side of the court house.

(Q) How did you know it was Billy Clanton?

(A) I saw him after he was dead, and recognized him as the one who fired at Wyatt Earp.

CROSS EXAMINATION

(Q) When did you come to Tombstone?

(A) I came here on the 25th of the month.

(Q) How did you come?

(A) I came in a bullion wagon of Wells Fargo, in company with another passenger and the driver. I knew one man was a driver, and one was a passenger. I could not recognize them on the street.

(Q) Where have you been since?

(A) In Tombstone. The first few days I was in town I stopped at a lodging house below Wells Fargo and Company’s stage barn. I cannot [give the name of the lodging house.] I stayed there 10 nights and then went to the hospital. I remained there until today. I am stopped there now. I walked there now. I walked here from the hospital.

[Doesn’t remember or know who the man was he asked regarding Virgil Earp, after hearing the threats at the O.K. Corral. Says, “I don’t know, just a man I met on the street. I don’t think I would [recognize him], as there were a great many men on the street at that time.”]

(Q) About the threats he said he heard.

(A) I merely told him [Virgil Earp] it was a party of armed men I met on the street. I didn’t know the men at the time. There were four men in the party. I can’t say they were all armed because I could not see the arms of all the party. Of two, the pistols were in plain sight. I was within four or five steps of them.

(Q) Was there anybody else around there?

(A) There were men standing back in the corral, and some were walking by and some were 15 or 20 steps back in the corral.

(Q) Describe the men you saw with arms on them.

(A) One of the men I saw with arms was a youngish looking man about nineteen or twenty years old. I don’t just remember what kind of clothes he had on. I did not pay much attention to him. I don’t know what kind of hair he had. He seemed to [be] red in the face, not very light or very dark. He had no beard or moustache. I don’t know whether he was clean shaved or not. I don’t know what kind of a hat he had on; did not notice his clothes. The other man looked to be about 30 years old. He had a moustache. His hair was dark. I cannot be certain, but I think his face was shaved, except his moustache. I did not notice his clothes particularly; don’t know what kind they were.

(Q) Which was the taller of the two men, the first one described, or the last one?

(A) The first one, to the best of my knowledge.

(Q) You say one of them had a bandage around his head. Were there not two of them with bandages around their heads?

(A) No sir, not that I saw. I only saw one. I did not notice the color of it. I only saw it hanging down under his hat. I could hardly say [as to his complexion] because he had his back to me.

(Q) You did not see his face then?

(A) No sir, not at that time.

(Q) When did you first see his face?

(A) On the day of the funeral.

(Q) Can you positively swear that the man you saw at the funeral was the same man that you saw with the bandage around his head in front of the O.K. Corral?

(A) Yes sir I can, by his appearance and by hearing him talk.

(Q) You recognized him by his appearance and by his voice as being the same man?

(A) I recognized him by his appearance and by hearing him talk with this party in front of the O.K. Corral and with other parties at the funeral.
(Q) You state that his back was toward you and you didn’t see his face; it was by the appearance of his back and his voice then, that you re­cognized him

(A) I took it to be the same man because he had a bandage on his head the day of the funeral and by his voice.

[COURT ADJOURNED TO MEET AT 9:00 O’CLOCK A.M. NOVEMBER 23, 1881]
[WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1881, COURT CONVENED AT 9:00 A.M.]
[CROSS-EXAMINATION OF H.F. SILLS RESUMED]

In answer to obvious questions:
(A) I am 36 years old. I was born in Kingston, Canada. I lived there until I was 20 years old. I went from there to Calinlle, Canada. I lived there about 3 years. I then went to Omaha, Nebraska. I lived [illegible] served my time in the Union Pacific shops. I was in Omaha and on the line of the road between eight and nine years. I was [in that time] an apprentice in the machine shop, a locomotive fireman, and on the road as locomotive engineer. Some of the persons who had charge of the machine shop were: Mr. Congdon, General Master Mechanic, and Mr. McConnel was foreman. I was in the shops three years. For about a year and a half I boarded at the Pacific Hotel and about a year and a half my mother kept house for me. A man, I think by the name of Jordan, kept the house where I boarded. I ran, as fireman and as engineer, about six trains. I run the train to Grand Island and Omaha. I run between Cheyenne and Laramie and between Laramie and Rolling Springs.

(Q) Who were the conductors of those trains? [Prosecution objects as being too remote. Overruled.]

