William B. Brocious
William B. "Curly Bill" Brocious (1857-1882) was a western outlaw and member of the Clanton Gang.
Following the death of "Old Man" Newton Clanton after the Guadeloupe Canyon Massacre in July 1881, Brocious became leader of the Clanton Gang. He was later arrested for the death of Tombstone Marshal Fred White following an incident where Brocious's gun discharged, whether purposely or accidentally, while surrendering it to White and deputy Virgil Earp. Although charged for murder by Earp, Brocious was later acquitted by a jury as an accidental death.
In July 1881 Brocious and Johnny Ringo rode into Hauchita, New Mexico and killed William and Isaac Haslett in revenge for the deaths of Clanton members Bill Leonard and Harry Head who had attempted to rob the Haslett brothers general store weeks earlier. Later that month Brocious led an ambush attacking a Mexican trail herd in the San Luis Pass killing six vaqueros and torturing the remaining eight men.
Returning to Tombstone following the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Brocious attempted to kill Virgil Earp and later killed Morgan Earp. After several stagecoach robberies, Brocious was issued a warrant for Wyatt Earp by Sheriff Johnny Behan and sent to bring back Earp who was hiding in the Whetstone Mountains outside town. Earp, who was also looking for Brocious in revenge for the death of his brothers, encountered Brocious at Iron Springs. Intending to bring Brocious in, Earp was informed by Brocious of the arrest warrant and killed Brocious with a shotgun blast.
Resources
- Sifakis, Carl. Encyclopedia of American Crime, New York, Facts on File Inc., 1982