Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-04-08

maintained, and tho bar generally gave
smpIoymsns 20 three barterders
tWenty-four hours daily. The Bird
Case was the soul Of Tombstone at
night. II yon wanted to meet leading
lawyer, a mine or mill uperlntendent,
the sheriff OF the county, sthe chief OF
police. the mayor OF the city, the edi-
tor OF any Of the daily papers, or any
OF the bright particular stars Of desper-
ndodom. the chances are that II you
penetrated the Bird Cage you would
have found them. AS general rule all
the male population OF Tombstone NOS
otherwise engaged spent the night Et
the Bird Cage.
In 1850 Virgil carp was the city mar
sbal and John II. Behan was the sheriff
OF the county. Between these two
officials there was a deadly feud.
Rehan was an honest man, q good
official, and possessed many OF the AT
tributes OF gentleman. carp was the
head OF band OF desperadoes, part
ner OF stage ROBBERS and friend OF gam
blsys and professional killers. IL was
= custom thai the friends OF Behan
should occupy the boxes on the right or
tho stage and that OF EarD's followers
and friends should hold the boxes on the
left of the stage. What pleased the
Beban people was certain 20 displeass
the carp people, and IL applause or
dissent 90 one side or the other became
TOO enthusiastic shooting was sure 70
opsue. Behan was q thoroughbred. He
would fight buzz-ssw 10 full motion,
and after doing up his worst enemy be
would give him his last sent II the pros
trate foe needed 10 Virgil carp was
eOpallv brave, but he was dishonest.
Virgil was TIE oldest OF the famous, or
rather infamous, carp family. At that
time the people OF COchlss county, OF
which Tom bstOne was the county seat,
we're in reality divided between two
factions-the stage rogbers and COW
robbers. The current name for the
stock thieves was the rustlers, while the
Stage robbers wero known as such.
Sheriff B9han, though not cowboy
or rustlsr himself, was solidly supper
ted by the cowboys, the ranchmen aud
the wandering cavaliers who had moth
ing to-day, but were possessed OF their
neigh boris live stock 70 morrow. The
connection Of the EarpS with the stage
robbers was matter OF question, sug-
qestion and suspicion for some time.
About the beginning Of 1852, however,
the posltion OF the Earps war brought
out straight The agent OF Wells,
Fargo e. Co, ia Tombstone war named
Rarshau Williams. The latter and the
Earps wess great friends. They ate to-
gather. played together, fought and
killed side by side aud we're chums az
All times. The agent OF the express
company az Tombstone was the only
man in the settlement who knew TO GER
taintv the value OF the freight that left
Tombstone on thu stage. lt happened
that the stage was never attacked and
robbed only when the booty was con-
adorable. This, OF course, engendered
some talk, but nobody could prove any
thing. Agent Williams and the Earps
were Ike two brothers; Virgil carp
was the city marshal OF Tombstone,
his brother, Wyatt, was the boss killer
of the region, aud another brother,
Warren. was the CHIEF express guard on
hoard stages carrying valuable express
freiqbts between Tombstone and the
railroad station at Contention. When
.var tha stage was robbed, as 10 was
vybeoever there was anything worth
taRinr on bosrd, the city marshal OF
Tombstons aud his brothers always
oreapizsd q posse 70 pursue the robbers.
mis- was profitable employment for the
Earns and very expensive for the eX-
press company.
vas discovered after while that
Agepr williams and the Earps had tor
rnsd a combine for express robbery.
TVbsnever the agent had valuable
consiqnment OF bullion or currency he
Eve Virgil carp the tip, and he posted
80 trustv and reliable men along the
road: aud his brother warren, on the
staoe front as guard, was CAREFUL 20 os
canrht so that he had &c obey sn osdes
40 tbrov up his hands when ordered.
~ wasan interesting enterprise. The
sgent- mariner OF the thieves, piPed
oTtbe booty to the thieves, and when
tho rohberV was effected the thieves
- entrusted with ire capture OF
,,,o,,selves. OF course, the EarpS
.I,yevs mt the blame OF the robbsries
~ rustlers. This was properly re-
ss,tad by the ruStlers, and ieud,
Sonrerous 20 life and property, ensUed.
Ooe evening in the fall OF 1850, Tomb
600 was excited with a rumOr that
80 stare coach had been robbed
s6o,t four miles from town. Oc-
cnrepces OF this kind were 50 fire.
opent that only professional rob-
sers or those affiliated with them, we're
more than ordinarily heated up. TIE
town talk, OF course, was full Of tAe
enterprise. 1t was more daring man
Ak