Doc Holliday: The Bloodless Duel

Lou Rickaburgh was feeling the pressure. He had a pretty good thing going in Tombstone's Oriental saloon, being the principal owner of the gambling concession. But that Johnny Tyler-- he sure was making things tough.

Now, Johnny Tyler was a professional gambler, but he wasn't quite as civil as some of the others in town. And Johnny was very ambitious. Johnny had asked Rickabaugh for a partnership in the Oriental Saloon. Rickaburgh decided against the partnership, Johnny became perplexed by this and made a nuisance of himself.

Johnny had brought in some cronies who kept the Oriental Saloon in a constnt state of agitation--screaming, yelling, harrassing dealers and even starting fights. The more Tyler's boys did, the more resolved Rickabaugh was to keep Tyler out of a partnership. Not making this decision Tyler's henchmen became rowdier.

Soon after, business was going bad and there was little Rickabaugh could do. The law was weak and he'd have to pay to have his place protected by private individuals grasping straws, Rickaburgh finally decided to cut someone in on his concession for "protection." That someone had to be a good gambler and have a reputation with a gun.

Wyatt Earp fit this description. In addition, Wyatt had three brothers in Tombstone-- all gamblers and gunmen. His brother Virgil had recently been appointed a special deputy by Marshall White. There was Wyatt's pal Doc Holiday. Everybody knew Doc was dying of "Tuberculosis,." Nobody wanted to get in a fight with a man who had nothing to lose.

Continue reading the Doc Holliday story.