The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was a 30-second shootout between lawmen and members of a loosely organized group of outlaws called the Cowboys that took place at about 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. It is generally regarded as the most famous shootout in the history of the American Wild West. The gunfight was the result of a long-simmering feud, with Cowboys Billy Claiborne, Ike and Billy Clanton, and Tom and Frank McLaury on one side and town Marshal Virgil Earp, Special Policeman Morgan Earp, Special Policeman Wyatt Earp, and temporary policeman Doc Holliday on the other side. All three Earp brothers had been the target of repeated death threats made by the Cowboys, who objected to the Earps' interference in their illegal activities. The four law men faced five Cowboys. Billy Clanton and both McLaury brothers were killed. Ike Clanton claimed that he was unarmed and ran from the fight, along with Billy Claiborne and Wes Fuller. Virgil, Morgan, and Doc Holliday were wounded, but Wyatt Earp was unharmed. The shootout has come to represent a period of the American Old West when the frontier was virtually an open range for outlaws, largely unopposed by law enforcement officers who were spread thin over vast territories.
The following events took one year prior, one year after the founding of Tombstone, and fifteen years after the end of the American Civil War.
Welcome to Dead West. In this RP, you are one of the following: A resident of the recently established town of Tombstone, a visitor of some sort, an official of sorts, or a member of the Gallows Gang. The only officials that will be playable will either be the town lawmen, Pinkerton agents, or financial allies of George Williamson, a wealthy business man. Ultimately, you are your own person, but there is, as there always is, something deeper going on in Tombstone, Arizona.
George Williamson
An oil and railroad magnate, as well as a cotton baron. George is cold towards others and is willing to do whatever it takes to progress his businesses. What is known to plenty is the nature George Williamson takes, seeing his way as orderly. George is a financial backer of law enforcement, using them as a means against his opponents through corruption of his own terms. Usually stationed in Tuscon, financial reasons of various, untapped potential bring him to Tombstone.
John Charles Frémont
Territorial Governer, Frémont was appointed Governor of the Arizona Territory by President Rutherford B. Hayes and served from 1878 to 1881. He spent little time in Arizona, and was asked to resume his duties in person or resign; Frémont chose resignation. During what little time he spent in Tombstone, it was known that he would be present for the official terms of a railroad in Tombstone, terms being negotiated between himself and George Williamson.
Crawley P. Dake
While U.S. Marshal for the Arizona Territory from 1878 to 1882, introduced new techniques and helped to improve working relationships between law enforcement officers in the Arizona Territory. He was noted for his creativity and ability for deputizing civilian posses after the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passed. He was a Union Army soldier during the Civil War. During 1878 to 1889, he formed posses charged with controlling lawlessness along the United States and Mexico border.
Virgil Walter Earp
Knowing Virgil was moving to Tombstone, and knowing of his peace officer background, U.S. Marshal Crawley Dake appointed Virgil as deputy U.S. marshal for the Tombstone District of Pima County, on November 27, 1879. He was instructed by Dake to help resolve ongoing problems with outlaw Cowboys. But the job didn't pay much. He was mostly on call helping county and city officials. On October 30, 1880, after town marshal Fred White was accidentally shot and killed by outlaw and gunman "Curly Bill" Brocius, Virgil was also appointed acting town marshal of Tombstone. Virgil now held both the more powerful local town marshal position and the prestigious federal law enforcement appointment. As town marshal, Virgil earned a regular salary of $100 a month plus a percentage of city taxes he collected. But Virgil did not hold the job for long. The city held a special election on November 13, and Tombstone city policemen James Flynn and Ben Sippy competed for the job. But then Flynn dropped out of the race and Sippy beat Virgil for the office, 311 votes to Earp's 259.
Ben Sippy
City Marshal of Tombstone, Arizona Territory, from November 12, 1880, to June 6, 1881. He beat out Deputy U.S. Marshal Virgil Earp for the office but left under a cloud of financial impropriety. Before arriving in Arizona, Sippy had been indicted for theft in Parker County, Texas. He fled the state without facing the charges. On November 12, 1880, Sippy beat Virgil Earp by 311 to Earp's 259 votes in an election only two weeks after Earp was appointed to fill the office after Fred White was accidentally killed by Curly Bill Brocius.
James Flynn
Tombstone policeman, nothing fancy.
Tom James Gallows
Leader of the Gallows Gang, a band of men who made a living out of mercenary work and robbery, known for being some of the most violent outlaws of the late 1800s. Tom Gallows himself is a very, very large man known for using a very, very large revolver. They are most notorious for hanging their victims, being the cruel, merciless savages they are. Recently they have been attracted to Tombstone in hopes of an influx of opportunities.
The Pinkertons
Pinkerton, founded as the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, is a private security guard and detective agency established in the United States by Scotsman Allan Pinkerton in 1850. During the labor strikes of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, businessmen hired the Pinkerton Agency to infiltrate unions, supply guards, keep strikers and suspected unionists out of factories, and recruit goon squads to intimidate workers. Pinkerton's agents performed services ranging from security guarding to private military contracting work. George Williamson, one of their financial backers, has hired them during his time in Tombstone.
There are secrets to unravel, mysteries to unfold, lives to live, and deaths to come.
- 1 - My word is law
- 2 - No godmodding, metagaming, flaming, raging, spamming, the usual, basic NS stuff.
- 3 - For now, keep it to a 3 character minimum per person. I don't care for puppet spam.
- 4 - Keep it PG-13. Also basic NS stuff.
- 5 - People can, and probably will die.
- 6 - I don't mind creativity, but don't go overboard. Overly ridiculously characters will not be accepted, and if you pull anything after being accepted you'll get 3 warnings and your out.
- Code: Select all
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[b][i][u]YEEHAW[/u][/i][/b]