Interesting Stories Of Famous Outlaws From The American West

The Wild West certainly earned the “Wild” part of its name. Some of America’s most eccentric criminals ran riot in the west as bandits. These outlaws weren’t afraid to rob banks, trains, carriages, and anything else they encountered. Their exploits are the stuff of legend, with criminals like Butch Cassidy, the Wild Bunch, Pretty Boy Floyd, and others going down in history. 

Doc Holliday was born on August 14, 1851. He lived with his mother and father in Griffin, Georgia. His dad fought in and survived the Mexican-American war, and old Henry Holliday even brought home an adopted kid, Francesco, who became Doc’s brother. Of course, at the time, Doc wasn’t known as “Doc.” His birth name was John Henry Holliday. 

“Doc” Holliday’s dad was a pharmacist, while his mom was a school teacher. He grew up in a well-educated family with a focus on healing and sharing knowledge. You really couldn’t ask for a more wholesome upbringing. And Doc lapped it up, developing a love of medicine and a passion for mathematics.

Though he had an idyllic family life, tragedy struck in his teenage years. Doc’s sweet and loving mother contracted tuberculosis in 1866. Young Doc was only 15 at the time, yet he had to watch his mother grow sicker by the day. She died not long after contracting the infectious lung disease. 

You’re probably wondering how on earth this well-educated medical professional became a gunslinger. Well, it has a little to do with the place Doc chose to establish his dental practice. He went with Dallas, Texas, which was known for being a wild place at the time. Unruly though it was, Dallas had thriving oil and brass industries, so there was plenty of money to go around. 

We all have our vices, but anyone who’s ever had a problem with gambling will already know the precarious position Doc Holliday was in. Add to this the fact that he was partial to alcohol. And you have a recipe for disaster. One night, he was drunkenly gambling, enjoying win after win, when a bartender got suspicious and accused him of cheating. 

People weren’t so subtle with nicknames back in the 1800s. We tell you this because one of Doc’s first loves was Mary Katherine Horony – a woman affectionately known as “Big Nose Kate.” Kate was a savvy business woman who worked as a bartender and who wasn’t afraid to do some dirty work if it would earn her a decent amount of cash. 

Doc Holliday was accused of shooting and killing a man, so he collected his new bride and took off for the appropriately named Dodge City. This town was everything you would imagine from the name: tough, filthy, filled with ruffians, and home to many of the Wild West’s most infamous outlaws. 

Doc Holliday had the dubious honor of meeting Wyatt Earp during his time in Dodge City. Earp was a lawman, but he was also a gambler, and he’d made plenty of enemies in both these arms of his career. One night, a gang of miscreants with a grudge against Earp charged into Dodge City’s Long Branch Saloon, guns blazing. 

Wyatt rushed into the salon as soon as he heard what he’d soon discover as the bellow of Doc’s voice. Wyatt entered into the fray with his weapon drawn to defend Doc amid all the gunfire. The assailants were slightly taken aback. From then on, Wyatt and Doc formed their famed companionship.

Wyatt chose to work as a bank security guard because his brothers were Tombstone marshals, which was a logical choice given his family’s previous experience in the field. It didn’t take long for these law enforcement officers to come across a group of part-time criminals, better known as the Cowboys.

After just 30 seconds of gunfire, the O.K. Corral became one of the most well-known events in American history. It all started on October 26, 1881, when Earp and Holliday retaliated against the Cowboys for threatening to murder them.

Things happened very quickly after 3 p.m. that autumn day. All that transpired on that tragic day happened decisively and rapidly as if it were a game. Billy and the McLaurys were dead in less than a minute after the shootout started.

While the prospect of a murder trial loomed over Wyatt Earp’s head, it didn’t prevent him from spending the winter in a jail cell with Doc Holliday, who had become his closest friend and companion over the years.

This scenario was a challenging one for the judges. Though there was some evidence that Wyatt and Doc were in danger from a potential threat, there were also rumors the Cowboys had no weapons as they kept their hands for their execution.

During the trial, witnesses gave contradictory testimony depending on whom they were supporting at the time of the questioning. Even reliable third parties could not agree on who was responsible for the attack.