(A) It would be hard for me to tell. I remember one man named Frank Fuller, another man by the name of Kelly, I think. I run on engine 75 about two and a half years.

Q) Did you ever know on that road, A. A. Bean?

(A) The name is familiar. I think there was a Division Superintendent under or over Mr. Clark; it was out of my department.

(Q) Did you know General Kimbell, the General Superintendent of the U. P. Railroad?

(A) I knew of the man, but was not personally acquainted with him.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) When I left that road I went to Las Vegas, New Mexico. I have lived in Las Vegas since last March. I left the Union Pacific road last January.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) I am still in the employ of that road. I left the line of that road on the nineteenth of last month. I went from there to Tucson. I had no business there. Am going back to take up my employment on the tenth [of] next month. I got four cents a mile on the A. T. & S. F. road; the division is 100 miles long.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) I came here on the 26th of last month. I came on the Wells, Fargo express wagon with the driver and a passenger.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) I did not ask the driver his name and don’t know who he was. He was a middle aged man with whiskers on his face. I did not pay any particular attention to him.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) I think there was a white horse and one bob-tailed horse in the team between Benson and Charleston.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) I would not know the man I came with. I sat right behind him.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) I am so positive that I came here on the 25th of October last on the bullion wagon, as I am of anything else I have testified to here. I stayed in Benson about half an hour, I do not think I would know the driver again, who drove the wagon I came in on, although I have seen him here on the street and spoke to him.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) I had no conversation with the lodging house where I stayed nine or ten days, about the difficulty testified to here. On the night of October 25th I stayed at this lodging house I speak of.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) No I did not see anything in the hands of Virgil Earp when I went up and spoke to him on the street.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) I saw him on the comer of Fourth and Allen Streets, on the further comer of Fourth Street. I should judge it was about half an hour before the difficulty.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) There were four or five men standing [near the O.K. Corral] together. I think there were four. I saw no horses with those men. I was four or five steps from them. I stayed there probably three or four minutes.

(Q) Did you see any other parties as near the party as you were yourself?

(A) There was men walked right by them on the street. [Correct, same as original] I did not know the parties at that time.

(Q) Where did you next see the same parties?

(A) I saw them on Fremont Street between third and fourth, near the comer of Third, standing in the vacant lot. There were five men in the party when I first saw them on Fremont Street and one of them left and walked off. I saw the Earps and Doc Holliday when they went down Fremont Street. I was right behind them. I went down behind them as far as the Post Office. I then crossed the street in front of what I believe is the courthouse. That is [as] near as I was to the scene of the difficulty during its occurrence.

(Q) Where are you working now, and for whom?

(A) At the present time I am on a lay-off from the A. T. & S. F. road. I am not working at all.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) I am at present in the hospital. I went there on the sixth or seventh of this month.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) I haven’t told anybody direct what I know of this difficulty. The first word I spoke of it to anybody was to Jim Earp I believe. I have not told any person at the hospital what I know of this transaction.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) I first knew I would be wanted here as a witness sometime last week, about Thursday or Friday.

(Q) [Question not given.]
(A) I did not see any person on the side of the street I was on when the shooting was going on. I was standing close to the building and then stepped back into the hall when the shooting became general.

(Q) [Question not given.]

(A) The Earps and Holliday started from the corner of Fourth and Allen Streets. I did not see the other party at that time. I saw the marshal pick up a shotgun when they started from alongside of the building and hand it to Doc Holliday. Doc put it under his coat and the marshal took his cane.

(Q) During the time you were working in the machine shops and running on the U. P. or A. T. & S. F. roads, had you a nickname?

(A) Yes sir, it was Curley.

(Q) Where do you layoff at, and at whose place do you stop in New Mexico?

(A) I layoff at Las Vegas, and stop at my own house.

[Signed] H. F. Sills

References

Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad

The Bullfrog and Goldfield Railroad, often referred to as the B&G Railroad, played a significant role in the late 19th and early 20th-century mining boom in Nevada, United States. Its story is one of ambition, perseverance, and the allure of riches.

Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad in Rhyolite
Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad in Rhyolite

Founding and Early Years (1905-1907)

The railroad was founded in 1905, primarily to serve the mining towns of Rhyolite and Goldfield in Nevada. These towns had experienced a rapid influx of prospectors and miners following the discovery of gold in the early 1900s. Recognizing the need for efficient transportation of ore, supplies, and passengers, investors pooled their resources to establish the Bullfrog and Goldfield Railroad Company.

