Once Upon a Time in Tombstone (2021) - full transcript
- Afternoon Wyatt, Morgan.
What can I do for you fellas?
- We just wanted to stop by
and congratulate you on winning
the election, Sheriff.
- Okay.
- We just wanted to make sure
things are square between us.
- There was a lot
of hurtful things
said during the election.
On both sides.
- I don't like you, Wyatt.
Or Morgan either.
- What'd I ever do to you?
- And your brother Virgil?
I don't care much
for him either.
'Cept he's a good lawman, and
I guess that I can respect.
- All I'm sayin' is let's
put this bad blood behind us.
Everything okay here?
- Just talking to the sheriff.
Trying to let
bygones be bygones.
- How's that going?
- Not great.
- Not trying to run you or
Morgan off, but we gotta
do some lawman talk
with the sheriff here.
- We'll talk later, Behan.
- I expect so.
Have a seat, gentlemen.
- You given any thought to who
the undersheriff's going to be?
- Haven't paid it
that much thought yet.
- Does that undersheriff
receive part
of that commission money that
you receive from the town?
- That's a lot of
damn money, Johnny.
- Now you know that was
going on a long time
before I got here.
Is that what you
came to talk about?
- Ike Clanton and his
boys may be on the verge
of starting an
international incident
with that raid south of here.
- You mean over the pass?
- Three Mexican army
regulars got killed.
- What was the Mexican
army doing there?
- Mexican ranchers got smart.
- They hired the best
security they could find.
- Well, how do you
know Ike was involved?
- Johnny, you know
Ike and them boys been
rustling cattle down there
for years in that pass.
- But how do you
specifically know
that Ike Clanton
was involved in it.
- Sheriff, Ike Clanton
would sometimes listen
to you when he'll
listen to no one else.
- Johnny, this thing
blows up on us,
nobody's gonna come
out of this good.
- The next time I see Ike,
I'll be happy to
bring it up with him
if you think it'll help.
- I would surely appreciate it.
- So Williams, have
you given any thought
to what we talked about?
- I did.
I can't do this.
I'm out, it ain't my game.
- What now?
- I got a wife
and two boys at home,
and they're countin' on me.
- Bullshit!
You pick up that sash
and put it on right now.
I can't.
And you're drawin' an audience.
- Now you listen to me,
and you listen good.
You know too much
about our operation,
you've been a part
of this for too long!
- I'm not gonna say nothin'.
- You listen to me!
Once a Cowboy, always a Cowboy!
- Johnny.
- Now you pick up that sash
and you put it on.
You have a drink with me,
and we close this right now.
- Johnny, I quit.
I am going home.
- The hell you are!
- Stand down, Johnny Ringo!
- Look what's
slithered into town.
Doc Holliday.
- Now you know
you're not supposed
to have those weapons in here.
- Well, hell, you
got yours, Doc.
- Well, come on now.
This is just a disagreement
between two Cowboys.
It's no concern of yours.
- You show a man in cold blood.
You crossed the line, Johnny.
- I say we let
cooler heads prevail.
Let the sheriff decide
what to do with
this son of a bitch.
- Are you kidding me, Doc?
Sheriff's useless.
- You can stop pointing
that gun at me, Holliday.
I'm disarmed now.
Clara, have you been listening
in to our conversations?
- It seems you caught
yourself a break here, Johnny.
But I advise you to
leave the lady alone
or I'll blow a hole in
you the size of Texas.
Are you all right, Clara?
- I'm fine.
I noticed you stayed
pretty calm, Doc.
- Well, I tend not
to get involved
in the petty
grievances of others.
After all, I am a model citizen.
- Want another beer, Morgan?
- Nah, I'm good right now.
I got to head out in
just a minute, anyway.
- I heard you got a position
with a good company.
- Stage.
- What you doing with them?
- Riding shotgun.
- Hmmm.
I imagine that can be kind
of dangerous, can't it?
- I got some experience
with it up in Colorado.
- You should be all right then.
- Hey Ben, who's that feller
over there against the wall?
- Name is Billy Claiborne.
- Yeah, I noticed the red sash.
- Been with the Cowboys
for a good while.
- Then why ain't he up
at my brother's place?
- He's taken a liking
to my daughter Elaina.
But she don't want anything
to do with his type.
- Pa, why didn't you wake me up?
- I'll be needing your
help more this evening.
Elaina, this is Morgan Earp.
- Ah, the competition?
- No, my brothers
run that place.
I ain't in it with them.
I'll see you later, Ben.
- Goodbye, Morgan.
- Ma'am.
Let me know how
it goes on the stage.
- What'd I gotta do to get
some service around here?
What can
I do for you, Billy?
- Whisky if you don't mind.
- His regular.
- I'll be right here.
- Why don't you have a seat?
- I'm kind of busy.
- I'm the only one here.
- What did you want
to talk about, Billy?
- Have you thought
about my offer?
- No, I didn't.
No reason to.
- That's a lot of money.
- Billy!
I done told you this
ain't a brothel.
I serve drinks
here, and that's it.
- Well, then, whatcha need?
Nice clothes, maybe?
- Is this some kind
of courtin' maneuver?
It ain't working, Billy.
Let me tell you something.
I don't want to be
associated with the people
you are associated with.
- I'm gonna keep asking.
- Well, I guess you're
gonna do what you want.
But my Pa and I are
gonna be busy later,
and I need to go
help him get ready.
- You been around a
while, Mr. Holliday.
How long you think
you gonna be in town?
- Why, I don't know just yet.
I also noticed
you're here alone a lot.
- Well, I prefer to be alone.
- If something changes, will
you let me know if you might
require my services.
- Uh, hmph, well, uh,
hmph, well, thank you,
Theresa, but I do fancy
myself a Southern gentleman,
and, uh, as a
Southern gentleman, it
would be out of character to um,
pay for the attention of
a lovely lady as yourself.
- He has himself a
lady friend, Theresa.
Well, that's okay.
I never see her around.
- Well, she has
taken to bedrest.
Uh, I do believe
all this travelin'
has made her feel a
little under the weather.
- And how about yourself?
I've heard about your condition.
- It comes and goes, just
like everything else.
- If you don't mind
me saying so, Doc,
you need to lay your head
down next to your lady
friend more often.
I see you here day and night.
- Here you never know when
opportunity is gonna pop in
and say hello.
And as for the other,
when I'm too much
in the horizontal position,
uh, feels like I'm drowning.
That would be the
condition you spoke of.
- Pa, I'm tired.
If you don't mind,
I'm gonna go to bed.
- That's fine, Elaina.
I'll handle things.
- A long night, huh?
- Yeah, but tips were good.
Can't complain.
- Yeah, I worked a few of
these little boom towns.
Money's usually floating around.
- You mean up in Colorado?
- Mmmm-hmmm.
Mostly around silver mining.
Not usually as big as Tombstone.
- Betcha they're
not as crazy either.
- You got that right.
- Well, Mr. Earp, I been
on my feet for 10 hours.
I'm going to bed.
- What can I do for you, Billy?
- Whiskey.
- Sure thing.
- Good evening, Mr. Earp.
Looks like you and Elaina are
getting along pretty good.
- Just talking.
I ain't lookin' for no more
attachments than I already have.
- You tryin' to make time
with my lady, mister?
- Umm, no.
But let me tell you something.
Yeah.
- I don't think she's your lady.
- Now why would you say that?
- Pretty good at readin' people.
Kinda helps with
my line of work.
- I don't care what your job is,
and I don't care who you are.
Everything all
right here, gentlemen?
Last call, can I get one
more for either of you?
- Hear that?
Here's your last call.
- No thanks, Ben.
Think I'll pay a
visit to my brother's.
- Listen good.
You know who I am, and
you know who I ride with.
Stay away from Elaina,
'cause you're headed for
trouble you don't want.
- So, Mr. Holliday,
I thought you might
not be around here so much
with Johnny Ringo such
a frequent visitor.
- Johnny Ringo and I are
staying out of each other's way.
- So then why do you like
that position nestled
against the wall like that?
I've noticed that you favor it.
- Two very simple
reasons, Clara.
First, it's next to the bar.
And it's one of my very
favorite places to be.
- I've noticed.
- Plus, this spot allows me
to watch everyone
and narrow in on
someone just dumb enough to
challenge me to a game of cards.
And as much as Johnny
Ringo and I are staying
out of each other's way, I do
like to keep an eye on him.
- You gonna take care
of the bill for this?
- Yeah.
- You gonna take care of the
bill for all the Cowboys?
- Yeah, all of 'em.
- Stick with me, Billy, I got
big plans for the Cowboys.
- Bigger jobs?
More money I'm hopin'?
- All in good time.
How we doing on recruiting?
- Well, there's different
men coming in out of town
all the time.
- Yeah, they're coming
in for the silver mine.
We gotta catch 'em
after they've been down
in those hellholes.
Gimme two.
- Johnny, they just
quit and leave town.
- Yeah, but there's a
time we could grab 'em.
We're always needin' new blood.
- So, Billy, I
understand you've been
spending a lot of time
over at Cullen's saloon,
which is kinda odd
considerin' they don't do
no whorin' over there.
- Yeah, there's a pretty
little lass over there.
I've been keeping my eye on her.
- Mm-hm.
You lookin' to make
that more permanent?
- I'd like it to be.
But there's one problem.
There's more than
one eye on her.
- Yeah, well, listen.
Now women are good to play with,
but you don't want to go
gettin' serious with one of 'em.
- Now, what's wrong with that?
- Well, what's wrong
with it is they
always interfere
with your business.
When they interfere
with your business,
they're interfering
with my business.
I can't put up with that.
I got two pair.
Queens and kings, ace high.
- Okay, Johnny.
Full house.
So this
Johnny Ringo fellow,
he fancies himself to being
leader of the cowboys?
Yeah, he does.
How long you think
before I become the leader?
Whoa, whoa,
whoa, don't be talking
like that around Johnny?
- Why not?
- He only made it so far
'cause so many people died.
- Whoa, he killed all of 'em?
- Hmph, not that I know of.
Well, maybe one or two.
- How's them others die?
- Eh, well, doin' what we do.
You gotta handle
yourself out here.
Well, I'm a
tough hombre all right.
Yeah, we'll find out.
You gotta be loyal to
the Cowboys too, now.
You can
ask anyone I know.
I'm loyal.
- If anybody's a Cowboy,
you gotta back 'em up,
right or wrong.