The gunfight at the O.K. Corral was presided over by Justice of the Peace Wells Spicer, who, on November 30th, 1881, made history by ruling that Wyatt Earp and his band couldn’t be found guilty in this highly documented case.

As for the second, and perhaps more important, point of view expressed by Wells Spicer, he believed that the men should never have been deputized in the first place. It was only after a brief period of deliberation that the jury concluded that the police officers were not guilty of the charges leveled against them.

Doc Holliday became well-known across the country as a swashbuckling, well-mannered dentist with a much-appreciated mustache.

Following the completion of the public trial, Doc chose to depart Arizona. He continued to gamble for the remainder of his life even as he sailed across the Western Frontier.

In Glenwood Springs, Colorado, Doc died of tuberculosis on November 8, 1887. He was 36 at the time of his death. Then, as he was approaching the end of his life, he took another shot of whiskey and exclaimed, “This is funny.”

Photographer C.S. Fly set out to capture the historical events unfolding in the growing mining town of Tombstone, which had already established itself as a legendary destination throughout the United States. It was December of 1879 when he and his wife Mary arrived in Tombstone for the first time.

There was a meeting scheduled with General George Crook of the Department of Arizona for March in 1886, and Apache chief Geronimo was putting together his preparations for it.

Tombstone, a thriving mining town in the late 1800s, wasn’t always so. From here, you can see the ever-talking Tough Nut Mine, with its gated entrance in the background. Tombstone founder Ed Schieffelin controlled this mine with his brother Al and business partner Richard Gird.

John Slaughter is a famous figure to the many residents that live in towns scattered throughout Arizona and New Mexico.

For his fighting prowess, John Slaughter, the good Samaritan, was a hero to many people. He was a hero to the Apaches, too, as he protected the young Apache girl May, a victim of the Apache War, from harm.

Because of the abundance of gold, silver, and copper mining in the area, people in historic west Arizona had a great deal of spare time to enjoy themselves.

With around 100 people at the beginning of the twentieth century, Tombstone, Arizona, was hardly living up to its name as one of the sleepiest towns in America.

This image depicts a photo of George Parsons, Tombstone’s most prominent historian. As the city quickly rose to fame for its Wild West flair, so too did Parsons’ passion for writing about truthfully documenting its history.

Geronimo developed an interest in photography due to his meeting with Crook and C.S. Fly in the following months.

Tombstone made most of its money in the 19th century from transporting ore from mines to nearby stamp mills. Stamp mills were heavy machines that crush rocks into a fine powder, which was used to separate gold and silver from rock.

Samantha Fallon is pictured at the San Jose House Hostel and Millinery Shop in Tombstone, Arizona.

When a troop of Apache warriors under the command of their brave leader Geronimo emerged from the woods, C.S. Fly was there to witness the event.

As you know, one of the most significant events in Wild West history occurred on October 26th, 1881 – it was the day that the Clanton Gang was subdued after a long and challenging gunfight with Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and those they fought alongside.

After Geronimo’s surrender, Apache leader Naiche accompanied troops from General Crook’s group to a rendezvous with the Mexican military and various Apache bands, who were also there to finalize an agreement.

It is possible to see the Grand Hotel in the background of this scene. When it comes to lodging options in Tombstone, few compare to the Grand Hotel, which is widely considered the most opulent in the entire state.

It is possible to witness many Apache children here in this area. “Jimmy” McKinn is a boy kidnapped by Apache warriors in Silver City, New Mexico, and taken far away. Luckily, he became quickly attached to his new life amongst these people.

In this historical photo from the Wild West, we see the remains of the O.K. Corral, the site of one of America’s iconic historical shootouts.

As Geronimo was surrounded and on the verge of surrendering in the final days of his surrender proceedings, it was unclear what kind of resistance the Apache chief would mount against the United States Army.

Upon Geronimo’s request, this picture was taken to remember the respected Apache chief at his most famous peak in life.

Although his widow Mary carried on the couple’s photography feats after her husband, C.S. Flyer, passed away in 1901, the family business was unfortunately burned down in 1915 by a fire that came as a total surprise to everyone who had followed their work for so many years.