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.

Wells Spicer

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Wells Spicer (1831–1885 or 1887) was an American journalist, lawyer and judge whose over saw the trial after the gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone Arizona.

Historical photo of Wells Spicer, 1875. Cropped from group photo of John D. Lee's defense team for Lee's second murder trial.
Historical photo of Wells Spicer, 1875. Cropped from group photo of John D. Lee’s defense team for Lee’s second murder trial.

Early Life and Education

Wells Spicer was born in 1831 in Chemung, Tioga County, New York, to William and Seba Spicer, Presbyterian farmers. He had two siblings: an older brother, George, and a younger sister, also named Seba. Around 1840, when Wells was nine, the family relocated to Tipton, Cedar County, Iowa. As a young man, Spicer clerked for respected lawyer, banker, and merchant William H. Tuthill, under whose guidance he was admitted to the Iowa bar in 1853. That same year, Spicer, with associates, launched the Cedar County Advertiser, becoming its sole publisher and editor by 1854. He sold the successful newspaper four years later.

Early Career and Family

Spicer’s early career was multifaceted. In 1854, he ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat for county prosecutor but switched to the Republican Party and won election as county judge in 1856. That July, he married Abbie Gilbert, and they welcomed a son, Earnest, in 1857. The couple faced marital difficulties, separating in 1876, though Spicer considered himself married years later. After a brief stint in Onandaeg City, Colorado, Spicer moved to the Utah Territory in 1869 with former publishing colleague Charles Swetland, settling in Corinne City, a non-Mormon enclave. Admitted to the Utah bar, Spicer specialized in mining suits and claims and opened a hotel. Abbie and Earnest joined him around this time.

Utah Ventures and the Mountain Meadows Massacre Trial

In 1871, Wells Spicer and his family moved to Ophir City, Utah, where he continued legal work, prospected, and founded a tunneling company. He contributed to the Salt Lake Daily Tribune and Utah Mining Gazette. By 1872, the family settled in Salt Lake City, where Spicer was appointed U.S. Commissioner by the Supreme Court, handling cases primarily in Bingham. In 1874, he leased the Rollins Mine in the Lincoln Mining District near Minersville, striking a profitable lead and gold vein that revitalized the area.

Through his Beaver connections, Spicer became entangled in the infamous Mountain Meadows Massacre trial. In November 1874, Sheriff William Stokes arrested John D. Lee for his role in the 1857 massacre, where a Mormon militia killed approximately 120 emigrants in southern Utah. Spicer defended Lee in two trials. The first, in 1875, ended in a hung jury—eight Mormons voted for acquittal, four non-Mormons for conviction. Spicer faced backlash: non-Mormons labeled him a “jack Mormon” for defending Lee, while Mormons criticized his defense tactics. The second trial in 1876, with a Mormon-heavy jury, convicted Lee, who was executed by firing squad on March 22, 1877. Spicer’s reputation suffered, with both sides vilifying him in the press, often referring to him derisively as “One Spicer.”

Move to Tombstone and the O.K. Corral Hearing

In 1878, Spicer relocated to Tombstone, Arizona, where he worked as an attorney, mining broker, and U.S. Commissioner for Deeds. He was appointed Justice of the First District Court in June 1880, overseeing customs, internal revenue, and U.S. criminal cases. Related to the Earp brothers, Spicer’s most notable role came after the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881. The 30-second shootout pitted Marshal Virgil Earp, his brothers Wyatt and Morgan, and Doc Holliday against outlaws Billy Claiborne, Ike and Billy Clanton, and Tom and Frank McLaury. Billy Clanton and the McLaury brothers were killed.

