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Frank McLaury (OK Corral)
Encyclopedia
Frank McLaury was a ranch hand of the Old West. He is best known for being a member of group of outlaw Cowboys
that faced off against lawmen Wyatt
, Virgil
and Morgan Earp
in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
in the boomtown
of Tombstone
, Arizona Territory
during which he was killed. Although he has been dubbed a gunfighter by some accounts, he was not. The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is believed to have been his only violent confrontation.
, and while still a child his family moved to Belle Plaine, Iowa
. His older brother William McLaury completed college
and later became a judge
in Fort Worth, Texas
, and both Frank and his younger brother Tom McLaury studied pre-law. In 1878, he moved with his brother Tom to Hereford, Arizona
, where they first met Ike Clanton
, and became associated with the Clanton family. At the time, the Clanton family owned one of the largest cattle operations in Arizona
.
rush. They also, along this time, became associated with "Curly Bill" Brocius
. While with Brocius, on October 27, 1880, the two brothers were briefly detained following Brocius accidentally shooting and killing Tombstone Marshal
Fred White. The shooting occurred when White went to disarm Brocius, grabbing the pistol Brocius held by the barrel and pulling it, at which time it discharged due to it being cocked. White stated before his death that the shooting was not intentional, and Brocius, who liked White, regretted the shooting greatly by accounts written afterward.
agent Marshall Williams, to track the thieves of six U.S. Army mules stolen from Camp Rucker
. This was a federal
matter because the animals were U.S. property. Acting on a tip, they found the animals on the McLaury's Ranch on the Babacomari River and the branding iron
used to change the "US" brand to "D8".
To avoid bloodshed, Cowboy Frank Patterson promised to return the mules so the posse
withdrew. The Cowboys showed up two days later without the mules and laughed at Captain Hurst and the Earps. Hurst responded by printing and distributing a handbill describing the theft and promising a reward for the "trial and conviction" of the thieves. It said, "It is known that the stolen animals were secreted at or in the vicinity of the McLaury Brothers ranch, and it is also believed that they were branded on the left shoulder over the Government brand." Hurst specifically charged Frank McLaury with assisting with hiding the mules. It was reprinted in the Epitaph on July 30, 1880. Frank McLaury angrily printed a response in the Cowboy-friendly Nuggett, calling Hurst "unmanly," "a coward, a vagabond, a rascal, and a malicious liar," accusing Hurst of stealing the mules himself. Virgil reported that Frank accosted him and warned him "If you ever again follow us as close as you did, then you will have to fight anyway." McLaury was apparently relying on the anti-government sentiment in the area.
However, when arrested for the shooting, Brocius had been "pistol whipped" by Wyatt Earp, which only escalated an already tense dislike that had developed between the outlaw "Cowboys
and the Earp faction. Although there is no direct evidence that the McLaury brothers ever participated in any illegal acts, their association with Brocius and the Clantons put them at odds with the Earps. They had likely dealt in the selling of stolen cattle, but they were never arrested and definite proof of that has never been presented beyond some doubt.
In November 1879, shortly after arriving in Tombstone, a prize horse of Wyatt Earp's was stolen. More than a year later, he learned the horse had been seen in Charleston and was in the possession of Ike Clanton
and his brother Billy. Earp and Doc Holliday
rode to the Clanton ranch near Charleston to recover the horse. On the way, they overtook Behan, who was riding in a wagon. Behan was also heading to the ranch to serve an election-hearing subpoena on Ike Clanton. According to Wyatt's testimony later, 18 year-old Billy Clanton asked him insolently if he had any more horses to "lose," but he gave the horse up without first being shown the ownership papers, demonstrating to Wyatt that Billy knew to whom the horse belonged.
At that time, the tension between the Earp and Cowboys
reached a fever pitch. Ike Clanton had been cited earlier in the day for carrying a weapon in town, after which Tom McLaury had arrived to get Ike. Wyatt Earp and McLaury faced off in a heated exchange outside the courtroom. Wyatt later testified he saw a pistol in Tom's waistband and buffaloed
Tom with his pistol's barrel. Tom left his pistol at a nearby saloon at some point that afternoon, but the Earps had no way of knowing that.
