According to some experts gun battles in the old west were rare. Maybe that is why they are remembered so well. In the old west guns were a common thing to have and there was a lack of law enforcement and many young men drinking alcohol in saloons. Mineral County had at least two or three. One of them was in Marietta and it involved a lot of people. Looking around Marietta right now it would be hard to imagine even a community there.  But on November 12, 1879 there was a big shoot out involving several people. Tom Mclaughlin and John Brophy were the main characters. Brophy ran a butcher shop and Mclaughlin was a regular customer. Their wives had a quarrel and the men got involved. Each man had family and friends on their sides. Approximately, eight men were involved. One of Brophy’s men opened fire and then it was on. After a few minutes, four men were dead including John Brophy. And Mclaughlin wounded. Several months later, some of Brophy’s family opened a restaurant in Belleville (not far away) Mclaughlin went to Belleville on business and was in the Saloon next to the restaurant. Mclaughlin was acquitted at court in self-defense, which of course angered the Brophy’s.  To avenge Brophy’s death, one of the Brophy family members saw Mclaughlin, and then shot and killed Mclaughlin as he was mounting his horse.

References- Candelaria and Its Neighbors by Hugh Shamberger

True Fissure (Newspaper) July 17, 1880