As Justice of the Peace, Spicer presided over the preliminary hearing to determine if the Earps and Holliday should face murder charges, following complaints filed by Ike Clanton. The month-long “Spicer Hearing,” held in a building near the Tombstone Epitaph office, generated intense debate. Spicer’s rulings, including allowing Kate Holliday’s testimony despite her allegations against Doc Holliday, sparked accusations of bias, especially given his business ties with Wyatt Earp in liquor and tobacco sales. On November 29, 1881, Spicer ruled that the evidence would not support a murder conviction, citing the defendants’ actions as justified in their official duties. He noted the lawlessness of the frontier and the Earps’ role in maintaining order, though he acknowledged the Grand Jury could revisit the case. The Grand Jury upheld his decision, and the Earps and Holliday were released.

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 ruling was polarizing. The Tombstone Epitaph praised Spicer, while the Tombstone Nugget and the Cowboy faction condemned him. In December 1881, Spicer received a threatening letter from “A Miner,” warning him to leave or face violence. Unintimidated, he remained in Tombstone but faced ongoing scrutiny for alleged partisanship.

Later Years and Mysterious Disappearance

The O.K. Corral decision effectively ended Spicer’s legal career in Tombstone. He shifted focus to prospecting, first in Pima County, Arizona, then in Ures, Sonora, Mexico. In the mid-1880s, he invested heavily in a silver mine in the Quijotoa Mountains near Tucson, but the shallow veins led to financial ruin. Destitute and reportedly despondent, Spicer’s final days are shrouded in mystery. In January 1887, while en route to Covered Wells, he visited Bill Haynes and attempted suicide twice. He then wandered into the Arizona desert and vanished. Some believe he died of exposure, while others speculate he faked his death to escape creditors and fled to Mexico, possibly Ures. A report suggests his body was found in Ajo, Arizona, in 1885, but no definitive evidence confirms his fate.

Legacy

Wells Spicer’s life encapsulates the complexities of the American frontier. A lawyer, journalist, prospector, and judge, he navigated the volatile worlds of mining, politics, and justice. His involvement in the Mountain Meadows Massacre trials and the O.K. Corral hearing placed him at the heart of two defining frontier events, earning him both fame and infamy. Criticized for bias yet praised for his legal reasoning, Spicer’s decisions reflected the blurred lines between law and lawlessness in the Wild West. His mysterious disappearance only adds to his enigmatic legacy, leaving historians to debate whether he met a tragic end or slipped away to a new life.

Frank Stilwell

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Frank Stilwell was a businessman, lawman, and outlaw in Arizona Territory, and was murdered by Wyatt Earp after the Gunfight at the O K Coral.

Frank Stilwell
Frank Stilwell

Early Life and Background

Frank C. Stilwell, sometimes spelled Stillwell, was born around 1856 in Iowa City, Iowa, though some sources suggest a possible birth in Texas based on census records. He was the son of William “Henry” Stilwell and Charlotte B. “Sarah” Winfrey. His family relocated to Palmyra, Kansas Territory, along the Santa Fe Trail shortly after his birth. In 1863, his parents divorced, and his father took Frank and his brothers, including Simpson Everett “Comanche Jack” Stilwell, while his mother retained custody of his sisters. Frank’s father served as a private in the Union Army during the Civil War, participating in Sherman’s March to the Sea. Little is documented about Frank’s early years, but he grew up in a turbulent frontier environment, which likely shaped his later life.

Frank’s older brother, “Comanche Jack,” became a renowned Indian fighter, scout, and lawman, contrasting sharply with Frank’s path. By 1877, Frank and Jack had traveled together to Arizona Territory, where Frank began to carve out a reputation as a multifaceted but controversial figure.

Life in Arizona: Businessman, Lawman, and Outlaw

J.W. Swart's Saloon in Charleston, circa 1885
J.W. Swart’s Saloon in Charleston, circa 1885

In Arizona, Frank Stilwell emerged as a complex character—part entrepreneur, part lawman, and part outlaw. He first appeared in historical records in 1877 when he shot and killed Jesus Bega near Miller’s Ranch in Prescott, Arizona, on October 18. Stilwell was acquitted on grounds of self-defense, marking the beginning of his association with violence. He worked as a teamster for C.H. “Ham” Light and later as a miner in Mojave County, demonstrating an early knack for frontier labor.