On October 26, 1881, Frank and Tom, along with Billy Claiborne, faced off against the Earps and Doc Holiday in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
. Some witnesses testified that Frank and Billy Clanton drew their weapons first, while others loyal to the Cowboys supported their version of events in which Tom opened his coat to show he was unarmed. The Earps and Holiday killed Frank and Tom McLaury along with Billy Clanton. All three were buried in Tombstone's Boot Hill
cemetery. Their brother William McLaury spent most of his finances in pursuing charges against the Earps and Doc Holliday
.
Tom McLaury had $3,000 in his possession when he died during the shootout, a fact that the prosecution emphasized during the preliminary hearing that followed the shoot out. His brother William, who joined the prosecution team, wrote in a letter home to Texas that his brothers had just sold their herd of cattle and were leaving Tombstone shortly to come be with him in Fort Worth. He said that they were in Tombstone on business, with plans to depart shortly afterward to visit him in Texas. They may have been arranging a cattle deal with their neighbor E. B Frink with butchers Bauer & Kehoe.
The Cowboys
The Cowboys is a 1972 Western motion picture starring John Wayne, Roscoe Lee Browne, Slim Pickens, A Martinez and Bruce Dern. Robert Carradine makes his film debut with fellow child actor Stephen R. Hudis. It was filmed at various locations in New Mexico, Colorado and at Warner Brothers Studio in...
that faced off against lawmen Wyatt
Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was an American gambler, investor, and law enforcement officer who served in several Western frontier towns. He was also at different times a farmer, teamster, bouncer, saloon-keeper, miner and boxing referee. However, he was never a drover or cowboy. He is most well known...
, Virgil
Virgil Earp
Virgil Walter Earp fought in the Civil War. He was U.S. Deputy Marshal for south-eastern Arizona and Tombstone City Marshal at the time of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in the Arizona Territory. Two months after the shootout in Tombstone, outlaw Cowboys ambushed Virgil on the streets of...
and Morgan Earp
Morgan Earp
Morgan Seth Earp was the younger brother of Deputy U.S. Marshals Virgil and Wyatt Earp. Morgan was a deputy of Virgil's and all three men were the target of repeated death threats made by outlaw Cowboys who were upset by the Earps' interference in their illegal activities. This conflict eventually...
in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was a roughly 30-second gunfight that took place at about 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, 1881, in Tombstone, Cochise County, Arizona Territory, of the United States. Outlaw Cowboys Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne ran from the fight, unharmed, but Ike's brother...
in the boomtown
Boomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
of Tombstone
Tombstone, Arizona
Tombstone is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States, founded in 1879 by Ed Schieffelin in what was then Pima County, Arizona Territory. It was one of the last wide-open frontier boomtowns in the American Old West. From about 1877 to 1890, the town's mines produced USD $40 to $85 million...
, Arizona Territory
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
during which he was killed. Although he has been dubbed a gunfighter by some accounts, he was not. The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is believed to have been his only violent confrontation.
Early life
Born Robert Findley McLaury in Kortright, New YorkKortright, New York
Kortright is a town in Delaware County, New York, United States. The population was 1,633 at the 2000 census.The Town of Kortright is in the northern part of the county.-Geography:...
, and while still a child his family moved to Belle Plaine, Iowa
Belle Plaine, Iowa
Belle Plaine is a city in Benton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,878 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. His older brother William McLaury completed college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
and later became a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, and both Frank and his younger brother Tom McLaury studied pre-law. In 1878, he moved with his brother Tom to Hereford, Arizona
Hereford, Arizona
Hereford is an unincorporated community in Cochise County along the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Arizona. It is south of Sierra Vista and is a part of the Sierra Vista-Douglas micropolitan area...
