Bob Paul – Unwitting Participant To History

By Gary Ledoux – Western History Author

Tombstone Epitaph  October 2006

The weather in Tombstone was still quite chilly in mid-March of 1881.  Famed Tombstone diarist George Parsons wrote; “A strange and pretty sight this A.M.  Just enough snow had fallen to whiten everything around and it looked very pretty.  Would like to see a good snowstorm once more.  Didn’t last long.  Excitement tonight.  Outgoing stage attacked by robbers and driver and one passenger killed.” 

Excitement was an understatement.

Late on the evening of March 15, 1881, Eli “Bud” Philpot was driving his Kinnear and Co. stage from Tombstone to Benson.  Sitting next to him, riding “shotgun”, was Wells, Fargo & Company messenger and former California Sheriff, Bob Paul, a large man known for his bravery and ability to handle any situation.   On the stage was a cargo worth a reported $26,000, certainly enough to make it worth a highwayman’s time.  Also on the stage, riding in the dickey seat was a French-Canadian miner, Peter Roerig on his way to Montana. 

Bud Philpot, Peter Roerig and Bob Paul were three passengers on a stagecoach bound for destiny on trip that would be relived over and over again as fans of the Tombstone saga re-read the accounts of that fateful night.

Some 80 years later, Paul’s great grandson and namesake, Bob Paul of southern California would take an interest in the family history and begin a quest for information that would last 40 years.  Reading about the stage holdup caught Bob’s attention and knowing that his family was involved, maintained his interest.

The Tombstone Epitaph of Wednesday morning, March 16 gave this report:

As the stage was going up a small incline about two hundred yards this side of Drew’s Station and about a mile the other side of Contention City, a man stepped into the road from the east side and called out ”Hold!”  At the same moment a number of men – believed to have been eight – made their appearance and a shot was fired from the same side of the road instantly followed by another.  One of these shots struck “Budd” Philpott, the driver who fell heavily forward between the wheelers carrying the reins with him.  The horses immediately sprang into a dead run.  Meanwhile Bob Paul, Wells Fargo & Co’s messenger, one of the bravest and coolest men who ever sat on a box seat was ready with his gun and answered back shot for shot before the frightened horses had whirled the coach out of range.

Disappearing into the darkness and out of reach of the highwaymen, the coach careened along, out of control, with the driver dead on the side of the road, and the reins out of reach of messenger Bob Paul.  It raced past Drew’s Station with it’s eight passengers scared to death and making such a racket, employees came out to watch in astonishment.

Paul had no choice.  Bravery was probably the last thing on his mind with survival being the first as he eased down, keeping his balance with one hand and grabbing for the flailing reins with his other.  After a mile, probably the longest mile Paul had ever traveled on a stage coach, he was able to grab enough of the reins to pull the horses to a stop.  This is an amazing enough feat for anyone.  But, considering that Paul was born in 1830, and he was at this point 50 years old, about 20 years older than most of the major “players” in the Tombstone saga, it was an amazing feat indeed!

Taking an assessment of the situation he discovered that Peter Roerig had been badly wounded.  The other passengers, no doubt, counted themselves lucky, and the $26,000 cargo was safe.

Fearing that the highwaymen might be tailing them on horseback, and not sure how close they might be, Paul remounted the stage and pushed on to Benson where he sent a telegram back to Tombstone telling of the incident.  The telegraph also noted that “Roerig could not possibly live”.

After dropping off his passengers and freight, Paul returned to the scene of the crime where he found poor Bud Philpot, dead of wounds, lying where he fell in the road.  The station agents at Drew’s told Paul how they had run out to scene of the crime upon seeing the stage blast past them and witness the perpetrators fleeing in the bright moonlight.

The Epitaph wrote that thirty “well-armed volunteers” rode out in search of the “scoundrels”.   Never one to shirk civic responsibility, and always looking for adventure, John P. Clum, the city’s new Mayor and publisher of the Tombstone Epitaph was among those “well-armed” volunteers as Parson’s diary of the next day attests.

