Big Bear, CA
I quiet mountain community full of back country adventure.
Statement of Albert Billickie in the Preliminary Hearing in the Earp-Holliday Case
Albert Bilicke became a successful hotelier and entrepreneur. He is best known for his role as a key business leader in Tombstone, particularly through his involvement in the development and management of the famous Tombstone Grand Hotel.
Bilicke’s connection to Tombstone began in the 1880s when he partnered with George R. Watt to establish the Grand Hotel, which opened in 1880. This luxurious establishment quickly became a social and economic hub in the town, attracting notable figures of the time, including lawmen like Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. The hotel was a symbol of the prosperity brought by the silver mining boom that had put Tombstone on the map.
Under Bilicke’s management, the Grand Hotel thrived until the decline of the silver mines led to economic hardships in the region. Despite these challenges, Bilicke remained an influential figure in Tombstone’s business community, known for his sharp business acumen and commitment to the town’s development.
Albert Clay Bilicke’s legacy in Tombstone is remembered as one of entrepreneurship, resilience, and a deep connection to the town’s early history. His contributions helped shape Tombstone during its most vibrant years, leaving an indelible mark on the community.
Statement of Albert Billickie
On this twenty-eighth day of November, 1881, on the hearing of the above entitled cause, on the examination of Wyatt Earp and J. H. Holliday; Albert Billickie, a witness of lawful age, being produced and sworn, deposes and says as follows:
Albert Billickie, Cosmopolitan Hotel, 409 Allen Street, Tombstone, Arizona, hotel keeper.
In response to questions:
[I] knew Tom McLaury by sight, and saw him on October 26th last, “walking down the south side of Allen Street and enter Everhardy’s butcher shop, and very shortly come out again, walk down the street a few steps further, cross Allen Street obliquely to the corner of Fourth Street. This was probably about 2 o’clock.”
(Q) State if you observed what change if any occurred between the time of his going into the butcher shop and the time of his coming out, with respect to his possession of any arms.
(A) I saw no arms on him, neither when he went into the butcher shop nor when he came out.
(Q) What was his appearance when he went in, and what was his appearance when he came out; with respect to the possession of concealed arms?
(A) When he went into the butcher shop his right-hand pants pocket was flat and appeared as if nothing was in it. When he came out, his pants pocket protruded, as if there was a revolver therein.
CROSS-EXAMINATION
(Q) You say in your examination in chief, that you only knew Tom McLaury by sight and had no personal acquaintance with him. How did it happen that you watched him so closely the different places he went and the exact position of his right-hand pants pocket when he went into the butcher shop and the exact form of a revolver in the same right-hand pocket when he came out?
(A) Every good citizen in this city was watching all those cowboys very closely on the day the affray occurred, and as he was walking down the street my attention was called to this McLaury by a friend and so it happened that I watched him very closely.
(Q) Do you know every good citizen in Tombstone, or did you on that day?
(A) I know not all of them, but a great many.
(Q) Do you know what the opinions of all good citizens of Tombstone were on that day by conversation or conversations with them about watching Thomas McLaury in this city, and if so, tell us who they were. [Question crossed, without comment.]
(Q) About how long did he stay in the butcher shop, and was he in your sight while in there?
(A) He was in the butcher shop but a few moments and was out of my sight from the time he entered until he again appeared. He then walked a few feet down Allen Street and crossed to the corner of Fourth and Allen and walked down Fourth Street. I did not see him alive anymore that day. Everhardy’s butcher shop is directly opposite the Cosmopolitan Hotel, and I was standing on the sidewalk in front of the hotel when I saw what I have related.
[Signed] Albert Billickie
References
Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad
The Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad was a twenty three miles long railroad which connected Searchlight, Nevada to Barnwell California and the larger rail network of the Mojave Desert. Between 1907 and 1910, the gold mines of Searchlight produced $7 million dollars in gold and boasted a population of 1,500. Ore is shipped to Barnwell via the Barnwell and Searchlight rail service. In order to reduce costs, the Quartette company constructed a twenty-stamp mill on the Colorado River. The new mill utilized a 15 mile narrow gauge rail is constructed down to the mill in an attempt to further reduce costs.