, where they first met Ike Clanton
Ike Clanton
Joseph Isaac Clanton was born in Callaway County, Missouri. He is best known for being a member of group of outlaw Cowboys that had ongoing conflicts with lawmen Wyatt, Virgil, Morgan Earp and Wyatt's friend Doc Holliday. The Clantons repeatedly threatened the Earps because they interfered with...
, and became associated with the Clanton family. At the time, the Clanton family owned one of the largest cattle operations in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
Move to Arizona
By 1879 the two brothers were seeing success in the cattle business, and they purchased land and built a house at Soldiers Hole, near Tombstone, Arizona, which was just beginning to see its population explode due to the silverSilver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
rush. They also, along this time, became associated with "Curly Bill" Brocius
William Brocius
William "Curly Bill" Brocius was a gunman, rustler and an outlaw Cowboy in the Cochise County area of Arizona Territory during the early 1880s. He had a number of conflicts with the lawmen of the Earp family, and he was named as one of the individuals who participated Morgan Earp's assassination....
. While with Brocius, on October 27, 1880, the two brothers were briefly detained following Brocius accidentally shooting and killing Tombstone Marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
Fred White. The shooting occurred when White went to disarm Brocius, grabbing the pistol Brocius held by the barrel and pulling it, at which time it discharged due to it being cocked. White stated before his death that the shooting was not intentional, and Brocius, who liked White, regretted the shooting greatly by accounts written afterward.
Cattle rustling
The McLaury brothers were suspected of stealing cattle from Sonora, Mexico and re-selling them to Old Man Clanton and local butchers.Stolen mules found
On July 25, 1880, Lieutenant Joseph H. Hurst requested the assistance of Deputy U.S. Marshal Virgil Earp, who brought Wyatt and Morgan Earp, as well as Wells FargoWells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
agent Marshall Williams, to track the thieves of six U.S. Army mules stolen from Camp Rucker
Camp Rucker
Fort Rucker, or Camp Rucker, is a former United States Army post in Cochise County, Arizona. First known as Camp Supply and Camp Powers, its name was changed on October 1, 1878 in honor of Lieutenant John Anthony "Tony" Rucker...
. This was a federal
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
matter because the animals were U.S. property. Acting on a tip, they found the animals on the McLaury's Ranch on the Babacomari River and the branding iron
Branding iron
A branding iron is a tool which uses the process of pressing a heated metal shape against an object or livestock with the intention of leaving a mark....
used to change the "US" brand to "D8".
To avoid bloodshed, Cowboy Frank Patterson promised to return the mules so the posse
Posse comitatus (common law)
Posse comitatus or sheriff's posse is the common-law or statute law authority of a county sheriff or other law officer to conscript any able-bodied males to assist him in keeping the peace or to pursue and arrest a felon, similar to the concept of the "hue and cry"...
withdrew. The Cowboys showed up two days later without the mules and laughed at Captain Hurst and the Earps. Hurst responded by printing and distributing a handbill describing the theft and promising a reward for the "trial and conviction" of the thieves. It said, "It is known that the stolen animals were secreted at or in the vicinity of the McLaury Brothers ranch, and it is also believed that they were branded on the left shoulder over the Government brand." Hurst specifically charged Frank McLaury with assisting with hiding the mules. It was reprinted in the Epitaph on July 30, 1880. Frank McLaury angrily printed a response in the Cowboy-friendly Nuggett, calling Hurst "unmanly," "a coward, a vagabond, a rascal, and a malicious liar," accusing Hurst of stealing the mules himself. Virgil reported that Frank accosted him and warned him "If you ever again follow us as close as you did, then you will have to fight anyway." McLaury was apparently relying on the anti-government sentiment in the area.
However, when arrested for the shooting, Brocius had been "pistol whipped" by Wyatt Earp, which only escalated an already tense dislike that had developed between the outlaw "Cowboys
The Cowboys (Cochise County)
The Cowboys were a loosely associated group of outlaw cowboys in Pima and Cochise County, Arizona Territory in the late 19th century. They were cattle rustlers and robbers who rode across the border into Mexico and rounded up cattle that they then sold in the United States...
and the Earp faction. Although there is no direct evidence that the McLaury brothers ever participated in any illegal acts, their association with Brocius and the Clantons put them at odds with the Earps. They had likely dealt in the selling of stolen cattle, but they were never arrested and definite proof of that has never been presented beyond some doubt.