- All right.
I reckon I can do that.
- We'll find out.
- Where you headed, Fred?
- Well, I figured it's about
time I go out and earn my pay.
Been doing nothin' but paperwork
for the last couple of days.
- Well, doing paperwork's
part of the job.
- Johnny, you the sheriff
of Cochise County.
My territory's this
little town right here.
I gotta be out and about
so people can see me.
- Well, I hear there's a bunch
of Cowboys in town today.
There's bound to be trouble.
- Wouldn't be Tombstone if
it wasn't trouble, would it?
- That's the truth.
This place thrives on it.
- That's why they
call it a boom town.
- What was her name?
- Ah, don't remember
- All right, fellas,
y'all ain't supposed
to be at the church.
Y'all ain't supposed
to have them guns.
You know better.
- No harm done.
- Y'all headin' home or
headin' to the saloons?
- We're headed to the saloon.
- Might don't make it
there in my condition.
- Well, y'all just
check them guns in.
You can pick 'em up on
the way out of town.
- But we like our guns, Marshal.
- Yeah, I know, I know.
You can give me the
guns, or I'll put you
and the guns in jail.
- What now?
You ain't serious.
- I'm dead serious.
You ain't gonna like it.
- I bet I know what
you wouldn't like.
- What's that?
- I bet you wouldn't
like it if we shot you
to pieces right now.
- That ain't funny, fellows.
- You broke the rules, Marshal.
You don't tell
Cowboys what to do.
- What now?
Ah, no, Fred.
- Y'all know what I
hate more than anything?
- Holliday?
- You do know.
Well, I guess I don't keep
it much of a secret, do I?
Tom, you and your brothers
been riding with us for a while.
You like it so far?
- I must say I do, sir.
- Call me Johnny.
And I think I know what you
like ridin' with the Cowboys.
People get out of
your way, give you
a little bit of respect
while you're walkin'
down the street, right?
- I must say I that I like that.
- Looks like the Cowboys
are recruiting again.
Ringo's takin 'em
younger and younger.
- So Johnny Ringo fancies
himself as the ringleader now.
- He has for a while.
Since he got out of prison.
- They're pulling in
money from somewhere.
I'm seeing a piece of it.
- Well, congratulations,
Theresa.
How them Cowboys treating you?
- All right.
I'll take any of 'em but
that damned Ike Clanton.
He's a mean-ass son of a bitch.
- He ain't allowed
in here anymore.
- So we need to show the Earps
and Holliday who's
boss around here.
- How, how do we do that?
- Riding with Billy I'm
guessing you got better
with your pistol?
- Better than I was.
- Well, can you be counted on?
You and your brother?
Yes, sir.
- I told you, don't call me sir.
Call me sir again,
and I'll kill you.
- He means it.
Why you so quiet, Tom?
I don't know.
I just been hearing things.
Whatcha been hearing?
- Like the Cowboys getting ready
to start a war with the Earps.
- Yeah.
You heard that
from Johnny Ringo?
- No.
A couple other of the Cowboys.
What do you think?
About what?
Johnny Ringo asks us,
should we fight the Earps?
If he asks, you gotta.
- Billy, I thought you
said he wasn't gonna ask us
to be in this fight.
- Well, he asked, didn't he?
You gotta do it, Tom.
- Billy, I don't
know about this.
We gonna have to talk to Frank.
- You and me's gonna
talk to Frank together.
Okay?
- Yeah, I guess.
- Stay strong, Tom.
Can we get a drink over here?
- Your little friend
here looks concerned.
- Got a lot on my mind.
- Well, what can I get you two?
- Give us each a whiskey.
- I don't want nothin'.
- Give us each a whiskey.
- All right.
- Afternoon, Ike.
- Sheriff.
- Fellas.
I been out and
about this morning,
and a little birdie told
me that y'all expectin'
to fight the Earps down here
at the corral this afternoon.
- Y'all know
anything about that?
- No, I ain't heard nothin'.
- Sounds like you been talkin'
to the wrong people, Sheriff.
- Okay, but all I can tell
you is I need your guns
to take 'em up to the jail
as long as you're here.
Pick 'em up on the
way out of town.
- Come on, Johnny, we
got an arrangement.
- Dammit, I can't afford
to have a full out war.
Gotta have some kind of
law and order around here.
- In the bag.
- You too, Ike.
- You lucky I don't
put it in your ass.
- Appreciate your
cooperation, fellas.
- Whatcha gonna do?
- Where'd ya'll
stash the other guns?
- Over there behind the
photography building.
- We still gonna fight?
- Hell, yeah, we
still gonna fight.
- Soon as the sheriff's
out of sight, we head over.
- Virgil, Wyatt, y'all
don't have to do this.
I've already disarmed Ike
and the rest of the Cowboys.
- You disarmed them?
I'm the marshal here, Johnny.
Should be me doing that.
- I'm not gonna argue the
why's and the wherefore's.
But I did disarm 'em.
- How do we know you're
tellin' the truth?
- 'Cause I just put the
guns in the jail, Morgan.
Don't disrespect me, boy.
- How about you
don't call me boy.
- All right, all right.
We don't need this now.
What's your thinkin'
on this, Wyatt?
We'll be seein'
you around, Johnny.
- If things go bad, Virgil,
I'm gonna tell the
judge everything.
You do that.
- Ike, why don't we head over
to the corral and
wait on 'em there.
- I like it here.
Corral's too open.
- Is that the church
where they gunned down
that other marshal?
- Yes, it is.
- I'm thinkin' this
ain't a good idea.
- Is he in or out, Billy?
- He's in.
- Shut up.
- Well, look who's not here.
- They're around somewhere.
Keep an eye out.
- Across the way.
Photography studio.
- Good eye, Virg.
- Don't you forget it.
- They're comin'.
- Make sure you're loaded up.
Stay close.
- I thought they were disarmed.
- Guess they found more guns.
- Need you to turn in
those pistols too, fellas.
We can work this out.
- We can work this out.
- Stand down.
This ain't the
way it's gotta be.
- Yeah, Morgan.
- Where you goin', Billy?
- Johnny, you put the
papers together for me?
- Papers on what?
- I want you to charge the
Earps and Holliday with murder.
- Sheriff, you and I been
on good speaking terms
here lately, but
I got a problem.
- What do you mean, Judge?
- This problem behind me here.
That's just plain stupid.
- Sounds like a harsh piece
of self-criticism, Judge.
Considerin' the fact
you signed the warrants
on all these men.
- Well, I had to sign
'em to keep Ike happy
for a while so I could
think of what to do.
- So?
Did you figure it out?
- If you fellows are released
on your own recognizance,
you'll make court
appearances, won't you?
- We cooperated fully
with the sheriff
when he showed us
those warrants.
- We don't want
any trouble, Judge.
- I'm hirin' an outside
investigatin' team
to figure this thing out.
These are people that neither
side are familiar with.
In 30 days I'll make
a decision on these charges.
Now between now and then
I don't want one iota
of trouble from you boys.
You understand?
- We understand, sir.
- What about the fourth
warrant, Holliday?
- Couldn't find him
to serve the papers.
- Probably sleepin' off a drunk.
We'll tell him the deal.
- I'm gonna hold you to that.
Let 'em go, Sheriff.
- So you're rescinding all
four of these warrants?
- Judge, what about reinstatin'
my marshal position?
- That's the town council
that pulled that on you.
You'll have to talk
to them about that.
Johnny, let these boys go.
- You and Ike are damn lucky
to make it out of that
fight still breathin'.
- Yeah, but I lost
Ike's brother.
- Don't matter.
He's replaceable.
- It happened so fast, Johnny.
Them Earp brothers.
They hit us hard.
- You did fight back, right?
- Me and Ike got a couple off.
Then we hightailed it.
- Like I told you,
that was a terrible
place to make a stand.
- What'd you hear
about the other side?
- They all got hit except Wyatt.
Y'all done good.
- So what we gonna
do about the Earps?
- Eh, no more stand offs.
I got plans for them.
- What do you mean?
- Strike and run.
At night, guerrilla style.
- Mmmkay.
You think I can help
get rid of that Morgan?
- Why sure.
Like I said, I got plans.
- Good afternoon, gentlemen.
As you well know, this
is my investigative team.
Margaret Whitfield here is
an investigative reporter
from the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- You're a long way from home.
- I like to travel.
- Standing next to her is Mason.
He's a Pinkerton detective.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- I didn't know they hired-
- Halfbreeds?
Well, I think I'm the first.
- What do they hope to
gain by working with you?
- Well, some places, I can
dig deeper than other folks.
- Okay.
I don't even know
what that means.
- I wouldn't worry
about it, Wyatt.
The important thing
is these people
have no connection
to this area at all.
I told you this would be a
30-day assignment, didn't I?
- Close enough.
We'll spend the first three
weeks interviewing anyone
who may be of interest
to the investigation.
We would appreciate some leads
of who these people might be.
Once we've completed
our interviews,
we'll spend a few days
analyzing our findings,
and then present our final
report to Judge Wallace here.
- When I get that report,
I will immediately call
another meeting like this one.
Wyatt, where's Holliday?
He most definitely needs
to be at the next meeting.
- We'll make sure, Judge.
- Well, I want to thank you
for moving the interview here
as opposed to having it over
at the newspaper office.
We are constantly being watched.
In fact, I walked in the
office one day last week,
and found a bullet hole
in the front window.
- Sounds like someone's
trying to scare you.
Nothing
unusual in this town.
Ma'am, I understand you're
with the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Yes, I've been an
investigative reporter
with the Inquirer for 10 years.
- Well, we are indeed honored
to have you in our town.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
is a very well-respected
institution.
- Thank you.
I certainly hope I can live
up to your expectations.
I would like to know more
about your publication,
The Epitaph.
It is quite a distinctive
name for a newspaper,
if maybe a little-
- Morose?
- Mmmmmm
- Many people feel that way,
but you certainly
don't forget the name.
After all, no Tombstone is
complete without its Epitaph.
- May I quote you on that?
- Oh, you certainly may.
- Now I have read several
articles of The Epitaph,
as well as some of those
from your competitor.
- Yes, uh, The Nugget.
That's published
by Harry Woodward.
- Mmm, yes, he refused
to grant me an interview.
Thank you for doing so.
- I have nothing to hide.
- Now in reading the
articles in the two papers,
I noticed two very different
and obvious political leanings.
- Absolutely.
