Inscription: Corpl Co A 21 Ill Inf
Jonas "Rawhide Jake" Brighton is the man who shot and killed outlaw Ike Clanton of Tombstone and OK Corral fame. Clanton, still in business as a cattle rustler in Arizona, was fleeing from a sheriff's posse that included Brighton. Brighton, acting at the time as a stock detective for area cattlemen, may have also been deputized by Apache County Sheriff C.P. Owens when he shot Clanton in June, 1887 in the vicinity of Eagle Creek, Arizona. Clanton was buried in an unmarked grave where he fell. An account of the incident can be found at
http://www.roundvalleyaz.com/acc1.html
In April 1887, three lawmen resided in Springerville, Arizona. Albert Miller, 36, was a cattleman who was appointed deputy by Apache County Sheriff Commodore Perry Owens. He had previous experience as a deputy when Tom Perez was sheriff and had arrested Juan Carrillo on Dec. 29, 1884 in Springerville for killing Jose Rafael Aragon over a gambling dispute.
George Powell, 34, a cattleman and rustler who had a ranch near Vernon, was the other deputy. There were three warrants for Powell's arrest for stealing horses in Springerville in January. By agreement, these charges would be dropped for his cooperation in securing indictments against the Clantons.
The third lawman was Jonas V. Brighton, 40, a range detective who arrived in 1885 from Wichita, Kan. at the request of Henry Smith, president of the Apache County Stock Growers Association. In 1886, Brighton ran a blacksmith shop and saloon in Springerville where he obtained valuable information regarding the activities of the outlaws.
The Clanton brothers, Ike, 39, and Phin, 42, had long been suspected of running a rustling operation, taking stolen livestock from the Springerville area to Clifton and southern Arizona by way of the Blue River down to Eagle Creek. Tired of being hunted by Wyatt Earp and his posse after the famous O.K. Corral gunfight in Tombstone Oct. 26, 1881, they had secluded themselves on a ranch owned by their sister Mary and her husband, Indian Wars Medal of Honor recipient Eben Stanley, 43 near Nutrioso. Phin arrived in June and Ike in August 1882. By 1885, each had a 160-acre ranch 10 miles east of Springerville near the New Mexico border.
The "Clanton-Stanley Outfit" was targeted by Sheriff C.P. Owens and the Stock Association as a priority. On March 1, 1887, George Powell testified before the grand jury, giving names, dates and locations of stolen livestock which implicated Charles Gray, Robert Gray, Ike, Phin, Eben and Lee Renfro.
A warrant for the arrest of Lee Renfro had already been issued on Feb. 26, accusing him of murder in the shooting death of Isaac Ellenger, which occurred at Phin's Cienega Amarilla ranch the previous November. Springerville citizens were outraged at the unprovoked incident. The Critic reported, "Mr. Ellinger lived several days in great agony, suffering a thousand deaths, and died on the tenth of November. Renfro, seeing that his victim had received a mortal wound, asked for a horse, which was at once provided by the Clantons, and Lee Renfro rode away."
Eben Stanley was arrested on March 1 and locked in jail. Because of poor health, certified by the county physician, Stanley's bonds were reduced and he was released. Phin Clanton was arrested and jailed on April 30 by George Powell and Albert Miller. Charles Gray was arrested on May 1, jailed and charged with grand larceny.
Around May, St. George Creaghe reported, "Some parties had appropriated, stolen and driven off almost every saddle horse he had, some eight or ten." John C. Wahl also had his horses "appropriated from his range near Nutrioso." Mr. Horton had a mule stolen at the same time and "followed the trail on foot for three or four days" to the Blue in the direction of Eagle Creek.
On May 14, deputies Albert Millet, George Powell and J.V. Brighton left Springerville for the Horton brothers' camp on the Black River. Upon their arrival, tracks were found from the band of horses stolen from Mr. Wahl. One of the Hortons, who was acquainted with the mountains, accompanied the deputies, following the trail to Solomonville.
After resting several days there, Brighton and Miller arrived at "Peg-leg" Jim Wilson's ranch on Eagle Creek the evening of May 31.
"Early the next morning and just as they were sitting down to breakfast, they heard someone approaching the cabin on horseback. Mr. Brighton jumped up and stepped to the door. As he did so, Ike Clanton rode up and spoke to him. Mr. Miller then stepped to the side of the door, so as to be in a position to render aid to Mr. Brighton should it be necessary, but being curious, looked over the shoulders of Brighton. Just as he did so, Clanton saw and recognized him, and immediately wheeled his horse to make for the bushes, at the same time drawing his Winchester from its scabbard. Clanton threw his rifle over his left arm, attempting to fire. At this instant, Brighton fired and Ike reeled in his saddle and fell to the right side of his horse, his rifle falling on the left. Before the fall, Brighton fired a second shot which passed through the cantle of the saddle and grazed Ike's right leg. When Brighton and Miller walked up to where Ike lay they found he was dead."
