My Friend Wyatt Earp

By W.R. (Bat) Masterson in 1907

(Image: Wyatt and Josephine Earp near their mining claim outside Vidal, California, 1906.)

In the chronicles of the American West, few figures loom as large or as controversially as Wyatt Earp. Thirty-five years prior to this writing, circa 1872, the vast expanse stretching from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean, and from the Brazos River in Texas northward to the Red Cloud Agency in Dakota, was a land teeming with both opportunity and peril. Within this untamed domain roamed men of extraordinary courage and utter desperation, and among them stood Wyatt Earp, the subject of this narrative, a man of undeniable presence and complex character.

My acquaintance with Wyatt Earp dates back to those formative years of the West, and I can attest to his singular lack of physical fear. It’s a trait often misattributed, this "courage." I’ve long held the opinion, shared by many who witnessed those times, that what often passes for bravery is, in reality, a fear of social repercussions – a dread of appearing cowardly in the eyes of one’s peers. Personal bravery, in this light, is a concoction of self-respect, egotism, and an acute awareness of public opinion.

However, Wyatt Earp was different. His audacity and seeming recklessness in the face of danger were intrinsic to his nature. Personal fear simply didn’t factor into his decision-making. Ultimately, I believe he valued his own self-perception far above the judgment of others. It was his own sense of honor, his own "good report," that he sought to maintain. To illustrate this, I’ll recount an incident that, in my view, perfectly encapsulates the essence of the man.

Claimed the Cards were Crooked

In the burgeoning days of Gunnison, Colorado, Wyatt Earp was engaged in the operation of a faro game. One day, while he was away from his establishment, another gambler named Ike Morris, a man with a local reputation for toughness and a penchant for firearms, entered Wyatt’s game. Morris, who also ran a faro game in another house, placed a substantial roll of bills on one of the cards and instructed the dealer to turn the cards.

(Image: Playing Faro)

The dealer complied, and after a couple of turns, the bet was won, and the money was swept into the house’s coffers. Morris immediately protested, claiming the cards were rigged and demanding the return of his money. The dealer, an employee with no authority to override the game’s outcome, suggested Morris wait for Mr. Earp to return, explaining that as the proprietor, he might be able to resolve the dispute.

Shortly thereafter, Wyatt Earp arrived, and Morris wasted no time in recounting his version of the events, emphasizing his demand for the return of his wager. Wyatt listened attentively, then stated he would speak with the dealer to ascertain the facts. He approached the dealer and inquired about the situation. The dealer maintained that the cards were legitimate, and Morris had simply lost fair and square.

By this time, word of the brewing conflict had spread, and a crowd had gathered, anticipating a confrontation between Earp and Morris. Wyatt returned to Morris and explained that the dealer had admitted to cheating him, leading Wyatt to consider returning the money. However, he continued, "You are looked upon in this part of the country as a bad man, and if I were to give you back your money you would say as soon as I left town, that you made me do it, and for that reason, I will keep the money." Morris, taken aback by this pronouncement, said nothing further about the matter. He even offered Wyatt a cigar before returning to his own establishment. Within a day or two, Morris had left Gunnison altogether.

Lost his Reputation in the Camp

(Image: Cyrus Noble Whiskey Ad showing Faro Players)

There was no explicit reason for Morris to leave, as far as Wyatt Earp was concerned. The incident was closed. However, Morris likely recognized that his reputation as a formidable figure in the camp had been irreparably damaged. He likely reasoned that remaining in Gunnison would only invite challenges from others eager to test his mettle now that it had been questioned. He understood that his "punctured" reputation would make him a target for anyone looking to make a name for themselves, and he chose to seek greener pastures where his diminished standing was not so widely known.

Earp’s actions in this situation were, undoubtedly, the most prudent course, perhaps the only one that allowed him to preserve both his reputation and his self-respect. It wasn’t necessary for him to kill Morris to maintain his standing, and that was likely the last thing on his mind. He was not a bloodthirsty individual who relished violence. He only resorted to firearms when absolutely necessary. Wyatt was a capable fighter with his fists and had often subdued so-called "bad men" using only his natural strength.

(Image: Wichita, Kansas, 1874)

Few men in the West could best Wyatt Earp in a brawl during that era, and I suspect that even now, in his sixth decade, he could give a younger man a run for his money. Had Morris been a peaceable citizen, he likely would have received his money back without argument. However, given his reputation as a gunfighter, his only recourse was to attempt to intimidate Earp, a proposition he clearly found unappealing.

