Tombstone · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Tombstone by Walter Noble Burns.
Chapter 1
Dedication
A brief dedication of the book to the author's wife.
Chapter 2
Sources
The author details the primary sources used to write the book, including old newspaper files from the Tombstone Epitaph, Tombstone Nugget, and Tucson Star, court testimony from the Earp-Clanton feud trial, coroner's inquests, personal manuscripts and memoirs of key figures like Ed Schieffelin, Billy Breakenridge, and John Slaughter, as well as interviews with numerous pioneers and old-timers who lived in Tombstone during its heyday.
Chapter 3
Tombstone
The chapter introduces the town of Tombstone, Arizona, a booming silver mining camp in the 1880s, and sets the stage for the conflicts and characters that will define its lawless history.
Chapter 4
I: Hills of Silver
The chapter introduces the harsh Apache warfare in southeastern Arizona and follows Ed Schieffelin, a civilian scout under Al Sieber, who discovers silver in the barren Tombstone hills. After leaving the army, Schieffelin partners with his brother Al and Richard Gird to prospect the area, leading to the discovery of the Lucky Cuss, Tough Nut, Grand Central, and Contention mines. The strike triggers a boom, founding Tombstone and making the Schieffelins millionaires. Ed later finds civilization unsatisfying and returns to the wilderness, ultimately dying alone in his Oregon cabin.
Chapter 5
II: Red Lights and Altar Candles
This chapter paints a vivid portrait of Tombstone as a unique frontier town, blending lawlessness with refinement, boomtown chaos with civilized comforts. It describes the rapid growth following Schieffelin's silver discovery, the diverse population of miners, cowboys, gamblers, and businessmen, and the town's vibrant social life—from churches and newspapers to saloons and dance halls. Anecdotes illustrate the community's character, including the murder of McIntyre over a shirt, the generosity of Dutch Annie and Nellie Cashman, and the rivalry between the Nugget and Epitaph newspapers.
Chapter 6
III: Glad Hand and Trigger Finger
This chapter introduces Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday as the central figures of Tombstone's drama, detailing their characters, friendship, and contrasting styles. It also covers the arrival of the Earp brothers, Wyatt's service as a shotgun messenger, and the escalating feud with Sheriff Johnny Behan, symbolized by the contrast between Behan's 'glad hand' and Earp's 'trigger finger.'
Chapter 7
IV: Wyatt Earp Plays a Lone Hand
Wyatt Earp single-handedly faces down a lynch mob of 500 men in Tombstone after Johnny Behind-the-Deuce murders engineer Henry Schneider in Charleston. Earp's unwavering courage and threat of deadly force cause the mob to disperse, allowing him to safely transport the prisoner to Tucson, though Johnny later escapes jail and vanishes.
Chapter 8
Curly Bill
This chapter profiles Curly Bill, the most famous outlaw in Arizona's history, detailing his origins, his large-scale cattle rustling operations across the Mexican border, and his early run-in with Tombstone's law. It recounts the accidental killing of Marshal Frederick White during a confrontation, Curly Bill's subsequent trial and acquittal, and a later darkly comic episode where the drunken cowboy Dick Lloyd attempts to joke with Curly Bill and is shot dead by the outlaw and his gang.
Chapter 9
The Affair of Skeleton Canyon
This chapter recounts the brutal massacre of a Mexican smuggler train led by Don Miguel Garcia in Skeleton Canyon, orchestrated by Curly Bill and his outlaw gang. The narrative sets the scene with the canyon's haunted atmosphere and history of violence, then details the ambush, the killing of nineteen men, the theft of $75,000 in silver, and the subsequent squandering of the loot. The chapter also touches on the canyon's ghostly legends and the lingering physical remains of the dead.
Chapter 10
Billy Breakenridge Makes Good
Deputy Billy Breakenridge, initially doubted by Tombstone, wins over the outlaw Curly Bill to help him collect taxes in the lawless San Simon region. Later, he recovers a stolen thoroughbred horse from the McLowery ranch through negotiation and quick thinking, cementing his reputation.
