American History Tellers - Shootout at the O.K. Corral | Thirty Seconds | 3

Episode Date: October 22, 2025

Tensions boil over in Tombstone, Arizona as the Earp brothers confront the Clanton and McLaury outlaw gang, resulting in a 30-second shootout that leaves several dead. With the town divided over the Earps' actions, the brothers face an onslaught of assassination attempts as they try to maintain order in the lawless frontier town.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterListen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Picture this, you're transported back in time, witnessing history unfold right before your eyes, without any modern day interruptions. That's the magic of Wondery Plus. Immerse yourself in the stories that shaped our nation with ad-free episodes, early access to new seasons, and exclusive bonus content. Join Wondry Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts and experience American history like never before. Imagine it's mid-October 1881 in Tombstone, Arizona. You're a telegraph operator, and you're unwinding at a saloon after a long day of work. You finished your third glass of beer, and then decide to settle up and head home for bed. But before you can pay, two menacing figures plop down on the stools on either side of you.

One is short and husky, the other tall and gangly. You instantly sober up, recognizing them as outlaws from a local cowboy gang. The short one leans in and hisses at you. You're on the telegraph line in town, right? I do. You remember a message a few months ago? Wells Fargo agent in town sent it? Well, he sends a lot of messages.

No, this one was special. It was about the Benson stagecoach robbery. You recall that? Well, sure, I recall the incident. Two people died, the driver, the passenger on the roof. Yeah, you got a good memory. Wells Fargo put up a handsome reward for catching the perpetrators, $3,600 to be exact, and that's a lot of money. Yet, I would agree, it sure is.

And from what I hear, the Wells Fargo agent wanted to know whether the company would pay that reward if the bandits were killed during the apprehension. You remember a message like that? Ah, well, look, fellas, I send hundreds of messages a week. It would be, I mean, it's just impossible for me to remember any single one of them. The lanky cowboy leans in and jabs a pistol in your... your ribs. You freeze in horror. A short cowboy just smiles. Well, suddenly you're having memory problems. I think you need to think harder. Let me ask you again. You remember a telegram like that? Yeah, yeah, I probably do. All right. Now, was Wyatt Irv with the Wells Fargo man that day? Yes, yes, he was. So why do you think Irv had him send that message? That I don't know. Did I

Clanton's name ever come up? No, I don't think so. The tall cowboy, knocks the pistol and then rams you harder into your side. The barrel practically lifts you off your stool. Hey, look, I, I, I don't know. I don't remember anyone mentioning I, Clanton. I really, I really don't know what you're talking about. The short cowboy stares at you, his eyebrows furrowed. And he nods at the lanky one who pulls the gun back. You're left sweating as they rise from their stools. Well, thanks for the conversation, much obliged. But don't you dare read the word of this to anyone. or my friend here might have to pay you another visit. You nod vigorously and watch the two of them amble away,

and as they do, you can't help but wonder what I Clanton has to do with Wyatt Earp, and why these cowboys seem so concerned about it. But whatever it is, you feel like there's a showdown coming in Tombstone. Grab a coffee and discover Vegas-level excitement with BetMGM Casino, Now introducing our hottest exclusive, Friends, the one with the Multi-Drop. Your favorite classic television show is being reimagined into your new favorite casino game, featuring iconic images from the show. Spin our new exclusive because we are not on a break.

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Our History, Your Story. By the summer of 1881, the citizens of Tombstone, Arizona, had endured months of lawlessness as gangs of local cowboys terrorized the region with robberies and murders. residents were fed up with the Cowboys' Violence, and they blamed County Sheriff Johnny Behan, who'd done little to rein in the marauding gangs. So, feeling desperate for a break in the violence, people in Tombstone increasingly looked to the Earp brothers to maintain order, since they refused to back down from the outlaws. As town marshal, Virgil Earp had evicted squatters after a fire in town, and along with his brothers Wyatt and Morgan, pursued several stagecoach murderers long after Johnny Behan had given up.

