The most famous gunfight in the history of the Wild West occurred on Oct. 26, 1881. Tombstone had been founded just one year before and in two years it had gone from 100 residents to over 7,000. The silver mines attracted them. The town had churches, restaurants, hotels, an opera house, and a school. It also had over one hundred saloons, more than a dozen gambling houses, and numerous brothels. Law and order was a problem. A local gang called the Cochise County Cowboys were infamous for smuggling (the Mexican border was nearby), rustling, stage coach robbery, and murders. The cowboys were led by Ike Clanton and Frank McLaury. In late 1879, the Earp brothers arrived in town. They were later joined by their friend Doc Holliday. Holliday was a tubercular gambler who had a reputation as a gunman. Eldest brother Virgil became Town Marshall. He was opposed by Sheriff Johnny Behan. The Earps tended to side with the town’s business interests (although their own interests in gambling came first). Behan sided with the ranchers, which included the Cowboys. Numerous encounters between the Earps and the Cowboys brought the feud to a boil. On Oct. 25, Ike Clanton and Tom McLaury arrived in town and were later joined by Billy Clanton, Frank McLaury, and Billy Claiborne. There were several tense encounters with the Earps and threats were made. It all came to a head when it was reported that the Cowboys were gathered at the vacant lot behind the O.K. Corral. Virgil, Wyatt, and Morgan Earp headed for the lot to disarm the Cowboys. They were joined by Holliday who had a shot gun concealed under his coat. The lawmen walked right up to the five Cowboys and Virgil demanded they disarm themselves. What happened next is disputed as both sides had their own version of the event. In less than one minute 30 shots were fired. Apparently the first were by Virgil and Billy Clanton and then all hell broke loose. Virgil hit Clanton. Holliday hit Tom McLaury in the chest with a shot gun blast. Wyatt shot Frank McLaury in the stomach. Virgil, Morgan, and Doc were wounded. Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne were able to escape unharmed. The Earps and Holliday were acquitted in a trial. Later, Virgil was maimed in an assassination attempt and Morgan was killed while playing pool. Although Virgil played a bigger role in the story, Wyatt became iconic after the publishing of “Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshall” by Stuart Lake in 1931. Lake interviewed Earp and his biography greatly enhanced the story of his life. The gunfight became famous with the 1957 film “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral”.
https://historydaily.org/what-we-should-know-about-the-shoot-out-at-the-o.k.-corral
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/shootout-at-the-ok-corral
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunfight_at_the_O.K._Corral
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