OCTOBER 31, 1881 After the Coroners Inquest named the Earps and Doc Holliday in the deaths of Billy Clanton and Frank and Tom McLaury, Billys brother Ike pressed murder charges. Doc and Wyatt were arrested (Virgil and Morgan were in bed recovering from their wounds), and on Halloween, 1881, a hearing into the OK Corral gunfight begins. The following comes from a report in the Tombstone Nugget dated November 1. Spelling is as it appears in the original report.) At three oclock yesterday, the examination if Morgan Earp et al, concerned in the late street fight, was commenced before Justice Wells Spicer with quite an array of legal talent on both sides. For the prosecution are Goodrich and Goodrich, Smith, Earll, Campbell & Robinson, Smith & Colby, J. M. Murphy and District Attorney Price. For the defense are Howard a Street, T. J. Drum and Thomas Fitch. E. J. Risley, court reporter taking short hand report. At the commencement of the examination the rule was invoked and enforced, that none but those interested, and one witness at a time, should be allowed in the court room. The testimony for the prosecution was opened by the examination of Coroner H. M. Mathews, who being sworn, testified as follows: My name is H. M. Mathews; am a practicing physcian; over the age of twenty-one years, and Coroner of Cochise county; on the 26th of October, 1881, was in the town of Tombstone on that day; saw on that day William Clanton, Thomas McLowry, Frank McLowry. I was notified; did not see the affray; saw those men on the middle of the day; Frank and Thomas McLowry dead, and William Clanton in a dying condition; must state I did not know either of them at that time; only knew them as they were identified by witnesses under oath before the Coroners Jury; William Clanton I did not examine at the time; did shot time afterwards; about 9 or 10 oclock at night examined them, at the dead house; yes; know the cause of death of William Clanton from that examination; they died from the effects of pistol and gun-shot wounds; there were two wounds on the body; did not examine them thoroghly; there was one two inches from the left nipple, penetrating the lungs; the other was beneath the twelvth rib, above and beneath, six inches to the right of the navel; think neither of the wounds went through the body; not probing the wounds; cannot positively say what direction they took; both went in front through the body; my opinion at that time was those wounds were the cause of death, consider them the cause of death; examined the body of Frank McLowry at the same time and day; found in the body of Frank McLowry one wound, penetrating the cranium, beneath the right ear; another penetrating the abdomen one inch to the left of the navel. I SHOULD SAY THE WOUND beneath the ear caused instant death-same as if shot through the heart-the wound through the head was at the base of the brain, just beneath the ear; no, sir. did not probe the wound; probed it a little; it passed horizontally through the brain; the wound in the abdomen was a straight penetratinfg shot; I examined the body of Tom McLowry at the same time and place; found on his body twelve buckshot wounds-on the right side of the body, near together, under the arms, between the third and fifth ribs; my opinion was the were buckshot wounds; laid the palm of my hand on them; it would cover the whole of them, about four inches in space; the wound penetrating straight into the body; he had on a blouse, vest and pants; if the wounds went into the cavity of the chest I should assuredly consider them mortal; the body was warm; Frank McLowrys body was also warm; saw him die myself; the bodies were all warm; the only thing I can recollect of Frank McLowrys clothing was a buckskin pair of pants; they were identified before me that as the bodies of Frank and Tom McLowry and Wm. Clanton afterwards; that is all I know of the names of these parties; the buckskin pants were worn over overalls; cant say as to Wm. Clantons clothing; was not present at the time the bodies were stripped by the undertaker; have not the slightest doubt of the cause of death of all three parties; the cause of death were the wounds found on the bodies. CROSS EXAMINATION The wounds of Tom McLowry were made four to six inches below the arm-pit; the wounds were right below, the wounds in the arm were in the rear portion of the arm. At the conclusion of the Coroners jury, which occuppied the afternoon the testimony adjourned until 10 oclock [Nov 1st.] Visit the world of Doc Holliday at victoriawilcoxbooks Photos: William Billy Clanton; Frank McLaury; Tom McLaury
Posted on: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 18:00:03 +0000
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