The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-12
"REMINISCENCES


public eve and the controversy now
raging is of especial interest 10 Salt
Lakers because carp resided here a
long time and is well known to many
Salt Lallers.
carp is a man with a history which
is as unique as anything presented in
the records Of the men connected with
the opening of The great west TO civil
zation, and recital of the thrilling
scenes through which he has passed
would stir the blood of any man.
1t is not generally known that when
Dodge City wore the belt for wicked
ness, our own Judge Colborn was the
public prosecut or, and ii was Wnlie
serving III that capacity that he be
came acquainted with Wyatt carp
The Judge knows the famous gun
fighter as well perhaps, as any man
living although he is loath TO tax
about that chapter of his career eX-
cept to his crOnies, because the Judge
is essentially a modest man, and eY-
cry act of his in those terrible days
redounded to his credit But the judge
was in reminiscent mood yesterday
because he had gust read in the New
York Journal an article on carp from
the pen of Alfred Henry Lewis, IN
which the writer showed marked
ability as an ecOnomizer of the truth
IN 1876" said the judge, when
was prosecuting attorney at Dodge
City, the history Of the place was be-
ing written in. blood. In those days,
there was a constant procession OF
cattle over the Chisholm trail, and the
cowboys, VINO were, in TACT, only
Texas desperadoes. were running the
town They were bad men of the
worst class this country has ever pro-
duced. The main object of the Texans
was 10 kill off Kansas men, and when
/ went into Office, the situation was
desperate beyond description. Moth
ing like it ever existed before perhaps.
and probably never viii again. Well.
the authorities determined that law
and order must be established, and the
only way to accomplish that was TO get
peace officers who could fight and beat
these murderOus outlaws, for that is
all they were, at their own game.
Among those secured were such men
as Bat Mastersen and Wyatt carp.
An order was made that citizens, in
cluding the cowboys as the desper-
ADDE'S We're then called, should not
carry arms in the town, and it de-
Volved upon these officers to carry out
that order. OF course they We're paid
immense salaries, but they earned more
than they ever received and succeeded
in their herculean task Of establishing
respect for the law. While there, L
saw Wyatt carp do things that you
wouldn't undertake for a million dol
lars. and yet he did il every day Just
as a street car conductor rings up fares
or a banker receives deposits.
After the cattle trade had subsidized
and order had been restored, carp
went down to Arizona to engage in
mining. He found there a condition
of affairs somewhat similar to that
prevailing at Dodge City. The terri
tory was OVerrun with bad men. who
as organized mauraders. terrorized the
whole country. Things finally became
SO bad that Wells-Fargo & Co. were
unable TO run their stages into Tomb
stone without danger of being robbed
every trip. and an offer was made TO
the four carp brothers, Wyatt, War
rem, Virgil and Jim, to guard the
coaches. They accepted and succeeded
in standing the outlaws of. The lattea
only became more desperate, how
ever, and it became apparent that it
would be necessary to get rid of the
Clauton and McLauries.
one day while the Earps were in
their cabin at Tombstone. they re-
ceived word that the gang had come
for them The action of the brothers
was characteristic of them, and moth
ing they ever did gave q truer insight
into their characters. Without a mo-
ment's hesitation. they went out to
meet the outlaws and found them in
vacant lot between two big buildings.
, e
The battle that followed Will go
down in the annals OF the west as one
of the most thrilling and remarkable
ever fought, Wyatt told me all about
it himself. 1t lasted about two minutes.
hot uTTnc fire "a
and when the smoke cleared awav
three of the outlaws were lying dead
on the ground, while the fourth was
desperately wounded. Of the Earps,
only one was hurt. Warren was shot
through the shoulder. but recovered.
About this time President Arthur
declared these cowboys TO be out
laws. and by common consent and
especially the consent of the governor
of Arizona, the carp brothers We're
looked to to make the fight After
the battle spoken of. the outlaws be-
came crazy for revenge. and Virgil
carp was their victim one night not
long afterwards. he vas playing bill
lizards, when someone shot through the
door, killing him instantly Wyatt
was present. He didn't say much, but (
everyone knew that the climax had /
been reached. TIE Santa Fe gave
orders TO its conductors TO take the /
Earps on board whenever they desired. /
and the boys started for their home in /
California with Nirgil's body. on The /
train, Wyatt was told that Frank Still I
well was waiting at Tucson TO kill him. I
When the train reached that place, /
WYATT got off and there was Stillwel, /
rifle in hand When the train
pulled out, Wyatt was on board and
StillwelTs dead body was lying beside
the track
The Earps then set out TO get
the seven men who were the acknowl-
edged leaders of the outlaws, and this
wGs a desperate undertaking, because
the sheriff Of Cochise county. Jimmy
Behan. stood in with the outlaws. one
IF these leaders, -Curley Bill" had
killed Mike Maher at Caldwell years
before, and was well-knoWn TO Wyatt.
The brothers went out on the trail
and narrowly escaped being wiped out.
they diverted from their course to get
10 a spring near tank, and just rs
hey reached il, -Curley Bill and his
he bank and opened fire. The Earps |
had their horses killed and WAITS
,Oattails were shot off by buckshot. !
out 'Curley BilIs funeral took place in
he evening.
The sheriff so manipulated things
hat Wyatt was indicted for the
murder of Bill. and he quietly de-
parted for Colorado. where l met him
lgain- He was not afraid to meet
my thing on earth in a fair fight, but
lie believed that if he were locked I'D
n iafl he WouId Sirnn lv no ace..--;