The Living History Foundation's National Champs opens their season at Mahaffie House
The Osage Valley Vigilantes, reigning OWLHF National Champions, opened their 2001 season at Mahaffie House In Olathe, Kansas. The Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm at 1100 Old Kansas City Road ("the Old Santa Fe Trail") has Living History Saturdays and on the 14th of April was "Outlaws and Lawmen of the Old West" day.
Just left mouse click on all pictures to make big.
"Gunsmoke and Petticoats" set up their Old West town and were nice enough to share it with all who wanted. Thanks "Gunsmoke and Petticoats" for your hospitality.
The Vigilantes' Gun Safety Program was a big success!
The Osage Valley Vigilantes reenacting the "Gunfight at the OK Coral."
Dorothy explains that, "This is Tombstone, Cochise County, Arizona Territory. Cochise County was carved out of Pima County. This is a mining town. It used to be just a lazy cowtown, but the silver mines changed all that. Oh, we still have a bunch of cowboys around here, but it’s the mines that bring in the big money. We have two newspapers, The Tombstone Epitaph, run by the illustrious Mayor Clum. They purty much push the law & order line. The other paper, The Nugget, is a little more liberal. Basically the Epitaph wants to string up all the cowboys. The Nugget says that not all the boys are bad. The whole area is purty much divided up along those lines. If you are a cowboy or make your living with cows, especially if those cows might have a vented brand, you follow the Nugget. If you consider all the cowboys to be thieves and murderers you agree with the Epitaph."
Miss Josephine Marcus journeys to Tombstone to marry Johnny Behan.
Louisa Earp narrates, "Welcome folks, it’s been two years since Johnny Behan brought Miss Josephine Marcus here to be his bride. There has been a lot happen here in those two years. With all this money comin' in from the mines we’ve had a big growin' spurt in this town. These folks comin’ here, they’re the Earps. There is a whole family of ‘em. They come down from Kansas a couple years ago. They was all lawmen back in Kansas. They been shotgun guards, deputy sheriffs and town officers. Right now only Virgil wears a badge. He’s the town marshal, appointed by Mayor Clum. Wyatt runs a saloon and Morgan deals faro. There’s a gambler, name of John Holliday that’s tied in with them. They have the backing of Mayor Clum and his Law & Order crowd.
Now down the street, those fellows down there are some friends of the cowboys. The Clantons, and the McLaurys are cattle dealers. Billy the Kid Claiborne is one of the many cowboys around here. He works for the Calntons. It’s common knowledge the Clantons get a lot of their stock from south of the border and they usually pay for it in lead instead of silver. The McLaurys ain’t as bad as the Clantons, but they do keep close company. And you usually get judged by the company you keep. Billy Claiborne had been locked up over at the Charleston jail for a killing. Ike Clanton and some of his boys broke Billy out of jail a few days ago. There he is walking around free as a bird. That won’t last long. Word on the street is that the Clantons are out to get the Earps. The Earps are not likely to go running back to Kansas without a fight."
The town kids mock the Earps and the Clantons.
"Wyatt, I thought you said you wouldn’t have anything more to do with that woman!", shouts Mattie Earp.
"Young man, if I was you, I wouldn’t be in a big hurry to trade bullets with the Earps. They are usually on their feet when the smoke clears. And they have smelled plenty of gun smoke. You all think it over. I hope you make the right decision."
"Ain’t no stinking Kansas lawdog takin' my guns. I’m keeping ‘em. What about you, little brother?", says Ike Clanton.
Aunt Minnie warns, "Mark my words, there’s trouble brewing in Tombstone. The Earp brothers and their friend, Doc Holliday on one side and the McLaury and Clanton cowboys on the other are like cats that hiss and spit whenever their paths cross. They quarrel about gambling. There is conflict over certain cattle business. Frank McLaury and Doc Holliday had heated words over the quality of the food at Nellie Cashman’s Russ House. Then the McLaurys had testified against Doc last March in connection with a stage robbery when two men were killed. Doc was acquitted, but it left a lot of bad blood between the two camps.
Ever since Ike Clanton and Tom McLaury came to town yesterday there has been taunting and cursing going on and dark threats on both sides. Doc and Ike argued so much that Virgil Earp threatened to lock both of ‘em up if they didn’t stop. To make matters worse the flames were fanned by third parties who carried the cowboys threats to the Earps.
I declare, the tension makes it feel like we’re sitting on a powder keg in the middle of a fireworks display. Something’s bound to blow anytime!"