The Epitaph supports law
and order in Tombstone,
and, therefore, we
support the lawmen.
- Namely the Earps.
- Well, for the moment, yes.
The Nugget, though,
on the other hand,
supports the interests of the
cattlemen and the ranchers.
- The two political
leanings are quite obvious,
not just in the editorials but
in the articles themselves.
- The people like it that way.
- I see.
You know that is not
standard journalism.
At the Inquirer, we do
pride ourselves on being
as objective as possible
in recording our news.
- Well, there's no way that
we could do that around here.
Now in September I
organized a group
that I called the Committee
for Safety for Tombstone.
Law and order is
the responsibility
of every able-bodied citizen.
- So can you recommend some
able-bodied citizens who
would be willing to talk to me?
- Oh, yes, I certainly can.
But there is one, no
doubt, Addie Burlson,
she is not going to
give you an interview.
- I haven't heard
that name before.
Why would she not
want to talk to me?
- Well, Miss Addie
is a business person,
she's a dressmaker, and
she's very well known.
Her house is across Fremont
from where the
gunfight occurred.
Did
she see anything?
- She was at the window of
her house and looked out
and saw the two
lines forming up.
Now she told me that she
did not see any hands go up,
as the Cowboys are asserting.
When that first shot rang
out, she ran from the window.
- That was wise of her.
Now are there any people
who saw the gunfight
who would be willing to
grant me an interview.
- Ah, there's this engineer,
this engineer came into town.
A Mr. Sill.
Mr. Sill saw everything
from Fremont.
- Is he still in town?
- Yes, he is.
He arrived on the
day of the gunfight.
Now, can you imagine this.
Walk into a new town
for the first time,
and then you're
confronted by this!
- If that's the
case, he most likely
was not familiar with
anyone in that gunfight.
- Oh, when he got to Tombstone,
he didn't know anybody.
- Thank you for talking
with me today, Mr. Hills.
- My pleasure, Ma'am.
And I just want to say
that I owe no allegiance
to anyone in Tombstone.
- That is quite obvious
from your frankness
in our discussion.
- I just hope what I had
to say offers some help.
- I believe it will.
My next step will
be to compare notes
with my partner in
this investigation.
- And then I take it you'll be
leaving our fair little town?
- I probably will, unless
I'm needed for anything else.
- Your main employer is
the Philadelphia Inquirer,
am I correct?
That is correct.
- So I suppose there's
a big difference
between living up there
in the big cities and these
little towns out here.
- I was raised in a small town,
but I've traveled quite a lot,
and I've grown accustomed
to life in the big city.
But I must say, Tombstone
is quite interesting.
For a town like this,
the level of mischief rivals
anything anywhere I've seen.
- Well, I'm from New Jersey
myself, right across the river.
I suppose you can tell a
little bit by my accent.
Just a bit.
- And I make it a point
not to involve myself
in any of the
politics or dramatics
of any town I'm stationed in.
- That is a good idea.
Of all the people I spoke to,
you were the only one who
was neutral in these matters.
- So I take it you'd
prefer if I kept
any talk of our
interview to myself.
- That would also
be a good idea.
Now it could be dangerous
for you if some groups
or maybe even a few
individuals knew that you
actually provided honest
testimony about what you saw.
- I appreciate your
clarity, ma'am.
- Thank you for taking the time
out of your busy day to talk
to me, Sheriff.
No problem.
Hope I can help.
- So do I.
I understand you
were one of the first
to see what happened
at that gunfight.
- Yeah, I was the
first lawman there.
I got there about
10 after three.
And
what did you see?
- Well, Tom and Frank McLaury
and Ike's brother Billy was
layin' dead in the ground.
From what I understand, Ike
Clanton and Billy Claiborne
took off right after
the shooting started.
What about
the Earp brothers?
And Holliday?
- They were already gone.
I found out later
that Wyatt had taken
Morgan and Virgil to
the doctor's office.
They said Holliday
come strollin'
in a few minutes after that.
- Mmm.
And what did you do
when you first arrived?
- First I identified the men
that were dead, and I tried
to see where they were hit at.
About five minutes
later, Wyatt showed up
and acted like he
owned the place.
- And what did he tell you?
- He said him and his brothers
and Holliday started shooting
about the same time
as the other group.
- Was Wyatt Earp injured at all?
- No, miraculously.
Sounds like
you don't care for the man.
- Well, he ran against
me for sheriff here.
But you won.
- But he slandered
my name from here
to the other side of the county.
- Really?
And how so?
- Run around telling everybody
I was in cahoots
with the Cowboys.
Do you mean
cowboys as in local ranch hands,
or the gang?
- No, the Cowboys are a group
of men that identify theirselves
by wearing red sashes.
- I have heard of them.
They have a reputation here
for cattle rustling and
general lawlessness.
That sounds
like the Earps talking.
- So how do you see them?
- They've helped a lot
of small ranchers out
in the county keep
away the bad elements.
- I see.
And so, these men shooting
against the Earps and Holliday,
were they Cowboys?
- They were.
- Sheriff, you know this
investigation is just beginning.
Would you mind if I stop
by in a few more days
to ask more questions
if necessary
- No problem, ma'am.
Hope I can help.
- Thank you.
- Damn, Joe, you gonna
stare at Morgan all night?
- I'm sorry, Morgan, am I
making you uncomfortable?
- Maybe a bit, Joe.
Did you want to
ask me somethin'?
- Yeah, did it hurt?
- Hell yes it hurt.
I got shot.
- So does it still hurt?
- Yes, Joe, it still hurts.
Where did the
bullet hit you exactly?
- Well, doc says it
hit my shoulder blade,
turned, then took a
piece of my backbone.
- Ow!
- Yep.
- I never met anyone in
a real gunfight before.
- Well, hallelujah and all that.
- Sounds like you got lucky
- I just paid my second
visit to Mama McLaury.
She's all broke up about
her boys, especially Tom.
That was her baby.
- Billy, Morgan, I don't
want no trouble in here.
- What can I get you, Billy?
Whiskey.
Why don't you have
a seat over here?
- I don't think
that would be wise.
I'm workin'.
- So Elaina, you'll sit
at his table but not mine?
- Are you still beatin'
that dead horse, Billy?
There ain't nothin' between us.
He's married.
Her name is Louise.
I've met her.
She's nice.
- Well, it's good he knows
not to mess with my girl.
- Will you quit
with that for once?
Don't you go
insinuatin' nothin'.
That ain't gonna happen, Billy.
- How's your hand, Mr. Holliday?
- Well, it's comin' along.
- May I ask you a few
questions about the gunfight?
- I suppose, though I
imagine you've heard it
from other sources.
- I'd like to investigate
all the sources.
I was told that the Cowboys
raised their hands when
the gunfight first started.
- Nobody raised their hands,
we just started shooting.
- What did you see happen
in the first few seconds
of that gunfight?
- I don't know, I was movin'.
Was
everyone moving?
- Well, not Wyatt, he
was still as a statue.
Did
he get hurt at all?
- No, but he took four
bullet holes in the coat.
- So the men shooting at
you, were they all Cowboys?
- Well, they appeared to be.
- I understand you were
familiar with the leader
of the Cowboys, Johnny Ringo.
- Did Wyatt tell you that?
- He did not.
- Have you talked to Wyatt?
- Mr. Holliday, I would
like to know your perception
of the gunfight.
- Hmmph, I'm in the middle
of a game right now,
and I need to get back to it,
so if you'll excuse
me, ma'am, good day.
- Miss Whitfield.
- I don't think Doc wants
to talk about the gunfight.
Apparently now.
- Theresa and I can
tell you what we know,
and what we've heard
around here, but not now.
We gotta wait 'til
the place is empty,
when there's no one else around.
- You tell me when.
I'll be here.
So this Johnny Ringo is
the leader of the Cowboys?
- Seems to be.
He approves all
the new recruits.
- He and Doc Holliday
know each other
from a piece back, since
before Johnny went to prison.
When
did Johnny get out?
- Not that long ago.
- What kind of man is he?
- Mean.
And when he's drunk, which
is a lot of the time,
he's a mean drunk.
- And what about the
rest of the Cowboys?
- Some are just kids.
Some are rough, real rough.
They're all in cahoots
with the ranchers
and cattlemen out in the county.
- Cahoots.
- The Cowboys are
cattle rustlers.
- They steal livestock
from out in the county
and sell it to
the ranchers here.
The ranchers turn around
and sell the cattle quick.
Everyone makes a
comfortable profit.
How long
has this been going on?
- Years.
- Why doesn't the
sheriff put a stop to it?
- Behan?
He ain't no kind of sheriff.
- No matter how rough
the Cowboys get,
Sheriff Behan just
looks the other way.
He gets paid by his job.
He gets paid by the Cowboys.
And he gets paid
by the ranchers.
- Sounds like there's a
lot of money involved.
- Compare it like this.
Virgil Earp, who's been a
marshal here off and on,
gets paid $100 a month.
I understand Sheriff Behan
sees 3000 a month, maybe more.
- He don't answer to no one.
- Why do they hate
Holliday and the Earps?
- On account of they
stood up to the Cowboys.
- Cowboys don't run this saloon,
but we can't turn 'em away.
- They got their claws into so
many things around this town.
- And not just
out in the county.
On the day after the gunfight,
the bodies of those Cowboys
were put on display in the
window of the undertakers.
There was a sign that was put up
that read "Murdered in
the streets of Tombstone."
- What's this place?
- The McLaury ranch.
- Two of them boys
who got killed
in that gunfight were McLaury's.
- Yes, Tom and Frank.
Their mother, Mama McLaury, is
the one I want to interview.
- Think I should stay out here?
For security?
- That's a good idea.
A woman will talk more
openly to another woman.
Can't argue with that.
- Just for the record,
ma'am, I know the people
around here call you Mama
McLaury, but I'm sure you do
have a first name.
- 'Course I do.
It's Angelica.
- That's a beautiful name.
- Thank you.
- I'd like to begin by
offering my condolences
on the death of your
two sons, Tom and Frank.
- Miss Whitfield, why did you
never marry and have children?
- I could not be a
reporter and a wife.
- Well, then, let me
tell you somethin'.
Until you've lost a
child of your own,
you don't know how
deep sadness can run.
I loved both my boys, I
truly did, but Thomas,
he was my baby.
You understand?
He was a beautiful baby.
He was a gift sent
straight from heaven.