In November 1879, shortly after arriving in Tombstone, a prize horse of Wyatt Earp's was stolen. More than a year later, he learned the horse had been seen in Charleston and was in the possession of Ike Clanton
Ike Clanton
Joseph Isaac Clanton was born in Callaway County, Missouri. He is best known for being a member of group of outlaw Cowboys that had ongoing conflicts with lawmen Wyatt, Virgil, Morgan Earp and Wyatt's friend Doc Holliday. The Clantons repeatedly threatened the Earps because they interfered with...
and his brother Billy. Earp and Doc Holliday
Doc Holliday
John Henry "Doc" Holliday was an American gambler, gunfighter and dentist of the American Old West, who is usually remembered for his friendship with Wyatt Earp and his involvement in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral...
rode to the Clanton ranch near Charleston to recover the horse. On the way, they overtook Behan, who was riding in a wagon. Behan was also heading to the ranch to serve an election-hearing subpoena on Ike Clanton. According to Wyatt's testimony later, 18 year-old Billy Clanton asked him insolently if he had any more horses to "lose," but he gave the horse up without first being shown the ownership papers, demonstrating to Wyatt that Billy knew to whom the horse belonged.
The Cowboys (Cochise County)
The Cowboys were a loosely associated group of outlaw cowboys in Pima and Cochise County, Arizona Territory in the late 19th century. They were cattle rustlers and robbers who rode across the border into Mexico and rounded up cattle that they then sold in the United States...
reached a fever pitch. Ike Clanton had been cited earlier in the day for carrying a weapon in town, after which Tom McLaury had arrived to get Ike. Wyatt Earp and McLaury faced off in a heated exchange outside the courtroom. Wyatt later testified he saw a pistol in Tom's waistband and buffaloed
Pistol-whipping
Pistol-whipping is the act of using a handgun as a blunt weapon, wielding it as if it were a club or blackjack. "Pistol-whipping" and "to pistol-whip" were reported as "new words" of American speech in 1955, with cited usages from 1940s...
Tom with his pistol's barrel. Tom left his pistol at a nearby saloon at some point that afternoon, but the Earps had no way of knowing that.
On October 26, 1881, Frank and Tom, along with Billy Claiborne, faced off against the Earps and Doc Holiday in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was a roughly 30-second gunfight that took place at about 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, 1881, in Tombstone, Cochise County, Arizona Territory, of the United States. Outlaw Cowboys Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne ran from the fight, unharmed, but Ike's brother...
. Some witnesses testified that Frank and Billy Clanton drew their weapons first, while others loyal to the Cowboys supported their version of events in which Tom opened his coat to show he was unarmed. The Earps and Holiday killed Frank and Tom McLaury along with Billy Clanton. All three were buried in Tombstone's Boot Hill
Boot Hill
Boot Hill is the name for any number of cemeteries, chiefly in the American West. During the 19th century it was a common name for the burial grounds of gunfighters, or those who "died with their boots on" ....
cemetery. Their brother William McLaury spent most of his finances in pursuing charges against the Earps and Doc Holliday
Doc Holliday
John Henry "Doc" Holliday was an American gambler, gunfighter and dentist of the American Old West, who is usually remembered for his friendship with Wyatt Earp and his involvement in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral...
.
Tom McLaury had $3,000 in his possession when he died during the shootout, a fact that the prosecution emphasized during the preliminary hearing that followed the shoot out. His brother William, who joined the prosecution team, wrote in a letter home to Texas that his brothers had just sold their herd of cattle and were leaving Tombstone shortly to come be with him in Fort Worth. He said that they were in Tombstone on business, with plans to depart shortly afterward to visit him in Texas. They may have been arranging a cattle deal with their neighbor E. B Frink with butchers Bauer & Kehoe.