Doc Holliday, born John Henry Holliday, died on November 8, 1887, at the age of 36 in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. A dentist turned gambler and gunslinger, he suffered from tuberculosis for much of his life, which progressively worsened. By 1887, his health had deteriorated significantly, and he sought relief in the mineral springs of Glenwood Springs, hoping the warm waters might ease his condition. However, the disease, combined with his heavy drinking and frail state, led to his death in a sanatorium. Legend has it that his final words, upon looking at his bare feet and realizing he wasn’t dying in a gunfight, were, “This is funny.” He was buried in Linwood Cemetery overlooking Glenwood Springs.
News of Doc Holliday death was reported on November 10, 1887, by the Denver Republican.
Now a Sleeper
Doc Holliday is dead. Few men have known better known to a certain class of sporting people and few men of his character had more friends or stronger champions. He represented a class of men who are fast disappearing the New West. He had the reputation of being a bunco-man, desperado and bad man generally. yet he was a very mild mannered man; was genial and companionable, and had many excellent qualities. In Arizona he was associated with the Wyatt Earp gang. These men were officers of the law, and were opposed to the ’‘rustlers” or cattle thieves. Holliday killed several men during his life in Arizona his body was full of wounds received in bloody encounters. His history was an interesting one. He was sometimes in the right, but quite often in the wrong, probably, in his various escapades.
The Doctor only had one deadly encounter in Colorado, and this was in Leadviile. He was well known in Denver and had lived here a good deal in the past few years. He had strong friends in some old-time detective officers and in certain representatives of the sporting element. He was a rather good looking man and his coolness and courage, his affable ways fund of interesting experiences, won him many admirers. He was a strong friend, a cool and determined enemy and a man of quite strong character. He has been well known to all the States and Territories west of Kentucky, which was his old home. His death took place at Glenwood Springs Tuesday morning.
Denver Republican.