Following the discovery of gold in Searchlight in 1897 a gold rush brought industry into the high desert of the Mojave. In 1900, the Quartette Mining Company formed and within a short years a population of 5000 people works the area.
The Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad is formed in April 1906 at the height of the gold rush in Searchlight, Nevada. The twenty three miles of track are laid down between May 1st, 1906 and March 31st, 1907. On April 7, 1907, just seven days after construction is completed the railway was leased by the California, Arizona and Santa Fe Railway
By 1919 trains travelled over the B. and S. Railroad only twice a week. A severe washout on September 23, 1923, halted traffic completely. Train service was never restored when the track is abandoned February 18, 1924. By this point, the population of Searchlight plummeted to just fifty people. Like many railroads, the valuable track was removed and recycled in other lines across the county.
Today, the rail route is a popular route for Mojave explorers and mountain bikers. The townsite is Juan is located along the route at the base of the Castle Mountains.
Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad
Railroad Summary
| Name | Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad |
| Location | San Bernardino, California Clark County, Nevada |
| Length | 23 miles |
| Gauge | Standard Gauge – 4 feet 8.5 inches (1,435 mm) |
| Date of Operation | April 16, 1906–December 28, 1911 |
References
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John Henry Holliday – Doc Holliday
John Henry “Doc” Holliday (1851–1887)
John Henry Holliday, commonly known as Doc Holliday, was an American gambler, gunfighter, and dentist who became a legendary figure of the Old West. Born on August 14, 1851, in Griffin, Georgia, Holliday graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery in 1872. However, his career as a dentist was short-lived due to his struggle with tuberculosis, which drove him west in search of a drier climate.
Early Life
John Henry Holliday, famously known as “Doc” Holliday, was born on August 14, 1851, in Griffin, Georgia, to Henry Burroughs Holliday and Alice Jane McKey. Raised in a well-to-do Southern family, Holliday enjoyed a privileged upbringing despite the turmoil of the Civil War. His mother taught him refined manners, and he received a classical education, excelling in academics. Holliday’s early life was marred by the death of his mother from tuberculosis in 1866, a disease that would later shape his own fate. After her passing, his father remarried, causing familial tension.
Holliday pursued higher education at the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery, graduating in 1872 with a degree in dentistry at the age of 20. He returned to Georgia to practice dentistry in Atlanta but was soon diagnosed with tuberculosis, the same illness that claimed his mother. Advised to seek a drier climate for his health, Holliday moved west in 1873, beginning a new chapter that would define his legacy.
Life in the West
In the American West, Holliday’s declining health and restless spirit led him to abandon dentistry for a life of gambling, drinking, and gunslinging. Settling first in Dallas, Texas, he earned a reputation as a skilled card player but also became embroiled in disputes, showcasing his quick temper and proficiency with firearms. His tuberculosis, coupled with heavy drinking, gave him a gaunt appearance and a fatalistic outlook, earning him the nickname “Doc” from his dental background.
Holliday drifted through towns like Denver, Cheyenne, and Deadwood, surviving on gambling winnings and occasional dental work. In 1877, in Fort Griffin, Texas, he met Wyatt Earp, a deputy marshal, forming a lifelong friendship that would cement his place in Western lore. Holliday’s loyalty to Earp and his brothers would lead him to Tombstone, Arizona, by 1880, where he became entangled in the region’s volatile conflicts.
His notoriety grew further due to his association with famous figures of the Old West, including the Earp brothers—Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan Earp. Holliday’s most famous involvement came during the infamous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, on October 26, 1881.
Tensions had been escalating between the Earps and the Clanton-McLaury gang for several months. The conflict stemmed from various disputes, including accusations of cattle theft and the gang’s attempts to undermine the authority of the Earps, who were lawmen in Tombstone. The situation reached a boiling point when a confrontation seemed inevitable.
On the day of the gunfight, the Earps, including Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan, along with their ally Doc Holliday, confronted the Clanton-McLaury gang. The dispute was partly provoked by the gang’s refusal to disarm in accordance with the town’s regulations and their ongoing threats against the Earps.