Construction and Expansion (1907-1909)

Construction of the railroad began in earnest in 1907, with crews working tirelessly to lay tracks across the rugged Nevada terrain. The route was challenging, requiring bridges, tunnels, and cuts through rocky hillsides. Despite these obstacles, the railroad made rapid progress, fueled by the promise of the region’s abundant mineral wealth.

By 1908, the B&G Railroad had reached Goldfield, becoming an essential lifeline for the booming mining town. Its arrival facilitated the transportation of gold ore to processing mills and connected Goldfield to wider markets, driving further growth and investment in the area.

Peak Years (1910-1913)

The early 1910s marked the peak of the Bullfrog and Goldfield Railroad’s operation. With its network expanded, the railroad played a vital role in transporting not only ore but also passengers, mail, and supplies to and from the bustling mining towns it served. The railroad’s locomotives and cars became a familiar sight, chugging through the arid Nevada landscape, carrying the hopes and dreams of those seeking fortune in the desert.

Decline and Legacy (1914 onwards)

The prosperity of the B&G Railroad, however, was short-lived. As the gold rush began to wane and mines reached their peak production, the demand for transportation dwindled. The onset of World War I further impacted the region’s economy, leading to a decline in mining activity and a subsequent decrease in rail traffic.

By the mid-1910s, the Bullfrog and Goldfield Railroad faced financial difficulties. Maintenance costs soared, while revenue declined, forcing the company to cut services and lay off workers. In 1918, the railroad ceased operations altogether, its tracks falling into disrepair and its locomotives left to rust in the desert sun.

While the Bullfrog and Goldfield Railroad may have faded into history, its legacy endures. It played a pivotal role in the development of Nevada’s mining industry, facilitating the extraction and transportation of precious metals that fueled the region’s economy. Today, the remnants of the railroad serve as a reminder of the boom and bust cycles that have shaped the American West.

Bullfrog and Goldfield Route

Locomotives of the Bullfrog and Goldfield

Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad Route

Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad Summary

NameBullfrog Goldfield Railroad
LocationNye County, Nevada
Length84.78 Miles
Operational1905–1928
GaugeStandard Gauge

References

Fred White

Fred White
Fred White

Early Life

Frederick G. “Fred” White was born around 1849 in New York City, as recorded in the 1880 Census. Little is known about his early life before he arrived in the Arizona Territory, but his journey westward likely reflected the ambitions of many young men drawn to the opportunities of the American frontier during the late 19th century. By the late 1870s, White had settled in Tombstone, a burgeoning silver mining boomtown in Pima County, Arizona Territory, founded in 1879 by prospector Ed Schieffelin.

Career as Town Marshal

On January 6, 1880, Fred White was elected the first town marshal of Tombstone, a role equivalent to chief of police, at a time when the town had fewer than 1,000 residents. Tombstone was a rough-and-tumble frontier settlement, filled with miners, gamblers, and outlaws, where violence and lawlessness were common. Despite these challenges, White quickly established himself as a likable, professional, and impartial lawman. Unlike many of Tombstone’s residents, including the Earp brothers, who were entangled in the town’s business and political rivalries, White remained uninvolved in such conflicts, relying solely on his marshal’s salary and earning widespread respect for his fairness.

White formed a strong alliance and friendship with Wyatt Earp, who was then deputy undersheriff for the southern portion of Pima County, which included Tombstone. He also maintained a surprisingly amicable relationship with members of the Cochise County Cowboys, a loose band of outlaws and cattle rustlers, including their leader, William “Curly Bill” Brocius. White’s ability to arrest Cowboy members without significant resistance—sometimes even with Brocius’s cooperation—underscored his diplomatic approach to law enforcement. His reputation for using force only when necessary made him a stabilizing presence in a volatile town.

The Fatal Shooting

William "Curly Bill" Brocius
William “Curly Bill” Brocius

On the night of October 28, 1880, White’s tenure as marshal came to a tragic end. Several Cowboys, including a drunken Curly Bill Brocius, were causing a disturbance by firing their pistols into the air in various parts of Tombstone. White, following his usual practice, confronted each group to disarm them, and all complied voluntarily without incident. Late that night, he encountered Brocius and others in a dark vacant lot on Allen Street, near where the Bird Cage Theatre now stands. As White instructed Brocius to surrender his pistol, Brocius handed it over barrel-first. During the exchange, the gun discharged, striking White. The exact circumstances remain debated, but evidence suggests the shooting was accidental, possibly due to the pistol being fired from a half-cock position.