My association with Wyatt Earp dates back to the early 1870s, and I’ve witnessed him tested under conditions that revealed the true measure of a man. He arrived in Wichita, Kansas, in 1872, a young man of approximately 26 years of age, standing six feet tall and weighing around 160 pounds, a figure of lean muscle. He possessed light blue eyes and a fair complexion. Born in Monmouth, Illinois, to a respectable American family, he served in an Iowa regiment during the final three years of the Civil War, despite his youth. He consistently sided with law and order and, on numerous occasions, risked his life to uphold the law in the communities where he resided. In the spring of 1876, he was appointed Assistant City Marshal of Dodge City, Kansas, then the largest shipping point in the North for the vast herds of Texas cattle driven annually to northern markets. Wyatt Earp’s reputation for courage and composure was well-known to the citizens of Dodge City, and it was this very reputation that secured his appointment.

(Image: Dodge City, circa 1875)

His tenure on the force was not without its challenges. One evening, an alderman, presuming upon his authority, ordered Wyatt to perform an official act that seemed questionable. Wyatt refused to comply. The alderman, known as a fighter himself, attempted to remove Wyatt’s official badge from his vest. The alderman was quickly disabused of that notion. Wyatt promptly knocked him to the ground, then lifted him with one hand, delivering a series of blows to his face. He then dragged the limp form to the city jail and deposited him in a cell, treating him like any other disruptive element. The alderman’s friends attempted to bail him out, but Wyatt insisted he remain incarcerated until the police court convened the following morning. After that incident, Wyatt was never bothered by aldermen again while living in Dodge City.

While he invariably carried a firearm, he rarely needed to use it in Dodge City. I recall only one instance where he shot to kill, and that involved a drunken cowboy who rode up to a variety theatre where Eddie Foy, the famous comedian, was performing. The cowboy rode past Wyatt, who was standing outside the entrance, and apparently didn’t notice him, or he likely would have acted differently.

An Incident not on the Program

(Image: Dodge City, Kansas Boothill by Kathy Alexander)

The theatre was a typical frontier structure, built of pine boards. A bullet from a Colt .45 could easily penetrate several such walls, a fact the cowboy clearly understood. Whether he was angered by Foy’s performance or jilted by one of the chorus girls, we never discovered. Regardless, he began firing at the side of the building directly opposite the stage, where Eddie Foy was reciting the poem "Kalamazoo in Michigan." Bullets tore through the walls, sending splinters flying. Foy, believing he was the target, quickly exited the line of fire.

The cowboy managed to fire three shots before Wyatt Earp drew his weapon. Wyatt’s first shot missed, likely due to the horse’s constant movement. However, his second shot found its mark, and the cowboy fell from his horse, dead before the crowd could reach him.

Wyatt Earp’s time in and around Tombstone, Arizona, was perhaps the most dramatic and eventful period of his life. He and his four brothers arrived in Tombstone after the discovery of gold was announced. Jim, the eldest, opened a saloon. Virgil served as a U.S. Deputy Marshal. Wyatt ran a gambling house, and Morgan worked as a Wells Fargo shotgun messenger on the stagecoach route between Tombstone and Benson, protecting the coach from the stage robbers that plagued the area.

Stage Robbers of San Simon Valley

(Image: Stagecoach Robbery by Phil Lear)

The Earps and the stage robbers were familiar with each other, which is why Morgan was chosen to guard the treasure. Wells Fargo believed that as long as an Earp brother was on the coach, their property was safe. No coach was ever robbed when an Earp was guarding it.

A gang of stage robbers from the San Simon Valley, near the Mexican border, included the Clanton brothers, Ike and Billy, and the McLaury brothers, Tom and Frank. These were dangerous men who often evaded American authorities by crossing into Mexico.

(Image: Morgan Earp)

These men planned to rob the Tombstone coach, but they knew they had to get rid of Morgan Earp first. They considered ambushing him, but that would lead to a conflict with the Earps and their many friends. They decided to try diplomacy. They told Morgan to quit working for Wells Fargo, as they intended to rob the stage he guarded, but didn’t want to do it while he was on duty.

Morgan refused, and they warned Wyatt to convince Morgan to quit, or they would kill him. Wyatt replied that if Morgan continued working for Wells Fargo, he wouldn’t interfere, but if they killed Morgan, he would hunt them down and kill them all. To show how brazen they were, they sent Virgil Earp, the Tombstone City Marshal, a message stating they would be in town on a specific day, ready for a fight to the death.

On that day, Ike and Billy Clanton, and Tom and Frank McLaury rode into Tombstone. The Earps didn’t suspect they would follow through on their threat. When Virgil realized they were in town, he quickly gathered Wyatt, Morgan, and Doc Holliday, known as a deadly man in a fight. The Marshal’s party consisted of Virgil, Wyatt, Morgan, and Doc Holliday, facing the two Clantons and the two McLaurys.

The Town Turned out for the Battle

(Image: Allen Street in Tombstone, 2007. Photo by Kathy Alexander)

Everyone in Tombstone knew a bloody fight was about to happen in the middle of town. People rushed to find safe vantage points to watch the battle. The City Marshal took time to gather his men, as Wyatt and Holliday were still asleep. The delay made the invaders think the Earps were afraid and wouldn’t attack them. They changed their plan.