But the Earp brothers had far less power than Behan to stop crime, and their hot tempers also led them to behave rashly, so that finally, in late October 1881, months of tension exploded in the most violent day in Tombstone's history. This is episode three of our four-part series on Tombstone 30 seconds. By October 1881, Ike Clanton was growing increasingly erratic. The rancher had always been volatile and had long been pals with the criminal gangs of cowboys that roamed the desert around Tombstone. But after his father died, Clanton began to drink and carouse even more. He also grew paranoid. Six months earlier, he had agreed to help Wyatt Earp nab a group of fugitives wanted for a stagecoach killing. That plan fell through when all three

fugitives were eventually killed before capture. But Clanton was terrified that people somehow knew about his involvement in the scheme. The dead men still had powerful friends, and Clanton feared they might take revenge on him if his deal with Earp ever came to light. His fears only grew worse when one night the local Wells Fargo agent got drunk and sidled up to Clanton at a bar. The agent brought up the telegram he'd sent to company headquarters about the reward money and tried to assure Clanton that Wyatt Earp would never betray him. Wyatt had been discreet, so the agent didn't know any details of the plot, but he was still clear that he knew Clanton was working with Wyatt. And if this exchange was meant to soothe Clanton's nerves, it had the opposite

effect. Immediately, Clanton began to wonder who else Wyatt had told him their scheme. Clanton was especially worried that Wyatt had run his mouth to his close friend Doc Holliday. Holiday wasn't living in Tombstone at the time. He was gambling up in Tucson, but he still made occasional trips down to Tombstone. Moreover, Holiday had a reckless streak and liked to shoot his mouth off. So if Holiday knew, then it wouldn't be long before the rest of the town did as well. This fear nodded Clanton. On the morning of October 25, 1881, Clanton rode into Tombstone with a companion, 28-year-old rancher Tom McClory. McClory stood out in Tombstone as one of the few men who was clean-shaven. He was the brother of Frank McClory, who had tangled with Virgil Earp in the

past over stolen army mules. Tom was much quieter than the vowel told Frank, though. He had business in town and was visiting to talk to some butchers about his cattle and to grab supplies for an upcoming trip to his sister's wedding in Iowa. Clanton tagged along for a different reason. He needed to blow off steam to manage his anxiety, and he was eager to visit the town's saloons and get drunk. So McClory and Clanton checked their guns at a local hotel in accordance with the law, then grabbed their first drink around noon. Many more bars followed until the two ranchers eventually got separated. Hungry and drunk, Clanton decided to find a place to get a meal. Around midnight he ended up at the Alhambra, a cafeteria with sandwiches and quick bites.

People sat around tables, smoking, playing cards, and eating. Among them were Wyatt Earp and his brother Morgan. But Clanton ignored them. He got his food and settled in to eat alone. And it might have been an uneventful night if Doc Holliday hadn't strolled in fresh from Tucson after a full day of drinking himself. A drunken argument immediately ensued with Clanton asking Holiday whether he knew any details about his dealings with Wyatt Earp and Wells Fargo. Unfortunately, in his drunkenness, Clanton let slip enough details that Holiday pieced together what had happened. So Holiday then called Clanton out for backstabbing his own friends, a betrayal that violated the gentlemanly code of honor that Holiday was so devoted

to. Things only got more heated after that. At one point, Holiday demanded that Clanton go fetch his gun so they could have it out. It's at this point that Morgan Earp intervened, eventually dragging Holiday outside to end the argument. But Clanton followed and kept screaming. It was at this point that town marshal Virgil Earp jumped in. He'd been next door at the Occidental Saloon when he heard Clanton and Holiday shouting. After some threats, Virgil convinced Holliday to go to his hotel and sleep things off. But Clanton refused to do the same, so Virgil distracted him by roping him into a poker game at the Occidental. There, Clanton reunited with his friend Tom McClory, who'd been playing cards with Verbalt.

Virgil and Sheriff Johnny Behan. Assembled around a table together, they formed a motley crew, glaring at each other over their cards. But the game lasted all night, in part because Behan was a terrible poker player. But as County Sheriff, and therefore County Tax Collector, he was pretty wealthy by Tombstone standards. He showed up for the night's game with a canvas sack full of gold and silver bits that he kept tossing into the pot, and as long as he was willing to lose money, the other players were happy to let him.

Finally, around 6 a.m. the following day, the game broke up. Despite having been drinking for 18 hours straight, Clanton was still upright and still angry. When Virgil rose from the poker table, Clanton finally noticed the pistol that had been discreetly lying in his lap. Clanton's already paranoid mind, fueled by liquor, jumped to the conclusion that Virgil was looking for an excuse to shoot him. So as Virgil walked away, Clanton followed him outside, screaming. Virgil finally convinced Clanton that as a marshal he had a good reason to carry a gun with him, and that calmed Clanton down a little. But then Clanton demanded that Virgil relay a message to Doc Holliday to watch his back. Virgil stalked off and left Clanton in the street. He

