ASSORTED MISCREANTS

[Wylie Harp, #21158L]

In the Holliday-Tyler incident at the Oriental Saloon in Tombstone on October 10, 1880, Tyler and Holiday were disarmed by the police and their guns deposited behind the bar. Both men left the bar, but later returned and continued to argue.

 

Milt Joyce, who operated The Oriental persuaded Tyler to leave, and then got into an argument with Holliday, who was drunk. Joyce then gave Holliday the “bum’s rush” out of the saloon. Doc went back into the saloon yet again and demanded his pistol from behind the bar but Joyce refused to give it to him. Doc left angry and humiliated.

 

Doc then found another pistol, a "self-cocker," returned to the saloon yet again, and opened fire on Joyce who charged Holliday with his own pistol in hand, but apparently used it to pistol whip Doc. In the melee, Milt was shot in the right hand. Hardly one of Doc's finer hours. Milt's hand was seriously injured and for weeks it was thought that he would lose it.

 

Here is a rare tintype portrait of Milt Joyce that has recently come up for auction. I was taken about the year after this incident.

 

http://www.cowanauctions.com/peek-in-warehouse/item.aspx?ItemId=59812

 

~:Wylie:~

[Palindrome, SASS #54445]

And here are the original news reports:

 

Shooting Affray

 

Sunday night a dispute arose in the Oriental Saloon between John Tyley [sic] and Doc Holliday, two well-known sports, and a scene of bloodshed was imminent. Mutual friends, however, separated and disarmed both, and Tyler went away, Holliday remaining at the saloon. M.E. Joyce, one of the proprietors, remonstrated with Holliday about creating a disturbance in the saloon and the conversation resulted in Holliday being bodily fired out by Joyce. The former came in and demanded his pistol from behind the bar, where it had been placed by the officer who disarmed him. It was not given him and he went out, but in a short time time [sic] returned and walked toward Joyce, who was just coming from behind the bar, and with a remark that wouldn’t look well in print, turned loose with a self-cocker. Joyce was not more than ten feet away and jumped for his assailant and struck him over the head with a six-shooter, felling him to the floor and lighting on top of him. Officers White and Bennett were near at hand and separated them, taking the pistols from each. Just how many shots were fired none present seem able to tell but in casting up accounts Joyce was found to be shot through the hand, his partner, Mr. Parker, who was behind the bar, shot through the big toe of the left foot, and Holliday with a blow of the pistol in Joyce’s hands. Gus Williams, barkeeper, was accused of firing a shot in the melee but on appearance in court yesterday morning no complainant appeared against him and the charge was dismissed. All the parties directly implicated are still in bed and no direct arrests have been made, although a complaint has been entered against Holliday and he will be brought before Justice Reilly as soon as he is able to appear, probably to-day.

The Daily Nugget, October 12, 1880

 

Leaden Music

 

About 12:30 on Sunday night last a shooting affray took place at the Oriental saloon, corner First and Allen, between M.E. Joyce, one of the proprietors, and a man named Doc Holliday, during the course of which Joyce was shot in the right hand, and his partner, Mr. Parker, received a stray bullet in the big toe. The particulars, as we gather them from an eye witness, are about as follows: During the early evening Holliday had an altercation with Johnny Tyler which boded a shooting scrape. Shortly before the shooting referred to occurred, Holliday and Joyce came into the Oriental. Joyce went to Tyler and told him to leave the saloon, as he didn’t want trouble. Tyler complied and Joyce then made the same request to Holliday, Holliday demurred, and Joyce and he got into an altercation, during which Joyce put Holliday out of the saloon. Holliday shortly afterward returned, and as Joyce was coming out from behind the bar, opened fire on him with a self-cocker, firing two shots in quick succession. The first shot struck Joyce in the pistol hand, disabling it, the second missed him and, passing through the bar, struck Parker on the foot. Joyce kept advancing all the time, and, it is said, fired one shot. Closing with Holliday, he struck him on the head with his six-shooter and finally threw him on the floor. While the men were struggling, Officer Bennett appeared upon the scene and separated the combatants, taking Joyce out of the saloon. Holliday was picked up and placed in a chair, it being generally thought, from is bloody appearance, that he was severely, if not fatally, hurt. Such, however, proved not to be the case, and he was arrested by Deputy Marshal Earp. A warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest on the charge of assault with a deadly weapon, with intent to kill. His bail was fixed by Judge Reilly at $200, which, we understand, he furnished. Joyce and Parker are both getting along nicely.

Tombstone Epitaph, October 12, 1880

[Wylie Harp, #21158L]

Thanks Palindrome! I had never seen The Daily Nugget Report.

 

What did you think of the tintype of Milt Joyce? To me he looks a lot scruffier than I expected. Also in the image, his right hand still looks a little swollen to me.

 

~:Wylie:~

[Palindrome, SASS #54445]

He doesn't look like the fellow in the movie, that's for sure. When they took these photos, I believe they had a stand behind the subject to steady the head because of the long exposure time. I think you can see the base of the stand in the photo. I'm going to go look through some of Fly's other pictures and see if the chair shows up.