b'OLD WEST LEGENDSMIDNIGHT ASSASSINSBy Dakota LivesayU. S. Deputy Marshall Virgil W. Earp shot in the back.D ecember 29, 1881, Tombstone, Arizona Mr. Earp walked into the Oriental and told his About 11:30 last night, U.S. Deputy Marshalbrother Wyatt that he was shot. His friends escorted Virgil Earp, was proceeding from the Orientalhim to his room at the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Saloon on the northeast corner of Allen and FifthDrs. Mathews and Goodfellow were immediately Streets to his room at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, andcalled in to attend upon him. It has been learned when he was about the middle of the crossing ofthat his left arm received the principal damage, the Fifth Street, five shots were fired in rapid successionshot taking effect just above the elbow, producing by unknown men who were standing in the Olda longitudinal fracture of the bone between the Palace Saloon that is being rebuilt next door aboveshoulder and elbow.So far as could be learned the the Trasker and Pridhams Store, on the southwestwound in his back is not necessarily dangerous, corner of the same streets. Immediately after thethough painful.firing the assassins ran rapidly down Fifth past the Combination Shaft and disappeared into the darkness beyond Tough Nut Street.Two of the shots took effect on his left side, producing a wound the nature of which has not been ascertained at the present writing.Three of the shots went through one of the windows of the Eagle Brewery Saloon on the northeast corner in range with which Mr. Earp happened to be at the time of firing. The holes in the windows were about at the height of four, six, and seven feet respectively above the sidewalk; but fortunately, none of the inmates of the saloon were injured, the shots impinging harmlessly upon the opposite wall on the room.LATER PARTICULARSSince the above was written it has been learned that immediately after the shooting three men ran past the ice house on Tough Nut Street and sang out to Immediately after the firing the assassins ran rapidly down Fifth past the Combination Shaft and disappeared into the darkness beyond Tough Nut Street.This further proves that there is a band of assassins in our midst, who, having threatened the lives of Judge Spicer, Mayor Clum, Mr. Williams, the Earp Brothers, and Holliday, have attempted upon two Sketch of the Eagle Brewery Saloon occasions to carry their threats into execution, first upon Mayor Clum and second upon Virgil Earp. the man in attendance who had his door open at theThe question naturally arises, who will be the next time, Lock your door. The same three men weresubject? And a further question, how long will our seen by a miner a few minutes later making downpeople stand for this sort of thing?into the gulch below the Vizina Hoisting Works.The shots were evidently fired from double-barreledIt is no fault of these damned assassins thatshotguns, and there must have been three men asseveral persons were not killed in their dastardly five shots were fired in rapid succession.It is simplyattempt to murder a United Stated officer; for there a miracle that Mr. Earp was not instantly killed, aswere many people in the Eagle Brewery, over the in the darkness, with the simple aid of a bit of lighterheads of whom the passing shots flew on their paper the marks of nineteen shots were found oncourse. A few inches lower and there would have the east side of the Eagle Brewery and in the awningbeen corpses prostrate upon the floor in place of posts, three of them passing through a window onfrightened people wondering what happened to that side of the house. cause this bombardment. 32 December 2021'