considered Clanton a coward and figured he would eventually pass out somewhere. But he was wrong. After leaving his all-night card game, Clanton returned to the hotel where he checked his pistol and retrieved it. But instead of leaving town after re-arming himself, as the law required, he staggered back into the street and started harassing anyone who got within shouting distance of him. A passing bartender tried to steer him to a hotel, but Clanton refused to consider the idea. And rather than pass out, Clanton somehow found the energy to stumble into a wine bar and keep drinking. While there, he started threatening to murder the Earps. By this time, Virgil had arrived home and crawled into bed with his wife, Allie. She asked him what he'd been doing

all night, and Virgil answered that he'd been trying to prevent Doc Holliday and I'd Clanton from killing each other. Allie asked why he didn't just let them. Virgil grunted, then quickly fell asleep until an urgent knock on the door woke him up. Imagine it's 9 a.m. on October 26, 1881, on the outskirts of Tombstone. You're a deputy marshal in town, and you hurry up to the home of your boss, Virgil Earp. You pound on the door. Virge, Virge, you in there? There's big trouble brewing. There's no answer, and no sign of Virgil's wife, Alley. She must be out and about already. You feel awkward, but you push the door open and hurry inside.

Hey, Verge, where are you? Uh, who is it? You enter the bedroom, and your shoulders slump to see Virgil's still in bed. He blinks at you, as if clearing his vision. Oh, God, what the hell do you want? I'm sorry to bother you, but I clans on the warpath. He's running from bar to bar, swear. he'll shoot anyone who tries to arrest him.

Oh, what do you mean? I told him to go pass out somewhere. Well, maybe you did, but he just kept drinking. He's raising hell. Oh, good Lord. All right. Well, uh, hand me a nip of that whiskey. I need some hair of the dog. You hand him the bottle and watch him take a slug and grimace. Then he turns to you. All right. Now explain to me what's happened. Well, it's like I said, Clayton kept drinking after you went home, just causing a hell of a lot of trouble. And now he's threatening people. Has he got his guns on him? Yeah, saying he'll shoot any erp on sight.

Hearing this, Virgil does the last thing you've ever expected. He starts laughing. That's the emptiest threat I've ever heard in my life. I Clanton is a big talker, but deep down he's a coward. Birch, I'm telling you, he's out of his mind. I think he's legitimately crazy. Be that as it may, I'm going back to bed. I'll check in this afternoon.

Verge, no, you've got to get up. No, I've got to sleep. Now, get the hell out of here. You consider protesting, but you decide to keep your mouth shut. Virgil's a great boss, but he can be stubborn sometimes, and you know there's nothing you can do to change his mind. So you step outside again, and a blast of wind slaps you. You start shivering, but it's not just the cold.

You're convinced I Clanton is going to do something crazy, and the town's top law enforcement officer isn't taking the threat seriously. You just hope his indifferent won't cost someone their life. After dismissing the warning from his deputy marshal, Virgil Earp finally roused himself from bed around noon, at which point another citizen warned him again about I'd Clanton. Angry and annoyed, Virgil finally realized that he'd have to diffuse the situation himself, so he hurried off into the cold and windy day. Within a few blocks, Virgil ran into Morgan and Wyatt, who'd also heard that Clanton was stirring

up trouble. Virgil made sure they were armed, then the brothers split up to look for Clanton. Wyatt went one way, Virgil and Morgan, another, and it was these two who soon found Clanton in a ridiculous state. He'd fetched his rifle from his hotel as well and was slumped against a wall, cradling it like a baby. He was also carrying on a slurred conversation with the mayor who was trying to keep him occupied.

Given that Clanton was armed and had made explicit threats against his life, Virgil could have shot him then and there. The mayor and the town council almost certainly would have supported him. But Virgil wanted to defuse the violence not contribute to it, so he decided to disarm Clanton instead. An opportunity soon presented itself. His brother Wyatt appeared at the far opposite end of the street, catching Clanton's attention. Clanton straightened, turned to face Wyatt, and stared him down. He was so focused that Virgil was able to sneak up behind him and yanked the rifle away before Clanton saw him.

