...what the social status of the reported witnesses were; were they town derelicts or worthwhile citizens of the township?
One would think that John Slaughter and his wife were substantial witnesses to pay attention to. True, they admittedly did not actually see Doc Holliday involved in any way with the stage attempt, but they did report identifying him in the immediate area not long after the event took place. So for the District Attorney Vincent Price to say that his interview of witnesses left him "without even the SLIGHTEST suspicion" of Holliday's involvement sounds like a biased and careless or irresponsible statement to me.
To go a step further, another witness carried responsible credentials, it would seem. Frank Vaughn was a well known and respected pioneer of those times and believed to be a man of integrity. He stated "...At the time of the trial John Slaughter, Ike Clanton, and Tom and Frank McLaury all testified that they had seen Doc riding toward Tombstone on the Dunbar horse, with a rifle across his saddle. This started the feud..."
According to Mr. Vaughn, "...the McLaurys were driving cattle from their Babocomari ranch to the Sulphur Springs ranch and had stopped over at Drew's station to hold over for the night..." So that is how, according to Vaughn, the ranchers were aware of what happened that night. Vaughn and Mr. Russel were at Drew's also, stringing telephone lines, and were having dinner when they all heard the report of a rifle and in a few minutes saw Holliday riding toward Tombstone.
Okay, no one actually saw him do it; but are not all these witnesses substantial enough for the District Attorney to seriously follow up on possible charges and not say something so casual as "... there was no reason for the slightest suspicion?..."
The prosecutor says he talked to the witnesses and refused to bring charges against Holiday because the witnesses were not convincing and evidence Holiday was guilty was not there. What witness would... more
Among those witnesses were John Slaughter and his wife who encountered Holliday the night of the robbery. Slaughter kept his hand on his weapon until Holliday was out of sight. Yes, Slaughter and wife... more
One has to wonder... — Joyce A. Aros,Sun Jul 31 2022 10:23
Joyce, I know this will shock you, but I have a different take on this matter. I don't believe that any of the witnesses you refer to were named as such in any contemporary account. I think all of these... more
...my concern was that the DA , Price, sloughed it off so casually. His references to witnesses that were not named bother me. Even though we now understand that testimony or reference information by men... more
opinion Lyttleton Price did not have the intestinal fortitude to prosecute the bad men of Cochise. Somebody please cite the cases of bad guys of Copchise prosecuted by Lyttleton Price. Meanwhile, I'll... more
Joyce, you state: "...my concern was that the DA , Price, sloughed it off so casually. His references to witnesses that were not named bother me. Even though we now understand that testimony or reference... more
...and maybe I will make more sense. There seem to be several differing accounts of Slaughter's recognizing Holliday and I have not heard anything anywhere about Ike Clanton following him to rob... more
...Frank Vaughn is an interesting man, apparently. His record as an Arizona pioneer at a time when everyday life became an opportunity for greater things for almost everyone who wanted to progress is a... more
I find nothing in my research of Frank Vaughn to suggest he was anything but an upstanding citizen. However, as I pointed out in a previous post, many "eyewitnesses" of Tombstone events apparently related... more
Integrity is crucial in an investigation, as you say, but my concern from the beginning is why did the DA write it all off with a flip "...not even a suspicion..." It appears that even with substantial... more
"Integrity is crucial in an investigation, as you say, but my concern from the beginning is why did the DA write it all off with a flip '...not even a suspicion...' It appears that even with substantial... more
...disagree again! I hope I am not being terribly obstinate, but my sense of fair play does extend to the cowboys a little more than those sleazy Earps. You might find I have little respect for the... more
First of all, Joyce, I am 72, so I am not and hve not accused anybody of dementia. I am saying that 40 or 50 years after an event memories can get hazy and they can become ultra-sharp, even remembering... more
...you put up a good argument and I didn't mean to suggest you accused anyone of dementia; just that youngsters often view us as on the verge. I can't argue with you on this particular presentation; I... more
Shucks... — sharon Cunningham,Tue Aug 23 2022 8:32
Just give yourself 8 more years and you'll be defensive!!
...We are talking about the District Attorney questioning witnesses on or about July 9, 1881, not 40 years later. His conclusion, after interviewing men such as Frank Vaughn and John Slaughter, that "...there... more
Bob on page 181 of Bechdolts book. When the West was Young. Bechdolt also says this was on the night after the attack on the Benson bound coach. Mr. and Mrs. John Slaughter are listed under... more
Does it seem plausable to you that Doc would try to rob Slaughter just after attempting to rob the stage, while riding one of the best known horses in the county?
Bob It was not just after the stage attack but 24 hours later. Bechdolt also says this, "Knew his bronco as soon as I saw that blazed face show," John Slaughter said in explanation of his quick... more