On June 7, Sheriff Owens and Powell returned from Alma, N.M., with Juan Carrillo, taking him to St. Johns. Owens, according to the Herald, arrested John Payne on June 9, and charged him with assault to do great bodily harm. "Payne had the western portion of the county in perfect dread of him, that he whipped one man with a quirt, rapped another over the head with his six shooter and threatened others."
On June 11, according to the Critic, "Two more of the most desperate and daring outlaws who have infested the borders of Arizona and New Mexico for years past, were killed at the mouth of Blue Creek, where it empties into the San Francisco. These two desperados sported many aliases. The most dangerous of the two was known most generally by the names Joe Williams, Sprague and Long Hair. His right name is not known.
"His companion, Billy Evans, (which is his right name) generally went by the name of Jack Diamond or Jack Timberline." He was wounded in Springerville on Dec. 26 while trying to escape a posse that had arrested him for killing James Hale at West and Brighton's Saloon on Christmas Day.
He was taken to jail in St. Johns but was released on Jan. 18 due to insufficient evidence. Evans often boasted that "the rewards had increased to such an extent on his head that the man who took him could afford to wear diamonds."
On the evening of June 9, they stole three horses from Charlie Thomas, a prominent rancher, and two belonging to Jack Cooper and Mr. Eaddy who were visiting Thomas at the time. Cooper, an early riser, discovered the missing horses the next morning. The three followed the tracks and on the evening of June 11, saw smoke "rising from a canyon about a mile from the mouth of the Blue."
They dismounted, approached the canyon on foot and spotted thieves who "had just finished their supper and were taking a smoke around the fire." The pursuing party fired on them, killing Evans and Williams, while a third man got away.
On July 8 Brighton was hunting stolen cattle belonging to the San Carlos Indian Agency. Three of the agency 's men were with him, and by chance, were near a canyon where Lee Renfro had camped.
Brighton and the "posse were riding across a plateau when they observed a man coming out of the canyon 150 yards distant, on foot and in shirt-sleeves." Brighton told two of the men, "You fellows ride over to that man and tell him that we are from the southern country and if possible get him to come over here as I want to question him about the trails." The two rode over and talked with Renfro for a few minutes. In the meantime Brighton and the other man dismounted and were "pretending to be fixing their saddles."
When Renfro approached, Brighton was between him and his horse. Brighton recognized him immediately and "quickly stepped in front of his horse and called out 'Lee Renfro, throw up your hands!' repeating the order twice. Renfro, instead of obeying the command, attempted to pull his six-shooter. Brighton then fired, hitting him near the heart."
Renfro, calling Brighton by name, asked, "Did you shoot me for money?"
Brighton said, "No, I shot you because you resisted arrest." Renfro gave his watch and other effects he had on his person to Brighton, asking that they be sent "to his brother in Cowboy, Texas," and he died.
On August 11, "Rawhide Jake" Brighton was arrested by Graham County authorities, taken to Solomonville and jailed. A stockman named Cunningham had filed a complaint charging him with murder in connection with the killing of Ike Clanton. However, Deputy U. S. Marshal Will Smith from Yuma had a warrant for Cunningham's arrest for stealing government cattle.
Upon his arrival Brighton was released because Cunningham failed to show up at the hearing. Brighton and Smith "recovered 50 head of cattle belonging to the San Carlos Indians on Cunningham's ranch" but failed to find him. Smith held various warrants for others for the same offense. He was impressed with Brighton and obtained a commission for him as a Deputy U.S. Marshal.
The Critic wasn't impressed. Its Aug. 13 editorial read:
"We ask the people of Apache County, whether they are willing to submit themselves to be ruled over by the Apache County Stock Association or by the laws of the United States and of this Territory? Have the so called 'Association' the right to send out a hired assassin, to shoot down whomsoever he may please?"
"J.V. Brighton, by his own admission, has committed several murders in this and Graham county. Murder, says the law, is the unlawful killing of a human being, and it is not a sufficient excuse to say the person killed, was a refugee from justice or that the person was accused of a crime. The law does not justify a Sheriff or other officer to kill another human being unless he has used all reasonable efforts to take the accused without success."
"The fellow known as J.V. Brighton claims to be the secret service detective of the Apache County Stock Association, and under such a flimsy pretext, the authority to kill whomsoever the 'Association', now have, or spotted. Any red-handed murderer and assassin could hire himself to an 'Association' by murdering all who he personally disliked."