- Again, ma'am, I am
very sorry for your loss.
- Pardon me for being so forthright,
Miss Whitfield, but who
exactly do you work for?
- I'm a reporter with the
Philadelphia Inquirer.
I was hired by Judge Wallace,
along with a Pinkerton
investigator,
to gather evidence
as neutral parties.
He needs to determine
whether or not the Earps
and Doc Holliday
should stand trial
for their actions
in the gunfight.
- Well of course they
need to stand trial!
A very public trial!
- So that is what you
would like to see.
- Everyone in the
county would demand it.
Everyone knew they
were good boys.
- But they were part of a
group that often operated
outside the law.
- You mean the Cowboys?
- That's exactly who I mean.
- Oh, that's just the
town people talking.
They have done some good
things for the people
out here in the county.
- I see.
Ma'am, did Tom and
Frank ever talk to you
about that gunfight?
- Well, no, not to me.
But they wouldn't cook up
something like this anyways.
- So who do you think
might have done it?
- I think it was that
Johnny Ringo feller.
- So you believe Johnny
Ringo put your boys up for
that fight with the Earps.
- I didn't say that.
And I ain't sayin' that.
All I'm sayin' is my boys
weren't the kind to do
somethin' like that.
They were good boys.
- Thank you, ma'am.
The poor lady is in mourning.
She lost two sons.
Tom was the youngest.
He used to talk to her
a lot about the Cowboys.
And Johnny Ringo.
- Ringo?
I've heard that name before.
- I'm learning it.
But you're more familiar
with these parts than I am.
Seems Johnny Ringo
fancies himself the leader
of these Cowboys.
- You think he could
have put those boys up
to that fight with the Earps?
- I think that's a possibility.
Anything else?
- She said to be
careful of Ike Clanton.
He's not very fond of women.
Seems he's been known
for being rough with some
of the girls downtown, so
much so that he's been banned
from several of the
sporting houses.
- Maybe I should be
the one to talk to him.
So Ike, I understand you're
a member of the Cowboys.
- Well, yeah, this red right
here oughta answer that.
- So what kind of
group is this Cowboys?
- A brotherhood.
We help each other.
- Well, uh, being in
the group yourself,
what do you think is
one of the most important
characteristics of a Cowboy?
- Character who?
- I'm sorry, what I mean is,
what makes a good Cowboy?
- The main thing you need?
- Yeah, the main thing.
- Loyalty.
You gotta have loyalty.
- Okay, so you mean the kind
of loyalty like when someone
in your group does wrong,
you back 'em up anyways.
- That's what loyalty is.
- So, Ike, how well do
you remember what happened
in the gunfight?
- I remember every second.
- Alrighty then.
Who fired the first shot?
- Holliday!
That damn shotgun of his.
- So he just fired
out of the blue?
- We was tryin' to raise
our hands to surrender.
- Is that a fact?
- What's your name again?
- Mason.
- Okay, Mason.
Look who was there.
- I know who was there.
- What I mean is,
look how it stacks up.
- Can you explain that?
- So Billy and me-
- That's Billy Claiborne?
- Right.
Billy and me, we can
handle a gun real good.
- So I've heard.
- But the other boys, and my
brother, are you kidding me?
- You don't think it
started as a fair fight.
- How could it be?
- I believe you had more guns.
- Earps and Holliday,
they are seasoned lawmen.
- They were certainly
experienced as lawmen.
- We tried surrendering,
but that didn't work.
- So you believe
you were outgunned?
- We turned and ran.
They didn't.
And that's the truth.
- You make a strong case.
I give you that.
You think the Earps and
Holliday should go to prison?
- No, Mason, I don't.
I think they should
go to the hangman.
- Ma'am, I've been through
some right big towns.
Philadelphia sounds
like a right big place.
- It is.
Towns out here are
still pretty new.
Back east there's a lot of
history and a lot of people.
As a reporter, you learn a lot
in a very short amount of time.
So what do you
think about Tombstone?
- It seems the criminal
element has a strong foothold
in this county.
- It does.
Makes it tough for
the folks in town.
Mr. Earp,
I believe you began
your law enforcement
career in Wichita.
- Yep.
Dodge City after that.
Kansas can be a rough
and tumble life.
So why did
you leave that occupation?
- Money, to be honest.
I got tired of puttin
my life on the line
for a little bit o' nothin'.
- I understand.
But it seems that Sheriff Behan
has found a way profit from
a law enforcement position.
- That's because Behan's
the tax collector.
That's where the money's at.
Yes, he and
several others did mention that.
- Surprised he mentioned
such things with you.
- He was not a wealth
of information,
but he definitely
worth interviewing.
- So you and that Mason fella's
been talkin to a lot
of people 'round town.
Guess you were
saving me for last.
- Yes.
I thought it would be
wise to obtain several
perspectives and then
get your point of view
in context of what
the others told me.
- Hm.
Maybe I find out what they
told you before I say anything.
- I am afraid that is
not the way it works.
But please bear in
mind that the stakes
for you and your
brothers are very high.
You think the judge
might put us back in jail?
- The judge's decision will
be based on the combined
research from Mason and me.
I cannot reveal on the
contents of our report.
- I know you visited
Mama McLaury.
- Yes.
As you know, she lost two
boys, and she is grieving.
- It didn't have to
go down that way.
- Mr. Earp, looking
at the balance
of experience on both
sides of the gunfight,
yours was highly favored.
Experience?
- Experience with handling guns.
- Well, maybe, but I think
the most important thing
here is who's breakin' the law?
- By law you are referring to
the county code against the
carrying of firearms in public?
- That's right.
- That seems a minor crime
for such a major resolution.
- Ma'am, there's
experienced gunfighters
on the other side as well.
- You mean the Clantons
and Billy Claiborne?
- Right, particularly Billy
Clanton, Ike's brother.
- Mr. Earp, were you
expecting a gunfight that day?
We were hopin not.
- Did you and your brothers
ever discuss who might shoot
whom if there was a fight?
- Well, we knew that if
Billy Clanton was there,
he'd have to be
taken care of first.
- Taken care of?
- Miss Whitfield, I held
off pullin' my weapon
until I saw him pull his.
I believe that we fired the
first shot at the same time.
- What about the McLaury boys?
- They shouldn't
have been there.
- Holliday turned
his shotgun on Tom.
He didn't have a chance, did he?
- Ma'am, Tom and his brother
were shooting at
us and Holliday.
We were just trying to
get out of there alive.
- One last question.
Did anyone from
the other side try
to surrender at any point
before or during the fight?
- Absolutely not.
- No one?
- None.
- Where's Holliday?
He needs to be here.
- Couldn't find him.
- Probably sleeping it off
in somebody else's room.
- Well, you men will
most likely see him
at some point anyway, be sure
and relay the news to him.
Margaret Whitfield and Mason
have done an absolutely
thorough job.
So thorough in fact,
it makes my head spin.
Margaret.
- Wyatt, Morgan, Virgil.
There's a lot of people out in
the county who aren't
too fond of you boys.
On the other hand, a
lot of people in town
don't care for the Cowboys
and wish they weren't here.
It has been very
difficult to find anyone
with any objective
viewpoint about this.
There's been a lot of
bad blood on both sides
for a very long time.
- Ya'll do know what she
means by objective, don't you?
- The important thing is,
based on their report,
there's not enough hard evidence
to convict you of anything.
The critical issue for me is,
who do I think was
telling the truth
and who do I know was lyin'?
- According to Ike Clanton
and Billy Claiborne,
they threw up their
hands and surrendered
as soon as the first
shots were fired.
However, according
to Doctor Goodfellow,
that wound on Billy
Clanton's write was not
at the angle of someone
with his hands in the air.
- Thank you, Margaret.
Gentlemen, the charges
against you have been dropped.
- Why you leavin'
town so quick, Johnny?
I was hoping to go see
that little lady again.
- I told you not to get
mixed up with that woman.
We ain't got time
for that, Billy.
- Where we goin'?
- We're gonna regroup
with the Cowboys.
I know where.
- Wyatt's got the law
behind him now, don't he?
- Yeah, he's hidin' behind
that US Marshal badge.
But you wanna know somethin'?
- What?
- US Marshals bleed just
like the rest of us.
And I'm gonna make
make him bleed.
- Ben, I'm tellin' you.
Workin' in that mine's
gonna drive me plumb crazy.
- I understand.
Ain't the kind of
work I could do.
- Most of the men down there
aren't from around here.
They're Mexicans
and Chinese men.
- They don't speak
English, I imagine?
- No, not really.
That's why I talk
to myself all day.
- Is that a fact?
- Oh, hey, brother,
what brings you here.
- To what do I owe
the pleasure, Wyatt?
- Cowboys been around my
place all day makin' threats.
You see anything, Morgan?
- No, looks peaceful.
Who they makin' threats against?
- Morgan!
- Morgan!
- Get away from the windows!
I'm going
to get the doctor.
- Elaina, need somethin'
to help wrap this up!
- You two, apply pressure to
the wound as best you can.
I'll be right back.
- Morgan, Morgan, look
at me, look at me.
Your brother'll be right back,
and my father went
to get the doctor.
Stay with us, stay with us.
- Hold on, hold on now.
- Stay with us.
All right.
It ain't lookin' good, Mr. Earp.
- I heard you were
goin' to Colorado.
When were you gonna let me know?
- I'm goin' to see
Doc in the hospital.
He's not doin' so good.
- Hm.
I suppose that has nothing
to do with the fact
that Johnny Ringo and Claiborne
have been spotted there.
- Come with me if you want.
- Wyatt, you know I'm the
only marshal in this town
with any experience at all.
I can't do that.
- Then I'll see you
when I get back.
- Ho, gotta ho.
- Take the reins.
- What now, Johnny?
- Gotta stop for a minute.
- Come on, Johnny, we gotta go.
We need to make Pueblo by night.
- Just a few more minutes.
Give me a minute.
- Johnny, it's that
damned cheapass whisky.
I'm tired of ridin'
with you, Johnny.
- I don't want to hear
any more of your mouth.
- You don't look good, Billy.
You got anything you want
to say before you leave?
- I killed Morgan.
- Okay.
Anything else?
- Yeah.
I enjoyed it.
- Rot in hell, you
son of a bitch.
Back to being
a lawhound, I see, Wyatt.
- People tell me I'm good at it.
- I'm guessing you
took care of Billy.
- Yeah, I did.