Wyatt Earp, witnessing the incident but unable to see clearly in the dark, believed Brocius was still armed and pistol-whipped him, knocking him unconscious before arresting him along with Morgan Earp, both serving as Pima County sheriff’s deputies. White, mortally wounded, was taken to a doctor but died two days later on October 30, 1880, at the age of 31 or 32. Before his death, White provided a deathbed statement, asserting that he believed the shooting was accidental and that Brocius had not intended to kill him. This testimony, combined with Wyatt Earp’s support and a demonstration that Brocius’s pistol could discharge from half-cock, led to Brocius’s acquittal on the grounds of “homicide by misadventure.”

Legacy and Aftermath

Fred White was laid to rest in Boot Hill Cemetery, Tombstone’s original graveyard, where his grave remains a point of historical interest. His death marked a turning point in Tombstone’s history, escalating tensions between the Earps and the Cowboys. Brocius, despite his regret over the incident and White’s testimony in his favor, harbored resentment toward Wyatt Earp for the pistol-whipping, contributing to the growing animosity that culminated in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881. Following White’s death, Virgil Earp succeeded him as town marshal, further entrenching the Earps in Tombstone’s law enforcement.

White’s brief tenure as marshal left a lasting impression on Tombstone. His impartiality and professionalism stood in contrast to the complex rivalries that defined the town, and his death underscored the precarious balance of law and order in the Wild West. Though often overshadowed by the more famous figures of Tombstone, such as Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, Fred White’s story is a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by early lawmen in maintaining peace on the frontier. His grave in Boot Hill, alongside other notable figures of the era, continues to draw visitors to Tombstone, a town that preserves its Wild West legacy through historic sites and reenactments.

Newton Jasper Earp

Early Life and Family

Newton Jasper Earp was born on October 7, 1837, in Ohio County, Kentucky, to Nicholas Porter Earp and his first wife, Abigail Storm. As the eldest child of the Earp family, Newton’s early life was marked by tragedy; his mother died on October 8, 1839, shortly after giving birth to his sister, Mariah Ann, who also passed away two months later. Following Abigail’s death, Nicholas married Virginia Ann Cooksey in 1840, and their union produced Newton’s half-siblings, including James, Virgil, Wyatt, Morgan, and Warren Earp, who would later become iconic figures of the American Old West. Newton remained particularly close to his half-brothers James and Virgil, naming two of his sons after them.

Civil War Service

With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Newton, along with his half-brothers James and Virgil, enlisted in the Union Army on November 11, 1861. He served with Company F of the Fourth Cavalry, Iowa Volunteers, demonstrating steadfast commitment through several battles in the eastern theater. Newton rose through the ranks, achieving the position of fourth corporal by January 1, 1865, and mustered out of the army on June 26, 1865, in Louisville, Kentucky. Unlike James, who was wounded early in the war and returned home, Newton and Virgil served the entirety of the conflict.

Post-War Life and Marriage

After the war, Newton married Nancy Jane “Jennie” Adam on September 12, 1865, in Marion County, Missouri. The couple joined Nicholas and other Earp family members in San Bernardino, California, where Newton briefly worked as a saloon manager. By 1868, they returned to the Midwest, settling in Lamar, Missouri, where Newton took up farming. Over the years, Newton and Jennie had five children: Effie May (born 1870), Wyatt Clyde (born 1872), Mary Elizabeth (born 1875, died 1885), Alice Abigail (born 1878), and Virgil Edwin (born 1879). Newton named his sons Wyatt and Virgil after his half-brothers, reflecting their close familial bonds.

In 1870, Newton ran against his half-brother Wyatt for the position of constable in Lamar, Missouri, in a contest that may have been an attempt to keep the role within the family. Wyatt won with 137 votes to Newton’s 108, though their father, Nicholas, lost a concurrent election for justice of the peace. This episode highlights the Earp family’s engagement in local civic life, even as they navigated internal rivalries.

Migration and Career

Newton’s life was characterized by frequent relocations, reflective of the restless spirit of the American frontier. In 1871, he moved his family to Sterling, Rice County, Kansas, where he continued farming and became a pioneer settler. By 1873, he was reportedly hunting buffalo near Peace, Kansas. In the early 1880s, Newton settled in Garden City, Kansas, where he was appointed the town’s first city marshal on January 13, 1883, serving until his resignation on August 6 of the same year. This brief stint in law enforcement aligns with the Earp family’s broader association with peacekeeping roles, though Newton never pursued it as extensively as his half-brothers Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan.

