Wyatt Earp The Aftermath

The Aftermath

On Febuary 1, 1882 Virgil and Wyatt send a letter of resignation to Major C.P. Drake U.S. Marshall taking effect as soon as their successors are appointed, and Ike tries again without success to have the Earps tried for murder. The case is thrown out but the anger is still there.
March 18, 1882 about 10:00 at the Cambell & Hatch's Billiard parlor Morgan and Bob Hatch are shooting pool while Wyatt looks on. Two quick shot's are fired through the glass back door. One shot hit's Morgan in the abdomen passing through the spine and lodging in the thigh of another man. The other shot meant for Wyatt passed across the room and lodges in the wall near his head. Morgan fell instantly an lived about an hour after being shot.
With Virgil wounded and not having any use of his left arm Wyatt make's plans for their return to California with Morgan's body for burial. Doc. Holliday, Sherman McMasters, John Johnson Wyatt and his brother Warren are goin on the train to watch out for Virgil. The train makes a stop in Tuson on March 20, and after it leaves Frank Stilwell's body is found riddled with bullets about a 100 yards North of Porter's Hotel on the side of the train tracks. According to the newspaper account's Stilwell's body was hit with four rifle balls and two loads of buckshot fired so close that powder burns was on his body. No one knows for sure why Stilwell was at Tuson, it was reported that he was there with Ike Clanton to appear before the grand jury concerning a stage coach hold up and was last seen walking in the direction where his body was found.
On March 25, 1882 Indictments are handed down by the grand jury of Pima County for the arrest of Doc. Holliday, Wyatt, brother Warren, McMasters and Johnson for the murder of Frank Stilwell.
On March the Earp party would strike again, this time at a wood camp located a few miles north east of tombson where they found Florentino Crus known as Indian Charlie. Wyatt believed Cruz was a lookout in the killing of Morgan. Cruz's body was found with four bullet holes in it, one in the head.
The Next event took place a few day's later when the Earp possee ran up on seven of the Cowboy's at Iron Springs in the Whetstone Mountians. There was few shot's fired but one supposedly hit it's mark, that being Curly Bill Brocious and according to Wyatt Earp he fired it. It will never be known for sure the story on Curly Bill, what we do know is that he was never seen again and Wyatt did take the credit for making it happen.

Wyatt would leave Arizona and go to Colorado never to answer the charges of killing Frank Stilwell or any of the other's. Like Doc. Holliday the Governor of Colorado would refuse to let any of the possee be extradited back to Arizona. For the most part, all of our questions will forever go unanswered. Wyatt in his later years told different stories about what happend during his life. Many books have been written and all of them different. Did the Earps use the law and their position to rise above the law? I'm sure they did as with many other lawmen at the time. Were the Earps and Holliday guilty of killing the McLowry's and Clanton at the OK Coral? That you will have to decide for yourself. Read the testimony and think about it, why did Ike not get shot, after all he was the one that was making all the threats. Then again why would Billy and Frank pull their pistols and fire on the Earps knowing they were out numbered with Tom and Ike unarmed? The story has a lot of questions still to be answered. Sadly on January 13, 1929 an 80 year old man died while sleeping in the city of Los Angeles and forever took the true story with him.

To The Gunslinger

Wyatt Earp In 1929

Facts About the OK Corel To Follow

Things are really heating up in Tombstone at this time. After being arrested on November 4th, for murder Wyatt,Virgil, Morgan and Doc. Holliday were found not guilty by Judge Wells Spicer, (Who just happen's to be friends of the Earps.) on December 1, 1881. Spicer based his decision on the fact that if the Earps were going to just start shooting at the Cowboy's, why was Ike Clanton spared, and not even shot at. Wyatt had every chance to end his life that day but chose not to because he was not armed. The remainder of the Cowboy's were not happy, death threats were made, and the judge himself was a target.
On the night of December 28, 1881 while crossing 5th street Virgil is shot in the arm with a shotgun. The following day, Wyatt is sworn in to take Virgil's place by U.S. Marshall Crawley Drake. Warrents are soon swore out for the arrest of Frank Stilwell, Ike Clanton and Hank Swilling for the shooting, but Sheriff Behan refuses to arrest the men. Wyatt acting as deputy marshall takes out after them. A few days later they surrender to sheriff Behan, knowing that if Wyatt finds them their chances are not good. The charges are dropped when all the men come up with alibis.

The Lawmen