The Gunfight at the Ok Corral | The Wild West | BBC Documentary

[Music] the gunfight at the OK Corral the most famous shootout in history after just 30 seconds of murderous gunfire three men lay dead and two badly wounded and in that frantic half a minute a legend was born the legend of the righteous lawman Wyatt but as the Gunsmoke clear Oh was not seen as a hero he was charged with murder and put on trial for his life was Wyatt Earp truly guilty of murdering innocent men and we're in the pioneering West Was justice to be found in the rule of law or the rule of the gun [Music] Viator was a professional law man who came to Tombstone in 1879 to make his fortune [Music] prospectors had found silver here in the late 1870s and within a few short years a dusty dry piece of desert had been turned into a boot [Music] today the silvers long gone and the town earns its living trading on the story of the gunfight at the OK Corral much of what went on that day has been mythologized but historian Jeff Moray has spent a lifetime poring over the evidence and he believes that the truth lies in the long-forgotten trial of Wyatt Earp those documents cover the story almost completely they give you the contracting viewpoints the different perspectives of the participants they introduced all of the characters and those characters get to speak and tell you their story so from that perspective it's a goldmine for historians it's the mother lode [Music] all of the drama that follows is based on court records interviews with the participants and contemporary accounts [Music] [Music] shoulders you said they had no guns I will have to arrest you any decent officer can arrest me with not you [Music] from the moment the shooting stopped the town was divided there were two newspapers in Tombstone the epitaph was broadly Republican business minded and supported the herbs the feeling among the best class of our citizens is that the marshal was entirely justified in his efforts to disarm these men and that being fired upon they had to defend themself which they did most brave the Nugget was soon reflecting the half of town that believed three innocent Cowboys had been gunned down in cold blood the funeral of the McLaury brothers and plantain yesterday was numerically one of the largest ever witnessed in Tombstone it was a most impressive and saddened inside and such a one as it is to be hoped may never occur again in this community the only cowboy to survived the shootout was Billy's brother Ike Clanton and he was determined to make Wyatt Earp and his co-defendant Doc Holliday hey my name is John HB Han I'm sheriff of this County I was here in Tombstone when this difficulty occurred I saw Virgil Earp the marshal out in the street what's excitement a lot of sons of [ __ ] in this town looking for a fight well you better disarm it they want to fight I won't give them a chance it's your duty as a peace officer to disarm yeah I left them there and walked down the corner of Freemont and 4th Street where I found Frank McLaury Johnny thank you I'm afraid I'm gonna have to disarm you why is that well there's trouble likely everybody who has arms I'm gonna disarm I'm gonna make in trouble no one I'm not saying you are Frank come on Frank Ike Clanton Tom McLaury Billy Clanton and William Claiborne we're in the vacant lot just beyond flies boardinghouse boys got to give up your arms pack that Tom showed me by pulling this vest open that he was normed come on Frank Frank McLaury Damir at that time I saw the Earp's and Holliday coming down the sidewalk you wait here I'll go up and stuff don't go any further I'm here to disarm those boys I am sheriff of this County I'm not gonna let any trouble when they got to within a very few feet of the Clanton's and the McLaurys I heard one of them speak I think it was wider you sons-of-bitches you've been looking for a fight and now you can have it come on throw up your hands don't shoot I don't want to fight I have nothing I'm not armed then the firing started as far as the newspapers were concerned beans testimony was bad news for the herbs the killing of the McLaurys in Clapton that tombstone seems more dastardly day-by-day as the evidence is brought before the public Johnny Behan his lion would be the first sheriff to do that but why you just get over the grief pretty quick you're both lawman you're on the same side we had a deal last year we were both running for sheriff those days his office was back at the cigar store yes sir it's a plum job we're fighting for why salaries gone yeah salaries good wanna make some proper money pull out of the race but I'm sheriff I'll make you my second-in-command we'll split all profits 5050 [Music] being sheriff of Tombstone was probably one of the best paid jobs in the west by collecting taxes from the flourishing silver mines the sheriff could make as much as forty thousand dollars a year that's a million dollars in today's money BN was much more sophisticated in looking at the lay of the land and plotting his destiny based on his own ambitions it could be argued that no principals higher than his ambitions but ultimately you're seeing a changeover in how the country is operating you're moving from the primary lawman the man who sets out to get the bad guy to enforce the law moving over to the political operative I agreed to the deal pulled out of the running rehan was named sheriff then he name is second-in-command I was editor of a nugget I guess if you're a sheriff cutting deals with local cattle thieves it's as well to keep their favorite paper Sweden nugget Cowboys Johnny Ben they're all against us if you wanted to he could save on anything so what's being holding back when they told us before the shooting started your members words I gotta go down there and disarm them I did have my pistol in my hand I want