In a Pella Advertiser, November 7, 1896, article it quotes Wyatt Earp on the gunfight and the deal leading up to the gunfight. Wyatt makes mention of the stage robbery that killed the driver and a passenger but does not mention any troubles that Holliday had in relation to it.

Wyatt says he sought out a leader of this group,to strike a deal, Ike Clanton. Wyatt offered the full reward, six thousand dollars, for information leading to the capture.(I am confused why Wyatt was paying out of his own pocket to increase the reward?) When Clanton was assured that the money was guaranteed he enlisted Joe Hill. Wyatt fails to mention any part of the dead or alive telegram, but states that Marshal Williams got drunk and accused Ike of treachery. Wyatt than claims that Ike accused Hill of telling their secret. When Hill denied it he accused Wyatt of having told Doc.

Wyatt explains that Doc was the soul of honor and upon learning Ike's treachery, berated him severely. This drunken exchange was over heard by several people. Wyatt explains that fear and whiskey robbed Ike of his discretion and the entire deal was let out.

According to Wyatt, Ike was hunting them the next morning as he knew it was "kill or be killed by his own..

Wyatt's story doesn't really change what we know about the deal. I did not realize that Ike accused his fellow accomplice of a double cross? Joe Hill seems to be more important in this affair than a minor player? Why would Ike not assume that Marshal Williams didn't know of the situation, if Williams had to wire for the confirmation of dead or alive telegram. Was Ike afraid of a possible Williams connection back to the outlaw group? Did Wyatt assure Ike that he would discreetly inquire? Could Wyatt discreetly found out the details of the reward without Willims involvement? Paranoia seems to be running very high in Ike, is this a normal reaction for him or a panic reaction brought on by drink and or other substances? The jump from Williams to Hill, than Wyatt to Doc, does not follow any logical pattern. Doc isn't even present in Tombstone, why is Ike so fearful of Holliday's knowledge of it? Is it because Holliday was more connected to Leonard and the group and Ike feared disclosure? Is it that Doc finally became aware that Ike had made a deal to have his acquaintances killed? Why is it so important that Holliday get back to Tombstone to confirm these details? It seems like a last ditch effort to save the whole mess or to get Ike back in line and complete the deal.

The feud in the bar between Doc and Ike was on a personal level, afterwards, Ike brought the Earp's into the mix with threats against them. Why involved all the Earp's? It was kill or be killed for Ike or at least, it was in his mind. By making a huge production of threats against the Earp's life he was attempting to demonstrate he was their enemy not a co-conspirator. Ike may have tragically miscalculated the Earp's response to his threats.

Is it possible by Wyatt letting Marshal Williams in on the telegram that he was actually getting Ike through subterfuge? Wyatt has to be astute enough to know this information was not absolutely safe? If Williams had any connection back to the cowboys, even as minor as giving some information, Ike may have figured he was a dead man by the mishandling of the telegram. He desperately wanted to know who leaked it, his life depended on it.

A few thoughts on the matter prompted by this article, does anyone know the history of this interview? Wyatt goes into a lot of detail about the gunfight that was not included in his testimony.