The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-06
WYATT carp, THE REFEREE.
LED A BREEZY LIFE AT TOoMB-
STONE IN ARIZONA.

publicans.
Alfred Henry Lewis in New York Journal.
Washington, Dec. Sin the early eighties
was a neishbor of the carp family. They
abode at Tombstone, Ariz. and did much
toward making that hamlet a thrilling
place of residence,
Wyatt carp is one Of four brothers; two
of whom, Julian and Warren carp. are
happily dead and out. The four carp
brothers were abundant about Tombstone
in 1884, 1889 and 1888. The community in
1883 assumed positive attitude toward
the Earps and presented a front to that
household made up in the main of Win
chesters and Colt six shooters. The Earps
construed this into lack OF confidence on
the part of the Tombstone public. They
resented it by shaking the dust of Tomb
stone from their feet forever. They mi
grated to the Gunnison country. They
were subsequently run out of the Gunni-
son and Wyatt and Virgil carp went to
California, where Wyatt the other night
refereed the Fitzsimmons-Shark fight
The four Earps We're named respectively
~ Gil " aANs w 81 anu JuAlall. llty
had a sister Jessie, who was with them in
Tombstone. OF her. as novelists say, more
anon. Virgil was the Oldest carp, Wyatt
the wisest Warren the most foolhardy,
Julian the bravest and Jessie the most low
ing. AS a result Wyatt and Virgil lived
to get out of Tombstone, and the Gunnison
In advance of public opinion and the bull
let's that expressed it, while Warren was
killed In Tombstone and Julian in the Gun
nlson by Ike Clauton, who had married his
sister Jessie. and whom Wyatt and Virgil
subsequently killed at Socorro-and Jessie,
the loving one, welded Ike Clauton. with
whom her four brothers had a blood feud
at the time!
wyatt carp, and, for that matter, all
the Earps, were gun-fghters and men of
prompt and bitter courage. Wyatt carp
himself Is credited with ten men; one his
own brother-in-law, Clauton. Every one Of
the Earps had killed his men-not man.
and were famed in Tombstone and in the
Cochise country round about as qualified
to pull and make a center shot in less than
one-tenth of a second. They had all filed
the sights from their six-shooters when
knew them in 81 and 81 and eschew-
ing the Intervention OF a trigger, We're
prone to that prowess known as fan
ming" their pistols in a fight, whereby a
a miniature Calling.
In the early sos there were two fac
tons in Tombstone Virgil and Wyatt
carp led one-the Stage Robbers. Johnny
Behan Ike Clauton and Jack Ringo led
the other-the Rustlers The Stage Rob
bers were in politics Republican, and stood
up stages and plundered express compa-
MES for a livelihood. The Rustlers were
democrats, and devoted themselves to cat
cfa uybfg1xtr
bank as steady pursuits. In these days
Johnny Behan was sheriff of Cochise
county and Virgil carp was the marshal
of Tombstone Behan, as stated, belong
ed to the Cow-thief Democracy party,
while carp robbed stages and voted with
the Republicans.
The Earps, Wyatt. Virgil, Warren and
Julian had treated themselves to many
killing But there was no money in muir
der; nothing but relaxation. So they de-
voted themselves to holding up the stage
Virgil carp had a combination with Bar
shell williams, then the Wells Fargo agent
at Tombstone. When big money went out
on the stage, Williams tipped 1t off to Vir-
gil carp. The hold-ups were then plant
ed in a convenient canyon. When the
stage came along, at the word "hands
upw Warren carp, who was a stage com
pany guard, meekly put his hands over
his head. Then the hold-ups went
through the express pouches and boxes
like the grace of heaven through a camp
meeting.
There was never any shooting; 1t was
from all standpoints family affair, on
the part of the Earps. Often they got as
high as 1000 After a robbery the Earps
made further money, enlisting themselves
with posse comitatus and chasing them
selves. Virgil, as marshal would enlist
Wyatt, Warren and Julian, together with
Curly Bill, their cousin, and hunt the
hold-ups 1t was a great industry, and
by thus playing both ends against the
middle. first robbing the stage and then
pretending to chase the robbers, Virgil,
Wyatt, Warren and Julian carp waxed
opulent.
But 1t all came out on them. Williams,
the Wells-Fargo agent, confessed. II hap
pened thus. 1t was gala occasion in the
Bird Cage Opera House, In Tombstone.
Sheriff Jimmy Behan, Ike Clauton, Ringo,
and others of the COW thieves. had boxes
on one side. The Earps, Curry Bill, Doc
Holiday, Nixon and others of the stage
robbers had boxes opposite. When one
side cheered performer the others Kissed,
and as whisky flowed the spirits of both
gangs mounted.
At last Ike Clauton took umbrage be-
cause Nixon opposite reposed his boot on
the rail of his box. Clauton was too far
his condemnation Of Nixon's action he pull
ed his gun and put a bullet through Nix
on's offensive foot. 1t came off the box
rail.
Much good and enthusiastic shooting en-
sued. Twelve men were killed and wound
ed; none of the Earps, however. Will
Jams, the confederate Of Virgil and Wyatt
carp in the stage robbing, was badly shot
up He expected to die and confessed. At
this Wyatt carp and his three brothers,
with others of their gang, fortified them
selves in an old DOLBY house on the edge
OF Tombstone. Behan and the COW thieves
put in what time they could spare from
faro bank and theft in beseiging them
The siege was a stand-off. At last War
rem Earp-the foolhardy one-heeled him
self and came down from the dolby fort
ress to play faro bank. He has just set
a stack Of blues on the king open when a
COW thief listlessly put bullet through
his head
Thus died the first of the Earps. There
was more fighting then, and at last the
Earpes were driven out Of Tombstone aud
into the Gunnlson Their sister Jessie
went with them. Ike Clauton, one Of the
Democrats and COW thieves, followed them
to Colorado, and eloped with Jessie. This
was too much for the Republican stage
IA