Old West American Frontier - John Reeves (e book reader pc .txt) 📗

Part-1 'The Awareness In Tombstone


In October 1879, Virgil Earp became marshal of Tombstone and appointed his brothers Wyatt and Morgan as deputies. Virgil had fought in the Civil War and could see the impending dangers that loomed over Tombstone.


Wyatt Earp had come from Dodge City, Kansas where the sheriff had called him for help. The way he turned around the booming cattle town of Wichita, gave them hope he could do the same in Dodge City. When the mayor made the call Wyatt jumped at the chance of a new opportunity, to leave the memories of his deceased wife behind. Upon arriving in Dodge City he could see the lawlessness, the cowboys were running the town. Wyatt realized that if he controlled the liquor and the gambling things would calm down.
For two years Wyatt Earp and his friend Bat Masterson created an environment where fun could be had, but violence had no place. At night the two men dealt cards, the next afternoon they were badge carrying lawmen. Leaving a better Dodge City behind gave Wyatt a certain level of satisfaction, there was also the fact that he was leaving behind some really good men. Without their help he knew the place might be as bad as when he arrived.
"Bat, I don't want anyone knowing I'm headed out of town." Wyatt sat talking privately with his friend and partner.
"Well then that's exactly how it will be Wyatt."
"That's not all, when I'm gone this town will need you more than ever before, the people here are behind you, they have a trust in you that goes further than that badge. I want you to run for sheriff of Dodge City." Wyatt knew his friend was the right man for that position.
"You do know there are gonna be some people not happy with you for leaving this way?"
"Yes, I do know, but I can't risk certain folks ambushing me on the way out. There are just as many of them folks that would like to see me dead." Wyatt was making it perfectly clear of the danger that wait ahead.

When morning rolled around the card games were breaking up at the Long Branch. Wyatt had been gone before the morning light. The word was getting around that he'd left town. Doc Holliday stumbled out of the Long Branch where he'd been dealing a Faro game.
"James, where is Earp?" Doc was walking across the street where he saw James Masterson walking out of the stables.
"I don't know Doc, you should go ask Bat." James knew good and well of his departure at that point, he just didn't want to be the one to tell Doc.
"Where is Earp?" Doc slammed the door to the sheriff's office behind him.
Bat Masterson stood up quickly as Doc burst through the door.
'Dammit Doc, why do you rush in here like that.'
"Is the word going around true, or not?" Doc demanded to know where his friend was.
'Yes Doc he left quietly last night, he left this here note on the desk for you, but you don't look as if you could read it right now.' Doc took the letter from his hand.
'How are you going to do any dentistry work Doc, when you are drunk?'
"The drunken dentist, it has a ring to it." Doc grinned for a moment. Before going right back to the questioning he'd been doing.
"Where did Wyatt go?" His voice much calmer.
"He went west to be with Virgil and them. You know it comes a time when a man must settle down, and be with his family?" Bat tried to make sense of it to Doc.
"He was the closest thing to family I had." Doc said as he sat back in the chair.



