Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-23

wounds. The whole band, comprising VIZ
gil, Wyatt and Julian carp, Doc Halliday
Curley Bill, Sam Saunders, Texas Ike and
: Monroe Tucker, armed, mounted and pur-
sued. The lovers had about four hours the
start, but they were easily trailed. They
headed for Arizona They expected pursuit
and lost no time. They reached Lake City,
eighty miles from Gunnison, in twelve hours.
Both were on horseback From Lake City
they started to Ouray, 100 miles by regular
road, but, getting afraid of pursuit, they
left the road and crossed over the trackless
and finally reached San Miguel-thirty hours
without food.
Here they rested for two days, being con-
WINGED that the pursuit they expected was off
their trail. They were to certain extent
right and to a certain extent mistaken The
carp party went to Ouray, and finding no
trace of the fugitives, became convinced that
they had made short cut to San Miguel.
From Ouray to San Miguel is less than thirty
miles, but the way is over painless, pre-
cipitous mountain, yawning gulches and i'm
passable canyons. The Earps, however,
tackled the journey and made it within
twenty-four hours. They reached San
Miguel about 10 o'clock in the morning. and
as they rode down the winding trail the
fugitives saw them. Clanton and the sister
of his arch enemy had been man and wife
about twenty minutes. They were married
by Dr. Hoge, an Episcopal clergyman. whose
name is held in grateful remembrance by
every person familiar with the early days of
Colorado When the newly welded pair saw
the horsemen approach, they recognized the
ar oil
brave as any man, knew that it was
hopeless to join combat with seven or eight
men practiced in the use of firearms. But,
being accustomed to danger, he knew how to
act. He grasped his trembling bride rushed
from the cabin where they were resting and
made his way to the nearest mine tunnel.
The miners were just changing shift, and
were surprised at the haste of the visitors.
Clanton told the miners his story as sincerely
end eloquently as he could The miners were
all Irishmen and Irishmen love lovers. They
became partisans of the fugitives without
thought or consideration. Clanton intrusted
his bride to one of the miners, who took her
into the bowels of the earth, away from all
danger. Soon the Earps arrived and de-
manded the fugitives. The miners answered
with more spirit than p.liteness The Earps
invited a parley, which the miners granted.
The Earps said that Clanton sought to dis
honor their sister because of hatred for them.
Clanton, who stood in the tunnel, within easy
communication, sent back word that the LADY,
they sought to dishonor and reproach was
his wife. The Earps tried diplomacy. which
failed, and finally they announced their de-
termination to storm the mine if the fugi-
tiVes were not surrendered In those days
! yy1 nrvvH
every well regulated mine, and the mine in
which Clanton and bis bride sought refuge
was no exception. The miners presented
arms and announced their readiness to re-
ceive an attack. The Earps tainted them
with sheltering coward, who had to seek
the bowels of the earth like a squirrel to
evade just punishment. Clanton sent back
word that he was ready to meet any of the
carp party in single combat The Earps
held a conference, and Julian, the Youngest
and bravest of the tribe, volunteered to fight
Clanton.
1t did not take long TO arrange the prelin-
inaries. The carp party were required by
the miners to move OFF about a quarter of a
mile and the miners in turn obligated them
selves TO remain in the tool house, from which
the tunnel cut into the hill When all was
toll in hand. Julian carp was awaiting be-
hind an ore pile 100 yards away The two
men approached each other, with pistols ele-
waited. When they were within twenty PAGES
carp fired and missed Before the report of
his shot had ceased echoing Clanton fired and
lodged his bullet in the heart of his enemy.
Julian carp fell dead. Clanton retired to
the tunnel, and forty miners fully armed
turned out and served notice on the carp
party that Clanton had proved his bravery
and sincerity and they were ready to defend
him. The Earps buried their dead, the good
DR.. Hoge officiating at the funeral Then
the miners held meeting-nothing can be
formally done in mining camp without a
meeting-passed resolutions sustaining Clan
ton and ordering the carp party to move out
of town. The Earps, understanding the miners
and the characteristics of the people they
were dealing with, retired. When they were |
out of sight Clanton and his wife came out
of the mine and took their departure in the |
direction of Rico.
The Earps, though making a promise that
they should return, merely made circuit,
and rode round San Miguel, striking the Rico
road about ten miles from the former place.
They found fresh horse tracks on the roai
and concluded that those they were in pur-
suit Of were in front OF them. They followed
on with haste and overlook Clantcn and his
wife at Rico. The Earps reached town while
Clanton and his wife were at supper. When
they discovered them they fired volley
through the window of the hotel One bullet
struck the bride and the husband ESCAPED.
lie grasped his wife il his arms, rushed to
the back yard and from there to the corral
where his horses were quartered. He mounted
the first saddled horse he met. and with his
wife bleeding and insensible in his arms. rode
into the night. IL was in October, and al
ready cold in that latitude and altitude. He
rode all night, tenderly caring for the pre-
cious burden in his arms, and at sunrise next
morning she died.
Two years later Ike Clanton and Curley
Bill, a cousin Of the Earps, met accidentally
n a gambling room at Soeorro, n. NJ Two
shots were fired simultaneously, and ten min
ltes afterward Curley Bill was a corpse.
~lanton was uninjured. About year and
lalf ago Cianton went TO Phoenix, A. I. There
40 met Virgil and Wyatt carp. The moment
he old enemies saw each other thay began to
hoot. Clanton was killed, and Wyatt carp
vas so badly wounded that Re is no longer
numbered among the desperaioes OF the west.
st. Louis Republican.
Eaf4 70,