By the late 1870s, Stilwell had settled in the booming silver town of Tombstone, Arizona Territory. He prospered, possibly with connections to the notorious Clanton Gang, and owned interests in several mines, a saloon, a wholesale liquor business, a stage line, and livery stables in Charleston and Bisbee. He also partnered with ex-Texas Ranger Pete Spence in a Bisbee-area saloon. His business ventures showcased his entrepreneurial spirit, but his associations with the “Cowboys,” a loose gang of rustlers and outlaws, tainted his reputation.

In April 1881, Stilwell was appointed a deputy sheriff under Cochise County Sheriff Johnny Behan, a role he held for four months. His tenure was marred by controversy, and he was fired in August 1881 for “accounting irregularities,” possibly related to tax collection on county property, including cattle. That same summer, Stilwell was implicated in a fatal stagecoach robbery in Bisbee on September 8, 1881. Arrested by a posse that included Wyatt Earp and Behan’s deputy Billy Breakenridge, he was later released on bail, partly due to financial support from C.H. Light. This incident deepened tensions between Stilwell and the Earp brothers, setting the stage for future conflicts.

Involvement in the Earp-Cowboy Feud

Stilwell’s life became inextricably linked to the infamous Earp-Cowboy feud, culminating in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881. Although some myths suggest he was present at the shootout, Stilwell was actually in jail in Tucson at the time, likely related to the Bisbee robbery charges. His close ties to Sheriff Behan and the Cowboys, including Ike Clanton, placed him at odds with the Earps, who were aligned with law enforcement and business interests opposed to the Cowboys’ criminal activities.

The feud escalated in early 1882. On March 18, 1882, Morgan Earp, Wyatt’s younger brother, was assassinated while playing billiards in Tombstone. A coroner’s inquest, based on testimony from Pete Spence’s wife, named Stilwell as one of five suspected conspirators, though insufficient evidence prevented prosecution. Wyatt Earp, convinced of Stilwell’s guilt, considered him a primary suspect alongside Ike Clanton. This event marked the beginning of the “Earp Vendetta Ride,” a campaign of retribution led by Wyatt against those he believed responsible for Morgan’s death.

Death in Tucson

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

On March 20, 1882, Stilwell’s fate was sealed at the Tucson train station. The Earp posse, including Wyatt, Warren Earp, Doc Holliday, Sherman McMaster, and John Johnson, had escorted Virgil Earp and his wife to the station to board a train for California following an earlier ambush that left Virgil crippled. Upon arriving, they spotted Stilwell and Ike Clanton, reportedly armed and lying in wait on a flatcar in the train yard. According to Wyatt’s later accounts, Stilwell and Clanton fled when confronted. Stilwell stumbled in the dark, and Wyatt caught up, fatally shooting him at close range with a shotgun blast under the ribs. Coroner’s evidence indicated Stilwell’s body was riddled with two rounds of buckshot (one in the leg, one in the chest with powder burns) and four additional bullet wounds, suggesting multiple shooters. Witnesses reported seeing armed men running but could not identify them. Stilwell’s own pistol was unfired, and his body was found the next morning near the tracks, described by observer George Hand as “the worst shot up man I ever saw.”

Wyatt later claimed Stilwell’s last words were “Morg! Morg!”, possibly referencing Morgan Earp. Virgil Earp reported to the Arizona Daily Star that Stilwell confessed to Morgan’s murder before dying, naming accomplices, though this claim lacks corroboration. The killing was widely seen as a vengeful act, and arrest warrants were issued for Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and others. Murder indictments followed in Pima County, but Wyatt fled to Colorado, avoiding prosecution.

Legacy and Cultural Impact

Frank C. Stilwell’s life and death cemented his place in the lore of the American Wild West as a quintessential outlaw figure. His role in the Earp-Cowboy feud and his dramatic death at the hands of Wyatt Earp have been immortalized in popular culture. Life-sized statues of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday stand at the site of his killing at the former Tucson Southern Pacific Depot, now part of the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum, which offers tours of the historic site.