Standing by the Earps’ side, Holliday’s courage and marksmanship were instrumental in the confrontation with the Clanton-McLaury gang, a pivotal event that solidified his place in Western folklore.
Holliday’s life was marked by violence, legal entanglements, and his relentless struggle with tuberculosis. Despite his reputation as a gunfighter, many of his confrontations were linked to his defense of his friends and his own self-preservation. He was also known for his sharp wit and his ability to engage in both verbal and physical duels.
Doc Holliday died on November 8, 1887, in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, at the age of 36. His health had deteriorated significantly in the years leading up to his death, and he spent his final days in the area seeking relief for his illness. Despite his relatively short life, Holliday left an indelible mark on American history and folklore, remembered as one of the most iconic and enigmatic figures of the Old West.
Later Years and Death
By 1882, Holliday’s tuberculosis and hard-living lifestyle had taken a severe toll. He parted ways with Earp after the vendetta ride and drifted through Colorado, living in towns like Leadville and Denver. His gambling and drinking habits led to multiple arrests, and his reputation as a dangerous man followed him. Despite his declining health, Holliday remained defiant, often staring down death with a sardonic wit.
In 1887, Holliday arrived in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, hoping the town’s hot springs would alleviate his tuberculosis. However, his condition worsened. On November 8, 1887, at the age of 36, John Henry Holliday died in a sanatorium, reportedly looking at his bare feet and remarking with surprise that he was not dying “with his boots on,” defying his expectation of a violent end.
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Bodie: 1859-1962 (Images of America)
Nestled amongst the sage-covered, windswept hills of California’s Eastern Sierra is the site of one of the most notorious mining towns of the Old West. In 1859, gold was discovered in the treeless hills northeast of Mono Lake. By 1879, Bodie was a metropolis of nearly 10,000 souls and was briefly the third-largest city in California. Excitement was short-lived, however, and word soon spread that the mines had reached peak production. An exodus began, but contrary to popular belief, Bodie was never totally abandoned. People continued living in this curious and beautiful place throughout the 1950s, and in 1962, the California State Parks system purchased the town site. Now stabilized against the elements, Bodie is today known as the largest unrestored ghost town in the West.
Author Terri Lynn Geissinger, a local historian, tour guide, and interpreter at Bodie State Historic Park, collects the oral histories of Bodie’s denizens. With extensive experience in educational lectures, she is dedicated to preserving this town’s past for future generations. Geissinger collected the stirring images in this volume from the Bodie State Historic Park Archive, the Mono County Museum, and various families with roots in this remarkable place.
Book Summary
| Title | Bodie: 1859-1962 (Images of America) |
| Author | Terri Lynn Geissinger |
| Publisher | Arcadia Publishing |
| Pages | 128 Pages |
Farewell to Manzanar
In Farewell to Manzanar, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston recalls her childhood at a Japanese incarceration camp in this engrossing memoir that has become a staple of curriculum in schools and on campuses across the country. This special 50th-anniversary edition features a new cover, a foreword by New York Times bestselling and acclaimed author Traci Chee, and photographs of life at the camp by Toyo Miyatake.
During World War II the incarceration camp called Manzanar was hastily created in the high mountain desert country of California, east of the Sierras. Its purpose? To house thousands of Japanese Americans.
In Farewell to Manzanar, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston recalls life at Manzanar through the eyes of the child she was and the experiences of her family. She relays the mundane and remarkable details of daily life during an extraordinary period of American history: The wartime imprisonment of civilians, most native-born Americans, in their own country, without trial, and by their fellow Americans.
She tells of her fear, confusion, and bewilderment as well as the dignity and resourcefulness of people in oppressive and demeaning circumstances. Jeanne delivers a powerful first-person account that reveals her search for the meaning of Manzanar.
Book Summary
| Title | Farewell to Manzana |
| Author | Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, James D. Houston |
| Publisher | Clarion Books; Reprint edition (December 12, 2023) |
| Pages | 224 Pages |