Allie explains, "It’s afternoon. The boiling pot is about to blow. After the Earp’s arrested Ike this morning he was taken before Judge Wallace’s court. There was further contention between Ike and the Earps. After being fined $27.50 for carrying firearms inside the city limits Ike was released without his weapons. He went to a saloon and continued to drink and make threats against the Earps and Holliday. The Earps heard further reports of threats and decided it was time to do something about it. As you can see they are gathered at this end of the street. At the other end of the street the Cowboys are gathered. Unless someone does something to stop this I fear blood will be shed today."
Behan goes back down the street to meet the Earp faction. The Earps have already started walking toward the Clanton-McLaury faction. They hardly pause as they shoulder their way past Behan. Behan falls in behind them a few feet calling to them, "Now, Wyatt, I’ve disarmed them they are gonna be peaceable. I’m the sheriff here. You can’t do this!"
The Earps approach to the point where Wyatt is six feet from Ike. Claiborne is farthest to the CM faction right. Frank McLaury is next in line but several feet back from the line. Billy Clanton is next. Ike stands in the middle of the line.
Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton and Billy Claiborne all have their hands on their pistols as the Earp faction approaches. Doc Holliday has a shotgun under his coat, under his left arm. Wyatt has his pistol in his coat pocket. Virgil is carrying Doc’s cane.
"Boys, throw up you hands. I want your guns." says Virgil
Billy Clanton and Frank McLaury cock their guns.
"Hold, I don’t want that!", says Virgil
Tom McLaury triggers the shooting by throwing open his coat to reveal he is unarmed. The movement is interpreted to be drawing his gun and causes the shooting to commence. Wyatt pulls his pistol from his coat pocket. In the first shots Billy Clanton shoots at Wyatt and misses. Wyatt shoots Frank McLaury in the stomach. Ike charges Wyatt and dances around with him. In the scuffle Wyatt’s gun discharges into the ground. While this is happening Doc shoots Tom McLaury with the shotgun.
Ike yells, "No, no, don’t shoot. I got no gun!"
Wyatt (pushing Ike away), "The fight has commenced. Get to fighting or get away!"
Ike runs away, ducking and dodging. Virgil switches the cane to his left hand and draws his pistol Claiborne runs away. He and Behan take cover. Frank McLaury, wounded, staggers away still shooting. Virgil shoots at Frank McLaury once and Billy Clanton three times. Doc shoots at fleeing Ike with the shotgun and misses, drops the empty shotgun and draws his pistol and shoots at Tom McLaury who is staggering away after being mortally wounded by the shotgun. Wounded Frank McLaury staggers down the street, still shooting, and hits Morgan in the shoulder.
"I’ve got you now, Doc," says Frank McLaury.
Doc blazes away, "You’re a Daisy if you do."
Frank McLaury wounds Doc Holliday in the hip and spins him around. Morgan rises to a sitting position. He and Doc fire at Frank at the same time (or close to the same time). Morgan’s bullet hits Frank Mclaury in the head killing him.
Morgan yells, "I got him!"
Shooting with his left hand, Billy Clanton wounds Virgil in the leg and fires until his gun is empty. Wyatt and Morgan and Doc all shoot at Billy Clanton. Billy’s gun is empty.
Billy Clanton yells, "Load my gun! I ain’t through!" Mr. Fly, the photographer, comes out and takes his gun away and says. "I’m afraid you are, boy. You’re shot to pieces. It’s over."
John Behan and others come out of hiding. Allie and Louisa run to Virgil and Morgan, helping them up and taking them to get their wounds dressed. Josephine Marcus runs out and stops abruptly in front of Wyatt. She is relieved that Wyatt is not hurt. With tears in her eyes, she smiles gratelfully. Mattie, having run out shortly behind Josephine stands facing Wyatt’s back. She looks confused by Wyatt’s apparent emothion towards Josephine. Wyatt is oblivious to Mattie’s presence. John Behan takes Josephine by the arm and walks her away, turns around and rushes to Wyatt.
John Behan "You’re all under arrest."
"Behan, I don’t think that you’ll be arresting anyone today." replys Wyatt.
"The troubles did not end here. Later in December the Earps were acquitted of murder charges. A few days after Christmas, Virgil was ambushed. Now, his right arm is all shot up. He can’t use it anymore. And in the following March, Morgan was shot to death while playing pool with Wyatt. Wyatt and little brother, Warren, took out a posse and killed all those persons they thought responsible for the murder of Morgan and the wounding of Virgil."
Thanks to Bob Stein and Terrie George for reasearch and writing.
Thanks to Marcia Poe and Steve Marcotte for taking the pictures.
Thanks to Rob Poe for donating this space.
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05/08/01
