Okla-homey
10/26/2010, 06:26 AM
October 26, 1881; The Earps shoot it out at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona
129 years ago, after years of feuding and mounting tensions, on this day in 1881, the “law and order” Earps and the “cowboy” Clanton-McLaurys engage in their world-famous shoot-out near the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. When it was over, three men were dead and three were bleeding.
Both sides in the conflict were ostensibly looking for revenge for what they perceived as malicious attacks and insults, but on a larger level the conflict revolved around which side would control the fate of Tombstone and Cochise County.
That hot Arizona day, the Earp brothers—Wyatt; Virgil, the town marshal; and Morgan—along with their friend Doc Holliday, spotted a group of cattle rustlers—Ike and Billy Clanton, Tom and Frank McLaury, and Billy Claiborne, at the other end of Fremont Street, standing in a vacant lot behind the OK Corral.
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/7093/wyattearp8iy.jpg
Wyatt Earp
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/5548/virgilearp4yn.jpg
Virgil Earp
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/6805/morganearp4wx.jpg
Morgan Earp
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/2672/docholliday4kd.gif
Doc Holliday. The well-educated Georgia dentist-turned-professional- gambler was dying of tuberculosis on the day of the fight.
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/5696/christianlogicimagesiteofokcor.png
Standing nearby was Cochise County Sheriff John Behan, who rushed up the street to tell the Earps that the Clantons and McLaurys were mostly unarmed and just wanted to leave town peacefully. But the Earps ignored the sheriff and moved ahead to confront their enemies. “You sons of bitches,” Wyatt Earp reportedly said, “you’re looking for a fight and now you can have it.”
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/6465/tommclaury5nn.jpg
Tom McClaury
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/6733/frankmclaury8vy.png
Frank McClaury
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/5737/ikeclanton2eq.png
Ike Clanton
The question of which side actually drew their guns first is still debated today, but it’s believed that Virgil Earp pulled out his revolver and shot Billy Clanton in the chest at point-blank range, while Doc Holliday killed Tom McLaury with a blast from his double-barreled shotgun.
Wyatt Earp shot Frank McLaury in the stomach, and the wounded man staggered out into the street but managed to pull his gun and return fire.
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/1014/diagram19xd.jpg
Meanwhile, Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne beat a retreat and ran for their lives. The wounded Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton both managed to get off several shots before collapsing. Wyatt didn't get a scratch, but Virgil, Morgan, and Doc were all hit. When the 30-second gunfight was over, there was no doubt which side had triumphed: the Earps were bloodied but alive, while Billy Clanton and Tom and Frank McLaury were dead or dying.
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/7373/coffins9tq.jpg
The three cowboy amigos at room temperature
Sheriff Behan, who witnessed the entire shoot-out, charged the Earps and Holliday with murder.
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/3203/johnnybehan2xc.jpg
Johnny Behan
However, a month later, after hearing the Earp's lawyer Fitch's arguments, the Tombstone justice of the peace found the men not guilty as a matter of law, ruling “the defendants were fully justified in committing these homicides.”
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/5434/fitch2vt.png
Lawyer Fitch
Postscript:
Lots of movies have been made about the incident, but this is the best one IMHO:
http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/7308/tposter9od.gif (http://imageshack.us)
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/5827/insane7zo6bx.jpg
129 years ago, after years of feuding and mounting tensions, on this day in 1881, the “law and order” Earps and the “cowboy” Clanton-McLaurys engage in their world-famous shoot-out near the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. When it was over, three men were dead and three were bleeding.
Both sides in the conflict were ostensibly looking for revenge for what they perceived as malicious attacks and insults, but on a larger level the conflict revolved around which side would control the fate of Tombstone and Cochise County.
That hot Arizona day, the Earp brothers—Wyatt; Virgil, the town marshal; and Morgan—along with their friend Doc Holliday, spotted a group of cattle rustlers—Ike and Billy Clanton, Tom and Frank McLaury, and Billy Claiborne, at the other end of Fremont Street, standing in a vacant lot behind the OK Corral.
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/7093/wyattearp8iy.jpg
Wyatt Earp
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/5548/virgilearp4yn.jpg
Virgil Earp
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/6805/morganearp4wx.jpg
Morgan Earp
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/2672/docholliday4kd.gif
Doc Holliday. The well-educated Georgia dentist-turned-professional- gambler was dying of tuberculosis on the day of the fight.
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/5696/christianlogicimagesiteofokcor.png
Standing nearby was Cochise County Sheriff John Behan, who rushed up the street to tell the Earps that the Clantons and McLaurys were mostly unarmed and just wanted to leave town peacefully. But the Earps ignored the sheriff and moved ahead to confront their enemies. “You sons of bitches,” Wyatt Earp reportedly said, “you’re looking for a fight and now you can have it.”
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/6465/tommclaury5nn.jpg
Tom McClaury
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/6733/frankmclaury8vy.png
Frank McClaury
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/5737/ikeclanton2eq.png
Ike Clanton
The question of which side actually drew their guns first is still debated today, but it’s believed that Virgil Earp pulled out his revolver and shot Billy Clanton in the chest at point-blank range, while Doc Holliday killed Tom McLaury with a blast from his double-barreled shotgun.
Wyatt Earp shot Frank McLaury in the stomach, and the wounded man staggered out into the street but managed to pull his gun and return fire.
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/1014/diagram19xd.jpg
Meanwhile, Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne beat a retreat and ran for their lives. The wounded Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton both managed to get off several shots before collapsing. Wyatt didn't get a scratch, but Virgil, Morgan, and Doc were all hit. When the 30-second gunfight was over, there was no doubt which side had triumphed: the Earps were bloodied but alive, while Billy Clanton and Tom and Frank McLaury were dead or dying.
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/7373/coffins9tq.jpg
The three cowboy amigos at room temperature
Sheriff Behan, who witnessed the entire shoot-out, charged the Earps and Holliday with murder.
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/3203/johnnybehan2xc.jpg
Johnny Behan
However, a month later, after hearing the Earp's lawyer Fitch's arguments, the Tombstone justice of the peace found the men not guilty as a matter of law, ruling “the defendants were fully justified in committing these homicides.”
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/5434/fitch2vt.png
Lawyer Fitch
Postscript:
Lots of movies have been made about the incident, but this is the best one IMHO:
http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/7308/tposter9od.gif (http://imageshack.us)
http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/5827/insane7zo6bx.jpg