Doc Holliday - Deadly Doctor of the American West

John Henry "Doc" Holliday

Then John Behan, the County Sheriff, appeared pronouncing, "Ike Clanton and his crew are on Fremont Street talking gun-talk." Evidently, Ike Clanton, the two McLaurys, Billy Clanton and Billy Claiborne were meeting in a vacant lot planning to bushwhack Doc Holliday, who passed that way every morning.

Virgil, as Chief Marshal, agreed to go down there to break them up, but contended that Behan should accompany him. Behan only laughed. "Hell, this is your fight, not mine."

However, the Cowboys were surprised when the Earps showed up and Doc was with them. As they made their way to the O.K. Corral, witnesses said that the three Earp brothers were all dressed in black with firm, mean grimaces on their faces while Doc was nattily clad in grey and was whistling. Where the two forces finally met was actually 90 yards down an alley from the O.K. Corral. The actual gunfight took place off Fremont Street between Fly’s Photo Gallery and Jersey’s Livery Stable. The Earps passed by the O.K. Corral, but cut through the alley where they found the troublemakers waiting at the other end.

"You are under arrest for attempting to disturb the peace," Virgil announced. As senior officer, he displayed only a non-threatening walking stick, having given his shotgun to Doc to carry. The rustlers tightened and Morgan and Doc simultaneously braced for action. "Hold on, I don’t want that!" cried Virgil.

What happened next was a blur, occurring in about 30 seconds. The shooting started when Billy Clanton and Frank McLaury cocked their pistols. It is not really known who fired the first shot, but Doc’s bullet was the first to hit home, tearing through Frank McLaury's belly and sending McLaury's own shot wild through Wyatt’s coattail. Billy Clanton fired at Virgil, but his shot also went astray when he was hit with Morgan's shot through his rib cage.

Billy Claiborne ran as soon as shots were fired and was already out of sight. Ike Clanton, too, panicked and threw his gun down, pleading for his life. "Fight or get out like Claiborne!" Wyatt yelled and watched Ike desert his brother Billy, as he ran towards the door of the photography shop.

TomMcLaury.jpg (98x142 -- 2809 bytes)

Tom McLaury

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Frank McLaury

But, Ike then withdrew a hidden gun firing one more round towards Wyatt before disappearing. The sound distracted Morgan, enough so that Tom McLaury sent a bullet into Morgan's side. Doc instantly countered, blowing Tom away with blasts from both barrels of his shotgun. Desperately, wounded and dying, Billy Clanton fired blindly into the gun smoke encircling him, striking Virgil's leg. Wyatt responded by sending several rounds into Billy.

Then it was silent and the townspeople ran from their homes and shops, wagons were to convey wounded Morgan and Virgil to their respective homes, and doctors followed.

The 30-second shootout left three Billy Clanton, Frank McLaury and Tom McLaury dead. Virgil Earp took a shot to the leg and Morgan suffered a shoulder wound. As Wyatt stood, still stunned, Sheriff Behan appeared advising him he was under arrest. The Earps and Doc Holliday were tried for murder but it was determined that the Earps acted within the law.

On January 17, 1882, a supposedly famous confrontation took place between Wyatt, Doc and John Ringo. Many writers would say that John Ringo challenged the Earp brothers and Holliday. But, this cannot possibly be true as Virgil and Morgan were incapacitated with painful wounds from the shoot-out. So, while Ringo might have offered the challenge, he obviously wasn't running much risk as there was little chance that they could accept. The Earps also knew that Ringo had been drinking heavily and that the whiskey was talking.

On March 18, 1882, the cowboy gang struck again while Morgan Earp was playing pool at Campbell and Hatch's Saloon. A shot was fired from the darkness of the alley striking Morgan in the back. Morgan's body was dressed in one of Doc Holliday's suits and shipped to the parents in Colton, California for burial.

Many have said that Johnny Ringo was killed

by Wyatt Earp or Doc Holliday but there is no proof.

This image available for photographic prints HERE!

Vintage Tucson, Arizona Depot

Tucson Depot vintage postcard.

Just two days later, the Earp party encountered Frank Stilwell and Ike Clanton at the Tucson Railroad Station and Wyatt chased Stilwell down the track, filling him full of holes. A Coroner's Jury named Wyatt and Warren Earp, Doc Holliday, "Texas Jack Vermillion", and Sherman McMasters as the men who had killed Stilwell and warrants were issued for their arrest.

Earp sought vengeance on the men who shot Virgil and killed Morgan and killing Stilwell was just his first step and Doc Holliday rode beside him all the way. Wyatt heard that Pete Spence was at his wood camp in the Dragoons and on March 11, 1882, he and his men quickly headed out, finding not Pete Spencer, but Florentino Cruz.

The frightened Cruz named all the men who had murdered Morgan, himself included. Earp and his men filled Cruz with bullet holes. The Earp “posse” rode out once again and on March 24, 1882, they ran into Curly Bill Brocius and eight of his men near Iron Springs. A gunfight ensued where Curly Bill was killed and Johnny Barnes received a wound from which he eventually died.

In just over a year, the Earp “posse” along with Doc Holliday eliminated "Old Man" Clanton, Billy Clanton, Frank McLaury, Tom McLaury, Frank Stilwell, Indian Charlie, Dixie Gray, Florentino Cruz, Johnny Barnes, Jim Crane, Harry Head, Bill Leonard, Joe Hill, Luther King, Charley Snow, Billy Lang, Zwing Hunt, Billy Grounds and Hank Swilling. Pete Spence turned himself in to the authorities where he could “hide” in the penitentiary.

In May, 1882, Wyatt and Doc left Tombstone, swearing they would never return, but still vowing vengeance on Ringo, Clanton, Spence and Swilling if they could ever find them. Riding their horses to Silver City, New Mexico, they sold them, rode a stage to Deming, and boarded a train for Colorado.

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