Jonas "Rawhide Jake" Brighton is the man who shot and killed outlaw Ike Clanton of Tombstone and OK Corral fame. Clanton, still in business as a cattle rustler in Arizona, was fleeing from a sheriff's posse that included Brighton. Brighton, acting at the time as a stock detective for area cattlemen, may have also been deputized by Apache County Sheriff C.P. Owens when he shot Clanton in June, 1887 in the vicinity of Eagle Creek, Arizona. Clanton was buried in an unmarked grave where he fell. An account of the incident can be found at
http://www.roundvalleyaz.com/acc1.html
In April 1887, three lawmen resided in Springerville, Arizona. Albert Miller, 36, was a cattleman who was appointed deputy by Apache County Sheriff Commodore Perry Owens. He had previous experience as a deputy when Tom Perez was sheriff and had arrested Juan Carrillo on Dec. 29, 1884 in Springerville for killing Jose Rafael Aragon over a gambling dispute.
George Powell, 34, a cattleman and rustler who had a ranch near Vernon, was the other deputy. There were three warrants for Powell's arrest for stealing horses in Springerville in January. By agreement, these charges would be dropped for his cooperation in securing indictments against the Clantons.
The third lawman was Jonas V. Brighton, 40, a range detective who arrived in 1885 from Wichita, Kan. at the request of Henry Smith, president of the Apache County Stock Growers Association. In 1886, Brighton ran a blacksmith shop and saloon in Springerville where he obtained valuable information regarding the activities of the outlaws.
The Clanton brothers, Ike, 39, and Phin, 42, had long been suspected of running a rustling operation, taking stolen livestock from the Springerville area to Clifton and southern Arizona by way of the Blue River down to Eagle Creek. Tired of being hunted by Wyatt Earp and his posse after the famous O.K. Corral gunfight in Tombstone Oct. 26, 1881, they had secluded themselves on a ranch owned by their sister Mary and her husband, Indian Wars Medal of Honor recipient Eben Stanley, 43 near Nutrioso. Phin arrived in June and Ike in August 1882. By 1885, each had a 160-acre ranch 10 miles east of Springerville near the New Mexico border.
The "Clanton-Stanley Outfit" was targeted by Sheriff C.P. Owens and the Stock Association as a priority. On March 1, 1887, George Powell testified before the grand jury, giving names, dates and locations of stolen livestock which implicated Charles Gray, Robert Gray, Ike, Phin, Eben and Lee Renfro.
A warrant for the arrest of Lee Renfro had already been issued on Feb. 26, accusing him of murder in the shooting death of Isaac Ellenger, which occurred at Phin's Cienega Amarilla ranch the previous November. Springerville citizens were outraged at the unprovoked incident. The Critic reported, "Mr. Ellinger lived several days in great agony, suffering a thousand deaths, and died on the tenth of November. Renfro, seeing that his victim had received a mortal wound, asked for a horse, which was at once provided by the Clantons, and Lee Renfro rode away."
Eben Stanley was arrested on March 1 and locked in jail. Because of poor health, certified by the county physician, Stanley's bonds were reduced and he was released. Phin Clanton was arrested and jailed on April 30 by George Powell and Albert Miller. Charles Gray was arrested on May 1, jailed and charged with grand larceny.
Around May, St. George Creaghe reported, "Some parties had appropriated, stolen and driven off almost every saddle horse he had, some eight or ten." John C. Wahl also had his horses "appropriated from his range near Nutrioso." Mr. Horton had a mule stolen at the same time and "followed the trail on foot for three or four days" to the Blue in the direction of Eagle Creek.
On May 14, deputies Albert Millet, George Powell and J.V. Brighton left Springerville for the Horton brothers' camp on the Black River. Upon their arrival, tracks were found from the band of horses stolen from Mr. Wahl. One of the Hortons, who was acquainted with the mountains, accompanied the deputies, following the trail to Solomonville.
After resting several days there, Brighton and Miller arrived at "Peg-leg" Jim Wilson's ranch on Eagle Creek the evening of May 31.
"Early the next morning and just as they were sitting down to breakfast, they heard someone approaching the cabin on horseback. Mr. Brighton jumped up and stepped to the door. As he did so, Ike Clanton rode up and spoke to him. Mr. Miller then stepped to the side of the door, so as to be in a position to render aid to Mr. Brighton should it be necessary, but being curious, looked over the shoulders of Brighton. Just as he did so, Clanton saw and recognized him, and immediately wheeled his horse to make for the bushes, at the same time drawing his Winchester from its scabbard. Clanton threw his rifle over his left arm, attempting to fire. At this instant, Brighton fired and Ike reeled in his saddle and fell to the right side of his horse, his rifle falling on the left. Before the fall, Brighton fired a second shot which passed through the cantle of the saddle and grazed Ike's right leg. When Brighton and Miller walked up to where Ike lay they found he was dead."