A startled Clanton reached instead for the pistol in his belt, but before he managed to get it free, Virgil unholstered his own and pistol-whip Clanton, who crumpled to the ground in a heap, his head bleeding. The Earps then dragged Clanton into a special town courtroom where cases of drunkenness and other petty crimes were processed quickly. Virgil fetched a local judge who fined $27.50. Clanton then staggered off, free but woozy, his head still bleeding. The Earps figured that he wasn't a threat anymore. And the day's events might have ended there, if not for Wyatt's temper. Wyatt did not get angry quickly. His fuse burned slowly, but once aroused his temper was volcanic. And something about Clanton's threats that morning set him off, Wyatt was still steaming

while walking home. On the way, he bumped into Clanton's companion, Tom McClory. McClory had a wicked hangover and was chastising himself for not getting any errands done the day before, and he had no idea where Clanton was. So he was planning to track his friend down, finish his errands, have another drink or two, and then get home. Accounts differ on what McClory said to Wyatt as they passed each other, but whatever it was, Wyatt erupted, and McClory didn't back down either. He answered that he'd fight Wyatt right there in the street. Wyatt demanded to know twice if McClory was armed.

McClory denied it, but Wyatt didn't believe him. So Wyatt pulled his gun out and smashed McClory in the temple. The blow left him prostate in the street, and witnesses recall being shocked at the outburst of violence from Wyatt, but he didn't think. care. Wyatt trudged home satisfied that the day's troubles were over, but what he didn't realize was that Tom McClory and Ike Clanton would soon have reinforcements. In fact, McClory and Clanton's brothers were already in town, and they would soon be coming after the Earps looking for revenge.

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alongside stunning historical illustrations. Don't miss this hauntingly beautiful exploration of one of history's most misunderstood phenomena by yours today on newsstands everywhere. Hey, everybody, I'm Patrick Wyman, the host of Wondery's show Tides of History. Tides takes you deep into the roots of our present-day world and brings you the lived experiences of people in the past. The ancient economy was shockingly sophisticated. Far from being a primitive, static system that barely changed over central.

centuries or even millennia, it was dynamic. And the first millennium BC was one of the most extraordinary periods of economic growth before the Industrial Revolution. In our newest episode, we'll be starting a new block on the ancient economy. At the most basic level, economies are just people doing stuff, all of the thousand mundane things that actually occupy most people's time. The humblest shepherd, tending as heard, has a place in the story of economic history. And by centering those everyday activities, we can return some agency to the vast bulk of people

were actually alive during any given period of time. That's the beauty of economic history. Follow tides of history wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen ad-free on the Amazon Music or Wondery app. Around 1 p.m. on October 26, 1881, Frank McClory and Billy Clanton ambled into tombstone on horseback, shivering against the chilly wind. They trotted down the dusty street, passing Rowdy's saloons and hotels on either side. They were each visiting on routine business and had no idea that their brothers Tom McClory and I Clanton had gotten into so much trouble. After they tied up

their horses, Frank McClory, aged 33, and Billy Clanton, age 19, entered a hotel and bellied up to the bar. They wanted a warming slug of whiskey after a cold and windy ride. But before they could even raise a toast, a bystander hurried up and filled them in about their brothers, who were still nursing wounds. Frank was stunned to hear about why. Frank was stunned to hear about why, or pistol-whipping Tom, and Billy was equally surprised to hear about Virgil clobbering his drunken brother Ike. They soon grew furious, especially Frank. He'd always viewed the Earps as bullies who used their badges to push around hard-working folks like him. So they left their drinks untouched and hurried outside. It's not clear whether Frank and Billy intended to

turn their guns in at the hotel bar upon arriving in town, but there was no way they were leaving themselves unarmed now, because Frank's thoughts were hot with revenge. Still, his most pressing concern was to round up his brother and Ike Clanton and get out of town before anything worse happened. He and Billy grabbed their horses and began searching for Tom and Ike. Tom McClory proved elusive, but they did find Ike Clanton inside a gun shop. Ike's head was now bandaged, but blood was already seeping through the wrapping. The Earps had confiscated Ike's rifle and pistol earlier that morning, so Ike had made his way to the gun shop where he demanded that the owner sell him a pistol. The owner, though, had heard about his

fight with the Earps and refused. But when Frank McClory and Billy Clanton arrived at the shop, the owner agreed to sell them boxes of ammunition, which they all started loading into their guns. It's not clear why they wanted the ammunition. They could simply have been restocking their usual supplies. Unfortunately, Wyatt Earp happened to be standing across the street from the gun shop, watching everything unfold through the store's play-class window. And the sight of the Cowboys, buying ammunition and loading their guns, did not look innocent to him. A minute later, Virgil hurried up. Although he had downplayed the warnings about Clanton before,

he was now taking the threat quite seriously. He was carrying a shotgun he'd just borrowed from Wells Fargo, a far deadlier weapon than Virgil's regular pistols. So Wyatt and Virgil watched carefully as the cowboys exited the shop, at which point Tom McClory happened by. He joined his brother and friends as the two parties eyed each other hard, then the cowboys turned and walked a few blocks north. At that point, an armed,

