Historic Fourth Avenue in Tucson in Pima County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Wyatt Earp Shot Frank Stilwell…

Photographed By Bill Kirchner, March 7, 2010

1. Wyatt Earp Shot Frank Stilwell Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Wyatt Earp joined his four brothers in the silver-boom town of Tombstone in 1879 where brother Virgil was deputy U.S. marshal. Wyatt was a sometimes-lawman himself, and hoped to become sheriff of the newly formed Cochise County in 1881. He withdrew from the race when the other candidate, John Behan, promised to make him chief deputy.

Behan was associated with a rowdy element known as the 'cowboys,' who were involved in periodic rustling forays, robberies and similar unscrupulous pursuits.

Behan reneged on his promise to Earp, causing hard feelings between the two, a situation made worse when Earp stole Behan's girlfriend, 18-year-old Josephine Sarah Marcus.

Hostility between Behan and his supporters and the 'Earp crowd,' which included John H. 'Doc' Holliday – a tubercular, hot-tempered dentist and gambler – reached a flash-point Oct. 26, 1881 with the infamous shootout near OK Corral that left three of the cowboys dead.

In the weeks that followed, ambush attacks left Virgil Earp crippled and Morgan Earp dead. Thereafter, the Earp group is believed to have systematically extracted revenge on

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

about a dozen of their enemies including Frank Stilwell. Stilwell was shot at the Tucson Depot on March 20, 1882.
__________
Español:
Wyatt Earp se reunió con sus cuatro hermanos en 1879 en Tombstone, ciudad del auge de la plata en donde el hermano Virgil era comisario federal adjunto. Wyatt mismo fue por un tiempo representante de la ley y esperaba llegar a ser sheriff del recién formado Condado de Cochise en 1881. Se retiró de la contienda cuando el otro candidato, John Behan, prometió nombrarlo jefe de comisarios.

Behan estaba vinculado a un elemento revoltoso conocido como las “vaqueros”, que se involucraban periódicamente en abigeato, atracos y otras actividades inescrupulosas.

Behan se hizo atrás de su promesa a Earp, creando un resentimiento entre ambos que empeoró cuando Earp se quedó con la novia de Behan, Josephine Sarah Marcus, de 18 años de edad.

Las hostilidades entre Behan y sus partidarios y la “gente de Earp”, que incluía a John H. ‘Doc’ Holliday – un dentista y jugador de apuestas tuberculoso e irascible – llegaron a su punto de inflamación el 26 de octubre, 1881, con el famoso tiroteo cerca del OK Corral, que dejó muertos a tres de los vaqueros.

En las semanas siguientes, ataques de emboscada dejaron a Virgil Earp lisiado y a Morgan Earp muerto. Posteriormente, según

Photographed By Bill Kirchner, March 7, 2010

2. Wyatt Earp Shot Frank Stilwell Marker

Marker is on left. Wyatt and "Doc" Sculpture is on right at The Southern Arizona Transportation Museum.

se cree, el grupo Earp se cobró venganza sistemática en cerca de una docena de sus enemigos, incluyendo a Frank Stilwell. Stilwell fue baleado en la Estación de Tucson el 20 de marzo, 1882.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • Law Enforcement. A significant historical date for this entry is March 20, 1882.

Location. 32° 13.425′ N, 110° 58.033′ W. Marker is in Tucson, Arizona, in Pima County. It is in Historic Fourth Avenue. Marker can be reached from North Toole Avenue near East Pennington Street. Marker is on the grounds of the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 414 North Toole Avenue, Tucson AZ 85701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Locomotive 1673 / Locomotora 1673 (within shouting distance of this marker); Southern Pacific Railroad (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Toole Avenue (about 400 feet away); Historic Fourth Avenue Underpass (about 500 feet away); Fourth Avenue Underpass (about 500 feet away); Hotel Congress (about 600 feet away); Congress Street (about 600 feet away); Coronado Hotel (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tucson.

Also see . . .
1. Wikipedia entry for Frank Stilwell. “Frank C. Stilwell (1856

Wyatt Earp and "Doc" Sculpture image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Kirchner, March 7, 2010

3. Wyatt Earp and "Doc" Sculpture

– 1882) was an outlaw Cowboy who killed at least two men in Cochise County during 1877–82. Both killings were considered to have been self-defense. For four months he was a deputy sheriff in Tombstone, Arizona Territory for Cochise County Sheriff Johnny Behan. He was closely involved in the events leading up to and following the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881, and was suspected in the murder of Morgan Earp on March 18, 1882. Two days after Morgan's death, Frank Stilwell was killed by Deputy U.S. Marshal Wyatt Earp in a Tucson train yard. Arrest warrants were issued for Earp and four others in his gang suspected of murdering Stilwell. Murder indictments were issued at Pima County for Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Warren Earp, Sherman McMaster and John Johnson. Earp agreed to turn himself in but instead fled the Arizona Territory for Colorado. Wyatt Earp admitted late in his life to killing Stilwell at close range with a shotgun.” (Submitted on March 16, 2019.)

2. Wikipedia entry for Cochise County Cowboys. “The Cochise County Cowboys were a loosely associated group of outlaw cowboys in Pima and Cochise County, Arizona Territory in the late 19th century. The term cowboy had only begun to come into wider usage during the 1870s, and in the place and time, Cowboy was synonymous

Diagram Shown on Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Kirchner

4. Diagram Shown on Marker

Map drawn by Wyatt Earp showing where he killed Frank Stilwell a short distance northwest of the Tucson railroad station

Mapa dibujado por Wyatt Earp que muestra dónde mató a Frank Stilwell, una corta distancia al noroeste de la estación del ferrocarril en Tucson.

Diagram by W.S.E., writing by J.H.F., Jr. showing station trains, in Tucson, Arizona at time Frank Stilwell was killed.
Over!

with rustler. Cattle thieves frequently rode across the border into Mexico and stole cattle from Mexican ranches, which they drove back across the border and sold in the United States. Some modern writers consider them to be one of the first and earliest forms of organized crime syndicates in American history.” (Submitted on March 16, 2019.)

Sketch of Wyatt Earp Shown on Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Kirchner

5. Sketch of Wyatt Earp Shown on Marker

Frank Stilwell, outlaw Cowboy image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Unknown Photographer, circa 1880

6. Frank Stilwell, outlaw Cowboy

Wikipedia caption: Frank Stilwell of Tombstone, Arizona was a sometimes outlaw Cowboy who had been a teamster, miner, and livery stable owner. During the Coroner’s inquest into Morgan Earp’s murder, he was identified as one of those who ambushed Earp. When Stilwell was not prosecuted for lack of evidence, Wyatt Earp and others set out on a vendetta to kill him and others they believed were responsible for Morgans murder. Frank was murdered in the Tucson rail yard on March 20, 1882.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 21, 2010, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 6,836 times since then and 177 times this year. It was the Marker of the Week March 17, 2019. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on March 21, 2010, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 6. submitted on March 16, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.