Description:

Wyatt Earp
El Paso, TX, April 15, 1885
Wyatt Earp Original Criminal Doc Citing Saloon Murder Witness Wyatt Earp – A Primary Source Record of Earp's Wanderings after the Vendetta Ride Against those Responsible for Morgan Earp's Death
Manuscript

Both sides of a partially printed document, 10.125" x 14.25"; El Paso, Texas; April 15, 1885. Printed across the top: "Justice's Docket, (Criminal)", and numbered pages 59 and 60, the written account records the speedy frontier justice applied in the murder of ex-Texas Ranger Charles W. Linn by Robert Cahill. Notably, Wyatt Earp is listed as a witness giving signed testimony. Earp was in El Paso, visiting Lou Rickabaugh, who ran a gambling saloon. Earp's movements and actions in the years immediately after leaving Tombstone (spring 1882 through the later 1880s) are sparsely documented, and much of what is known comes from reminiscences, newspaper snippets, and later accounts. Offered here is an original primary source record from this period, documenting his role in gun fight! Rough edge where the sheet was removed from a larger ledger, small tape repair at top corner, with a few additional small tears and chips along top.

Previously from the Tombstone Western Heritage Museum, with the original museum label. Page 60 records in graphic detail the findings of the inquest held just hours after the murder of Charles W. Linn, listing Wyatt Earp as a witness:

"April 15th 1885 – The following jurors were found qualified & sworn in: F.A. Davis, H.F. Allen; H.M. Roberts, W.E. Sharp, John Evans, H M Kingsbury and in company with the undersigned Justice of the Peace proceeded to the Gem Saloon & examined the marks made by bullets and the place where deceased fell and died – then proceeded to the jail of the County where the body lay and examined the body. Found one wound in the left breast penetrating the heart; two wounds in the left wrist & fore arm & one in the left arm near shoulder and another through the belly and back bone. Found some letters addressed to deceased as Charles W Linn. Found 1 revolver, two gold rings some stockings & shirts and a valise & guitar which are ordered to be saved. Then examined the following witnesses who signed their testimony after it was written down: William Gregory, Frank Graffenburg, Wyat [sic] S. Earp, D.G.F Tifton [Dan Tipton, an associate of Earp's from Tombstone], Francis Jessie Boyd, & AP Criswell."

The inquest concludes: "Charles M. Linn, that said deceased came to his death by gun shot wounds one penetrating the heart and the other penetrating the bowels and spinal column of deceased, said wounds being caused by bullets fired from a revolver pistol held in the hands of and fired by Robert Cahill sad death occurring between the hours of twelve midnight and one o'clock A.M. on the morning of April 15th 1885."

Page 59 records that Cahill had been charged with murder and committed to the El Paso County Jail, with his bail set at ten dollars.

Linn's murder started with an altercation between Will Rayner and Robert Rennick heavily fueled by alcohol and quick tempers. Linn mistakenly thought Cahill had shot Rayner and fired at Cahill as Cahill fled the scene in hopes of avoiding trouble. The two confronted one another (back in or near the Gem), and Cahill shot Linn multiple times. Linn died almost immediately. Although Earp was not a participant, his already storied reputation resulted in various accounts of his role in events. One story has him advising Cahill to "take your time … aim low … wait until he comes close." Regardless of lore, offered here is the original page from the court ledger recording the speedy inquest. Cahill was released on a small bond, and with eyewitness testimony (including Earp's), it was ruled that he had acted in self-defense and never brought to trial.

Wyatt Earp left Tombstone in 1882 after the infamous "Vendetta Ride," when he and a posse hunted down members of the Cowboys gang in retaliation for the murder of his brother Morgan and the wounding of Virgil. Facing legal indictments and fearing vengeance from his enemies, he decided it was no longer safe to remain in Arizona. In the years that followed, Earp became something of a restless wanderer of the frontier boomtowns. He drifted through Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas - turning up in El Paso during the 1885 Gem Saloon affair as evidenced by this ledger sheet. A fantastic relic of Earp's years of travels through the wild west during which his reputation followed and grew.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 10.125" x 14.25"
  • Medium: Manuscript

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

November 19, 2025 10:00 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000