1881, Wednesday March 16

“A most terrible affair of last evening.  First intimation I had of it was when Doc Goodfellow burst into room and asked for a rifle.  Abbott finally let him have his upon Doc’s assurance he didn’t want to kill anyone.  I stopped our chess, got revolver and followed him up, not wishing him to get hurt if I could help it.  Men and horses were flying about in different directions, and I soon ascertained the cause.  A large posse started in pursuit - $26,000 specie reported on stage.  Bob Paul went as the shotgun messenger and emptied both barrels of his gun at the robbers, probably wounding one.  “I’ll hold for no one”, he said and let drive.  Some 20 shots fired – close call for Paul.  Capt. Colby wished me to form one of another posse, to head the robbers off at San Simon if we could get necessary information upon arrival of stage, and we worked the thing up.  Got rifles and horses, and I got Clum and Abbott to go with us.  Probably six in all.  Information didn’t come as we expected, so delayed, and several of us shadowed several; desperate characters in town, one known to be an ex-stage robber.  Couldn’t fix anything.  Bud Philpot, the driver, was shot almost through the heart and the passenger, a miner, through the back.  Doc showed me the bullet that killed him – an ugly .45.  Some more tracking tonight.  Our birds have flown.” 

The attempted robbery of the Benson Stage on March 15, 1881 would prove to be a pivotal point in the Tombstone saga and set in motion a convoluted set of circumstances that would eventually lead to the OK Corral gunfight some seven months later.

A posse consisting of Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan Earp, Bob Paul, Johnny Behan and others captured Luther King who gave away the names of Billy Leonard, Jim Crane and Harry Head as the stage robbers.  (Note: Historian Tim Fattig notes that Luther King is actually Lewis King.)

Cochise County Sheriff Johnny Behan took King back to Tombstone.  Meanwhile, Wyatt Earp and others continued their search for the perpetrators. 

Upon their return, Wyatt found that Sheriff Johnny Behan appointed Harry Woods as his undersheriff, a position that Wyatt coveted and thought he had which added to the animosity between the two men.  To make matters worse, in the custody of Woods, King was allowed to simply walk out of jail and escape on a horse that was tethered at the jail’s back door.

Parson’s entry for Monday, March 28 notes:  “King, the stage robber, escaped tonight early from H. Woods who had been previously notified of an attempt at release to be made.  Some of our officials should be hanged.  They’re a bad lot.”

By June, the killers of Philpot and Roerig had still not been caught.  Wyatt Earp had visions of becoming the next Cochise County Sheriff and calculated if he could capture Leonard, Head and Crane, it would make him a front runner in the next election.  But he had one problem – finding them.

Wyatt also calculated that the Clantons and McLaurys were often in the company of “stage robbers” and that their ranches were “meeting places and places of shelter for the gang” and that he might be able to take members of the cow-boy clan into his confidence to try and flush them out. 

First Wyatt made sure that the Wells Fargo reward for the trio was “dead or alive”.  Wells Fargo local agent Marshall Williams conferred with his home office and confirmed that the reward would be paid for the men “straight up or draped over the saddle”.

Wyatt then struck the un-holiest of all alliances with cow-boy Ike Clanton.  Wyatt agreed to turn over the reward money to Ike and his accomplice Joe Hill if they would lead the killer-trio into an ambush where they would be captured and Wyatt would secure his political future.  Virgil Earp, being the City Marshal would also need to be in on the affair.  Not only did Ike want the money, but he was in the middle of a dispute with Leonard over some property and if Leonard died at the hands of the Earps, or anyone else for that matter, it would be alright with Ike.  Joe Hill headed for New Mexico and the hiding trio, to lead them back to Cochise County on a ruse of a fat payroll traveling from Tombstone to Benson.

Hill returned ten days later empty handed, announcing that he was a day late.  Leonard and Head had been killed by the Haslett brothers, also “soldiers of fortune” seeking the reward money.