On June 7, Sheriff Owens and Powell returned from Alma, N.M., with Juan Carrillo, taking him to St. Johns. Owens, according to the Herald, arrested John Payne on June 9, and charged him with assault to do great bodily harm. "Payne had the western portion of the county in perfect dread of him, that he whipped one man with a quirt, rapped another over the head with his six shooter and threatened others."
On June 11, according to the Critic, "Two more of the most desperate and daring outlaws who have infested the borders of Arizona and New Mexico for years past, were killed at the mouth of Blue Creek, where it empties into the San Francisco. These two desperados sported many aliases. The most dangerous of the two was known most generally by the names Joe Williams, Sprague and Long Hair. His right name is not known.
"His companion, Billy Evans, (which is his right name) generally went by the name of Jack Diamond or Jack Timberline." He was wounded in Springerville on Dec. 26 while trying to escape a posse that had arrested him for killing James Hale at West and Brighton's Saloon on Christmas Day.
He was taken to jail in St. Johns but was released on Jan. 18 due to insufficient evidence. Evans often boasted that "the rewards had increased to such an extent on his head that the man who took him could afford to wear diamonds."
On the evening of June 9, they stole three horses from Charlie Thomas, a prominent rancher, and two belonging to Jack Cooper and Mr. Eaddy who were visiting Thomas at the time. Cooper, an early riser, discovered the missing horses the next morning. The three followed the tracks and on the evening of June 11, saw smoke "rising from a canyon about a mile from the mouth of the Blue."
They dismounted, approached the canyon on foot and spotted thieves who "had just finished their supper and were taking a smoke around the fire." The pursuing party fired on them, killing Evans and Williams, while a third man got away.
On July 8 Brighton was hunting stolen cattle belonging to the San Carlos Indian Agency. Three of the agency 's men were with him, and by chance, were near a canyon where Lee Renfro had camped.
Brighton and the "posse were riding across a plateau when they observed a man coming out of the canyon 150 yards distant, on foot and in shirt-sleeves." Brighton told two of the men, "You fellows ride over to that man and tell him that we are from the southern country and if possible get him to come over here as I want to question him about the trails." The two rode over and talked with Renfro for a few minutes. In the meantime Brighton and the other man dismounted and were "pretending to be fixing their saddles."
When Renfro approached, Brighton was between him and his horse. Brighton recognized him immediately and "quickly stepped in front of his horse and called out 'Lee Renfro, throw up your hands!' repeating the order twice. Renfro, instead of obeying the command, attempted to pull his six-shooter. Brighton then fired, hitting him near the heart."
Renfro, calling Brighton by name, asked, "Did you shoot me for money?"
Brighton said, "No, I shot you because you resisted arrest." Renfro gave his watch and other effects he had on his person to Brighton, asking that they be sent "to his brother in Cowboy, Texas," and he died.
On August 11, "Rawhide Jake" Brighton was arrested by Graham County authorities, taken to Solomonville and jailed. A stockman named Cunningham had filed a complaint charging him with murder in connection with the killing of Ike Clanton. However, Deputy U. S. Marshal Will Smith from Yuma had a warrant for Cunningham's arrest for stealing government cattle.
Upon his arrival Brighton was released because Cunningham failed to show up at the hearing. Brighton and Smith "recovered 50 head of cattle belonging to the San Carlos Indians on Cunningham's ranch" but failed to find him. Smith held various warrants for others for the same offense. He was impressed with Brighton and obtained a commission for him as a Deputy U.S. Marshal.
The Critic wasn't impressed. Its Aug. 13 editorial read:
"We ask the people of Apache County, whether they are willing to submit themselves to be ruled over by the Apache County Stock Association or by the laws of the United States and of this Territory? Have the so called 'Association' the right to send out a hired assassin, to shoot down whomsoever he may please?"
"J.V. Brighton, by his own admission, has committed several murders in this and Graham county. Murder, says the law, is the unlawful killing of a human being, and it is not a sufficient excuse to say the person killed, was a refugee from justice or that the person was accused of a crime. The law does not justify a Sheriff or other officer to kill another human being unless he has used all reasonable efforts to take the accused without success."
"The fellow known as J.V. Brighton claims to be the secret service detective of the Apache County Stock Association, and under such a flimsy pretext, the authority to kill whomsoever the 'Association', now have, or spotted. Any red-handed murderer and assassin could hire himself to an 'Association' by murdering all who he personally disliked."
