Why Did Virgil Give Holiday That Shotgun

2 July, 2008 (00:44) | Gunfighter

Why did Vigile give Holiday that shotgun:
Virgil Earp handed Doc Holliday a shotgun at Harford corner just before the journey down Fremont street to face down the Mclaury's and the Clantons. Virgil was the chief of police said it was his decision to involve Doc Holliday in the matter. Accounts from the time show Wyatt told dock that it was not his fight.

Virgil never seemed to like Doc so that makes for Virgil's decision to hand Doc a shotgun even more interesting. Later Virgil Earp would tell reporters " there was something about Doc. Doc was a friendly man, the good dentist, and gentlemanly.

Later Virgil's wife Allie recounts to writer Frank Waters plenty of her feelings toward Doc Holliday." He wasn't smart or witty. He was cold and disagreeable and I never liked him nor did anyone else".

The fact is in her account of the eve of the gunfight at the O.K. Coral. She stated her surprise when Virgil came home the evening of the gunfight and ask Doc is anything was up. " Oh I've been tryin'to keep Ike Clanton and Doc from killin each other". Why didn't you let 'em go ahead? Neither one amounts to much.

It may have been better for Virgil Earp if he had let Ike Clanton and Doc Holliday kill each other. But that was not Virgil's style. Virgil had established a good reputation as chief of police in tombstone. Even if Virgil had not taken the quarrel serious he could not let it pass.

Well back to Virgil's decision to make Doc a special officer on that afternoon of the fight at the O.K. Coral. Virgil told a reporter in 1882" he went to my brothers, Wyatt, and Morgan, and Doc Holliday and asked them to help me disarm the party" second guessing himself was not Virgil's way.

Maybe the best way Virgal describes his decision to include Doc Holliday was when he said to another newspaper man was Doc " one of our friends". He was a slender sickly fellow, but when the stage was robbed or a row started Doc was one of the first to saddle his horse a report for duty.

On the afternoon of October 26th 1881, Virgal needed help from someone he could count on. He knew Doc had sand and that he could count on Doc.