to accept that I pull it away he said he'd disarm them I have disarmed them that's exactly what he said [Music] mr. bian just prior to the fight do you recollect virgil earp saying to you i'm going to disarm now do you recollect replying to that remark what remark he never seen you recollect telling virgil herb they will kill you no such conversation happened did you not say the wide open Morgan herb I have got them dis I did not thank you this Court will reconvene tomorrow at nine o'clock Your Honor in light of the evidence already heard the intent of the accused the shooting it meant some clearly unarmed the prosecution moves that the defendants be remanded in custody Your Honor bail has been granted you can't lock them up now I would remind you this Court has jurisdiction to decide on bail at all times D at present grounds are sufficient to hold the defendants on the charge of murder bail is no longer granted Sheriff p.m. gentlemen this door please Oh doc I thought I might have to disarm you there's the new lawyer William McLaury tonk Frank's brother boys you can talk all you want in my Jail William McLaury had arrived in Tombstone that day and been immediately taken on as associate counsel for the prosecution and he was intent on avenging his dead brothers a number of letters he wrote during the hearing survived in one he says I regard it as a duty to myself and family to see that these brutes do not go on whipt of justice I think I can hang them all Joseph Isaac Clanton Ike Clanton was the key witness for the prosecution but if their case was to be successful in proving that the gunfight at the okay Corral was little more than an execution he had to establish motive for Ike the 24 hours before the firing started were crucial to demonstrating that the town's lawman were intent on goading the Cowboys into a fight a fight he and they didn't want Yuriy hours for a gunfight I was eating in the Alhambra solo about 1 o'clock in the morning clean doc holliday came in you how are you you son of a [ __ ] cowboy get y'all gun out why I ain't got no gun I ain't here y'all a damn lie you got a gun just ain't got the grit to draw all the time he was talking he he had his hand on his pistol more gunner also you've been threatened in the US any man who says that there's a liar scuse me I bid you good night if you ain't - you go get yourself a gun go heal yourself sell a [ __ ] Clinton you can have all the fight you want now thank you but I don't want fight I heal I'll be grateful if you boys don't shoot me in the back now with that I walked away I could continued with his evidence and went on to describe the events of the very next day once again portraying the herbs as intimidating bullies as I recall the afternoon of the fight I was walking down 4th Street Quinn suddenly George alert came up behind I don't know where he came from struck the honour aid with his six children you know the law Clinton and Morgan Earp stuck his pistol at me you don't care arms in this town they took my guns they then took him to Judge Wallace's rooms to be fined for carrying weapons in town later that afternoon he met up with his brother and the McLaurys in the vacant lot beside the OK Corral boy and he maintained he still didn't know the herbs were lining up a firing squad we were standing just talking when I saw sheriff being trying to stop them I'm not gonna allow any trouble they did not stop it sums up [ __ ] been looking for a fight first two shots were fired by Doc Holliday more than her next shots by their jeweler you sons of [ __ ] wired at whom did Morgan herb fire mold earner shop William Clayton mark hey brother I seen Morgan herbs pistol pointed two or three feet from his breast I saw him fire and I saw William Clayton fall against the house with his hands on his breast and in what position were Billy Clanton's hands when Morgan Earp shot him his hands were right up about the level of his head yeah Oh this evidence was compelling the prosecution looked like they proved that the gunfight was little more than an execution they'd also established that the herbs were being deliberately provocative and confrontational things were looking desperate for whiter imprisoned in the town's jail not surprisingly his account of the 24 hours before the gun field was in complete contrast to Ike Clanton's he acknowledged that Ike and Doc Holliday had a confrontation at 1:00 in the morning in the Alhambra saloon but he maintained that it was Ike who was drunk and looking for trouble I wasn't right was I have you don't fart no one if I can get away with it no why because there's no money in it Wyatt Earp also disputed Ike's version of the events in the streets of Tombstone on the morning before the gunfight a couple of men had already warned me that I Clanton was out looking for ike was engaged in something much more sinister than taking an innocent stroll on the sidewalk the law in Tombstone was simple it was illegal to carry weapons in town planning on doing some hunting like despite Ike's apparent attempts to kill Wyatt when they took Ike to judge Wallace the charge was not attempted murder it was carrying weapons in town a burglar would have been justified in killing a client and I think it's a mistake that the Earp's make they're too lenient with Ike basically what they do all morning long is allow Ike to build a head of steam he gets angry and angry what's bizarre about it is it seems the more you ignore this fellow the angrier he gets they keep thinking he's gonna finally drink enough go to sleep and he'll be out of their hair and it never happens you wanna fight I'll give you a friend anywhere on this earth but why why was he threatening you it was scared you got plenty of ink like everything else in Tombstone Ike's feud with Wyatt was rooted in money it was back in the spring