Inscription: Corpl Co A 21 Ill Inf
Jonas "Rawhide Jake" Brighton is the man who shot and killed outlaw Ike Clanton of Tombstone and OK Corral fame. Clanton, still in business as a cattle rustler in Arizona, was fleeing from a sheriff's posse that included Brighton. Brighton, acting at the time as a stock detective for area cattlemen, may have also been deputized by Apache County Sheriff C.P. Owens when he shot Clanton in June, 1887 in the vicinity of Eagle Creek, Arizona. Clanton was buried in an unmarked grave where he fell. An account of the incident can be found at
http://www.roundvalleyaz.com/acc1.html
In April 1887, three lawmen resided in Springerville, Arizona. Albert Miller, 36, was a cattleman who was appointed deputy by Apache County Sheriff Commodore Perry Owens. He had previous experience as a deputy when Tom Perez was sheriff and had arrested Juan Carrillo on Dec. 29, 1884 in Springerville for killing Jose Rafael Aragon over a gambling dispute.
George Powell, 34, a cattleman and rustler who had a ranch near Vernon, was the other deputy. There were three warrants for Powell's arrest for stealing horses in Springerville in January. By agreement, these charges would be dropped for his cooperation in securing indictments against the Clantons.
The third lawman was Jonas V. Brighton, 40, a range detective who arrived in 1885 from Wichita, Kan. at the request of Henry Smith, president of the Apache County Stock Growers Association. In 1886, Brighton ran a blacksmith shop and saloon in Springerville where he obtained valuable information regarding the activities of the outlaws.
The Clanton brothers, Ike, 39, and Phin, 42, had long been suspected of running a rustling operation, taking stolen livestock from the Springerville area to Clifton and southern Arizona by way of the Blue River down to Eagle Creek. Tired of being hunted by Wyatt Earp and his posse after the famous O.K. Corral gunfight in Tombstone Oct. 26, 1881, they had secluded themselves on a ranch owned by their sister Mary and her husband, Indian Wars Medal of Honor recipient Eben Stanley, 43 near Nutrioso. Phin arrived in June and Ike in August 1882. By 1885, each had a 160-acre ranch 10 miles east of Springerville near the New Mexico border.
The "Clanton-Stanley Outfit" was targeted by Sheriff C.P. Owens and the Stock Association as a priority. On March 1, 1887, George Powell testified before the grand jury, giving names, dates and locations of stolen livestock which implicated Charles Gray, Robert Gray, Ike, Phin, Eben and Lee Renfro.
A warrant for the arrest of Lee Renfro had already been issued on Feb. 26, accusing him of murder in the shooting death of Isaac Ellenger, which occurred at Phin's Cienega Amarilla ranch the previous November. Springerville citizens were outraged at the unprovoked incident. The Critic reported, "Mr. Ellinger lived several days in great agony, suffering a thousand deaths, and died on the tenth of November. Renfro, seeing that his victim had received a mortal wound, asked for a horse, which was at once provided by the Clantons, and Lee Renfro rode away."
Eben Stanley was arrested on March 1 and locked in jail. Because of poor health, certified by the county physician, Stanley's bonds were reduced and he was released. Phin Clanton was arrested and jailed on April 30 by George Powell and Albert Miller. Charles Gray was arrested on May 1, jailed and charged with grand larceny.
Around May, St. George Creaghe reported, "Some parties had appropriated, stolen and driven off almost every saddle horse he had, some eight or ten." John C. Wahl also had his horses "appropriated from his range near Nutrioso." Mr. Horton had a mule stolen at the same time and "followed the trail on foot for three or four days" to the Blue in the direction of Eagle Creek.
On May 14, deputies Albert Millet, George Powell and J.V. Brighton left Springerville for the Horton brothers' camp on the Black River. Upon their arrival, tracks were found from the band of horses stolen from Mr. Wahl. One of the Hortons, who was acquainted with the mountains, accompanied the deputies, following the trail to Solomonville.
After resting several days there, Brighton and Miller arrived at "Peg-leg" Jim Wilson's ranch on Eagle Creek the evening of May 31.
"Early the next morning and just as they were sitting down to breakfast, they heard someone approaching the cabin on horseback. Mr. Brighton jumped up and stepped to the door. As he did so, Ike Clanton rode up and spoke to him. Mr. Miller then stepped to the side of the door, so as to be in a position to render aid to Mr. Brighton should it be necessary, but being curious, looked over the shoulders of Brighton. Just as he did so, Clanton saw and recognized him, and immediately wheeled his horse to make for the bushes, at the same time drawing his Winchester from its scabbard. Clanton threw his rifle over his left arm, attempting to fire. At this instant, Brighton fired and Ike reeled in his saddle and fell to the right side of his horse, his rifle falling on the left. Before the fall, Brighton fired a second shot which passed through the cantle of the saddle and grazed Ike's right leg. When Brighton and Miller walked up to where Ike lay they found he was dead."
