Posted on 05/31/2015 10:23:00 AM PDT by Altura Ct.
Actually that would be Virgil Earp who first took up the badge in Tombstone. Wyatt already made his reputation as a hard case lawman from Wichata and Dodge City, and with his friendship with the even then notorious Doc Holiday has been mistakenly held as the Tombstone head LEO.
FYI, the two most definitive books I've read about Wyatt Earp are: "Inventing Wyatt Earp" and "Wyatt Earp - The Life Behind the Legend". Both include many citations including court manuscripts. Bottom line from both, Wyatt was no angel, but the Earps were the good guys and the Cowboys the bad guys. Of course if you go to a Clanton site you'll hear a spin.
“Slavery, your legacy lives on and on.”
If slavery is the reason for May’s killings, then its (slavery)legacy has increased in the past twelve months. In fact, it has increased significantly since the Freddie Gray incident.
The Jews were enslaved longer than blacks in America. Do you see them going around shooting each other and destroying their neighborhoods?
And the population is little more than half it was in 1970.
Emergency Decree:
INVOKE MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL
Hey, thanks for the book recommendations, will look at those:)
Been to Tombstone about 4 or 5 times. Birdcage is very interesting. You really get the feeling of those days there.
I have thought of how the Earp’s would’ve tackled Baltimore’s problems and it would not be for the law to stand down. It would be for the criminals to fall down, dead.
There's still a few hours left in this month. C'mon guys, you can make it! /SARC
Maryland "Freak State" PING!
No, but I curse the descendants of the slave traders who brought them to the New World in the first place.
” . . . I curse the descendants of the slave traders who brought them to the New World in the first place.”
Do you curse Thomas Jefferson and George Washington as well? If you do, why?”
1. Until the (2) books I recommended above, the tell-all of the saga was written by Stuart Lake in 1931, called, "Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshall". His biography is based on an interview with Wyatt Earp who has changed his story many times. Keep in mind the altercation occurred some 50 years earlier and Wyatt was getting old. Many early movies and TV series have been based on Lake's discredited biography;
2. The Cowboys were the first to be called such. Until they got that negative connotation from their cattle rustling, it was cow-punchers or wranglers;
3. There were (2) political factions in Tombstone and (2) newspapers that supported opposing sides. One supported the Cowboys because they spent money in town from old man Clanton's big ranch. The other was the peaceful citizens that supported the Earps trying to enforce peace and order. That built bad blood between the Cowboys and the Earps and led to the final confrontation;
4. Sure you know the fight wasn't at the OK Corral proper. It occurred in vacant Lot #42? behind it and spilled out on Fremont Street not Allen Street;
5. The movies Tombstone and Wyatt Earp (Kevin Costner) both had true facts, but of course used dramatic license to change the chronology of the events, not to mention inserting dialog and events that didn't happen. Probably the most accurate would be Tombstone;
6. The town's people had become supportive of the Earps after a time and even offered to back them up with a town militia as the Earps went to take the weapons away from the Clantons & McLaurys. Virgil Earp told them no;
7. The Earps were indicted for murder, but because of the many witnesses, they were exonerated;
8. Virgil Earp was maimed shortly after from not on the street like movie Tombstone depicts, but from a shotgun blast atop a roof. And according to all accounts, he did say to his wife Allie, "That's okay, I still have one arm to hold you with";
9. Morgan Earp was murdered 3 months later IIRC.
10. No proof that Wyatt killed Stillwell at the train station in Tucson when Virgil and Co. were leaving. Still, he had a so many rounds in him, that it was obvious to many that it was an Wyatt.
11. The "Vengence Ride" is still not proven that Wyatt Earp orchestrated that along with Doc Holiday, McMasters, "Turkey Creek" Johnson, and others. However, who else would have killed all those Cowboys and associates over the months?
12. Although Wyatt has claimed he killed Johnny Ringo, there is no proof. Ringo (actually Ringold) was found with his boots off, and strips of an undershirt were wrapped around his feet. The men that viewed the body concluded that he must have traveled a short distance in this footwear. They also noted that one of his cartridge belts was on upside down. There appeared to be a cut on his scalp with a small part of his hair. What does that tell you? I believe it was Wyatt.