Chapter 11
VIII: The Old Man with a Beard
The chapter details the aftermath of the Skeleton Canyon massacre, focusing on a young Mexican boy's quest for vengeance against Old Man Clanton and his gang. It describes the ambush and killing of Old Man Clanton and his men in Guadalupe Canyon, the Clanton family's history of outlawry, and the escalating border violence between Mexican avengers and American cattle thieves.
Chapter 12
IX: Ringo
This chapter profiles John Ringo, a brooding, tragic outlaw of Tombstone, contrasting his literate, chivalrous nature with his life of crime. It recounts his background, his role as Curly Bill's right-hand man, his quixotic code of honor, and his challenge to Wyatt Earp to a duel, which Earp refuses. The chapter also details Ringo's friendship with Deputy Breakenridge, his robbery of a poker game, and his eventual arrest on Breakenridge's warrant.
Chapter 13
X: Russian Bill's Little Drama
This chapter introduces Russian Bill, a mysterious and handsome stranger who arrives in Tombstone claiming to be a notorious outlaw. Despite his efforts to appear dangerous—complete with cowboy regalia, notched pistols, and dark hints of past killings—the townspeople quickly see through his act. Russian Bill is revealed to be a cultured, well-educated man who speaks multiple languages, quotes poetry, and displays refined manners, making him an unconvincing desperado. The chapter also details his involvement in a theatrical prank at the Bird Cage Theatre, where a fake murder shocks the audience before being revealed as a joke. Additionally, the chapter profiles Buckskin Frank Leslie, a dangerous gunslinger who marries the Widow Galeen and amuses himself by shooting bullet portraits of her on their parlor walls, and briefly touches on Nigger Jim, a former slave who successfully stands up to Leslie over a mining claim.
Chapter 14
On the Benson Road
The chapter recounts the attempted robbery of the Benson stage on March 15, 1881, which carried $80,000 in treasure. Driver Bud Philpot and shotgun messenger Bob Paul switched seats at Contention, a change that likely saved Paul's life. Three masked highwaymen ambushed the stage, killing Philpot and passenger Peter Roerig, but Paul managed to drive the horses to safety with the treasure intact. Sheriff Behan led a posse including Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan Earp in a prolonged pursuit. Suspicion later fell on Doc Holliday as a possible fourth participant, fueling gossip and deepening the rift that would lead to the Earp-Clanton feud.
Chapter 15
Flashes of Storm
This chapter delves into the origins and escalation of the Earp-Clanton feud, examining the conflicting narratives surrounding the attempted Benson stage robbery, the theft of Wyatt Earp's horse, and the subsequent threats and violence that defined the conflict. It analyzes the testimonies of Wyatt Earp and Ike Clanton, highlighting the plausibility of Earp's account versus the inconsistencies in Clanton's story, and explores how the feud evolved into a deadly war between the Earps and a powerful criminal organization.
Chapter 16
XIII: The Showdown
Ike Clanton arrives in Tombstone alone, confident the Earps fear him. After a midnight confrontation with Doc Holliday, Clanton threatens violence. The next day, tensions escalate as the Clantons and McLowerys arm themselves. Virgil Earp disarms Ike Clanton, leading to a courtroom confrontation. Wyatt Earp slaps Tom McLowery, and later a gunfight erupts on Fremont Street, resulting in the deaths of Billy Clanton and the McLowery brothers. The Earps and Holliday are acquitted after a trial before Judge Spicer.
Chapter 17
XIV: The Red Road of Vengeance
Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, having killed Frank Stilwell in revenge for Morgan Earp's murder, prepare to leave Tombstone. After four days of winding up affairs, Wyatt makes a defiant farewell at the Oriental bar, where Sheriff Behan attempts to arrest him for Stilwell's murder. Wyatt refuses arrest, and the Earp party rides out of town at a walk, watched by a hostile crowd. The chapter reflects on the gradual disintegration of the Earps' power, from the Benson stage affair to the O.K. Corral fight and Morgan's assassination, culminating in their flight.