Newton’s travels took him to Wyoming and Nevada, likely residing in towns such as Casper and Paradise, before he returned to California. Following Jennie’s death on March 29, 1898, in Paradise Hill, Nevada, Newton settled in northern California and northwestern Nevada, where he worked as a carpenter, building homes. Unlike his more famous half-brothers, Newton avoided the high-stakes world of law enforcement and gunfights, opting instead for a quieter life focused on family and manual labor.

Later Years and Legacy

Newton Jasper Earp lived a long life, passing away at the age of 91 on December 18, 1928, in Sacramento, California. He was laid to rest at East Lawn Memorial Park. Of his siblings, only Wyatt and Adelia outlived him, with Wyatt dying just a month later on January 13, 1929. Newton’s life, while less documented than those of his half-brothers, offers a lens into the broader Earp family narrative, one rooted in resilience, adaptability, and familial loyalty.

Though overshadowed by the legendary exploits of Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan—most notably their involvement in the 1881 Gunfight at the O.K. Corral—Newton’s contributions as a soldier, farmer, marshal, and carpenter reflect the diverse roles required to build and sustain communities in the American West. His story underscores the less glamorous but equally vital experiences of countless pioneers who shaped the frontier.

Earp Family

James Cooksey Earp ( June 28, 1841 - January 25, 1926 )

James Cooksey Earp

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Morgan Earp historical photo, 1881. Probably taken by C.S. Fly.

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The Gunfight at the O K Corral

The Gunfight at the O K Corral, one of the most iconic events in American Old West history, occurred on October 26, 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. This brief but deadly confrontation, lasting approximately 30 seconds, pitted lawmen against a loosely organized group of outlaws known as the “Cowboys.” The shootout resulted in three deaths and several injuries, cementing its place in popular culture as a symbol of frontier justice and lawlessness. This report examines the background, events, aftermath, and historical significance of the gunfight, providing a detailed account as of March 12, 2025.

Historical Background

Wyatt Earp - 1869
Wyatt Earp – 1869

Tombstone, founded in 1877 after prospector Ed Schieffelin discovered silver in the Goose Flats area, rapidly grew into a bustling mining town. By 1881, it boasted a population of around 7,000–10,000, fueled by the riches of the Tough Nut Mine and others in the San Pedro Valley. The town’s prosperity attracted a mix of miners, merchants, and a rough element of cattle rustlers and outlaws, including the Cowboys—a gang of about 50–100 men involved in smuggling, rustling, and robbery across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Tensions in Tombstone were exacerbated by political and economic rivalries. The Earp brothers—Virgil, Wyatt, Morgan, and James—arrived in 1879–1880, seeking opportunities in the booming town. Virgil became Tombstone’s city marshal in June 1881, while Wyatt, a former lawman and gambler, served as a deputy sheriff for Pima County and later worked for Wells Fargo. They were aligned with Tombstone’s business elite and Republican interests, often clashing with the Cowboys, who were tied to rural ranchers and Democratic factions.

The Cowboys, including figures like Ike and Billy Clanton, Tom and Frank McLaury, Billy Claiborne, and Johnny Ringo, were notorious for their lawless activities. By mid-1881, their confrontations with the Earps escalated. A key incident occurred on October 25, 1881, when Ike Clanton, drunk and armed despite a town ordinance banning firearms, threatened the Earps and their friend, John H. “Doc” Holliday, a dentist-turned-gambler with a volatile reputation. Virgil arrested Ike, pistol-whipping him, and fined him $27.50, further inflaming tensions.

The Gunfight

The Arizona Historical Newspaper, the Tombstone Epitaph announces the gunfight at the O K Coral.
The Arizona Historical Newspaper, the Tombstone Epitaph announces the gunfight at the O K Coral.

On the morning of October 26, 1881, the Cowboys gathered near the O.K. Corral, a livery and horse stable owned by John Montgomery, located on Fremont Street between Third and Fourth Streets. Reports indicated they were armed and possibly planning to leave town or confront the Earps. Virgil, as marshal, decided to disarm them to enforce the no-weapons ordinance, enlisting Wyatt, Morgan, and Doc Holliday (temporarily deputized) to assist.

Around 2:30 p.m., the four lawmen approached the Cowboys—Tom and Frank McLaury, Ike and Billy Clanton, and Billy Claiborne—in a narrow lot west of the O.K. Corral’s rear entrance, adjacent to Fly’s Photography Studio. The exact sequence of events remains disputed, with conflicting testimonies from survivors and witnesses. According to most accounts, Virgil demanded the Cowboys surrender their weapons, shouting, “Throw up your hands; I want your guns!” What followed was a chaotic exchange of gunfire.

