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.

Billy Claiborne

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William "Billy" Claiborne was one of five outlaw Cowboys at the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. He was unarmed and fled
William “Billy” Claiborne was one of five outlaw Cowboys at the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. He was unarmed and fled

Billy Claiborne was an American Old West gunfighter and outlaw known for his involvement in some of the most famous events of the period, particularly in Tombstone, Arizona. Born in 1860 in Yazoo County, Mississippi, Claiborne’s early life is somewhat obscure, but he rose to infamy during his time in Tombstone, where he became associated with notorious figures like the Clanton and McLaury brothers.

Early Life

Little is known about Claiborne’s early years, including his family background or what led him to the West. Like many young men of the time, he was likely drawn by the prospect of adventure, opportunity, and perhaps the hope of striking it rich in the burgeoning mining towns.

Tombstone and the Earp-Clanton Feud

Claiborne arrived in Tombstone, Arizona, during a time of significant tension between lawmen and outlaws. The town was a hotbed of conflict, particularly between the Earp brothers (Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan) and a group of outlaws known as the Cowboys, which included Ike Clanton, Curly Bill Brocius, and the McLaury brothers.

Claiborne became associated with the Cowboys, a loose affiliation of rustlers, ranchers, and bandits who were at odds with the Earp brothers. Claiborne wasn’t as prominent as some of the other members of the group, but he was known for his quick temper and willingness to engage in violence.

The Shootout at the O.K. Corral

Claiborne’s most infamous connection is with the Shootout at the O.K. Corral, one of the most famous gunfights in the history of the American West. The shootout occurred on October 26, 1881, and involved the Earp brothers, their ally Doc Holliday, and members of the Cowboys. Claiborne was present during the events leading up to the gunfight but did not directly participate in the shootout itself. However, he was friends with Billy Clanton, one of the Cowboys who was killed in the gunfight.

Claiborne did testify for the prosecution at the preliminary hearing of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, but the two men are exonerated.

Violent End

After the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881, Claiborne’s life took a downward spiral. He idolized William “Billy the Kid” Bonney and even adopted the nickname “Billy the Kid” after the latter’s death in 1881. Claiborne’s growing reputation as an outlaw and his increasingly erratic behavior led to a series of confrontations with lawmen and citizens alike.

In November 1882, Billy Claiborne’s life came to a tragic end in Tombstone, Arizona. The exact circumstances of his death involve a confrontation that escalated into violence. Claiborne, who was reportedly intoxicated, had a dispute with a local gambler and gunman named Franklin “Buckskin” Leslie.

Leslie, known as a skilled marksman and a man not to be trifled with, was confronted by Claiborne on the streets of Tombstone. Claiborne, emboldened by alcohol and his desire to prove himself as a dangerous gunman, challenged Leslie to a fight. Accounts of the event vary, but it is generally believed that Claiborne drew his weapon first. However, Leslie, quick on the draw, fired at Claiborne, hitting him and inflicting fatal wounds.

Billy Claiborne succumbed to his injuries shortly after the confrontation. He was buried in Tombstone’s Boothill Graveyard, a resting place for many of the town’s notorious characters. His death marked the end of a brief and troubled life, largely overshadowed by the more infamous figures of the Old West.

Franklin “Buckskin” Leslie, the man who shot Claiborne, continued his life as a gambler and gunman, eventually fading into obscurity. Claiborne’s death is often remembered as a cautionary tale of the dangers of living by the gun in a lawless and tumultuous time.

Legacy

Billy Claiborne is remembered as a minor figure in the tumultuous history of Tombstone and the American West. While he lacked the notoriety of more famous gunfighters, his life and death are emblematic of the chaotic and often violent nature of frontier life. His involvement with the Cowboys and his death at the hands of “Buckskin” Frank Leslie have ensured that he remains a part of the legend of Tombstone, even if his role was a relatively small one.

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

William Harrison Clanton 

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William Harrison Clanton also known as Billy Clanton was an American outlaw known for his involvement in the infamous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Born in 1856 in the Arizona Territory, he was the son of a Confederate veteran, which shaped much of his early life and affiliations.

Clanton’s family, including his brothers Frank and Ike, were cattle ranchers and became involved in various conflicts with local law enforcement and other groups. Billy Clanton, along with his brothers and their associates, became entangled in the intense and often violent disputes that characterized the lawless frontier era of the American West.

The most notable event in Clanton’s life was his participation in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona. This legendary shootout was a pivotal confrontation between the Clanton gang and the Earp brothers, along with Doc Holliday. The conflict emerged from longstanding tensions between the two groups, who clashed over issues of law and order and local influence.

During the gunfight, Billy Clanton, Frank Clanton, and Tom McLaury, who were associated with the Clanton faction, faced off against the Earp brothers and Holliday. The shootout lasted only about 30 seconds but resulted in the deaths of Billy Clanton, Tom McLaury, and Frank McLaury. The incident cemented the Earps’ and Holliday’s reputations as legendary figures in the Old West and marked a significant moment in the history of law enforcement in the region.

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

Billy Clanton’s life was cut short at the age of 25, but his legacy lives on as a symbol of the tumultuous and often violent nature of frontier life in the American West. The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral remains one of the most famous events in Western history, and Clanton’s role in it continues to be a subject of interest and debate among historians and enthusiasts.

References