Doc Holliday arrived on the scene with Morgan. He had also been alerted that morning that I. Clanton was on the warpath, but like Virgil Erb, Holliday had waved the warning off and kept sleeping until early afternoon. After rising, he wandered over to the Alhambra cafeteria for a late breakfast. There, Holliday ran into Morganer, who updated him on the situation. Holiday realized a fight might be brewing, and he was eager to get in on the action. Holliday and Morgan had rushed outside and then found Virgil and Wyatt near the gun shop. As the four men discussed what to do, the last major player in the day's events approached, Sheriff Johnny Behan. Behan had slept even later than Virgil and Doc Holiday. Around 1.30 p.m. he'd been getting a leisurely shaved downtown when some

men gossiping in the barbershop informed him of the day's events. An alarmed Behan jumped up, half-saved, and raced out to find the three Earp brothers and Doc Holliday, all armed and glaring at the Clantons and McLaurys in the gun shop across the street. Fearing a shootout, Behan encouraged the Earps and holiday to head into a nearby saloon called Haffords to cool their heels. They agreed and went inside. After they grabbed a round of drinks, a local businessman asked to speak with Virgil in private. He told Virgil he had a dozen folks ready to arm themselves as vigilantes. After months of robberies and threats, many residents had reached their limit with the Cowboys' Lawlessness, and they were prepared to make a stand with Virgil and send a message to

the cowboys that their time was up. But Virgil, despised vigilante groups, who often turned just as lawless and violent as the men they sought to tame. So he refused to help and rejoined his brothers, Holiday, and Behan at the table. Soon after this, a miner wandered in and informed them that the Clantons and McLaurys were spouting off about them at a rowdy saloon called the OK Corral. The cowboys were swearing that they'd shoot the Earps on site. Hearing this, Virgil made a decision. He announced that the Clantons and McClories could talk all they wanted if they did so indoors. He and his brothers would let them be

as long as they weren't waving their guns around in the street. This was a pragmatic decision, but not everyone was content with Virgil's plan to stand pat and see what the Cowboys did. Sheriff Johnny Behan, in particular, thought he had a better idea. Imagine it's the afternoon of October 26, 1881. You're the county sheriff for the Tombstone region. You're sitting in a bar,

nursing a whiskey at a table with the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday. The events of the past 24 hours have shaken you. The town's been lucky to avoid major violence so far, but you're not out of the woods yet. Tensions are running high. Someone could easily still die. But like any good politician, you sense an opportunity in this crisis. Tap Virgil Earp on the shoulder and lead him away for a private chat.

Virgil looks at you sternly. All right, what's on your mind? Well, I've got an idea. A way to maybe diffuse things. I don't want to hear any clever ideas from you. You're the whole reason those cowboys run wild. You should have been busting their heads for months now. Hey, calm down.

I do maintain friendly relations with them, but there's a good reason for that. Oh, I know. It's because they vote for you. Quid pro quo. You get a shiny badge, and they get to commit crimes with impunity. No, that's not it at all. The real reason is to get them to trust me. Why do you need their trust?

So I can approach them, talk to them in moments of crisis like this, like now. If I play my cards right, I think I can commend. them to give up their guns. Oh, I doubt it. Look, I'm under no impression that those men are upright citizens. They're petty and they're selfish. But let's use that to our advantage, appeal to their self-interest. And how are you going to do that? Well, I'll tell them flat out that they can't beat three armed Earp brothers plus Doc Holiday. And who knows how many vigilantes would join in. Their best hope is to surrender their guns to me for temporary safekeeping and just leave town. And you think they'll agree to that. Well, that's worth a shot. But you've got to promise me

something. If I do disarm them, they get safe passage out of town. What do you say? Virgil crosses his arms and looks away. You see him chewing his lip, thinking things over. All right, I'm fine, but I want him gone within the hour. Okay, it's a deal then. I don't think you're going to regret this. Just keep your side of the bargain, right? Don't you worry about that. You know it's those cowboys who can't be trusted. You nod curtly and hurry to the door before Virgil can change his mind. If you succeed in disarming the the Cowboys, you'll look like a hero, which will be a fine thing come election time. After cutting a deal with Virgil Earp, Tombstone County Sheriff Johnny Behan headed over to the