On June 7, Sheriff Owens and Powell returned from Alma, N.M., with Juan Carrillo, taking him to St. Johns. Owens, according to the Herald, arrested John Payne on June 9, and charged him with assault to do great bodily harm. "Payne had the western portion of the county in perfect dread of him, that he whipped one man with a quirt, rapped another over the head with his six shooter and threatened others."
On June 11, according to the Critic, "Two more of the most desperate and daring outlaws who have infested the borders of Arizona and New Mexico for years past, were killed at the mouth of Blue Creek, where it empties into the San Francisco. These two desperados sported many aliases. The most dangerous of the two was known most generally by the names Joe Williams, Sprague and Long Hair. His right name is not known.
"His companion, Billy Evans, (which is his right name) generally went by the name of Jack Diamond or Jack Timberline." He was wounded in Springerville on Dec. 26 while trying to escape a posse that had arrested him for killing James Hale at West and Brighton's Saloon on Christmas Day.
He was taken to jail in St. Johns but was released on Jan. 18 due to insufficient evidence. Evans often boasted that "the rewards had increased to such an extent on his head that the man who took him could afford to wear diamonds."
On the evening of June 9, they stole three horses from Charlie Thomas, a prominent rancher, and two belonging to Jack Cooper and Mr. Eaddy who were visiting Thomas at the time. Cooper, an early riser, discovered the missing horses the next morning. The three followed the tracks and on the evening of June 11, saw smoke "rising from a canyon about a mile from the mouth of the Blue."
They dismounted, approached the canyon on foot and spotted thieves who "had just finished their supper and were taking a smoke around the fire." The pursuing party fired on them, killing Evans and Williams, while a third man got away.
On July 8 Brighton was hunting stolen cattle belonging to the San Carlos Indian Agency. Three of the agency 's men were with him, and by chance, were near a canyon where Lee Renfro had camped.
Brighton and the "posse were riding across a plateau when they observed a man coming out of the canyon 150 yards distant, on foot and in shirt-sleeves." Brighton told two of the men, "You fellows ride over to that man and tell him that we are from the southern country and if possible get him to come over here as I want to question him about the trails." The two rode over and talked with Renfro for a few minutes. In the meantime Brighton and the other man dismounted and were "pretending to be fixing their saddles."
When Renfro approached, Brighton was between him and his horse. Brighton recognized him immediately and "quickly stepped in front of his horse and called out 'Lee Renfro, throw up your hands!' repeating the order twice. Renfro, instead of obeying the command, attempted to pull his six-shooter. Brighton then fired, hitting him near the heart."
Renfro, calling Brighton by name, asked, "Did you shoot me for money?"
Brighton said, "No, I shot you because you resisted arrest." Renfro gave his watch and other effects he had on his person to Brighton, asking that they be sent "to his brother in Cowboy, Texas," and he died.
On August 11, "Rawhide Jake" Brighton was arrested by Graham County authorities, taken to Solomonville and jailed. A stockman named Cunningham had filed a complaint charging him with murder in connection with the killing of Ike Clanton. However, Deputy U. S. Marshal Will Smith from Yuma had a warrant for Cunningham's arrest for stealing government cattle.
Upon his arrival Brighton was released because Cunningham failed to show up at the hearing. Brighton and Smith "recovered 50 head of cattle belonging to the San Carlos Indians on Cunningham's ranch" but failed to find him. Smith held various warrants for others for the same offense. He was impressed with Brighton and obtained a commission for him as a Deputy U.S. Marshal.
The Critic wasn't impressed. Its Aug. 13 editorial read:
"We ask the people of Apache County, whether they are willing to submit themselves to be ruled over by the Apache County Stock Association or by the laws of the United States and of this Territory? Have the so called 'Association' the right to send out a hired assassin, to shoot down whomsoever he may please?"
"J.V. Brighton, by his own admission, has committed several murders in this and Graham county. Murder, says the law, is the unlawful killing of a human being, and it is not a sufficient excuse to say the person killed, was a refugee from justice or that the person was accused of a crime. The law does not justify a Sheriff or other officer to kill another human being unless he has used all reasonable efforts to take the accused without success."
"The fellow known as J.V. Brighton claims to be the secret service detective of the Apache County Stock Association, and under such a flimsy pretext, the authority to kill whomsoever the 'Association', now have, or spotted. Any red-handed murderer and assassin could hire himself to an 'Association' by murdering all who he personally disliked."
