Is Doc Holliday in This Photo, Or Not?

AN OLD PHOTO IS REEXAMINED BY THE WORLD’S TOP DOC HOLLIDAY EXPERT.

- TRUE WEST AND GARY L. ROBERTS

J.J. Webb at the Old Town Las Vegas Jail, 1880

This photo first came to our attention when it appeared in Frederick Nolan’s book The West of Billy the Kid. Nolan published it, in part, because the Kid spent time in this jail in December 1880, when Pat Garrett escorted him and members of his gang to Santa Fe. Recently some historians have speculated that Holliday is in the photograph, to the right of Webb (in shackles).- True West Archives

“Doc Holliday is ten feet tall and weighs a ton.” —Tucson Daily Star, June 11, 1882

The first time we saw this historical group photo taken in Las Vegas, New Mexico Territory, was in 1998 in Frederick Nolan’s book The West of Billy the Kid. Recently, some have suggested after closer study of the image, that Doc Holliday might be one of the nine men standing outside the Old Town Las Vegas Jail in March 1880.

So we went to the foremost Doc Holliday expert, Gary L. Roberts, author of Doc Holliday: The Life and Legend, and here is what he said:

“This somber image was taken at the Old Town Jail in Las Vegas, New Mexico, in March 1880 during or after John Joshua “J.J.” Webb’s trial for the murder of a freighter named Mike Kelliher. Webb was a policeman in East Las Vegas (New Town), and a coroner’s jury ruled the killing justified, but the violence and crime associated with New Town prompted the San Miguel County Grand Jury to indict Webb for murder.

“What we do know is that Doc was in Las Vegas at the time for his own court dates and to settle some business matters besides, after spending the winter in Prescott, A. T. In fact, Doc appeared in court on March 2, 1880, the same day that Webb killed Kelliher. He was still in Las Vegas when Webb was convicted and sentenced to hang on April 9, 1880.