13. As for Wyatt Earp's claim he killed Curly Bill Brocius, that has never been confirmed. However, there was a fight at the spring where Wyatt Earp stood up and never got shot while killing a number of Cowboys. I could go on...
Bottom line: The Cowboys were cattle rustlers (big offense then), especially Mexican cattle and trouble-makers where ever they appeared. They challenged the Earps within days of Virgil putting on the town Marshall badge and enforcing the ordinance of no guns in town. As bad as the Cowboys were, I can kinda agree with that.
The Cowboys were the gangsters of their time and the Earps only wanted to prosper in a new mining community and live out their lives as family. The Cowboys kept challenging the Earps as reported and got their just reward. Yes, read the books...they're fascinating and don't pretend to have all the answers - just commonsense conclusions. Ignore Clanton sites, they parse, spin, and make excuses.
Pretty interesting. I just read all of it. I didn’t even know there were such things as Clanton sites, but I want to avoid them as I believe it would just cloud the issue. What, are they Clanton relatives?
Fascinating.
Yes, Clanton and McLaury sites are on the web and continue to claim the Earps murdered their ancestors. They also claim that the Earps held up the stagecoach as seen in the movie Tombstone which actually depicted the Cowboys of doing such. No one is really sure who was responsible.
But like the (2) books I suggest, why would the Earps who were for law and order rob a stagecoach? Sheesh, they were making money in Tombstone with their saloons and gambling (a legitimate endeavor then).
The Earps went before a territory judge for that and were also exonerated. Just what you would think hoodlums would do as in Baltimore...point the finger at others.
Thank you for talking with me about this. The other western sagas I've always been interested in is Bill Hickock's life and the Lincoln County war in New Mexico as protrayed in the movie, "Young Guns". Billy The Kid was involved in that as a protege of John Tunstall (sp) amongst other young "Regulators" as they called themselves. The "kid" didn't turn killer until his benefactor, John Tunstall (sp?) was killed in that commerce war. Still, not good on Billy.
And Billy the Kid is another fascination of mine;)
Yeah, William Bonney was a fascinating person of the old west. However, after the Lincoln County wars and the death of his mentor, John Tunstall, he turned into a murderous rogue, IIRC.
After doing some Googling about William Bonney, I just read that he worked for Henry Hooker in his early days in Arizona. Hooker gave sanctuary to the Earps during their Vendetta Ride. Never new there was a connection.
The old west was such an interesting time. Bill Hickock was a true fast-draw gunslinger. It's also interesting that he died by some punk who shot him in the back.
Jeapordy question: What was the poker hand Hickock had when he was shot? No Googling.
Jeapordy question: What was the poker hand Hickock had when he was shot? No Googling.
Darn. I’ve read this before. I even bought a copy of the hand for my brother for Christmas few years back. Cannot really remember other than it was a good hand:(
Aces and eights. Dead Man’s Hand.
And the ace of spades is the death card in some circles. Was it pointing up or down?
10. Billy the Kid;
9. James, "Killin Jim" Miller;
8. John Wesley Hardin...knew he would be included;
7. Dan Brogan;
6. William "Wild Bill" Longley;
5, Harvey "Kid Curry" Logan. Thought to be the basis of the "Sundance Kid";
4. Luke Short. Had an incident with Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp in Dodge City. No gun play amongst them but was known otherwise to be fast and accutate draw;
3. Dallas Stoudenmire;
2. William "Curly Bill" Brocius of Tombstone fame;
1. James "Wild Bill" Hickok. The most deadliest of all.
Interesting that many of these fast-draw deadly pistoliers were also lawmen at some point in their lives. Also interesting the Johnny Ringo was not in the top 10. As for Doc Holiday, his reputation was more of pulling on someone when not expecting. Of course, this is just one web site.
Yup.
Without Googling, how many aces and how many eights in five card draw that I believe they were playing? Admit I’m not certain, but believe it to be 3 aces and 2 eights.
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