...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 him. It sounds preposterous when you reason out Ike's position. He was not poverty stricken nor was he a petty thief. He shared a mercantile business and extended produce production with Ringo, he inherited a ranch (he and Billy) from his father, he also owned a ranch in the Sulphur Springs Valley, he is listed as obtaining a permit to transfer cattle bought in New Mexico into Arizona, as well as other cattle sales that were American beef. I hardly think the man needed to take a chance following John Slaughter at night to try to pick his pockets! Sheez!

Frank Vaughn was a man of considerable reputation and accomplishments and if the accounts he gave about the Benson stage attempt were recorded years later, that is not a reason to reject his statements. How much later on did Wyatt Earp share all his accomplishments and yet the adoration never stops. No one has ever put him in a position to prove it. He could say anything at any time!

WE can never prove without a doubt some of the things we have read and heard about. That is a given. But when men of some stature of character all relate corresponding accounts of a certain event, even if their personal opinion creeps in a little, there is pretty good reason to feel comfortable with it. Applying a little logic and reason helps to find some answers that make sense.

As for your last line, circumstantial evidence is often reliable enough to pursue a matter rather than say something stupid like "...not EVEN a suspicion!..." The DA needed to go back to school!