Stilwell was portrayed in media, including by John Baxter in Season 5 of The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1960), Tomas Arana in the 1993 film Tombstone, and John Dennis Johnston in the 1994 film Wyatt Earp. His death, depicted as a pivotal moment in the Earp vendetta, remains a focal point in retellings of the Tombstone saga.

Despite his notoriety, Stilwell’s life reflects the duality of the frontier: a man who navigated roles as a businessman, lawman, and criminal in a lawless era. His ancestry remains unclear, and his brief but violent career underscores the chaotic nature of the Wild West. He is buried at Evergreen Memorial Park in Tucson, Arizona, where his grave serves as a reminder of his infamous end.

Conclusion

Frank C. Stilwell’s biography encapsulates the volatility of the American frontier in the late 19th century. From his early days in Kansas to his multifaceted career in Arizona, Stilwell embodied the opportunities and dangers of the Wild West. His association with the Cowboys and his suspected role in Morgan Earp’s murder placed him at the center of one of the era’s most famous feuds, culminating in his violent death at age 26. While his brother Jack pursued a path of honor, Frank’s legacy endures as that of an outlaw whose life was cut short in a vengeful act that reverberates through history.

Millville Arizona

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Millville, Arizona, is a ghost town in Cochise County, located along the San Pedro River, approximately nine miles southwest of Tombstone. Established in the late 1870s during the Arizona Territory’s silver mining boom, Millville served as a milling hub for processing silver ore from Tombstone’s mines. Closely tied to the nearby town of Charleston, Millville’s history reflects the rapid rise and fall of mining communities in the American West. This report explores Millville’s origins, economic significance, social dynamics, decline, and current status, drawing on historical accounts and archaeological insights.

Millville, sister town to Charleston located just across the San Pedro River, circa 1880
Millville, sister town to Charleston located just across the San Pedro River, circa 1880

Origins and Establishment

Ed Schieffelin
Ed Schieffelin

Millville emerged in 1878 following Ed Schieffelin’s discovery of silver in the Tombstone area. Schieffelin, along with his brother Al and partner Richard Gird, recognized the need for a milling operation to process the raw silver ore into bullion. The San Pedro River’s water supply made it an ideal location, as water was essential for ore refinement, unlike the water-scarce Tombstone. Gird selected a site on the east bank of the San Pedro River, where two stamp mills—the Gird Mill and the Corbin Mill—were constructed to crush and process ore. Millville was formally established as the industrial heart of the region, with Charleston, on the west bank, serving as the residential and commercial settlement for mill workers and their families.

The town’s layout was functional, centered around the milling operations. By May 1879, Millville had a post office, though it closed less than a year later on May 3, 1880, as Charleston became the primary residential hub. The mills relied on surface water corralled by Gird’s dam, which powered six mills at peak production, operating day and night from Millville to Contention City.

Economic Significance

Millville’s economy was driven by its role in silver processing. At its peak between April 1881 and April 1882, the mills produced $1,380,336.97 in bullion, a staggering amount for the time, equivalent to tens of millions in today’s dollars. The Gird Mill alone processed 15 to 20 tons of ore daily, with mule teams hauling 40,000 to 50,000 pounds of ore from Tombstone. This output fueled the regional economy, attracting workers, merchants, and opportunists to the San Pedro Valley.

The mills’ success depended on infrastructure like Gird’s dam, which controlled water flow from the San Pedro River. However, the dam sparked controversies with local ranchers, who contested the mills’ water usage. Floods occasionally breached the dam, causing disruptions, such as in 1881 when a man nearly drowned crossing the swollen river. Despite these challenges, Millville’s mills were a cornerstone of the Tombstone silver boom, processing ore that enriched investors and sustained the region’s growth.

