John Tunstall[]
John Tunstall is a middle aged man who opens a general store in Lincoln in direct competition with Lawrence Murphy. John has a soft spot for outcasts and employs quite a few men that no one else would. He offers his 'boys' a roof over their heads, food, clothes and good honest work. He also encourages them to learn to read, write and better themselves.
John takes a young Billy Bonney under his wing and treats the boy well which is something Billy is unused to, he also presents Billy with a fine set of new clothes and new guns.
John will not back down from Murphy's threats and this soon proves to be his downfall. After a New Year's Eve Party held in town John and his boys head back home. The boys see many game birds up ahead in the long grass and John encourages them to go and have some fun. When he is alone Murphy's men ambush him and he is shot down in cold blood.
The Truth[]
John Henry Tunstall was born in Hackney, England on March the 6th 1853. He emigrated to first Canada in 1872 and then the United States in 1876 to seek his fortune. He intended on becoming a sheep rancher in California but after a chance meeting with Alex McSween at a hotel in Santa Fe he decided to try his hand at becoming a cattle rancher and general store owner in Lincoln with McSween as a partner.
Annoyed by the Englishman's plans, Murphy and Dolan who owned a general store just across the way of Lincoln's main street, decided to try and ruin Tunstall in any way they could, which included threats, rustling John's cattle and generally being bullies.
James Dolan tried to goad John into a fight, hoping that he could kill the meddling new store owner, but John would not take the bait, acting like a real English Gentleman and refusing to use violence to solve his disputes.
John met Billy Bonney in jail after the Kid had stolen some of his horses. Instead of holding a grudge he hired Billy on to work for him. Tunstall also recruited many other tough and rough men for his protection including Dick Brewer, Charlie Bowdre, Doc Scurlock, Dirty Steve Stephens, Tom O'Folliard and Chavez y Chavez. It's said that John gave a gift of a new saddle and guns to Billy who was forever after thankful and loyal to Tunstall.
On 18th February 1878, John, Billy, Dick Brewer and a few other of John's men were making their way into Lincoln, herding some horses. Dick and some of the other men saw wild turkeys up ahead and decided to have some fun. Soon Billy spotted a group of men riding towards them and knowing this meant ill news he spurred his horse onward to warn Dick.
One of the remaining men, John Middleton shouted at Tunstall 'For God's sake, follow me!'
But Tunstall, too excited by the goings on, did not heed the warning and replied with only 'What John... What?'
The Dolan men finally caught up with Tunstall and called out to him, saying they just wanted to talk and he should come closer. John, trusting their word, rode towards them and was shot down in cold blood, once through the chest and again through the head. As a final insult the men killed John's prized horse, knowing his attachment for horses. John was only 24 years old when he was killed.