O.K. Corral Saloon. Around 2.30 p.m. he pushed open the doors and stepped inside. But to his surprise, the Clantons and McLorries weren't there. Behan's confidence crumbled, fearing a disaster was brewing. Virgil Earp had specifically said he would not go after the Cowboys as long as they stayed indoors, and obviously they had not. So Behan darted back into the street to hunt them down. It was only a few minutes earlier, just before Behan's arrival, that the Clantons and the McLaurys had ducked out of the corral's back door, grabbed their horses, and headed down an alley toward Fremont Street. There Frank chatted with a butcher, conducting a bit of the business he'd originally come to town for. The others lingered in a

narrow, empty lot next door to the shop. But as Frank was wrapping up his business, he saw a breathless Johnny Behan run up. The sheriff pleaded with Frank to hand over his pistol. Frank refused. He thought it would look soft to surrender his gun to a lawman in public. But Behan persisted, arguing that Frank needed to think things through. If he took on three armed Earp brothers and Doc Holliday, someone would likely end up dead. Behan finally managed to convince Frank, and to help him save face, they agreed to go to Behan's

office where Frank could surrender his gun in private. Behan then entered the lot next door to speak. with the other cowboys. Seeing Frank back down, they also reluctantly agreed to surrender their guns. Behan's confidence crept back. But then things got complicated. Despite his initial agreement, Frank McClory changed his mind. He was still willing to give up his gun, but only if Behan also disarmed Wyatt Earp as punishment for pistol whipping his brother. Behan groaned at this because there was no chance Wyatt would surrender his pistol at the demand of someone like McClory. Behan again tried to make Frank see reason.

But before Behan could get anywhere, he heard a bystander shout, Here they come. Confused, Behan ducked out of the lot and looked down the street. What he saw nearly made him jump out of his boots. Doc Holliday and the three Earp brothers had left Hafford Saloon

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Town Marshal Virgil Earbs strode through Tombstone, Arizona, leading the way toward Fremont Street. His brother Wyatt flanked him on the left, his brother Morgan, and their friend Doc Holliday, to the right. Each man held a pistol and Holliday gripped a shotgun. Holliday had intended to hide the shotgun beneath his long coat, but whenever the wind kicked up, his coat fluttered open. This line of armed men made for an ominous sight to residents watching from the windows. Only a few moments earlier, a local man had entered Hafford Saloon

where the Earp Brothers were gathered nursing drinks. He told Virgil that the cowboys had left the O.K. Corral Saloon and were now loitering in a vacant lot near Fremont Street, and that they were still armed. Virgil's face flushed with anger. He had been willing to let the Clantons and McClory spout off inside the OK corral, but now that they were moving through town, openly armed, Virgil felt like his credibility was on the line. So he rushed outside, along with his brothers and Doc Holliday. When this quartet were a block away from the vacant lot, County Sheriff Johnny Behan spotted them and ran up. Behan begged them to turn around, but they pushed past him unwilling to back down. As they strode,

toward the lot, Behan shouted after them. His next words were later disputed. Wyatt and Virgil would swear that he said the cowboys were already disarmed, but Behan insisted he only said he was about to disarm them. Either way, Wyatt and Virgil believed the outlaws were disarmed, confident they wouldn't be fired upon. They relaxed and slipped their pistols into their pockets. They then continued walking forward to confront the cowboys and assert control, making sure the situation didn't spiral further out of hand. Their brother Morgan lingered a few steps behind while Doc Holliday posted himself in the street, ready to fire the shotgun if any other cowboys appeared. Wyatt and Virgil then entered the narrow lot, which sat a few doors down from the OK Corral Saloon. It was a small dirt plot only 15

feet wide, flanked by wooden buildings on either side. There, Ike Clanton stood alone, still drunk and swaying unsteadily. The McClory brothers, Billy Clanton, and another cowboy were gathered near two horses at the far side of the lot. Virgil and Wyatt quickly realized that their adversaries were still armed with pistols and had rifles secured to the saddles of their horses. So Virgil shouted for the cowboys to throw down their guns. Frank McClory said they would, but at the same time he grabbed for his pistol. A chain reaction followed, and every man quickly drew a gun and cocked it.

