Joyce - I'm very impressed by your interpretation of events. It's confusing which "Frank" was approached or offered to help Hurst.
When you wrote this:
"It looks like Hurst waited, got no response and then went out and sought McLaurys where they were located. He asked Frank to help; Frank agreed, and apparently did not find out anything helpful. Hurst is now looking foolish, places a reward notice in the paper and includes Frank in his accusation. Frank blows up as he has had nothing to do with the thing, apparently, and is highly incensed."
This explanation gives Frank McLaury more of a basis to sound off as he did. Two more things: McLaury considered (and accused) Hurst may have been double-dealing. Hurst may have trusted McLaury based on the fact that Frank's uncle owned farmland (in Pennsylvania) that was near a farm that he shared with his brother, in which case the McLaury name would have been familiar.
Best, paul
The Pattersons appear to be the ones Hurst was dealing with according to his post. He claimed other names too but does not indicate whether or not he actually had contact with them. Perhaps I was... more
Why so het-up, Frank? — paul j,Thu Aug 25 2022 7:49
....Well, sometimes I run ahead of myself when I am wound up on these things, but I should have differentiated between Frank Patterson and Frank McLaury. Of course, I am sure you realized I was referring... more
Joyce - I didn't think you were confused. The confusion between Frank Patterson and Frank McLaury has come down through the many times this 'mules incident' has been reported and written up by others... more
Paul, since you have studied this entire situation probably more than any other researcher/author, what is your opinion on whether the stolen mules had a second brand unmentioned by Hurst or Wyatt, the... more
Bob, if you go back and look at my original posts on this subject and also in my book when you get it, you will see that Wyatt's story about tracing the McLaurys to the ranch is indeed full of holes. There... more
but somewhere in Parsons' diary he mentions being at the McLaury ranch (and this could have been during the mule search incident, but I am not sure) when Virgil Earp "greeted warmly" the outlaw Curly Bill.... more
Ioyce, you still did not answer my question, In light of your previous post: Do you think thee were any mules stolen and broght the McLaury or Patterson ranch?
Didn't Frank McLaury, following Hurst's "card" in the newspaper, challenge Hurst's account of the mule incident. As I recall, Frank was not happy about Hurst's allegations. Butch
... but anyway, I do believe, based on Hurst's reward posting, that the mules were stolen and were somewhere on the vast property where the Pattersons and McLaurys were squatting, running their own bunches... more