Jonas "Rawhide Jake" Brighton is the man who shot and killed outlaw Ike Clanton of Tombstone and OK Corral fame. Clanton, still in business as a cattle rustler in Arizona, was fleeing from a sheriff's posse that included Brighton. Brighton, acting at the time as a stock detective for area cattlemen, may have also been deputized by Apache County Sheriff C.P. Owens when he shot Clanton in June, 1887 in the vicinity of Eagle Creek, Arizona. Clanton was buried in an unmarked grave where he fell. An account of the incident can be found at
http://www.roundvalleyaz.com/acc1.html
In April 1887, three lawmen resided in Springerville, Arizona. Albert Miller, 36, was a cattleman who was appointed deputy by Apache County Sheriff Commodore Perry Owens. He had previous experience as a deputy when Tom Perez was sheriff and had arrested Juan Carrillo on Dec. 29, 1884 in Springerville for killing Jose Rafael Aragon over a gambling dispute.
George Powell, 34, a cattleman and rustler who had a ranch near Vernon, was the other deputy. There were three warrants for Powell's arrest for stealing horses in Springerville in January. By agreement, these charges would be dropped for his cooperation in securing indictments against the Clantons.
The third lawman was Jonas V. Brighton, 40, a range detective who arrived in 1885 from Wichita, Kan. at the request of Henry Smith, president of the Apache County Stock Growers Association. In 1886, Brighton ran a blacksmith shop and saloon in Springerville where he obtained valuable information regarding the activities of the outlaws.
The Clanton brothers, Ike, 39, and Phin, 42, had long been suspected of running a rustling operation, taking stolen livestock from the Springerville area to Clifton and southern Arizona by way of the Blue River down to Eagle Creek. Tired of being hunted by Wyatt Earp and his posse after the famous O.K. Corral gunfight in Tombstone Oct. 26, 1881, they had secluded themselves on a ranch owned by their sister Mary and her husband, Indian Wars Medal of Honor recipient Eben Stanley, 43 near Nutrioso. Phin arrived in June and Ike in August 1882. By 1885, each had a 160-acre ranch 10 miles east of Springerville near the New Mexico border.
The "Clanton-Stanley Outfit" was targeted by Sheriff C.P. Owens and the Stock Association as a priority. On March 1, 1887, George Powell testified before the grand jury, giving names, dates and locations of stolen livestock which implicated Charles Gray, Robert Gray, Ike, Phin, Eben and Lee Renfro.
A warrant for the arrest of Lee Renfro had already been issued on Feb. 26, accusing him of murder in the shooting death of Isaac Ellenger, which occurred at Phin's Cienega Amarilla ranch the previous November. Springerville citizens were outraged at the unprovoked incident. The Critic reported, "Mr. Ellinger lived several days in great agony, suffering a thousand deaths, and died on the tenth of November. Renfro, seeing that his victim had received a mortal wound, asked for a horse, which was at once provided by the Clantons, and Lee Renfro rode away."
Eben Stanley was arrested on March 1 and locked in jail. Because of poor health, certified by the county physician, Stanley's bonds were reduced and he was released. Phin Clanton was arrested and jailed on April 30 by George Powell and Albert Miller. Charles Gray was arrested on May 1, jailed and charged with grand larceny.
Around May, St. George Creaghe reported, "Some parties had appropriated, stolen and driven off almost every saddle horse he had, some eight or ten." John C. Wahl also had his horses "appropriated from his range near Nutrioso." Mr. Horton had a mule stolen at the same time and "followed the trail on foot for three or four days" to the Blue in the direction of Eagle Creek.
On May 14, deputies Albert Millet, George Powell and J.V. Brighton left Springerville for the Horton brothers' camp on the Black River. Upon their arrival, tracks were found from the band of horses stolen from Mr. Wahl. One of the Hortons, who was acquainted with the mountains, accompanied the deputies, following the trail to Solomonville.
After resting several days there, Brighton and Miller arrived at "Peg-leg" Jim Wilson's ranch on Eagle Creek the evening of May 31.
"Early the next morning and just as they were sitting down to breakfast, they heard someone approaching the cabin on horseback. Mr. Brighton jumped up and stepped to the door. As he did so, Ike Clanton rode up and spoke to him. Mr. Miller then stepped to the side of the door, so as to be in a position to render aid to Mr. Brighton should it be necessary, but being curious, looked over the shoulders of Brighton. Just as he did so, Clanton saw and recognized him, and immediately wheeled his horse to make for the bushes, at the same time drawing his Winchester from its scabbard. Clanton threw his rifle over his left arm, attempting to fire. At this instant, Brighton fired and Ike reeled in his saddle and fell to the right side of his horse, his rifle falling on the left. Before the fall, Brighton fired a second shot which passed through the cantle of the saddle and grazed Ike's right leg. When Brighton and Miller walked up to where Ike lay they found he was dead."