Virgil shouted hold, but no one did. According to most accounts, Wyatt fired first, yanking his pistol from his pocket and aiming at the man he considered most dangerous, Frank McClory. Wyatt plugged him in the stomach, and McClory dropped to the ground. A split second later, Billy Clanton fired at Wyatt and missed. Virgil was slow to fire, and it cost him. From the ground, the wounded Frank fired on Virgil and struck him in the calf. Virgil crumpled in pain. In a panic, Ike Clanton rushed toward Wyatt and begged him not to shoot. The two began to wrestle instead. Meanwhile, Morgan,

still back on the sidewalk, fired a shot at Billy Clanton, hitting him in the torso. Billy staggered back against the wooden wall, but still managed to fire at Wyatt. This bullet strayed wide, merely tearing a hole in Wyatt's coat. Wyatt was still grappling with Ike, who clawed at Wyatt's pistol until it accidentally went off. Meanwhile, the injured Virgil kept firing from the ground. That's when Morgan cried out. A bullet had gone clean through his shoulder. It may have come from one of the outlaws, but it's just to... as likely it was friendly fire from Wyatt or Virgil. And it was shortly after Morgan was hit

that Wyatt finally threw Ike off. Ike sprinted down the street, getting as far from the firefight as he could. But all this time, Tom McClory had been hiding behind his horse on the side of the lot. Wyatt, free at last, took aim, but his shot grazed the animal instead. The horse bolted, leaving Tom exposed. That's when Doc Holliday took advantage and blasted Tom with the shotgun, striking him under his right armpit. Tom staggered down the street, badly wounded, and stumbled into a telegraph pole. But Billy Clanton, bleeding badly from the wounded his torso, was still trying to fire at the irps. Either Wyatt or Virgil hit him again, this time in his right wrist, his shooting hand. Billy slumped to the ground, and Gainley tried to keep shooting with his

left hand, but his shots went wild. This left Frank McClory as the only real danger. He'd already been shot in the stomach and had taken cover behind a second horse. But now, as he fired at Morgan, this horse spooked and tore off. Frank was left kneeling in the street exposed. Doc Holliday rushed forward. He had discarded the shotgun and pulled out his pistol with its distinctive nickel plating. He leveled at Frank. Despite his grave injury, Frank raised his own gun at the same time. The two men froze, pistols trained on each other. Frank roared, I've got you now, and Holliday responded. you're a daisy if you have, blaze away. Both men fired. Frank's bullet grazed Holliday's hip. Holliday's bullet slammed into Frank's chest, and he toppled sideways. A heavy silence

then fell over the lot. After 30 bullets in just as many seconds, the fight was over. On the lawman's side, Virgil Hammond shot in the calf and Morgan in the shoulder. A bullet had grazed Doc Holliday's hip, and Wyatt was left untouched, aside from several holes in his coat. The Cowboys had suffered far worse. Frank McClory was dead. Bystanders dragged Tom McClory and Billy Clanton into a nearby home and summoned two doctors to help them, but he was already too late. Tom lay quietly, bleeding out, until his ragged breathing stopped.

Billy, just 19, screamed in agony for 15 minutes before a doctor finally took mercy on him and ended his suffering with a lethal shot of morphine. Meanwhile, the main instigator, Ike Clanton, was cowering on a street corner two blocks away. Sheriff Johnny Behan arrested him and took him into a protective custody. Rumors were swirling that vigilantes wanted to lynch Ike, so Behan assigned 10 men to guard him that night in his cell. Behan also tried to arrest Wyatt Earb for firing first. The sheriff had a long-standing grudge against Wyatt, ever since Wyatt dated his ex-fiancee and saw him as a political rival. But Wyatt wouldn't back down. He told Behan to go to hell and vowed to stay in

town and face any negative reaction from the public for what he'd done. So Behan relented, and despite his hostility toward Wyatt, he then visited Virgil at his home that night and promised to support him in the investigation to come. The Earps, bruised and bloodied, were proud of what they had done. But if they had expected to be hailed as heroes, they were about to be disappointed. Imagine it's October 27, 1881. You're a deputy undertaker in Tombstone, and you're dressing the third and final body on the wide table in front of you. This time, it's 19-year-old Billy Clanton. You slide his arms into a white shirt and start buttoning it.