Ironically, the Hasletts were themselves killed hours after eliminating their prey.  The cow-boys let it be known that crossing one or any of them could be hazardous to one’s health.  Ike Clanton, already nervous awaiting the return of Joe Hill, was now absolutely paranoid.  If Curly Bill, or Johnny Ringo or any of the cow-boys discovered that he had “sold out” a “brother cow-boy”, it would mean a one-way ticket to Boot Hill on a fast express.

Then, just when Ike thought things couldn’t get worse – they did. 

An off-hand remark to Ike Clanton by a drunk Marshall Williams led Ike to believe that, contrary to their agreement, Wyatt had informed Williams and Doc Holliday of his involvement in capturing the stage robbers.  His secret was out!  Now, Ike and had to feat not only the law, but the outlaws!  It became increasingly difficult to tell the difference between friend and foe, possible assassin or ally.  The pressure on Ike must have been intense!

Ike figured the only way out was to eliminate the Earps before they eliminated him, or his friends celebrated the Earp/Clanton merger by throwing Ike a “necktie party”.  Wyatt would later note of that time period, “we began hearing of their threats against us”.

The “unholy alliance” between Ike Clanton and Joe Hill and Wyatt and Virgil Earp, along with other personal and political differences escalated in frequency and vitriol culminating in the street fight of October 26 in the alley behind the OK Corral.

But Ike Clanton wasn’t the only one who was in hot water over the Benson Stage holdup.  During the summer of 1881, a quarrel between Doc Holliday and his paramour, Kate Elder escalated to a point where Kate swore out an affidavit for the arrest of Doc, citing that he took part in the stage holdup.  On July 5, Doc was arrested by Sheriff Johnny Behan and taken before Judge Wells Spicer.  Doc would make bail and Kate went on to make a fool of herself, drinking her way into jail at the hands of Virgil Earp.

Subsequently, both Kate and Doc were released from their bonds, Judge Spicer exonerating the Georgia dentist from any connection with the March holdup.  But Behan’s arrest of Holliday was not so much about the actual hold-up, it was more about the political rivalry between Wyatt and Johnny, and the present Sheriff’s desire to hurt Wyatt politically through his association with the irascible dentist.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Bob Paul is very proud of his family heritage and his great grandfather.  He has spent the last 40 years reading about his ancestor’s exploits in Arizona and California and the last three years engrossed in the family genealogy.

Discovering the files and scrapbooks kept by his great grandmother, Margaret Paul, Bob was able to piece together the life she had with the famed lawman and Wells Fargo messenger.  He made a point to correlate several key events in his great grandfather’s personal and professional life.  Bob marvels at the juxtaposition of family events and Paul’s professional career, and all the times he was out chasing stage robbers and thieves while Margaret had to fend for herself.  It had to be a tough life.

Bob noted that while the Paul family certainly had some good times, they had more than their fair share of tragedy.  In 1877 while her husband was traveling for business, Margaret had to face alone the death of two daughters, dying three days apart!  Then, in 1878, Margaret gave birth to a son, Thomas, only to lose the infant 13 months later!

“Despite all of his travels, my great grandmother and great grandfather found some time to be together” Bob chuckled, “They had 10 kids!”

Bob noted that at the time of the attempted robbery of the Benson Stage, the couple’s youngest son was only 6 weeks old, being born in late January, 1881.  “Subsequently, my great grandfather could probably have cared less if Doc Holliday was involved or not, or if the Earp posse would catch the perpetrators.  He certainly had other things on his mind.”

Paul, a native of Connecticut came to California in 1849, a nineteen year-old gold seeker.  He and Margaret were married in California in 1862 where he became Sheriff of Calaveras County.

In 1878, the ex lawman went to work for Wells Fargo and was sent to Arizona.  Bob maintains that his ancestor got the job with the famed express company due in no small part to his association with the famed Wells Fargo detective, Jim Hume.

Paul lived to see the turn of the 20^th century, and after a long and distinguished career, died in 1901, falling victim to kidney disease.  But even in death, the old messenger would not rest easy.

The Court Street Cemetery where Paul was originally interred stood in the way of Tucson’s progress in 1907.  It was decided that the worldly remains from Court Street would be removed to either of two cemeteries, Evergreen or Holy Hope.  But first, the next of kin had to be contacted to secure approval before any remains could be moved.