Social Dynamics and Reputation

Millville’s social fabric was shaped by its industrial focus and proximity to Charleston, which had a rowdier reputation. Millville itself was strictly controlled by Richard Gird, who prohibited alcohol to maintain order among workers, a contrast to Charleston’s liberal leasing laws and saloons. The mills were dangerous workplaces, with accounts of violent incidents, such as a worker allegedly killing another and disposing of the body in a furnace.

Charleston, home to about 400 residents at its peak, housed mill workers and their families, as well as notorious figures like Frank Stilwell, a saloon owner and deputy sheriff suspected of murdering Morgan Earp, and the Clanton Gang, whose ranch was five miles south. Despite Charleston’s reputation as “tougher and livelier than Tombstone,” fueled by Eastern newspapers, the Tombstone Epitaph in May 1882 described it as “well regulated and free from turmoil.” Millville, by contrast, was quieter, focused on industry rather than social life. No successful robberies of silver or payroll were recorded, though a failed attempt in Millville on March 25, 1882, resulted in the murder of mining engineer M. R. Peel.

The region’s cultural landscape was enriched by pre-Columbian petroglyphs near the river, which attracted visitors and added historical depth. Informational signs along trails today highlight this heritage, connecting Millville’s brief existence to the area’s longer human history.

Decline and Abandonment

Millville’s decline began in 1886 when Tombstone’s silver mines flooded, halting ore production. The discovery of water beneath Tombstone allowed milling to shift closer to the mines, reducing the need for Millville’s riverside operations. A miners’ strike in 1885–1886 and the 1887 earthquake further weakened the region’s economy. By 1889, both Millville and Charleston were largely abandoned, earning their status as ghost towns. Small-scale smelting continued in Millville until 1892, and ore dumps were revisited after 1900 with improved technology, but the town never recovered.

Charleston’s infrastructure was dismantled by Mexican residents who used materials for firewood, while Millville’s stone embankments and adobe foundations eroded. The Arizona and Southeastern Railroad’s construction altered local drainage, further threatening the sites’ preservation. By the early 20th century, Millville was a relic, its mills reduced to crumbling ruins.

Current Status and Preservation

Today, Millville is part of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The site is accessible via a 1.8-mile loop trail, the Millville Historic Townsite and Rock Art Discovery Trail, which features interpretive signs about the area’s history and petroglyphs. The trail, rated as easy, takes about 38 minutes to complete and offers views of the San Pedro River, ghost town ruins, and natural features. Visitors report informative signage but note the lack of shade and occasional hazards like rattlesnakes.

The BLM and organizations like the Friends of the San Pedro River work to preserve the sites, though no official signage marks Millville along Charleston Road. The ruins consist of stone walls, adobe foundations, and remnants of the Gird and Corbin Mills, visible from the trail. The nearby Clanton Ranch, Fairbanks ghost town, and Presidio Santa Cruz de Terranate add to the region’s historical attractions.

Conclusion

Millville, Arizona, encapsulates the fleeting prosperity of the Wild West’s mining boom. From its founding in 1878 to its abandonment by 1889, the town played a critical role in processing Tombstone’s silver, driving economic growth in the San Pedro Valley. Its industrial focus, contrasted with Charleston’s lively social scene, highlights the diverse dynamics of frontier life. Though reduced to ruins, Millville’s legacy endures through preserved trails and historical narratives, offering a glimpse into Arizona’s rugged past. The San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area ensures that Millville’s story, alongside its natural and cultural surroundings, remains accessible to future generations.

Millville Town Summary

NameMillville, Arizona
LocationCochise County, Arizona
Latitude, Longitude31.6350, -110.1737
Elevation1216 meters / 3990 feet
GNIS
Post OfficeMay 26, 1879 – May 3, 1880

Millville Trail Map

Millville is located about 9 miles southwest of Tombstone, Arizona. Charleston and Millville are not accessible by car and can only be reached by hiking up the San Pedro River. The Bureau of Land Management has begun maintaining trails to and from the area. 