They decided to find the Earps themselves. They led their horses out of the corral and into the street, ready to mount. As they reached the street, the Earp party rounded the corner. The two groups were ten feet apart. Each man had been in previous gunfights and was known to be dangerous. The horses gave the rustlers an advantage. The Earps were in the open, while the invaders used their horses for cover. As City Marshal, Virgil Earp ordered the Clantons and McLaurys to surrender.

They responded with gunfire. The fight began. The Earps moved in close, firing rapidly. The fight was brief, and nearly every shot fired by the Earp party hit its target.

Further Developments of the Feud

(Image: The McLaurys and Clanton Dead)

When the smoke cleared, the two McLaurys and Billy Clanton were dead, each hit by multiple bullets. Morgan Earp sustained only a minor flesh wound. Ike Clanton escaped, revealing himself as a coward. He threw down his pistol, raised his hands, and begged Wyatt Earp not to kill him. Wyatt, showing his character, told Clanton to run away, and he did.

The Earp party was tried for the killings and exonerated after a weeks-long preliminary examination with over a hundred witnesses. Two other outlaw gangs vowed to eliminate the Earp family and their friends.

(Image: Virgil Earp)

However, they wouldn’t engage in open battles. They would use ambushes. The first victim of this guerrilla warfare was Virgil Earp, the City Marshal. One night, as he crossed a street corner in Tombstone, he was shot by "Curly Bill," who was hiding behind a building under construction. A shotgun loaded with buckshot struck Virgil’s left arm, shattering the bone. He survived but lost the use of his left arm. The next to be murdered was Morgan Earp, shot through a window while playing pool.

Wyatt realized that he and his friends would be killed if they remained in town. He formed a group with Doc Holliday and Jack Vermillion, equipped them with horses, guns, and ammunition, and set out to kill everyone involved in the murder of Morgan and the attempted assassination of Virgil. Wyatt learned that Pete Spence, Frank Stillwell, and a Mexican named Florentine were involved in Morgan’s killing. Pete Spence had a ranch near the Dragoon Mountains, a known rendezvous for cattle thieves and stage robbers.

(Image: Doc Holliday, gunfighter)

Wyatt and his party headed to the Spence ranch. They found only the Mexican. After learning that Spence had left for Tombstone, they shot the Mexican dead. They left his body and returned to Tombstone, hoping to find Spence. He was there, but had surrendered to the sheriff, who was not friendly with the Earps, and was locked in jail.

Wyatt had to let him go for now. He received word from Tucson that Frank Stillwell and Ike Clanton were there. Wyatt and Doc Holliday took the train to Tucson. As the train arrived, they saw Clanton and Stillwell on the platform. They jumped off and approached them, but Clanton and Stillwell ran. Wyatt and Holliday chased Stillwell and caught him. He begged for his life, but Wyatt had ordered no prisoners. They shot him dead. Wyatt and Holliday returned to Tombstone, hoping to find Pete Spence, but he was still in jail.

Defying the Sheriff of Tombstone

(Image: Curly Bill Brocius)

Meanwhile, the sheriff of Tombstone received instructions from the sheriff of Tucson to arrest Wyatt and Holliday for Stillwell’s murder. When Wyatt returned to town, he gathered his men to go after Curly Bill, whom he believed had shot Virgil. The sheriff and his posse confronted Wyatt as he was about to leave.

"Wyatt, I want to see you," said the sheriff.

"You will see me once too often," replied Wyatt as he mounted his horse. "And remember," Wyatt continued, "I am going to get that hound you are protecting in jail when I come back if I have to tear the jail down to do it."

The sheriff didn’t try to arrest Wyatt and Holliday. The next night, Wyatt killed Curly Bill at the Whetstone Springs. To keep his word to the sheriff, he and his party returned to town. However, the sheriff had released Spence and told him to flee across the Mexican border.

(Image: Wyatt Earp)

This ended the Earp campaign in Arizona. Much has been written about Wyatt Earp that is false. Stories often circulate about people who supposedly bested him or made him show cowardice. Recently, a story claimed a Canadian police officer disarmed and humiliated him. The story spread quickly, but it was untrue. Wyatt Earp was never in the Canadian Northwest and could not have been involved in such an incident. No one has ever humiliated this man Earp or made him show cowardice. Despite his age, many so-called "bad men" would find him a formidable opponent.

Wyatt Earp, like many men of his character in the early West, has been envied and hated by small-minded people who delight in tarnishing the reputations of real men. I have known him since the early 1870s and have always found him a quiet, unassuming man, not given to boasting, but always a loyal friend and a dangerous enemy.

(Image: Bat Masterson)

By W.B. “Bat” Masterson, 1907.