Wyatt later claimed the Cowboys drew first, with Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton firing simultaneously. Virgil testified that he fired only after being shot at. Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne fled early in the fight, leaving the McLaury brothers and Billy Clanton to face the lawmen. The shootout involved an estimated 30 shots fired in 30 seconds. Tom McLaury was killed by a shotgun blast, likely from Holliday, who wielded a double-barreled coach gun. Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton, despite being wounded, exchanged fire with the Earps and Holliday before succumbing to their injuries.

The lawmen were not unscathed: Virgil took a bullet in the calf, Morgan was shot through the shoulder, and Holliday was grazed. Wyatt emerged unharmed. By 3:00 p.m., the shooting ceased, leaving three Cowboys dead and the lot strewn with blood and spent cartridges.

Aftermath

The bodies of Tom & Frank McLaury and Bill Clanton after the shoot-out in Tombstone
The bodies of Tom & Frank McLaury and Bill Clanton after the shoot-out in Tombstone

The gunfight sparked immediate controversy. The Cowboys’ allies, including Cochise County Sheriff Johnny Behan, a political rival of the Earps, accused the lawmen of murder, claiming the Cowboys were ambushed. Behan arrested Virgil, Wyatt, Morgan, and Holliday, but a preliminary hearing before Justice of the Peace Wells Spicer began on October 31, 1881. After weeks of testimony from over 30 witnesses, Spicer ruled on November 30 that the evidence was inconclusive and the lawmen acted within their authority to enforce the ordinance. No formal charges were filed.

Public opinion remained divided. The pro-Cowboy Tombstone Nugget decried the Earps as killers, while the Tombstone Epitaph, supportive of the lawmen, framed it as a necessary stand against lawlessness. The Cowboys sought revenge, ambushing Virgil on December 28, 1881, crippling his left arm, and assassinating Morgan on March 18, 1882, while he played pool. Wyatt, now a deputized U.S. Marshal, led a vendetta ride with Holliday and others, killing several Cowboys, including Frank Stilwell and Curly Bill Brocius, in the following months.

The Earps and Holliday eventually left Tombstone. Wyatt died in 1929 in Los Angeles, Holliday in 1887 in Colorado, and Virgil in 1905 in Nevada. The Cowboys’ power waned as federal authorities cracked down on border crime.

Historical Significance

Historical photo of Ike Clanton in 1881 by photographer Camillus S. Fly, Tombstone, Arizona Territory.
Historical photo of Ike Clanton in 1881 by photographer Camillus S. Fly, Tombstone, Arizona Territory.

The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was a minor skirmish in its immediate context—only three deaths in a town accustomed to violence—but its legacy looms large. It epitomized the clash between law and disorder in the frontier, reflecting broader tensions over control of resources and governance in the post-Civil War West. Tombstone’s silver boom faded by the late 1880s, but the gunfight endured as a cultural touchstone.

Hollywood amplified its fame, beginning with Stuart N. Lake’s 1931 biography Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal, which romanticized the Earps as heroic lawmen. Films like Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) and Tombstone (1993) further mythologized the event, often exaggerating its scale and simplifying its moral complexities. Historians, however, note its ambiguity: the Earps were not unblemished heroes, nor were the Cowboys mere villains; both sides operated in a gray area of frontier ethics.

Current Status

As of March 12, 2025, the O.K. Corral site in Tombstone is a preserved historic landmark, part of the Tombstone Historic District, designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961. The original corral burned in 1882, but the adjacent lot and Fly’s Studio remain, managed as a tourist attraction with daily reenactments. Artifacts like Doc Holliday’s shotgun and period photographs are displayed in local museums, such as the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park. Archaeological digs have uncovered bullets and casings, corroborating witness accounts of the fight’s location and intensity.

Conclusion

The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was a fleeting yet pivotal moment in Tombstone’s history, encapsulating the volatile spirit of the American West. Its blend of documented fact and embellished legend has ensured its place in the national imagination. Countless books and movies feature the story and the legend castes a long shadow across the history of Arizona. Beyond the gunfire, it reveals the fragility of order in a lawless land and the enduring human drive to impose it—or resist it. As a historical event, it remains a lens through which to view the complexities of justice, power, and survival on the frontier.