- You ain't takin'
me alive, Wyatt.
- That'd be fine.
What can I do for you fellas?
- We just wanted to stop by
and congratulate you on winning
the election, Sheriff.
- Okay.
- We just wanted to make sure
things are square between us.
- There was a lot
of hurtful things
said during the election.
On both sides.
- I don't like you, Wyatt.
Or Morgan either.
- What'd I ever do to you?
- And your brother Virgil?
I don't care much
for him either.
'Cept he's a good lawman, and
I guess that I can respect.
- All I'm sayin' is let's
put this bad blood behind us.
Everything okay here?
- Just talking to the sheriff.
Trying to let
bygones be bygones.
- How's that going?
- Not great.
- Not trying to run you or
Morgan off, but we gotta
do some lawman talk
with the sheriff here.
- We'll talk later, Behan.
- I expect so.
Have a seat, gentlemen.
- You given any thought to who
the undersheriff's going to be?
- Haven't paid it
that much thought yet.
- Does that undersheriff
receive part
of that commission money that
you receive from the town?
- That's a lot of
damn money, Johnny.
- Now you know that was
going on a long time
before I got here.
Is that what you
came to talk about?
- Ike Clanton and his
boys may be on the verge
of starting an
international incident
with that raid south of here.
- You mean over the pass?
- Three Mexican army
regulars got killed.
- What was the Mexican
army doing there?
- Mexican ranchers got smart.
- They hired the best
security they could find.
- Well, how do you
know Ike was involved?
- Johnny, you know
Ike and them boys been
rustling cattle down there
for years in that pass.
- But how do you
specifically know
that Ike Clanton
was involved in it.
- Sheriff, Ike Clanton
would sometimes listen
to you when he'll
listen to no one else.
- Johnny, this thing
blows up on us,
nobody's gonna come
out of this good.
- The next time I see Ike,
I'll be happy to
bring it up with him
if you think it'll help.
- I would surely appreciate it.
- So Williams, have
you given any thought
to what we talked about?
- I did.
I can't do this.
I'm out, it ain't my game.
- What now?
- I got a wife
and two boys at home,
and they're countin' on me.
- Bullshit!
You pick up that sash
and put it on right now.
I can't.
And you're drawin' an audience.
- Now you listen to me,
and you listen good.
You know too much
about our operation,
you've been a part
of this for too long!
- I'm not gonna say nothin'.
- You listen to me!
Once a Cowboy, always a Cowboy!
- Johnny.
- Now you pick up that sash
and you put it on.
You have a drink with me,
and we close this right now.
- Johnny, I quit.
I am going home.
- The hell you are!
- Stand down, Johnny Ringo!
- Look what's
slithered into town.
Doc Holliday.
- Now you know
you're not supposed
to have those weapons in here.
- Well, hell, you
got yours, Doc.
- Well, come on now.
This is just a disagreement
between two Cowboys.
It's no concern of yours.
- You show a man in cold blood.
You crossed the line, Johnny.
- I say we let
cooler heads prevail.
Let the sheriff decide
what to do with
this son of a bitch.
- Are you kidding me, Doc?
Sheriff's useless.
- You can stop pointing
that gun at me, Holliday.
I'm disarmed now.
Clara, have you been listening
in to our conversations?
- It seems you caught
yourself a break here, Johnny.
But I advise you to
leave the lady alone
or I'll blow a hole in
you the size of Texas.
Are you all right, Clara?
- I'm fine.
I noticed you stayed
pretty calm, Doc.
- Well, I tend not
to get involved
in the petty
grievances of others.
After all, I am a model citizen.
- Want another beer, Morgan?
- Nah, I'm good right now.
I got to head out in
just a minute, anyway.
- I heard you got a position
with a good company.
- Stage.
- What you doing with them?
- Riding shotgun.
- Hmmm.
I imagine that can be kind
of dangerous, can't it?
- I got some experience
with it up in Colorado.
- You should be all right then.
- Hey Ben, who's that feller
over there against the wall?
- Name is Billy Claiborne.
- Yeah, I noticed the red sash.
- Been with the Cowboys
for a good while.
- Then why ain't he up
at my brother's place?
- He's taken a liking
to my daughter Elaina.
But she don't want anything
to do with his type.
- Pa, why didn't you wake me up?
- I'll be needing your
help more this evening.
Elaina, this is Morgan Earp.
- Ah, the competition?
- No, my brothers
run that place.
I ain't in it with them.
I'll see you later, Ben.
- Goodbye, Morgan.
- Ma'am.
Let me know how
it goes on the stage.
- What'd I gotta do to get
some service around here?
What can
I do for you, Billy?
- Whisky if you don't mind.
- His regular.
- I'll be right here.
- Why don't you have a seat?
- I'm kind of busy.
- I'm the only one here.
- What did you want
to talk about, Billy?
- Have you thought
about my offer?
- No, I didn't.
No reason to.
- That's a lot of money.
- Billy!
I done told you this
ain't a brothel.
I serve drinks
here, and that's it.
- Well, then, whatcha need?
Nice clothes, maybe?
- Is this some kind
of courtin' maneuver?
It ain't working, Billy.
Let me tell you something.
I don't want to be
associated with the people
you are associated with.
- I'm gonna keep asking.
- Well, I guess you're
gonna do what you want.
But my Pa and I are
gonna be busy later,
and I need to go
help him get ready.
- You been around a
while, Mr. Holliday.
How long you think
you gonna be in town?
- Why, I don't know just yet.
I also noticed
you're here alone a lot.
- Well, I prefer to be alone.
- If something changes, will
you let me know if you might
require my services.
- Uh, hmph, well, uh,
hmph, well, thank you,
Theresa, but I do fancy
myself a Southern gentleman,
and, uh, as a
Southern gentleman, it
would be out of character to um,
pay for the attention of
a lovely lady as yourself.
- He has himself a
lady friend, Theresa.
Well, that's okay.
I never see her around.
- Well, she has
taken to bedrest.
Uh, I do believe
all this travelin'
has made her feel a
little under the weather.
- And how about yourself?
I've heard about your condition.
- It comes and goes, just
like everything else.
- If you don't mind
me saying so, Doc,
you need to lay your head
down next to your lady
friend more often.
I see you here day and night.
- Here you never know when
opportunity is gonna pop in
and say hello.
And as for the other,
when I'm too much
in the horizontal position,
uh, feels like I'm drowning.
That would be the
condition you spoke of.
- Pa, I'm tired.
If you don't mind,
I'm gonna go to bed.
- That's fine, Elaina.
I'll handle things.
- A long night, huh?
- Yeah, but tips were good.
Can't complain.
- Yeah, I worked a few of
these little boom towns.
Money's usually floating around.
- You mean up in Colorado?
- Mmmm-hmmm.
Mostly around silver mining.
Not usually as big as Tombstone.
- Betcha they're
not as crazy either.
- You got that right.
- Well, Mr. Earp, I been
on my feet for 10 hours.
I'm going to bed.
- What can I do for you, Billy?
- Whiskey.
- Sure thing.
- Good evening, Mr. Earp.
Looks like you and Elaina are
getting along pretty good.
- Just talking.
I ain't lookin' for no more
attachments than I already have.
- You tryin' to make time
with my lady, mister?
- Umm, no.
But let me tell you something.
Yeah.
- I don't think she's your lady.
- Now why would you say that?
- Pretty good at readin' people.
Kinda helps with
my line of work.
- I don't care what your job is,
and I don't care who you are.
Everything all
right here, gentlemen?
Last call, can I get one
more for either of you?
- Hear that?
Here's your last call.
- No thanks, Ben.
Think I'll pay a
visit to my brother's.
- Listen good.
You know who I am, and
you know who I ride with.
Stay away from Elaina,
'cause you're headed for
trouble you don't want.
- So, Mr. Holliday,
I thought you might
not be around here so much
with Johnny Ringo such
a frequent visitor.
- Johnny Ringo and I are
staying out of each other's way.
- So then why do you like
that position nestled
against the wall like that?
I've noticed that you favor it.
- Two very simple
reasons, Clara.
First, it's next to the bar.
And it's one of my very
favorite places to be.
- I've noticed.
- Plus, this spot allows me
to watch everyone
and narrow in on
someone just dumb enough to
challenge me to a game of cards.
And as much as Johnny
Ringo and I are staying
out of each other's way, I do
like to keep an eye on him.
- You gonna take care
of the bill for this?
- Yeah.
- You gonna take care of the
bill for all the Cowboys?
- Yeah, all of 'em.
- Stick with me, Billy, I got
big plans for the Cowboys.
- Bigger jobs?
More money I'm hopin'?
- All in good time.
How we doing on recruiting?
- Well, there's different
men coming in out of town
all the time.
- Yeah, they're coming
in for the silver mine.
We gotta catch 'em
after they've been down
in those hellholes.
Gimme two.
- Johnny, they just
quit and leave town.
- Yeah, but there's a
time we could grab 'em.
We're always needin' new blood.
- So, Billy, I
understand you've been
spending a lot of time
over at Cullen's saloon,
which is kinda odd
considerin' they don't do
no whorin' over there.
- Yeah, there's a pretty
little lass over there.
I've been keeping my eye on her.
- Mm-hm.
You lookin' to make
that more permanent?
- I'd like it to be.
But there's one problem.
There's more than
one eye on her.
- Yeah, well, listen.
Now women are good to play with,
but you don't want to go
gettin' serious with one of 'em.
- Now, what's wrong with that?
- Well, what's wrong
with it is they
always interfere
with your business.
When they interfere
with your business,
they're interfering
with my business.
I can't put up with that.
I got two pair.
Queens and kings, ace high.
- Okay, Johnny.
Full house.
So this
Johnny Ringo fellow,
he fancies himself to being
leader of the cowboys?
Yeah, he does.
How long you think
before I become the leader?
Whoa, whoa,
whoa, don't be talking
like that around Johnny?
- Why not?
- He only made it so far
'cause so many people died.
- Whoa, he killed all of 'em?
- Hmph, not that I know of.
Well, maybe one or two.
- How's them others die?
- Eh, well, doin' what we do.
You gotta handle
yourself out here.
Well, I'm a
tough hombre all right.
Yeah, we'll find out.
You gotta be loyal to
the Cowboys too, now.
You can
ask anyone I know.
I'm loyal.
- If anybody's a Cowboy,
you gotta back 'em up,
right or wrong.
- All right.
I reckon I can do that.