Chapter 18
The Out Trail
This chapter follows Wyatt Earp's transformation into a vengeful avenger after the assassination of his brother Morgan and the crippling of Virgil. It recounts the deadly confrontation at Iron Springs where Earp, abandoned by his companions, faces Curly Bill and his outlaws alone. The chapter also details the fates of key figures like Doc Holliday, Virgil Earp, and Warren Earp, concluding with Earp's later years in peace and prosperity.
Chapter 19
John Ringo Cashes In
John Ringo, in a ten-day drunken stupor, rides out of Tombstone with Buckskin Frank Leslie and Billy Claibourne, ending in his mysterious death under a live oak tree. The chapter presents conflicting evidence of suicide versus murder, with Leslie later killing Claibourne and eventually dying in obscurity.
Chapter 20
Buried Treasure
This chapter explores the legend of a buried treasure supposedly hidden by outlaws Zwing Hunt and Billy Grounds at a mysterious location called Davis Mountain. It recounts the deathbed story of Hunt, the map he allegedly drew, and the decades-long search by treasure hunters like Virgil Boucher and Bill Sanders. The chapter also includes skeptical commentary from Rube Hadden, who dismisses the tale as fiction, while encouraging the reader to maintain hope and faith in the dream of finding the treasure.
Chapter 21
XVIII: The Honeymoon Cattle Drive
This chapter chronicles the life and exploits of John Slaughter, from his Southern roots and early cattle ranching in Texas to his rise as a cattle king and eventual sheriff of Cochise County. It highlights his fearless confrontations with outlaws like Bill Gallagher, Ed Lyle, Cap Stilwell, and Ike Clanton, as well as his uncanny ability to sense danger, often attributed to a guardian angel or his horse's intuition. Slaughter's unwavering courage and skill with a six-shooter cemented law and order in the lawless Tombstone region.
Chapter 22
XIX: The Round Table’s Last Knight
This chapter profiles John Slaughter, the sheriff of Tombstone, portraying him as a man of iron will, courage, and determination who single-handedly brought law and order to the town. It describes his distinctive appearance, habits, and methods, including his preference for shooting first and asking questions later, his solitary pursuits of horse thieves, and his relentless pursuit of the Mexican bandit Chacon. The chapter concludes that Slaughter was the last of Tombstone's heroic figures, leaving the town peaceful after his retirement.
Chapter 23
Patchy
John Slaughter discovers an Apache baby girl in a wickiup after a cavalry raid on a renegade camp in the Sierra Madres. He takes her home to the San Bernardino ranch, where she is named Patchy. The chapter traces her brief life, the tragic origins of her clothing (linked to a Mormon massacre and a murdered rancher), and her death by fire at age four. It also describes the history of the San Bernardino ranch and its surroundings, including Guadalupe and Skeleton Canyons.
Chapter 24
Hands Up!
This chapter recounts the lynching of John Heath for his role in the Bisbee Massacre, the subsequent mass execution of five bandits, and the later train robbery at Cochise, culminating in the capture of the conspirators after Jeff Milton's heroic defense.
Chapter 25
Sunshine and Peace
The chapter describes Tombstone's decline from a bustling metropolis of 15,000 to a ghost town of 646 by 1900, and its slow revival to about 1,200 residents. It contrasts the dead physical buildings with the live present-day community, highlighting the town's efforts to attract tourists, preserve its history (e.g., turning the Bird Cage Theatre into a museum), and develop as a health resort. The narrative tours the modern uses of historic sites—the Oriental, Crystal Palace, O.K. Corral—and recounts the fates of old figures: Ike Clanton's death, Finn Clanton's peaceful end, and the scandalous Crabtree will case that brought Tombstone's wild past into a Boston courtroom. It concludes with a portrait of the quiet, hospitable present-day community and the few remaining pioneers.
