Death
After testifying at the O.K. Corral inquest, Claiborne made little trouble until after the Earps left for California in April 1882. Disappearing for several months, Claiborne returned to Tombstone on November 14, 1882, his reputation having taken a backward spiral because of his non-participation in the O. K. Corral shootout.
He became involved in an argument with noted gunfighter "Buckskin" Frank Leslie, after Leslie refused to refer to Claiborne as "Billy the Kid". Later that night, Claiborne returned to the Oriental Saloon, where he drunkenly called out Leslie, awaiting him outside the saloon with a rifle. Leslie followed Claiborne out a side-door onto the street and mortally wounded him in the ensuing gunfight with a single shot to the chest. As Leslie raised his gun for a second shot, Claiborne allegedly said to him, "Don't shoot me anymore, I'm killed". Leslie lowered his gun. Claiborne was taken to a doctor by friends, where he died six hours after being shot. By some accounts, his last words were "Frank Leslie killed Johnny Ringo, I saw him do it".
Read more about this topic: Billy Claiborne
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