Gunfight at the O.K. Corral Cowboys and were not indicted. Wyatt Earp, newly appointed as Deputy U.S. Marshal in Cochise County, then took matters into his own hands in a personal vendetta. He was pursued by county sheriff Johnny Behan, who had received a warrant from Tucson for Wyatt's shooting of Frank Stilwell. Tombstone, near the Mexican border, was founded in March 1879. After silver was discovered in the area, Tombstone grew rapidly into a frontier mining boomtown. At its founding, it had a population of just 100, and only two years later, in late 1881, the population was more than 7,000 (excluding Chinese, Mexicans,
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral God will let me live to get my clothes on, he will see me." At about 1:00 pm, Virgil and Morgan Earp found Ike on 4th Street, still armed, and Virgil pistol whipped him from behind. Disarming him, the Earps took Ike to appear before Judge Wallace for violating the ordinance. Wyatt waited with Clanton while Virgil went to find Justice of the Peace A.O. Wallace so a court hearing could be held. While Wyatt waited for Virgil to return with Judge Wallace, witnesses overheard Wyatt tell Clanton, "You cattle thieving son-of-a-bitch, and you know that I know you are