James Kehoe was a butcher at Bauer’s meat market and a witness that testified at the Inquest. He testified on November 4, 1881.
On this fourth day of November 1881, on the hearing of the above entitled cause of the examination of Wyatt Earp and J.H. Holliday; James Kehoe, a witness for lawful age, being produced and sworn, deposes and saying as Follows:
James Kehoe, a butcher of Tombstone, says he had business to transact with Thomas McLaury on the 26th of October 1881. He came to my market on Fremont Street between Third and Fourth Streets. We had a misunderstanding, him and his brother,
about some money, with the firm of which I am a member. Frank was in debt to our firm; add I was standing at the door of our market speaking wit Frank and Tom McLaury. Sheriff Behan came up to the McLaury’s and said, “Frank, I want you to give up your arms.” Frank said, “Johnny, as long as the people of Tombstone act so, I will not give up my arms.”
[Objected to by the defense. Overruled and excepted to.]
The Sheriff told him he would take him to the Sheriff’s Office to lay off his arms. Frank McLaury said,” You need not take me. I will go.” The Sheriff said, “Well, come on.” They walked down toward Third Street. They stopped near Mr. Fly’s house and a little west of it. I heard someone remark, “Here come the Earp boys!” I looked toward Fought Street and saw the Mr. Earps and Mr. Holliday coming along Fremont Street from Fourth, toward Third Street. They passed me. I saw Sheriff Behan walking towards them, to meet them, leaving the Clanton party. The Sheriff said, “You are an officer,” or, “I am an officer,” I can’t tell which, to which I heard no reply, if they made any. They passed by the Sheriff and walked up the Clanton party.
In Less than a minute, I heard two shots in quick succession. I saw Frank McLaury running out on the street from the vacant space, drawing his pistol, and Mr. Holliday going out on the street, from the sidewalk near Fly’s building, with a shotgun or rifle in his hand. By this time the shooting was general. Frank McLaury held the lines of a horse. He had hold of a horse from the time he left our shop until I saw him stagger and fall. During the fight I saw one man fall at the corner of the little house west of Fly’s house. I didn’t know at the time who he was. There were two shots and possibly three or four fired before I saw Frank McLaury run, drawing his pistol. During the engagement, he seemed to stagger and shoot wild, and act dizzy. I could not tell how many shots were fired before the man fell at the corner of the house. There were a great many fired. To all appearances, Tom McLaury was not armed at the time he was at the shop there was nothing in sight to show he was armed. He had on a dark blue blouse of light material and dark pants and vest. The blouse came down about the length of his arms. It was outside of his pants.
James Kehoe
Source for Inquest:
Arizona Historical Society
The O.K. Corral INQUEST by Alford E. Turner
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