Refereces

  • GhostTowns.com
  • AllTrails. Millville Historic Townsite and Rock Art Discovery Trail.
  • Archaeology Southwest. Charleston and Millville Sites.
  • Wyatt Earp Explorers. Charleston & Millville, A.T. by John D. Rose.
  • Natural Atlas. Millville Historic Townsite.
  • Roadtrippers. Charleston & Millville Historic Townsite.
  • Michael Kleen. The Ruins of Millville and Charleston, Arizona.
  • Ghost Towns of Arizona. Millville Ghost Town.
  • Southern Arizona Guide. Exploring the Millville Ruins with the FSPR.

William Brocius

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

William Brocius, better known as “Curly Bill” Brocius, was a notorious outlaw of the American Old Old West, born around 1845, though some sources suggest 1840 or 1858. His birthplace remains uncertain, with speculation pointing to Crawfordsville, Indiana, Texas, or Missouri. His birth name is equally elusive, with possible names including William Graham, William Bresnaham, or William Brosius. Some accounts suggest he was born William Graham in Indiana, where he reportedly worked as a struggling farmer with a wife and three children—Jacob, Lizzie, and Ellie—before the Civil War. According to family lore, Brocius accepted $500 to serve as a substitute for a wealthy man drafted into the Union Army, leaving his family behind. After the war, he did not return home, possibly spending time in the South before resurfacing in the Arizona Territory by the late 1870s.

Criminal Beginnings

Brocius’s criminal career began to take shape in the late 1870s. He may have been linked to William “Curly Bill” Bresnaham, who, along with Robert “Dutch” Martin, was convicted of an attempted robbery of an Army wagon in Texas in 1878. The pair was sentenced to five years in Huntsville prison but escaped, possibly fleeing to the Arizona Territory. Brocius was also associated with the Jesse Evans gang in New Mexico during the Lincoln County War, a conflict that involved Billy the Kid. By 1878, Brocius had settled in Arizona, initially delivering cattle to the San Carlos Reservation before gravitating to the boomtown of Tombstone.

Life in Tombstone and the Clanton Gang

Tombstone, Arizona, was a wild, silver-rich town in the late 1870s, described as the “toughest town on earth.” Brocius, a heavy-set man over six feet tall with dark curly hair, dark eyes, and a reputation for unpredictability, quickly became a central figure in the Cochise County Cowboys, a loose-knit gang of rustlers and outlaws led by the Clanton family. Known for his quick draw and trick shooting—able to hit running jackrabbits or shoot quarters from volunteers’ fingers—Brocius was both feared and charismatic. His “Jekyll-and-Hyde” personality made him a volatile leader, respected by the likes of “Old Man” Clanton and his sons, particularly the reckless Billy Clanton.

Brocius’s criminal activities included cattle rustling, stagecoach robbery, and murder. After Old Man Clanton’s death in an ambush in 1881, Brocius assumed leadership of the Cowboys, which grew to over 400 members and became the largest rustling operation in American history, operating across Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico. His most infamous act was the Skeleton Canyon Massacre in July 1881, where he and his gang ambushed a Mexican trail herd, killed six vaqueros, and reportedly tortured and murdered others, netting over $75,000 in loot. This massacre, which left bleached bones scattered in the canyon, drew the ire of President James Garfield, who demanded the gang’s dissolution.

The Shooting of Fred White

Fred White
Fred White

Brocius’s notoriety peaked on October 27, 1880, when he shot Tombstone’s first marshal, Fred White, during a chaotic night of gunfire on Allen Street. The Clanton gang, including Brocius, was recklessly shooting up the town. When White confronted Brocius near the Birdcage Theater and attempted to disarm him, Brocius’s .45 discharged, fatally wounding White in the abdomen. Wyatt Earp, then a deputy sheriff, pistol-whipped and arrested Brocius. White, before dying two days later, testified that he believed the shooting was accidental, a claim supported by Wyatt Earp and a demonstration that Brocius’s pistol could fire from half-cock. Brocius was acquitted in November 1880, but the incident fueled his enmity with the Earp family, marking the start of the Earp-Cowboy feud.

