The McLaurys in Tombstone, Arizona: An O.K. Corral Obituary

Chapter 29: “I Knew They Were All Down on You”

258 The McLaurys in Tombstone, Arizona Three days past Christmas, Virgil Earp was shot down at night as he crossed the street after leaving the Oriental Saloon. The ambush was carried out by two, possibly three, men hidden in an unfinished building at the opposite corner. Although Virgil survived, his injuries were critical. The assassins used shotguns - demolishing his left arm and piercing his lower torso.1 Evidence was limited. Two policemen who were eye-witnesses could not identify who they had seen. Others saw three men running away from the scene. Someone picked up a hat from nearby; it had Ike Clanton’s name in it. A sheriff’s posse gave chase to the assassins, but with no immediate results. Wyatt Earp contacted United States Marshal Dake in the Territorial capital of Prescott. He requested and received an appointment as deputy U.S. marshal to replace his brother.2 City elections were held without incident on January 3, 1882. A rumor that Jimmy Flynn, the incumbent candidate for chief of police, might resign in favor of one of the Earp brothers helped defeat him at the polls. The voters were not sympathetic to the Earps, and roundly defeated the entire ticket that supported them and their allies. Even the Epitaph was held accountable for its support of the Earps.3 On the day of the city elections came word of a massive horse theft at Helms’ ranch in the Dragoons. H. H. Tuttle, who managed the Tombstone Corral, was at the ranch on business and became one of the victims. The next weekend there were two more stagecoach robberies in Cochise County.4 On the morning of Friday, January 6, five men chased the stagecoach headed for Bisbee with the payroll for the Copper Queen Mine aboard. The stage was forced to stop because one of the horses was wounded. No one was injured, but a daylight highway robbery was brazen and the thieves got away with $6,500. The second robbery took place late Saturday night as the coach was driving up from Contention and was about half-way to Tombstone. Because it took place so late at night, the passengers were awakened by the “I Knew They Were All Down On You” Twenty-Nine 259 An O.K. Corral Obituary coach stopping. Among the passengers was James B. Hume, head of detectives for Wells, Fargo. There was no treasure box on the stage; furthermore, the highwaymen did a poor job of robbing the passengers, taking about $75 and three revolvers, but leaving $1200 to $1500 untouched. At other times, a posse had been formed to pursue the stage robbers within hours of receiving news of a hold-up. Not this time. Said the Epitaph: “The excitement was not as intense as it might have been, and if any effort was made to capture the robbers, or if a single man went out after them, it has not come to the knowledge of our reporter.”5 By the 10th of January, Charles Robert Appelgate was home in Toledo, Iowa. On that day, he sent a letter to John Roberts Adams inquiring how things were going. It may be credited to Appelgate’s youth and inexperience that he delegated Adams with the responsibility of checking up on the lawyers collecting outstanding debts and the disposing of property on behalf of the McLaury family. Adams’ credentials were not obvious, then or now. The return letter from Adams indicated how things had “quieted down” but the Earps and Holliday were still at large. The letter lacked any news about the shooting of Virgil Earp. Did Charles already know about it? He may have still been in Tombstone at the time. Appelgate may have left Tombstone as late as December 30, 1881, the date of the last entry in the probate record. It raises the spectre that the accusation in George Parsons’ diary referred to Appelgate and not his uncle when he wrote, “It is surmised that Ike Clanton, Curly Bill and McLaury did the shooting.” There is no way to know.6 Tombstone Jan. 15th 1882 Charles Appelgate Esq. Dear Sir Yours of 10th inst came to hand yesterday[.] I am pleased to hear you got home all right + found the family well[.] everything is quiet the weather has turned blustery at last after our fine winter. The murderers had to sell out of the Oriental Saloon to Joice for want of patronage + to fix up to get out of the...