- We'll find out.
- Where you headed, Fred?
- Well, I figured it's about
time I go out and earn my pay.
Been doing nothin' but paperwork
for the last couple of days.
- Well, doing paperwork's
part of the job.
- Johnny, you the sheriff
of Cochise County.
My territory's this
little town right here.
I gotta be out and about
so people can see me.
- Well, I hear there's a bunch
of Cowboys in town today.
There's bound to be trouble.
- Wouldn't be Tombstone if
it wasn't trouble, would it?
- That's the truth.
This place thrives on it.
- That's why they
call it a boom town.
- What was her name?
- Ah, don't remember
- All right, fellas,
y'all ain't supposed
to be at the church.
Y'all ain't supposed
to have them guns.
You know better.
- No harm done.
- Y'all headin' home or
headin' to the saloons?
- We're headed to the saloon.
- Might don't make it
there in my condition.
- Well, y'all just
check them guns in.
You can pick 'em up on
the way out of town.
- But we like our guns, Marshal.
- Yeah, I know, I know.
You can give me the
guns, or I'll put you
and the guns in jail.
- What now?
You ain't serious.
- I'm dead serious.
You ain't gonna like it.
- I bet I know what
you wouldn't like.
- What's that?
- I bet you wouldn't
like it if we shot you
to pieces right now.
- That ain't funny, fellows.
- You broke the rules, Marshal.
You don't tell
Cowboys what to do.
- What now?
Ah, no, Fred.
- Y'all know what I
hate more than anything?
- Holliday?
- You do know.
Well, I guess I don't keep
it much of a secret, do I?
Tom, you and your brothers
been riding with us for a while.
You like it so far?
- I must say I do, sir.
- Call me Johnny.
And I think I know what you
like ridin' with the Cowboys.
People get out of
your way, give you
a little bit of respect
while you're walkin'
down the street, right?
- I must say I that I like that.
- Looks like the Cowboys
are recruiting again.
Ringo's takin 'em
younger and younger.
- So Johnny Ringo fancies
himself as the ringleader now.
- He has for a while.
Since he got out of prison.
- They're pulling in
money from somewhere.
I'm seeing a piece of it.
- Well, congratulations,
Theresa.
How them Cowboys treating you?
- All right.
I'll take any of 'em but
that damned Ike Clanton.
He's a mean-ass son of a bitch.
- He ain't allowed
in here anymore.
- So we need to show the Earps
and Holliday who's
boss around here.
- How, how do we do that?
- Riding with Billy I'm
guessing you got better
with your pistol?
- Better than I was.
- Well, can you be counted on?
You and your brother?
Yes, sir.
- I told you, don't call me sir.
Call me sir again,
and I'll kill you.
- He means it.
Why you so quiet, Tom?
I don't know.
I just been hearing things.
Whatcha been hearing?
- Like the Cowboys getting ready
to start a war with the Earps.
- Yeah.
You heard that
from Johnny Ringo?
- No.
A couple other of the Cowboys.
What do you think?
About what?
Johnny Ringo asks us,
should we fight the Earps?
If he asks, you gotta.
- Billy, I thought you
said he wasn't gonna ask us
to be in this fight.
- Well, he asked, didn't he?
You gotta do it, Tom.
- Billy, I don't
know about this.
We gonna have to talk to Frank.
- You and me's gonna
talk to Frank together.
Okay?
- Yeah, I guess.
- Stay strong, Tom.
Can we get a drink over here?
- Your little friend
here looks concerned.
- Got a lot on my mind.
- Well, what can I get you two?
- Give us each a whiskey.
- I don't want nothin'.
- Give us each a whiskey.
- All right.
- Afternoon, Ike.
- Sheriff.
- Fellas.
I been out and
about this morning,
and a little birdie told
me that y'all expectin'
to fight the Earps down here
at the corral this afternoon.
- Y'all know
anything about that?
- No, I ain't heard nothin'.
- Sounds like you been talkin'
to the wrong people, Sheriff.
- Okay, but all I can tell
you is I need your guns
to take 'em up to the jail
as long as you're here.
Pick 'em up on the
way out of town.
- Come on, Johnny, we
got an arrangement.
- Dammit, I can't afford
to have a full out war.
Gotta have some kind of
law and order around here.
- In the bag.
- You too, Ike.
- You lucky I don't
put it in your ass.
- Appreciate your
cooperation, fellas.
- Whatcha gonna do?
- Where'd ya'll
stash the other guns?
- Over there behind the
photography building.
- We still gonna fight?
- Hell, yeah, we
still gonna fight.
- Soon as the sheriff's
out of sight, we head over.
- Virgil, Wyatt, y'all
don't have to do this.
I've already disarmed Ike
and the rest of the Cowboys.
- You disarmed them?
I'm the marshal here, Johnny.
Should be me doing that.
- I'm not gonna argue the
why's and the wherefore's.
But I did disarm 'em.
- How do we know you're
tellin' the truth?
- 'Cause I just put the
guns in the jail, Morgan.
Don't disrespect me, boy.
- How about you
don't call me boy.
- All right, all right.
We don't need this now.
What's your thinkin'
on this, Wyatt?
We'll be seein'
you around, Johnny.
- If things go bad, Virgil,
I'm gonna tell the
judge everything.
You do that.
- Ike, why don't we head over
to the corral and
wait on 'em there.
- I like it here.
Corral's too open.
- Is that the church
where they gunned down
that other marshal?
- Yes, it is.
- I'm thinkin' this
ain't a good idea.
- Is he in or out, Billy?
- He's in.
- Shut up.
- Well, look who's not here.
- They're around somewhere.
Keep an eye out.
- Across the way.
Photography studio.
- Good eye, Virg.
- Don't you forget it.
- They're comin'.
- Make sure you're loaded up.
Stay close.
- I thought they were disarmed.
- Guess they found more guns.
- Need you to turn in
those pistols too, fellas.
We can work this out.
- We can work this out.
- Stand down.
This ain't the
way it's gotta be.
- Yeah, Morgan.
- Where you goin', Billy?
- Johnny, you put the
papers together for me?
- Papers on what?
- I want you to charge the
Earps and Holliday with murder.
- Sheriff, you and I been
on good speaking terms
here lately, but
I got a problem.
- What do you mean, Judge?
- This problem behind me here.
That's just plain stupid.
- Sounds like a harsh piece
of self-criticism, Judge.
Considerin' the fact
you signed the warrants
on all these men.
- Well, I had to sign
'em to keep Ike happy
for a while so I could
think of what to do.
- So?
Did you figure it out?
- If you fellows are released
on your own recognizance,
you'll make court
appearances, won't you?
- We cooperated fully
with the sheriff
when he showed us
those warrants.
- We don't want
any trouble, Judge.
- I'm hirin' an outside
investigatin' team
to figure this thing out.
These are people that neither
side are familiar with.
In 30 days I'll make
a decision on these charges.
Now between now and then
I don't want one iota
of trouble from you boys.
You understand?
- We understand, sir.
- What about the fourth
warrant, Holliday?
- Couldn't find him
to serve the papers.
- Probably sleepin' off a drunk.
We'll tell him the deal.
- I'm gonna hold you to that.
Let 'em go, Sheriff.
- So you're rescinding all
four of these warrants?
- Judge, what about reinstatin'
my marshal position?
- That's the town council
that pulled that on you.
You'll have to talk
to them about that.
Johnny, let these boys go.
- You and Ike are damn lucky
to make it out of that
fight still breathin'.
- Yeah, but I lost
Ike's brother.
- Don't matter.
He's replaceable.
- It happened so fast, Johnny.
Them Earp brothers.
They hit us hard.
- You did fight back, right?
- Me and Ike got a couple off.
Then we hightailed it.
- Like I told you,
that was a terrible
place to make a stand.
- What'd you hear
about the other side?
- They all got hit except Wyatt.
Y'all done good.
- So what we gonna
do about the Earps?
- Eh, no more stand offs.
I got plans for them.
- What do you mean?
- Strike and run.
At night, guerrilla style.
- Mmmkay.
You think I can help
get rid of that Morgan?
- Why sure.
Like I said, I got plans.
- Good afternoon, gentlemen.
As you well know, this
is my investigative team.
Margaret Whitfield here is
an investigative reporter
from the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- You're a long way from home.
- I like to travel.
- Standing next to her is Mason.
He's a Pinkerton detective.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- I didn't know they hired-
- Halfbreeds?
Well, I think I'm the first.
- What do they hope to
gain by working with you?
- Well, some places, I can
dig deeper than other folks.
- Okay.
I don't even know
what that means.
- I wouldn't worry
about it, Wyatt.
The important thing
is these people
have no connection
to this area at all.
I told you this would be a
30-day assignment, didn't I?
- Close enough.
We'll spend the first three
weeks interviewing anyone
who may be of interest
to the investigation.
We would appreciate some leads
of who these people might be.
Once we've completed
our interviews,
we'll spend a few days
analyzing our findings,
and then present our final
report to Judge Wallace here.
- When I get that report,
I will immediately call
another meeting like this one.
Wyatt, where's Holliday?
He most definitely needs
to be at the next meeting.
- We'll make sure, Judge.
- Well, I want to thank you
for moving the interview here
as opposed to having it over
at the newspaper office.
We are constantly being watched.
In fact, I walked in the
office one day last week,
and found a bullet hole
in the front window.
- Sounds like someone's
trying to scare you.
Nothing
unusual in this town.
Ma'am, I understand you're
with the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Yes, I've been an
investigative reporter
with the Inquirer for 10 years.
- Well, we are indeed honored
to have you in our town.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
is a very well-respected
institution.
- Thank you.
I certainly hope I can live
up to your expectations.
I would like to know more
about your publication,
The Epitaph.
It is quite a distinctive
name for a newspaper,
if maybe a little-
- Morose?
- Mmmmmm
- Many people feel that way,
but you certainly
don't forget the name.
After all, no Tombstone is
complete without its Epitaph.
- May I quote you on that?
- Oh, you certainly may.
- Now I have read several
articles of The Epitaph,
as well as some of those
from your competitor.
- Yes, uh, The Nugget.
That's published
by Harry Woodward.
- Mmm, yes, he refused
to grant me an interview.
Thank you for doing so.
- I have nothing to hide.
- Now in reading the
articles in the two papers,
I noticed two very different
and obvious political leanings.
- Absolutely.
The Epitaph supports law
and order in Tombstone,
and, therefore, we
support the lawmen.
