Biographical Notes
Wyatt Earp
Wyatt did not actively seek the position of sheriff, Behan was selected for the position, but he did not appoint Wyatt under-sheriff as promised. About this time, Billy Clanton stole Wyatt's horse. Wyatt recovered the animal without any violence, but relations between the Clantons and the Earps were worsening. This is also the time when Wyatt, backed by Doc Holiday, Morgan and Virgil, faced down a crowd in Tombstone that threatened to hang a prisoner named Johnny-Behind-The -Deuce. Although there are several versions of the event, legend has it that Wyatt performed in an exceptionally brave manner. Wyatt's various mining ventures were going well and he bought into Lou Rickabaugh's Oriental Saloon in Tombstone. At Wyatt's invitation both Bat Masterson and Luke Short soon joined the Oriental as faro dealers. The Earp brothers had attracted a number of enemies and Wyatt was marshaling his forces to deal with a deteriorating situation. In the midst of mounting cowboy violence the personal relationship between Wyatt and Behan was further complicated by a woman. Behan had a relationship with a beautiful dancer named Josephine Sarah (Sadie) Marcus. In 1881, Sadie transfered her affections to Wyatt. At about the same time suspicion arose that Behan was getting too close to the cowboy faction and several incidents seemed to offer verification.
On March 15, 1881, Bob Paul and Bud Philpott were driving a Wells Fargo stage when it was ambushed by four men. Philpott, a very popular driver, was shot and killed. After a considerable chase, Luther King was captured and admitted to having been involved, but claimed not to have been one of the shooters. King named the other three as being Billy Leonard, Jimmy Crane, and Harry Head. A sizable reward was offered for them dead or alive. In an effort to capture Leonard, Crane and Head, Wyatt secretly offered Ike Clanton the reward if he would provide the information that would make it possible for Wyatt to capture or kill them. Clanton had taken over their ranch in the belief that they would leave the area, but could not capture or kill them himself for fear that other cowboys would seek revenge. (In subsequent conversations and depositions, Clanton and Earp never agreed as to whether or not Clanton had accepted Wyatt's offer.) Leonard and Head were killed by Ike and Bill Haslett and the Haslett brothers were later killed by unknown assailants. The lawlessness in Tombstone caused great consternation locally and lurid newspaper accounts appeared as far away as San Francisco. Governor Fremont considered using a militia force to bring order to the area, but could not obtain the legislature's support.
In June 1881, City Marshal Sippy suddenly left town without paying his debts and Virgil assumed his position. On July 5, 1881, a drunken Big Nose Kate swore that Doc Holiday had been part of the stage holdup scheme that had resulted in Philpott's death. There was no proof, but the story attracted a great deal of attention. Even after the court dismissed the charge for lack of evidence, the story refused to die and eventually rumor had it that Holiday and the Earp brothers were involved in the plot to rob the stage. In the summer of 1881 conflict with Mexico was considered to be a real possibility because of the continued cowboy raids on Mexican citizens just south of the Arizona border. North of the border, cowboys interfered with trade and Governor Fremont went to Washington in an unsuccessful effort to get Washington's support for the use of the U.S. Army. As had been the case in Dodge, the social elite of Tombstone recognized the value of the Earp brothers but regarded them as members of the gambling class. Virgil was refused membership in the local Masonic Lodge. In October 1881, Geronimo and Natchez broke out of the reservation and fled into the Dragoon Mountains along with a small group of Apaches. The Earps joined with Behan and other townsmen to defend Tombstone, but did not engage any Apaches.
The citizens of Tombstone were so frightened of disorder that the Citizens Safety Committee was formed. This group of townspeople felt that because the law was unable to provide security it would be necessary for Tombstone's citizens to exercise vigilante justice to establish order in town. The formation of this organization was an open secret and it disturbed the cowboys greatly. It also worried Wyatt who feared an outbreak of mob rule. Ike Clanton feared that one of the Earp brothers would publicize their deal to turn over Philpott's killers and had several hostile conversations with the Earps and Doc Holiday regarding the subject. On the afternoon of October 26, 1881, the feud came to a head. Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan Earp together with Doc Holiday fought Frank and Tom McLaury, Billy Clairborne, and Ike and Billy Clanton in a vacant lot near the O.K. Corral. The McLaury borthers and Billy Clanton were killed while Virgil and Morgan Earp and Doc Holiday were wounded. Immediately after the gunfight, the Citizens Safety Committee appeared and a number of prominent townspeople congratulated the Earps, but within a couple of days a significant segment of public opinion turned against the Earps as many of the McLaury and Clanton friends made their feelings known. Within a few days, Ike Clanton filed murder charges against the Earps and Holiday. They were arraigned and freed on $10,000 bail each. On November 31, after a long drawn out preliminary hearing, Judge Wells Spicer determined that there was not enough evidence of a crime to go forward with a trial.
