The Earp Vendetta Ride

The Old West was a volatile time. When someone was killed in a gunfight, there were always repercussions. The Gunfight at O.K. Corral in October 1881 was no different, and Morgan Earp’s murder on March 18, 1882, in a Tombstone, Arizona pool hall, made matters even worse. After the gunfight, Wyatt and Warren Earp, along with Doc Holliday, “Turkey Creek” Jack Johnson, and Sherman McMasters moved the Earp family out of Tombstone to Tucson, Arizona on March 20, probably in an effort to keep them safe. Once in Tucson, Wyatt spotted Frank Stillwell, the man he suspected of having been involved in the killing of Morgan and was also thought to be seeking revenge on Virgil Earp. The following day, the bullet-ridden body of Frank Stillwell was found on the tracks next to the depot. This was the first death in what would become known as the Earp Vendetta Ride.

The Earp family was furious, and they were determined to have their revenge for their brother’s murder. Later, while writing his book, Wyatt told his biographers that he had spied Frank Stillwell and Ike Clanton lying prone on a flatcar with their shotguns and so, he had killed Stillwell, but he said that Ike had escaped. Following the killing, the Earp group quickly returned to Tombstone. Nevertheless, by March 21st, a warrant had been issued for the arrest of Wyatt Earp, Warren Earp, Doc Holiday, “Turkey Creek” Jack Johnson, and Sherman McMasters as suspects in the murder of Stillwell. It seems they decided that the killing was a conspiracy.

Charles Meyer, justice of the peace of Pima County, sent a telegram to Sheriff Johnny Behan indicating that the men should be arrested. A friend of the Earp family, the telegraph office manager showed the message to Wyatt before delivering it to Behan. Then he agreed to hold on to it for a while, so the Earp group could get out of Tombstone. Unfortunately, as they were leaving, Behan approached Wyatt, saying he wanted to see him. Wyatt replied, “Johnny, if you’re not careful, you’ll see me once too often,” and the group left. Later, it was reported that Earp’s group had resisted arrest and pulled their guns on Behan.

The revenge continued over the next three weeks, while Wyatt and Warren Earp, along with several of their friends, namely Doc Holiday, Sherman McMasters, “Turkey Creek” Jack Johnson, and “Texas Jack” Vermillion, would form a “posse” of sorts and go after those they thought were responsible for Morgan’s death, as well as others that supported the Clanton gang. More men, including Dan Tipton, Charlie Smith, Fred Dodge, Johnny Green, and Lou Cooley, were also thought to have supported the Earps in their revenge.

Wyatt Earp’s revenge was sometimes called the Arizona War or Cochise County War, because Earp had been deputized as a US Deputy Marshal, which meant that he was operating under federal jurisdiction, and with a warrant for William “Curly Bill” Brocious. This did not stop Earp’s “posse” from being pursued by a Cochise County sheriff’s posse consisting of Sheriff Johnny Behan, deputies Fin Clanton and Johnny Ringo, along with some 20 other Clanton “Cowboys,” to arrest the Earps for the killing of Frank Stillwell. Strangely, the Behan posse deliberately left Pima County Sheriff Bob Paul, out of the posse, even though he was the one who actually had jurisdiction for the Tucson killing of Stillwell. Behan’s group never caught up with the Earp faction.

After three weeks and a number of killings and knowing that they could not get a fair trial in Tucson for killing Stillwell, the Earp posse finally gave up and headed to Colorado around April 15. Though the Earp’s Vendetta Ride appeared to be over, Johnny Ringo was found dead on July 18, 1882, and some say the killing was at the hands of Wyatt and Doc Holliday, who had returned to kill him. Other “cowboys” also began to die randomly, including Billy Grounds, who was killed by Billy Breakenridge, and Billy William “Billy the Kid” Claiborne by “Buckskin Frank” Leslie. Nevertheless, officially, the Earp’s Vendetta Ride was over.