- Namely the Earps.
- Well, for the moment, yes.
The Nugget, though,
on the other hand,
supports the interests of the
cattlemen and the ranchers.
- The two political
leanings are quite obvious,
not just in the editorials but
in the articles themselves.
- The people like it that way.
- I see.
You know that is not
standard journalism.
At the Inquirer, we do
pride ourselves on being
as objective as possible
in recording our news.
- Well, there's no way that
we could do that around here.
Now in September I
organized a group
that I called the Committee
for Safety for Tombstone.
Law and order is
the responsibility
of every able-bodied citizen.
- So can you recommend some
able-bodied citizens who
would be willing to talk to me?
- Oh, yes, I certainly can.
But there is one, no
doubt, Addie Burlson,
she is not going to
give you an interview.
- I haven't heard
that name before.
Why would she not
want to talk to me?
- Well, Miss Addie
is a business person,
she's a dressmaker, and
she's very well known.
Her house is across Fremont
from where the
gunfight occurred.
Did
she see anything?
- She was at the window of
her house and looked out
and saw the two
lines forming up.
Now she told me that she
did not see any hands go up,
as the Cowboys are asserting.
When that first shot rang
out, she ran from the window.
- That was wise of her.
Now are there any people
who saw the gunfight
who would be willing to
grant me an interview.
- Ah, there's this engineer,
this engineer came into town.
A Mr. Sill.
Mr. Sill saw everything
from Fremont.
- Is he still in town?
- Yes, he is.
He arrived on the
day of the gunfight.
Now, can you imagine this.
Walk into a new town
for the first time,
and then you're
confronted by this!
- If that's the
case, he most likely
was not familiar with
anyone in that gunfight.
- Oh, when he got to Tombstone,
he didn't know anybody.
- Thank you for talking
with me today, Mr. Hills.
- My pleasure, Ma'am.
And I just want to say
that I owe no allegiance
to anyone in Tombstone.
- That is quite obvious
from your frankness
in our discussion.
- I just hope what I had
to say offers some help.
- I believe it will.
My next step will
be to compare notes
with my partner in
this investigation.
- And then I take it you'll be
leaving our fair little town?
- I probably will, unless
I'm needed for anything else.
- Your main employer is
the Philadelphia Inquirer,
am I correct?
That is correct.
- So I suppose there's
a big difference
between living up there
in the big cities and these
little towns out here.
- I was raised in a small town,
but I've traveled quite a lot,
and I've grown accustomed
to life in the big city.
But I must say, Tombstone
is quite interesting.
For a town like this,
the level of mischief rivals
anything anywhere I've seen.
- Well, I'm from New Jersey
myself, right across the river.
I suppose you can tell a
little bit by my accent.
Just a bit.
- And I make it a point
not to involve myself
in any of the
politics or dramatics
of any town I'm stationed in.
- That is a good idea.
Of all the people I spoke to,
you were the only one who
was neutral in these matters.
- So I take it you'd
prefer if I kept
any talk of our
interview to myself.
- That would also
be a good idea.
Now it could be dangerous
for you if some groups
or maybe even a few
individuals knew that you
actually provided honest
testimony about what you saw.
- I appreciate your
clarity, ma'am.
- Thank you for taking the time
out of your busy day to talk
to me, Sheriff.
No problem.
Hope I can help.
- So do I.
I understand you
were one of the first
to see what happened
at that gunfight.
- Yeah, I was the
first lawman there.
I got there about
10 after three.
And
what did you see?
- Well, Tom and Frank McLaury
and Ike's brother Billy was
layin' dead in the ground.
From what I understand, Ike
Clanton and Billy Claiborne
took off right after
the shooting started.
What about
the Earp brothers?
And Holliday?
- They were already gone.
I found out later
that Wyatt had taken
Morgan and Virgil to
the doctor's office.
They said Holliday
come strollin'
in a few minutes after that.
- Mmm.
And what did you do
when you first arrived?
- First I identified the men
that were dead, and I tried
to see where they were hit at.
About five minutes
later, Wyatt showed up
and acted like he
owned the place.
- And what did he tell you?
- He said him and his brothers
and Holliday started shooting
about the same time
as the other group.
- Was Wyatt Earp injured at all?
- No, miraculously.
Sounds like
you don't care for the man.
- Well, he ran against
me for sheriff here.
But you won.
- But he slandered
my name from here
to the other side of the county.
- Really?
And how so?
- Run around telling everybody
I was in cahoots
with the Cowboys.
Do you mean
cowboys as in local ranch hands,
or the gang?
- No, the Cowboys are a group
of men that identify theirselves
by wearing red sashes.
- I have heard of them.
They have a reputation here
for cattle rustling and
general lawlessness.
That sounds
like the Earps talking.
- So how do you see them?
- They've helped a lot
of small ranchers out
in the county keep
away the bad elements.
- I see.
And so, these men shooting
against the Earps and Holliday,
were they Cowboys?
- They were.
- Sheriff, you know this
investigation is just beginning.
Would you mind if I stop
by in a few more days
to ask more questions
if necessary
- No problem, ma'am.
Hope I can help.
- Thank you.
- Damn, Joe, you gonna
stare at Morgan all night?
- I'm sorry, Morgan, am I
making you uncomfortable?
- Maybe a bit, Joe.
Did you want to
ask me somethin'?
- Yeah, did it hurt?
- Hell yes it hurt.
I got shot.
- So does it still hurt?
- Yes, Joe, it still hurts.
Where did the
bullet hit you exactly?
- Well, doc says it
hit my shoulder blade,
turned, then took a
piece of my backbone.
- Ow!
- Yep.
- I never met anyone in
a real gunfight before.
- Well, hallelujah and all that.
- Sounds like you got lucky
- I just paid my second
visit to Mama McLaury.
She's all broke up about
her boys, especially Tom.
That was her baby.
- Billy, Morgan, I don't
want no trouble in here.
- What can I get you, Billy?
Whiskey.
Why don't you have
a seat over here?
- I don't think
that would be wise.
I'm workin'.
- So Elaina, you'll sit
at his table but not mine?
- Are you still beatin'
that dead horse, Billy?
There ain't nothin' between us.
He's married.
Her name is Louise.
I've met her.
She's nice.
- Well, it's good he knows
not to mess with my girl.
- Will you quit
with that for once?
Don't you go
insinuatin' nothin'.
That ain't gonna happen, Billy.
- How's your hand, Mr. Holliday?
- Well, it's comin' along.
- May I ask you a few
questions about the gunfight?
- I suppose, though I
imagine you've heard it
from other sources.
- I'd like to investigate
all the sources.
I was told that the Cowboys
raised their hands when
the gunfight first started.
- Nobody raised their hands,
we just started shooting.
- What did you see happen
in the first few seconds
of that gunfight?
- I don't know, I was movin'.
Was
everyone moving?
- Well, not Wyatt, he
was still as a statue.
Did
he get hurt at all?
- No, but he took four
bullet holes in the coat.
- So the men shooting at
you, were they all Cowboys?
- Well, they appeared to be.
- I understand you were
familiar with the leader
of the Cowboys, Johnny Ringo.
- Did Wyatt tell you that?
- He did not.
- Have you talked to Wyatt?
- Mr. Holliday, I would
like to know your perception
of the gunfight.
- Hmmph, I'm in the middle
of a game right now,
and I need to get back to it,
so if you'll excuse
me, ma'am, good day.
- Miss Whitfield.
- I don't think Doc wants
to talk about the gunfight.
Apparently now.
- Theresa and I can
tell you what we know,
and what we've heard
around here, but not now.
We gotta wait 'til
the place is empty,
when there's no one else around.
- You tell me when.
I'll be here.
So this Johnny Ringo is
the leader of the Cowboys?
- Seems to be.
He approves all
the new recruits.
- He and Doc Holliday
know each other
from a piece back, since
before Johnny went to prison.
When
did Johnny get out?
- Not that long ago.
- What kind of man is he?
- Mean.
And when he's drunk, which
is a lot of the time,
he's a mean drunk.
- And what about the
rest of the Cowboys?
- Some are just kids.
Some are rough, real rough.
They're all in cahoots
with the ranchers
and cattlemen out in the county.
- Cahoots.
- The Cowboys are
cattle rustlers.
- They steal livestock
from out in the county
and sell it to
the ranchers here.
The ranchers turn around
and sell the cattle quick.
Everyone makes a
comfortable profit.
How long
has this been going on?
- Years.
- Why doesn't the
sheriff put a stop to it?
- Behan?
He ain't no kind of sheriff.
- No matter how rough
the Cowboys get,
Sheriff Behan just
looks the other way.
He gets paid by his job.
He gets paid by the Cowboys.
And he gets paid
by the ranchers.
- Sounds like there's a
lot of money involved.
- Compare it like this.
Virgil Earp, who's been a
marshal here off and on,
gets paid $100 a month.
I understand Sheriff Behan
sees 3000 a month, maybe more.
- He don't answer to no one.
- Why do they hate
Holliday and the Earps?
- On account of they
stood up to the Cowboys.
- Cowboys don't run this saloon,
but we can't turn 'em away.
- They got their claws into so
many things around this town.
- And not just
out in the county.
On the day after the gunfight,
the bodies of those Cowboys
were put on display in the
window of the undertakers.
There was a sign that was put up
that read "Murdered in
the streets of Tombstone."
- What's this place?
- The McLaury ranch.
- Two of them boys
who got killed
in that gunfight were McLaury's.
- Yes, Tom and Frank.
Their mother, Mama McLaury, is
the one I want to interview.
- Think I should stay out here?
For security?
- That's a good idea.
A woman will talk more
openly to another woman.
Can't argue with that.
- Just for the record,
ma'am, I know the people
around here call you Mama
McLaury, but I'm sure you do
have a first name.
- 'Course I do.
It's Angelica.
- That's a beautiful name.
- Thank you.
- I'd like to begin by
offering my condolences
on the death of your
two sons, Tom and Frank.
- Miss Whitfield, why did you
never marry and have children?
- I could not be a
reporter and a wife.
- Well, then, let me
tell you somethin'.
Until you've lost a
child of your own,
you don't know how
deep sadness can run.
I loved both my boys, I
truly did, but Thomas,
he was my baby.
You understand?
He was a beautiful baby.
He was a gift sent
straight from heaven.
- Again, ma'am, I am
very sorry for your loss.
