Page 71 - All About History - Issue 12-14

WYATT EARP’S WILD WEST

An illustration of Wyatt Earp winning a duel in Dodge City

“ Drawing his pistol, he placed it to the side
of the assassin’s head and, punctuated

only by a final scream, pulled the trigger”

and burst around a ridge and down into the men’s the killer of his brother was blown in two. Seeing
camp with Texas Jack, Doc Holliday and McMaster their leader dead, the rest of Brocius’ party fled for
hot on his heels. Wyatt walked toward Brocius, his their lives, but not before Wyatt had continued his
long trench coat flapping behind him in the wind. vengeful rampage by killing Johnny Barnes with
Panic broke loose in the camp, with the outlaws a gunshot round to the chest and wounding Milt
all scrambling for their weapons. Like a rattlesnake, Hicks with another shot.
Brocius weaved to his own shotgun and turned The rest of Wyatt Earp’s vendetta ride ran its
and fired at the advancing Wyatt, but missed the course in the only way it could. Wanted by the
avenging town marshal. Texas Jack, who was law, Wyatt and his posse could not return to
sticking closely to Wyatt, drew his dual pistols and Tombstone. As such, after making a couple
began firing at the outlaws. Brocius’ men began of stops at safe houses, most of his posse
firing back, rounds hitting Wyatt’s coat and even headed east out of Arizona, riding out of the
Texas Jack’s horse, which was killed instantly. state with the Sun on their backs. Behan
Doc Holliday, McMaster and Johnson moved to never did catch them and after arriving
cover and started shooting; while Texas Jack, after in Albuquerque, New Mexico, they went
exhausting all the rounds in his pistols, dashed to their separate ways. Vengeance had been
his fallen horse in an attempt to retrieve his rifle. delivered with a efficiency and brutality
During the chaos, Wyatt Earp had never taken that would permanently affect the
his eyes off Brocius and calmly advanced on lives of all the men involved and
the killer. Time slowed and, with an unshakable cement their reputation as legendary
purpose, Wyatt raised his shotgun, aimed directly figures. Justice – Wild West style –
at Brocius at point-blank range, and watched as had been served.

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