Then you lift his heavy head and loop a necktie under the collar. He try not to look too closely at his face because he still looks like a boy. A moment later, your boss enters and sets a rectangular parcel down on a small table. Then he pulls a bag from his pocket and hands it to you. Here, put these on instead. You open the bag to find three tons. eyes. Are these silk? They are. The Taylor donated them. But why? Because they're of the same mind on this. These men deserve to go into the ground looking respectful. They died like heroes. Heroes? They got

into a gunfight. Yes, a gunfight standing up to those herb thugs and that scoundrel dock holiday. You're taken aback. You knew your boss was a Democrat and sympathized with the ranchers and cowboys, but this vehement surprises you. Well, I heard I Clanton provoked them. No, it's not what I heard. I Clanton is the biggest coward in Arizona. You really really. think he'd provoke armed lawmen like that? Well, maybe if he was drunk. No, not a chance. And what about Wyatt Earp, pistol whipping Tom McClory for no reason? Look at that bruise on Tom's body. If someone had attacked my brother, I'd have shot him, too. But don't they all run with Curly Bill Brocious? And the worst of the outlaws? Yeah, and some of them steal cattle from the Mexicans, too,

but what do I care? Besides, the outlaws aren't the point. Look at this face right here. Your boss points to Billy Clanton. He brushes some hair away from the young man's forehead. is here's a child. You wouldn't think he was even 15. I've got a son this age, you know. And for one mistake, for sticking up for his brother, now he's dead. You think that's fair? You think that's justice? I don't know. Well, I know it's not. Now, get them in the silk ties. You do as your boss says, but when you finish, he has another surprise for you. In the front of the shop sits three handsome cherrywood coffins, the most expensive ones in stock. Each one has a dummy inside, with wax heads and bucks. bodies stuffed with straw. Your boss points to them in the window. All right, now pull those dummies out of the coffins. Why? Because we're going to put these bodies in the window instead. I want the whole world to see what the herbs did. The idea unsettles you, but you can tell your boss is serious because as you prepare the bodies, he's radiating a hand-painted sign that reads murdered in the streets of tombstone. As he places the sign in the shop window, a chill runs down

your spine. The events of yesterday shocked everyone, but now you're realizing that, with people's blood running so hot, the wave of violence might not be over. After the shootout on October 26th, the Earp brothers were confident that the majority of tombstones stood behind them. Even the two newspapers in town, which normally couldn't agree on what day of the week it was, ran stories stating that the brothers' actions, however regrettable, were justified. But many people in Tombstone, had a different opinion. The local undertaker put the cowboy's bodies on display in the window of his funeral parlor, next to a sign accusing the Earps of murder. Other local business owners donated

clothing and flowers, and the dead trio were placed in expensive caskets, each with a silver nameplate. Then came the funeral on October 28th. Two hurses solemnly rolled through town with the bodies inside. Ike Clanton and his older brother followed in another hearse like dignitaries. A brass band played somber dirges and 300 cowboys lined the streets, hats in hand. They were all there to pay their respects and to make a show of force. The Earps may have believed that they had put an end to Tombstone's troubles, but in truth, their troubles were about to get much, much worse. Next on American History Tellers, the shootout at the O.K. Corral sparks a series of assassination attempts on the Earp brothers and their allies who finally have to go rogue to eliminate their

enemies once and for all. If you like American history tellers, you can binge all episodes early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondry app or on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey at Wondry.com slash survey. From Wondery, this is episode three of our four-part series on the shootout at the OK Corral from American History Tellers.

If you'd like to learn more about the shootout at Tombstone, we recommend The Last Gun Fight by Jeff Gwyn, Tombstone by Tom Clavitt, and Ride the Devils Heard by John Bosenegger. American History Tellers is hosted, edited and produced by me, Lindsay Graham for Airship, audio editing by Mohamed Shazib, sound design by Molly Bach,

music by Thrum. This episode is written by Sam Kean, edited by Dorian Marina, produced by Elita Rosansky, managing producer Desi Blaylock, Senior producer, Ginny Bloom. Executive producers are Jenny Lauer Beckman, Marsha Louis, and Aaron O'Flaherty for Wondry.

In the 1880s, the Lawless Streets of Tombstone, Arizona, were home to the most legendary gunfight in history. Hi, I'm Lindsay Graham, the host of the podcast, American History Tellers. We take you to the events, times, and people that shaped America and Americans. our values, our struggles, and our dreams. In our latest series, we follow the notorious Earp Brothers as they take on a band of gun-slinging hooligans intent on disrupting law and order. But tensions boiled over on October 26, 1881, when the Earps confronted the Clanton

and McCleury gangs near the OK Corral. In a hail of gunfire, three cowboys were killed, setting off a cycle of violence and retribution, transforming the Earps into both heroes and outlaws. Follow American History Tellers on the Wondry app. or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of American history tellers the shootout at the OK Corral early and ad free right now on Wondry Plus.