Build Up To The Walk Down

June 30, 2016
   Working with a top Wyatt Earp author to try and make sense of the buildup to the Walk Down, which will be our cover story for September. Here are a few select quotes to help set the scene:

"The day the shooting commenced, I was standing there with Ike Clanton and Billy Clanton, Tom and Frank McLaury, and Johnny Behan. We were standing between the photograph gallery and the little house next to it."

—William Claiborne

"To all appearances, Tom McLaury was not armed at the time he was at the shop—there was nothing in sight to show he was armed. He had on a dark blue blouse of light material and dark pants and vest. The blouse came down about the length of his arms. It was outside of his pants."

—James Kehoe, a butcher at Bauer's meat market

So Much for Holsters

"[Wesley Fuller] relates of seeing Holliday put a six-shooter in his coat pocket at Fourth and Allen. Saw one in Morgan Earp's pocket, on the right side. Wyatt had one pushed down in his pants on the right side a little."

—Wesley Fuller, being paraphrased in cross examination, Spicer hearing

"I saw the Earps and Doc Holliday when they went down Fremont Street. I was right behind them. I went down behind them as far as the Post Office. I then crossed the street in front of what I believe is the courthouse."

—H.F. Sills

Daily Whip Outs: "Two New Views of The Walk Down"

   This bit of testimony has changed our understanding as to exactly where the Tombstone Post Office was at the time of the shooting. As Casey Tefertiller puts it: "Gary McClellan and Gaumer found various items that locate the PO in the building next to the Nugget. The Nugget was one lot East of the Papago Cash Store, which was separated by the Alley from the Union Meat Market (Bauer's). So, from West to East it goes: Union Market, alley, Papago Cash Store (located at end of alley), Nugget building, Post Office. There were then three more businesses before reaching Fourth Street."

   So, that would change the location of the Post Office to something like this:

Daily Whip Out: "New Location of The Tombstone Post Office"

   1. This is Hafford's Corner where the Earps and Holliday began their famous stroll. 2. is Brown's Hotel. 3. is the location where we thought the post office was originally. 4. Is The Capital Saloon. 5. Is the Post Office. 6. is The Nugget Newspaper. 7. Is the Papago Cash Store. 8. Is the rear entrance to the O.K. Corral. 9. Is Schieffelin Hall. 10 is The Mining Exchange Building, also known as the courthouse. 11. is the Tombstone Epitaph office. Interesting that the Epitaph and their competition, the Nugget, are directly opposite each other. This is also metaphorically true, as the Nugget took the cowboy's side in all the conflicts to follow.

Daily Whip Out: "Wyatt In His Prime"

"Wyatt Earp had on a short coat; did not have an overcoat on; it [his pistol] seemed to me an old pistol, pretty large, 14 or 16 inches long, it seemed to me."

—A. Bauer, butcher