Escalating Conflicts and the Earp Vendetta

Brocius’s vendetta against the Earps intensified after the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in October 1881, where Billy Clanton and the McLaury brothers were killed. Brocius was absent during the gunfight, possibly recovering from a gunshot wound to the face sustained earlier that year. He was implicated in the ambush of Virgil Earp in December 1881 and the assassination of Morgan Earp in March 1882, though evidence of his direct involvement is inconclusive. Some reports suggest he left Arizona in December 1881 to avoid a larceny charge, casting doubt on his presence during these events.

Death or Disappearance

On March 24, 1882, Wyatt Earp claimed to have killed Brocius during a shootout at Iron Springs (now Mescal Springs) in the Whetstone Mountains. According to Earp, his posse stumbled upon Brocius and other Cowboys cooking a meal. In the ensuing gunfight, Earp shot Brocius in the chest with a shotgun, killing him instantly. However, no body was recovered, and Brocius’s grave has never been identified. Some accounts, including those from Cowboys’ associates, suggest his body was buried at Frank Patterson’s ranch near the Babocomari River. Others, including contemporary sources, argue Brocius had already left Arizona or fled to Mexico, and the lack of physical evidence fueled speculation that he survived. The Tombstone Nugget and Epitaph offered rewards of $1,000 and $2,000, respectively, for proof of his death, but no one claimed them.

Legacy and Controversy

Curly Bill Brocius remains an enigmatic figure, his true identity obscured by aliases and conflicting accounts. Described as crafty, conscienceless, and a born killer, he was both a feared outlaw and a charismatic leader. His supposed death at Wyatt Earp’s hands is one of the Old West’s enduring mysteries, with historians divided on whether he died in 1882 or returned to Texas, possibly living until 1909 as William Albert Brosius. His story has been immortalized in films like Tombstone (1993), where Powers Boothe portrayed him as a ruthless yet remorseful antagonist, and in books by historians like Steve Gatto, who dubbed him “Tombstone’s Most Famous Outlaw.” Brocius’s life encapsulates the lawlessness and violence of the Arizona Territory, leaving a legacy as one of the Wild West’s most infamous figures.

The Assassination Attempt of Virgil Earp

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Virgil Earp 1843 -1905
Virgil Earp 1843 -1905

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, 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 Assassination Attempt

On the night of December 28, 1881, Virgil Earp was ambushed while walking down Allen Street in Tombstone. He was on his way from the Oriental Saloon to the Cosmopolitan Hotel, where he and his wife were staying. As Virgil passed by the intersection of Fifth and Allen streets, he was shot from behind with a shotgun. The blast struck his left arm and shoulder, shattering his humerus bone and causing severe injuries.

Despite the severity of his wounds, Virgil survived the attack, though he was permanently maimed. His left arm was nearly useless for the rest of his life. The attack on Virgil Earp was widely believed to be an act of revenge by the Cowboys for the events at the O.K. Corral. However, no one was ever officially charged with the crime. Ike Clanton and his associates, who had been involved in the earlier conflict with the Earps, were prime suspects, but insufficient evidence and the chaotic nature of Tombstone’s justice system at the time made it difficult to pursue any legal action.

Aftermath

The attack on Virgil Earp further inflamed the feud between the Earps and the Cowboys. Just a few months later, on March 18, 1882, Morgan Earp, another of Virgil’s brothers, was shot and killed in another ambush. This event prompted Wyatt Earp to lead a vendetta ride against the Cowboys, resulting in a series of violent encounters and killings.

Virgil Earp, despite his injury, continued to serve as a lawman. He left Tombstone in 1882 and eventually settled in California, where he served as a law enforcement officer in Colton and other areas. He lived until 1905, passing away at the age of 62.

The assassination attempt on Virgil Earp remains a significant event in the history of the American West, symbolizing the violent and often lawless nature of frontier life during that era.