the stage was on the evening run to Benson the strongbox was $26,000 property of the Wells Fargo company [Music] three Cowboys hairy head James Crane and Billy Leonard were lying in wait for the stage [Music] [Music] but the holdup failed and the driver and a passenger were killed head crane and Leonard went on the run with a $3,600 reward on their heads Wyatt Earp had good reasons for wanting to hunt them down [Music] guess you boys know I have ambitions to be sure for this County you know I'm not Johnny be an oafish push no reckon I could get a lot of votes mm-hmm if I find a man who killed but philipot leonard head crane here's a handsome reward out you'll lead me to them you didn't have all the money you don't want I just want the glory Ike you two can split $3,600 no one will ever know you gave me the lead I guarantee why are you killing they still gonna pay up dead or a lot sort of thing as sheriff I don't know I went to the office of Wells Fargo and asked about the reward that's nothing for me Williams the Wells Fargo agent showed me a telegram I showed a copy white Clinton so Wells Fargo would pay the reward dead or alive but someone else killed the robbers very Cowboys shot him dead hasn't it brothers well they got the reward instead never came close friends of Leonard tracked them down and kill them so what sucks problem of these friends find out that Ike was about a betrayed Leonard AXA did man if you spill the beans I told norm but one man in Tombstone did know what was going on and it hadn't taken him long to drink up the courage to confront Clanton with it [Music] just boys never had time to smell the dollar bills dead or alive ain't it lucky for you the hassles beat you to it they're dead you're alive usually you bring too much I seen you talking with him wider you talk I didn't talk it really kill me he handled a telegram maybe he saw us talking when rest he's just guessing who told him no I did not did you know Billy Leonard Harry had in Jim crane I knew Leonard and crane Harry had I've seen a few times but not quite were they connected with the attempt to rob the Bensons stage than the killing of bud Philpott I should I know didn't wyatt earp approached him asking you to give Leonard ahead and crane away so that he wider could capture him he did and you would get the reward he told me it was a legitimate business transaction and regarding this this plan to bring Leonard head and crane to justice I only had that one conversation with him we never talked about it did you not subsequently accuse Wyatt of betraying you I had absolutely nothing to do with bringing Leonard hate and crane to justice therefore I could not accuse Wyatt of giving me away to anybody mr. Clanton do you recognize this document it's a telegram to mr. Williams of Wells Fargo it reads yes we will pay rewards for them dead or alive I've seen it before Marley did you not tell Wyatt Earp you'd only help him if the reward was paid dead or alive I did not didn't why to have shown you this document a few days after that first conversation no no we only had one conversation and he told me he had to kill Billy Leonard because yes well because but because Billy Leonard neutered neutered Wyatt had stolen money off the stagecoach what I'm sorry he told me that that he and his brother Morgan had popped off the money typed it off well you know did it oh I know what you mean I just don't believe it objection sustained forgive me they popped off the money to Billy Leonard and hey Doc Holliday Ickes lies were laughable no money had been stolen from the stagecoach it was a matter of public record reported in the newspapers in fear for his life Pike was grasping at straws with the prosecution's case looking less than watertight Wyatt earth took the stand to give his side of the most famous gun fight in history we came up on and closed Billy Clanton and Frank and Tom McLaury had their hands by their sides Frank a bully six-shooters or in plain sight throw up your hands have come to disarm you [Music] as soon as Billy Clanton and Frank McLaury drew their pistols I drew mine Billy Clanton leveled his pistol at me but I did not aim at him I knew that Frank McLaury had a reputation of being a good shot and a dangerous man so I aimed at him first two shots were fired by for Atlanta and myself he's shooting at me and i shooting at the Franklin quarry my first shot destroyed Frank with Larry in the belly [Music] about four shots were fired Ike Clanton ran up and grabbed my arm I could see no weapon in his hand his fighters commenced you get a fight and get away he ran down the side of the building and disappeared [Applause] the moment Billy Clanton and Frank McLaury drew their pistols I knew it was a fight for life I drew in defense of my own life and the lives of my brothers and Doc Holliday after a full month of testimony judge Wells Spicer delivered his verdict in view of the quarrels between various parties out of the opinion that when Virgil Earp as Chief of Police called upon Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday to assist him in disarming the Clanton's and McLaurys he committed an unwise and censurable Act and yet when we consider the lawless disregard for human life that is incident to a frontier country and we consider the threats made against the earth party I cannot say they acted in a criminal manner as to the testimony of Isaac Clanton if as he suggests the object of the attack was to kill him he could have been killed first and easiest but as it was he was simply told to go away when the Europe party marched down Fremont Street they were doing what it was their right and duty to do they faced men they believed to be armed and contemplating resistance the prosecution claims the party acted with criminal haste I am of the firm conviction that in fact they acted