- Pardon me for being so forthright,
Miss Whitfield, but who
exactly do you work for?
- I'm a reporter with the
Philadelphia Inquirer.
I was hired by Judge Wallace,
along with a Pinkerton
investigator,
to gather evidence
as neutral parties.
He needs to determine
whether or not the Earps
and Doc Holliday
should stand trial
for their actions
in the gunfight.
- Well of course they
need to stand trial!
A very public trial!
- So that is what you
would like to see.
- Everyone in the
county would demand it.
Everyone knew they
were good boys.
- But they were part of a
group that often operated
outside the law.
- You mean the Cowboys?
- That's exactly who I mean.
- Oh, that's just the
town people talking.
They have done some good
things for the people
out here in the county.
- I see.
Ma'am, did Tom and
Frank ever talk to you
about that gunfight?
- Well, no, not to me.
But they wouldn't cook up
something like this anyways.
- So who do you think
might have done it?
- I think it was that
Johnny Ringo feller.
- So you believe Johnny
Ringo put your boys up for
that fight with the Earps.
- I didn't say that.
And I ain't sayin' that.
All I'm sayin' is my boys
weren't the kind to do
somethin' like that.
They were good boys.
- Thank you, ma'am.
The poor lady is in mourning.
She lost two sons.
Tom was the youngest.
He used to talk to her
a lot about the Cowboys.
And Johnny Ringo.
- Ringo?
I've heard that name before.
- I'm learning it.
But you're more familiar
with these parts than I am.
Seems Johnny Ringo
fancies himself the leader
of these Cowboys.
- You think he could
have put those boys up
to that fight with the Earps?
- I think that's a possibility.
Anything else?
- She said to be
careful of Ike Clanton.
He's not very fond of women.
Seems he's been known
for being rough with some
of the girls downtown, so
much so that he's been banned
from several of the
sporting houses.
- Maybe I should be
the one to talk to him.
So Ike, I understand you're
a member of the Cowboys.
- Well, yeah, this red right
here oughta answer that.
- So what kind of
group is this Cowboys?
- A brotherhood.
We help each other.
- Well, uh, being in
the group yourself,
what do you think is
one of the most important
characteristics of a Cowboy?
- Character who?
- I'm sorry, what I mean is,
what makes a good Cowboy?
- The main thing you need?
- Yeah, the main thing.
- Loyalty.
You gotta have loyalty.
- Okay, so you mean the kind
of loyalty like when someone
in your group does wrong,
you back 'em up anyways.
- That's what loyalty is.
- So, Ike, how well do
you remember what happened
in the gunfight?
- I remember every second.
- Alrighty then.
Who fired the first shot?
- Holliday!
That damn shotgun of his.
- So he just fired
out of the blue?
- We was tryin' to raise
our hands to surrender.
- Is that a fact?
- What's your name again?
- Mason.
- Okay, Mason.
Look who was there.
- I know who was there.
- What I mean is,
look how it stacks up.
- Can you explain that?
- So Billy and me-
- That's Billy Claiborne?
- Right.
Billy and me, we can
handle a gun real good.
- So I've heard.
- But the other boys, and my
brother, are you kidding me?
- You don't think it
started as a fair fight.
- How could it be?
- I believe you had more guns.
- Earps and Holliday,
they are seasoned lawmen.
- They were certainly
experienced as lawmen.
- We tried surrendering,
but that didn't work.
- So you believe
you were outgunned?
- We turned and ran.
They didn't.
And that's the truth.
- You make a strong case.
I give you that.
You think the Earps and
Holliday should go to prison?
- No, Mason, I don't.
I think they should
go to the hangman.
- Ma'am, I've been through
some right big towns.
Philadelphia sounds
like a right big place.
- It is.
Towns out here are
still pretty new.
Back east there's a lot of
history and a lot of people.
As a reporter, you learn a lot
in a very short amount of time.
So what do you
think about Tombstone?
- It seems the criminal
element has a strong foothold
in this county.
- It does.
Makes it tough for
the folks in town.
Mr. Earp,
I believe you began
your law enforcement
career in Wichita.
- Yep.
Dodge City after that.
Kansas can be a rough
and tumble life.
So why did
you leave that occupation?
- Money, to be honest.
I got tired of puttin
my life on the line
for a little bit o' nothin'.
- I understand.
But it seems that Sheriff Behan
has found a way profit from
a law enforcement position.
- That's because Behan's
the tax collector.
That's where the money's at.
Yes, he and
several others did mention that.
- Surprised he mentioned
such things with you.
- He was not a wealth
of information,
but he definitely
worth interviewing.
- So you and that Mason fella's
been talkin to a lot
of people 'round town.
Guess you were
saving me for last.
- Yes.
I thought it would be
wise to obtain several
perspectives and then
get your point of view
in context of what
the others told me.
- Hm.
Maybe I find out what they
told you before I say anything.
- I am afraid that is
not the way it works.
But please bear in
mind that the stakes
for you and your
brothers are very high.
You think the judge
might put us back in jail?
- The judge's decision will
be based on the combined
research from Mason and me.
I cannot reveal on the
contents of our report.
- I know you visited
Mama McLaury.
- Yes.
As you know, she lost two
boys, and she is grieving.
- It didn't have to
go down that way.
- Mr. Earp, looking
at the balance
of experience on both
sides of the gunfight,
yours was highly favored.
Experience?
- Experience with handling guns.
- Well, maybe, but I think
the most important thing
here is who's breakin' the law?
- By law you are referring to
the county code against the
carrying of firearms in public?
- That's right.
- That seems a minor crime
for such a major resolution.
- Ma'am, there's
experienced gunfighters
on the other side as well.
- You mean the Clantons
and Billy Claiborne?
- Right, particularly Billy
Clanton, Ike's brother.
- Mr. Earp, were you
expecting a gunfight that day?
We were hopin not.
- Did you and your brothers
ever discuss who might shoot
whom if there was a fight?
- Well, we knew that if
Billy Clanton was there,
he'd have to be
taken care of first.
- Taken care of?
- Miss Whitfield, I held
off pullin' my weapon
until I saw him pull his.
I believe that we fired the
first shot at the same time.
- What about the McLaury boys?
- They shouldn't
have been there.
- Holliday turned
his shotgun on Tom.
He didn't have a chance, did he?
- Ma'am, Tom and his brother
were shooting at
us and Holliday.
We were just trying to
get out of there alive.
- One last question.
Did anyone from
the other side try
to surrender at any point
before or during the fight?
- Absolutely not.
- No one?
- None.
- Where's Holliday?
He needs to be here.
- Couldn't find him.
- Probably sleeping it off
in somebody else's room.
- Well, you men will
most likely see him
at some point anyway, be sure
and relay the news to him.
Margaret Whitfield and Mason
have done an absolutely
thorough job.
So thorough in fact,
it makes my head spin.
Margaret.
- Wyatt, Morgan, Virgil.
There's a lot of people out in
the county who aren't
too fond of you boys.
On the other hand, a
lot of people in town
don't care for the Cowboys
and wish they weren't here.
It has been very
difficult to find anyone
with any objective
viewpoint about this.
There's been a lot of
bad blood on both sides
for a very long time.
- Ya'll do know what she
means by objective, don't you?
- The important thing is,
based on their report,
there's not enough hard evidence
to convict you of anything.
The critical issue for me is,
who do I think was
telling the truth
and who do I know was lyin'?
- According to Ike Clanton
and Billy Claiborne,
they threw up their
hands and surrendered
as soon as the first
shots were fired.
However, according
to Doctor Goodfellow,
that wound on Billy
Clanton's write was not
at the angle of someone
with his hands in the air.
- Thank you, Margaret.
Gentlemen, the charges
against you have been dropped.
- Why you leavin'
town so quick, Johnny?
I was hoping to go see
that little lady again.
- I told you not to get
mixed up with that woman.
We ain't got time
for that, Billy.
- Where we goin'?
- We're gonna regroup
with the Cowboys.
I know where.
- Wyatt's got the law
behind him now, don't he?
- Yeah, he's hidin' behind
that US Marshal badge.
But you wanna know somethin'?
- What?
- US Marshals bleed just
like the rest of us.
And I'm gonna make
make him bleed.
- Ben, I'm tellin' you.
Workin' in that mine's
gonna drive me plumb crazy.
- I understand.
Ain't the kind of
work I could do.
- Most of the men down there
aren't from around here.
They're Mexicans
and Chinese men.
- They don't speak
English, I imagine?
- No, not really.
That's why I talk
to myself all day.
- Is that a fact?
- Oh, hey, brother,
what brings you here.
- To what do I owe
the pleasure, Wyatt?
- Cowboys been around my
place all day makin' threats.
You see anything, Morgan?
- No, looks peaceful.
Who they makin' threats against?
- Morgan!
- Morgan!
- Get away from the windows!
I'm going
to get the doctor.
- Elaina, need somethin'
to help wrap this up!
- You two, apply pressure to
the wound as best you can.
I'll be right back.
- Morgan, Morgan, look
at me, look at me.
Your brother'll be right back,
and my father went
to get the doctor.
Stay with us, stay with us.
- Hold on, hold on now.
- Stay with us.
All right.
It ain't lookin' good, Mr. Earp.
- I heard you were
goin' to Colorado.
When were you gonna let me know?
- I'm goin' to see
Doc in the hospital.
He's not doin' so good.
- Hm.
I suppose that has nothing
to do with the fact
that Johnny Ringo and Claiborne
have been spotted there.
- Come with me if you want.
- Wyatt, you know I'm the
only marshal in this town
with any experience at all.
I can't do that.
- Then I'll see you
when I get back.
- Ho, gotta ho.
- Take the reins.
- What now, Johnny?
- Gotta stop for a minute.
- Come on, Johnny, we gotta go.
We need to make Pueblo by night.
- Just a few more minutes.
Give me a minute.
- Johnny, it's that
damned cheapass whisky.
I'm tired of ridin'
with you, Johnny.
- I don't want to hear
any more of your mouth.
- You don't look good, Billy.
You got anything you want
to say before you leave?
- I killed Morgan.
- Okay.
Anything else?
- Yeah.
I enjoyed it.
- Rot in hell, you
son of a bitch.
Back to being
a lawhound, I see, Wyatt.
- People tell me I'm good at it.
- I'm guessing you
took care of Billy.
- Yeah, I did.
- You ain't takin'
me alive, Wyatt.
- That'd be fine.