On June 7, Sheriff Owens and Powell returned from Alma, N.M., with Juan Carrillo, taking him to St. Johns. Owens, according to the Herald, arrested John Payne on June 9, and charged him with assault to do great bodily harm. "Payne had the western portion of the county in perfect dread of him, that he whipped one man with a quirt, rapped another over the head with his six shooter and threatened others."
On June 11, according to the Critic, "Two more of the most desperate and daring outlaws who have infested the borders of Arizona and New Mexico for years past, were killed at the mouth of Blue Creek, where it empties into the San Francisco. These two desperados sported many aliases. The most dangerous of the two was known most generally by the names Joe Williams, Sprague and Long Hair. His right name is not known.
"His companion, Billy Evans, (which is his right name) generally went by the name of Jack Diamond or Jack Timberline." He was wounded in Springerville on Dec. 26 while trying to escape a posse that had arrested him for killing James Hale at West and Brighton's Saloon on Christmas Day.
He was taken to jail in St. Johns but was released on Jan. 18 due to insufficient evidence. Evans often boasted that "the rewards had increased to such an extent on his head that the man who took him could afford to wear diamonds."
On the evening of June 9, they stole three horses from Charlie Thomas, a prominent rancher, and two belonging to Jack Cooper and Mr. Eaddy who were visiting Thomas at the time. Cooper, an early riser, discovered the missing horses the next morning. The three followed the tracks and on the evening of June 11, saw smoke "rising from a canyon about a mile from the mouth of the Blue."
They dismounted, approached the canyon on foot and spotted thieves who "had just finished their supper and were taking a smoke around the fire." The pursuing party fired on them, killing Evans and Williams, while a third man got away.
On July 8 Brighton was hunting stolen cattle belonging to the San Carlos Indian Agency. Three of the agency 's men were with him, and by chance, were near a canyon where Lee Renfro had camped.
Brighton and the "posse were riding across a plateau when they observed a man coming out of the canyon 150 yards distant, on foot and in shirt-sleeves." Brighton told two of the men, "You fellows ride over to that man and tell him that we are from the southern country and if possible get him to come over here as I want to question him about the trails." The two rode over and talked with Renfro for a few minutes. In the meantime Brighton and the other man dismounted and were "pretending to be fixing their saddles."
When Renfro approached, Brighton was between him and his horse. Brighton recognized him immediately and "quickly stepped in front of his horse and called out 'Lee Renfro, throw up your hands!' repeating the order twice. Renfro, instead of obeying the command, attempted to pull his six-shooter. Brighton then fired, hitting him near the heart."
Renfro, calling Brighton by name, asked, "Did you shoot me for money?"
Brighton said, "No, I shot you because you resisted arrest." Renfro gave his watch and other effects he had on his person to Brighton, asking that they be sent "to his brother in Cowboy, Texas," and he died.
On August 11, "Rawhide Jake" Brighton was arrested by Graham County authorities, taken to Solomonville and jailed. A stockman named Cunningham had filed a complaint charging him with murder in connection with the killing of Ike Clanton. However, Deputy U. S. Marshal Will Smith from Yuma had a warrant for Cunningham's arrest for stealing government cattle.
Upon his arrival Brighton was released because Cunningham failed to show up at the hearing. Brighton and Smith "recovered 50 head of cattle belonging to the San Carlos Indians on Cunningham's ranch" but failed to find him. Smith held various warrants for others for the same offense. He was impressed with Brighton and obtained a commission for him as a Deputy U.S. Marshal.
The Critic wasn't impressed. Its Aug. 13 editorial read:
"We ask the people of Apache County, whether they are willing to submit themselves to be ruled over by the Apache County Stock Association or by the laws of the United States and of this Territory? Have the so called 'Association' the right to send out a hired assassin, to shoot down whomsoever he may please?"
"J.V. Brighton, by his own admission, has committed several murders in this and Graham county. Murder, says the law, is the unlawful killing of a human being, and it is not a sufficient excuse to say the person killed, was a refugee from justice or that the person was accused of a crime. The law does not justify a Sheriff or other officer to kill another human being unless he has used all reasonable efforts to take the accused without success."
"The fellow known as J.V. Brighton claims to be the secret service detective of the Apache County Stock Association, and under such a flimsy pretext, the authority to kill whomsoever the 'Association', now have, or spotted. Any red-handed murderer and assassin could hire himself to an 'Association' by murdering all who he personally disliked."
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