wisely to secure their own self-preservation their being in the view of this court no sufficient cause to believe Wyatt Earp and John Holliday guilty of the offence mentioned I ordered them to be released therefore this Court is adjourned not guilty Claire Ike Clanton's supporters were so incensed by the acquittal of the herbs and Holliday that they issued a public death threat to judge Spicer in the nugget newspaper if you take my advice you will take your departure for a more genial clime as I don't think this one healthy for you much longer as you'e liable to get a hole through your coat at any moment the real problem is the town has been so polarized that there's no appeasing the losing side Cowboys aren't interested in PR there are infested in revenge aye Clanton wants to get the men who killed his brother and they feel the whole system has let them down but the earth´s weren't going to be run out of Tombstone they had too much at stake Wyatt had a share in the gambling interests in one of the town's busiest saloons why you can't even win a game when you're running it that's because I run an honest table virgin luckily Virgil's survived but Wyatt still wasn't prepared to give up the law for the gun I'm gonna pay the law I don't know there's too many guns on the street the law don't mean so much okay get away they got me don't let him meet you for wyatt earp the killing of morgan was a profoundly upsetting incident from now on he will be a lawn to himself the question over the years is was he was he a force for justice or was he an expression of the law gone wrong and that's a difficult question to answer but he will be the judge the jury and the executioner the killing of Morgan Earp ended any hope of the conflict between the Cowboys and herbs coming to a peaceful conclusion getting the injured Virgil out of town now became Wyatt's priority [Music] but a Tucson station the Cowboys were waiting for [Music] [Music] still wrong 12 your hands you rested me what for you killed my brother okay lawman let's go to court No one of the witnesses says that he'd never seen a man who'd been more badly shot up and from now on there's no turning back from Wyatt Earp this is a major change in his career he still views himself I believe is bringing justice but he clearly realizes he's now outside the confines of the law Wyatt Earp may have felt justified in violently avenging the death of his brother but the law didn't see it that way this is the handwritten warrant indicted Wyatt Earp for the murder of Frank Stilwell sheriff Johnny beer tried to serve this warrant and arrest her but this time Wyatt wasn't prepared to put his fate in the hands of the court he rode out of town with Doc Holliday and three friends armed to the teeth to hunt down the killers of his brother Morgan his strategy was simple track down the known associates of Frank still and he knew where to find at least one of them [Music] where is he Lorenzino Cruz Indian Charlie I'm Ladder [Music] No you will to look out outside the pool hall the life they shot my brother no no who paid you please I don't know who killed my brother Frank Frank's duel there were others who else hi Quentin no no you'll kill me you tell me who killed Morgan Earp Cooley no Wyatt Earp's vendetta right can be looked at as almost an Old Testament type story an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth and if you really think about that what that type of approach fosters is the idea of a natural law you have natural law and you have the civil law and those who support Wyatt Earp would say he was following the natural law in the course of actions he took after the killing of Morgan even in the wilds of the Arizona backcountry news traveled fast the killing of Indian Charlie made headlines in the next day's newspaper curly bill was the nickname of the notorious cowboy bill Brocius 'sheriff beer had signed him up as a deputy to lead a posse across the Arizona desert in pursuit of Wyatt what we end up having is this remarkable story of one group of lawmen comprised of outlaws pursuing another lawman and it's a fascinating ambiguous situation [Music] the two met up by accident when opened Holliday stumbled across the Cowboys camp according to Holliday Wyatt galloped into the camp on his own to confront curly bill [Music] [Music] he then staged an almost miraculous escape [Music] you can look at Wyatt Earp is both an angel of vengeance or as a lawman gone berserk a lawman out of control you can look at the same incidents and interpret them and put different moral balances on them and come to totally different conclusions and but when we're looking if we're looking just that the facts we know what happened we know the killings that were involved but the real reason the Erb story gets is told and retold and told and retold is the difficulty in coming to a final definitive moral conclusion on our evaluation of that story the killing of curly bill ended Wyatt Earp's murderous Vendetta the worid for murder was never served on him he never worked as a lawman again and he never killed again [Music]

Channel: BBC Documentary

Views: 995,892

Rating: 4.7061925 out of 5

Keywords: bbc documentary, documentary bbc, bbc, The Gunfight At The Ok Corral, gunfight at the ok corral, gunfight at the ok corral 1957 full movie, gunfight at ok corral full movie, gunfight at the ok corral documentary, gunfight at the okay corral, wild west documentary, bbc wild west documentary, bbc documentary wild west, ok corral, o.k. corral, civil war

Id: CvO_RLnx2oM

Length: 48min 42sec (2922 seconds)

Published: Sat Mar 09 2019

Reddit Comments

[u/karmagheden]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frrJn6esbSU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHdeCqEhdvQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObLaMLK5tzs