Mayor Miller had no intention of letting the outlaws run the town again. Just as he had no intention of allowing Doc Holliday control the gambling at Brennan’s saloon. He didn't care that Doc had won the rights to the saloon in a high stakes poker game, he knew Doc wouldn't supply the town with it's fair share of income. That was a large portion of the towns money, the town needed that money to survive.
It was rumored that Wyatt went to New Mexico, Las Vegas and Arizona. The fact was nobody really knew where he was going, or where he'd end up. Mattie Blaylock knew where Wyatt went because she allegedly was with him. The thing that was sure was the word had gotten to the Allison boys who intended on finding out.
The Allison's and Johnny Butler rode into Dodge City that same night, they weren't going to check their guns either. The six man posse rode into town at sundown, the gambling was going on in the various saloons. They entered the Long Branch when James Masterson noticed the men were had pistols on them.
"Men, if you wanna come in here you will have to check those weapons with the sheriff." he stood up to them with a voice of confidence.
"We just wanna play a fair game of cards, you know we ain't never KILLED nobody. Johnny spoke up first.
'We ain't got no problems with you James, or your brother, but we come to realize we been getting ripped off by your dealers."
"Go get the sheriff." James asked Luke, who was standing behind the posse beside the door.
"Go get him Luke, you go get him. Without anyone of them turning to notice if Luke went or not. The door swung closed, then Sammy Allison turned around to see Doc Holliday standing there.
"Someone hasn't been dealing you straight, not here but, yet you come here with your guns? Tell me gentlemen you were going to stop by my place, weren't you?" Doc was ready for them to move.
"That's not your place Doc." Sammy went for his pistol, Doc beat him to his own gun while drawing his own on Johnny.
"You guys could shoot me dead, but two of you won't be leaving. The youngest two, wouldn't that be a shame? Now hand those guns over to James." Sammy and Johnny were standing there in fear, but even their elders couldn't be sure Doc wouldn't shoot them both.
The men turned the weapons over, tossing them on to the table. The sheriff walked in realizing the situation had been resolved, he also knew this was the system in place being tested.
"That's it all of you are going to do ten days in jail." Sheriff Whitney shouted.
He knew the foundation of law had been set in place too long to let such boldness of broken rules go on. James was quick to defend Doc saying had it not been for him their might have been a shootout. The judge declared that Holliday go free, with his intent being on stopping violence. That was the last night Doc Holliday or 'Big Nose Kate' would be seen in Dodge City. Bat Masterson says his mind was made up to leave when Wyatt left town.

My dear friend Doc,
However it might be that you heard of my leaving town, know that it isn't the way I wanted it to be. Of all the people I know it was you who I thought might understand moving to outrun the past. There are things I've done that ain't right, you know that. If not for Bat and yourself, the decision would have been easy. I owe you both so very much, but thanks to you Doc I'm alive today to write this. There's a good chance I end up in the silver mining town in New Mexico with Virgil. Just like I told you about a few weeks ago, it was too good an offer to pass by. I really believe with your condition you too should come out west. They say the money is endless for a player like you. Whatever it is that you do my good friend be careful, and you know what I mean.

Wyatt Earp

Virgil Had become deputy U.S. marshal for the Arizona Territory. Wyatt joined him in Tombstone, along with their two younger brothers Morgan and Warren in May 1880. Just as had been promised Wyatt had stakes in the mining claims around the area.
Virgil Earp accused the head of the McLaury gang of cattle theft. When the charges were brought about for rustling mules from the military camp, the grudge between the McLaurys and the Earps began that summer. There was jealousy surrounding the money that was going to the Earps. The cowboys didn't like the fact that the law seemed to be allowing them to get rich.
Soon the people were listening to the cowboys claims that the Earps were taking money the town needed to survive. When Wyatt had first arrived there was a level of deception, the place didn't seem as bad as Wichita or Dodge City, though he come to find out it was worse. The cowboys weren't out stealing at the mines, they waited until the money got into Tombstone.
The wealthy landowners were barely leaving the town with enough to survive. The outlaw cowboys were running Tombstone. The desert territory was in constant battle. What made it different than Kansas was the distance in which the cowboys came from. Virgil dealt with the outlaws with a firm hand, something that often created warfare in the town streets. Wyatt realized it was getting out of hand, he along with his brother were deputized to help uphold the law.
Wyatt thought back to the way he and Bat Masterson had controlled the town of Dodge City. He knew the changes he'd made there where due to keeping the guns out of the city limits. Perhaps more important was to control the booze, gaming and whores. Virgil explained the outrage the cowboys would have upon finding out they were cut off. He knew there would be an all out war, but Wyatt knew about it getting worse before it got better.
When the signs went up indicting that being armed would get you thrown in jail for ten days the trouble started. Buildings were being burned and shot up by the cowboys. The Earps stayed to their laws that had been firmly set in place. Eventually they noticed the drop off in the customers, consuming what the town had to offer. That sent the message that Tombstone was turning around. People that felt afraid to come into town, started coming in without fear of the outlaws.


Part 2 - The Cowboys Strike Back

Johnny Ringo had lost his father at a young age, when he dropped a loaded pistol that accidentally fired back at him striking him in his eye. Johnny fell into a life