By 1907, Margaret Paul had moved to San Francisco and could not be reached.  But Tucson would not wait for the widow Paul and remains began to be dug up and removed.

Bob went to all three cemeteries trying to find the final resting place of his namesake, but walked away without a definitive answer.  He noted, “It is conceivable that he may have been removed to the Holy Hope cemetery as that is a Catholic cemetery and my great grandparents were staunch Catholics.  However, not knowing that, those responsible for the re-interments may have placed him at Evergreen – or he could have remained at Court Street.”  “Or..” Bob said incredulously, “he could be in all three places.  We just don’t know!  There is nothing to mark where is, or could be!”

And so the courageous Bob Paul rests – somewhere in Tucson – without a tombstone, but certainly with a place in the tales of Tombstone.

Bob made special note that several newspaper obituaries had been saved by his great grandmother, one indicating that his ancestor had been instrumental in securing jobs for the Earps with Wells Fargo.

I asked Bob if his name was ever recognized by anyone as being related to his ancestor.  He answered, “Not being an Earp or Holliday, my name is not recognized by people at large, but certainly recognized by fans of the genre.”  He noted that through those means, had has met a number of interesting writers and actors associated with the Tombstone legend including actor and writer, Dan Gordon.

Not unlike his many contemporaries, (Doc Holliday comes to mind) over the years, several pictures of the famed Wells Fargo messenger have surfaced and have been incorrectly identified.  Ironically, for years, Wells Fargo and Co. retained a picture purported to be one of their most famous employees.  Upon closer scrutiny by his namesake, the man in the picture appears to be in his twenties or early thirties and is too young to be Bob Paul at the time the photo was taken, but is more likely a nephew of the famed lawman; possibly John B. or Robert B. Paul. 

On the occasion of the 125^th anniversary of the OK Corral gunfight, I asked Bob if he had any thoughts.  He noted that he didn’t have any strong feelings one way or the other.  He mainly wondered where his namesake was at the time of the shooting.

The stories surrounding Tombstone, typically involve the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday and the Clanton and McLaury brothers.  The story of the attempted holdup of the Benson Stage is also usually cited as, arguably, the first spark that started the explosion behind the OK Corral on a cold October day.

But consider the role played by the brave Wells Fargo messenger, Bob Paul, and series of circumstances that brought him to that time and place, on the road between Tombstone and Benson on that cold March evening 125 years ago. 

Bob noted that his ancestor was the person favored to win the election for Pima County Sheriff in November 1880 when he ran against Charlie Shibell.   The election was contested and the whole affair went to court, the election not being settled until April, 1881.  Bob said, “While waiting for the election to be settled, my great grandfather had to do something to earn a living – which is why he was on that stage on the March evening.  If the election had gone smoothly, he would have been the Pima County Sheriff, and Wyatt Earp may have been his Under Sheriff – and maybe none of those pivotal events would have occurred!  There may not have been an OK Corral shootout!”

Had Paul been less brave and allowed the halting of the stage, perhaps Philpot and Roerig would have lived long happy lives and the stage robbery would have been just that – just another in a long string of stage robberies.

If Paul had been less efficient, and not fired both barrel of his Wells Fargo shotgun at the perpetrators, again, Philpot and Roerig may not have been “perforated” with the subsequent results.

If Paul had been less agile and unable to regain control of the careening stage, the top-heavy wagon may have toppled prior to passing Drew’s Station, killing all within and without, leaving no possible means of identifying the suspects, again, changing history.

Authors Lynn Bailey and Don Chaput paid tribute to Paul in their book, Cochise County Stalwarts, by saying; “If there was a Western Peace Officer’s Hall of Fame, Bob Paul would be a candidate for entry number one”. 

In that same vein, and discussing his ancestor’s career, Bob and I agreed, if Fate ever called for an “Unwitting Participant To History”, Bob Paul could step to the front of the line – shotgun at the ready!

(Some information sourced from Wyatt Earp – The Biography by noted author and historian Tim Fattig)