William Brocius | |
|---|---|
 An unauthenticated photo of Curly Bill Brocius from the Bird Cage Theater in Tombstone. | |
| Born | c. 1845 Probably Crawfordsville, Indiana, United States |
| Died | March 24, 1882 (aged 36–37) Iron Springs, Arizona Territory, United States |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wound to the stomach |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Cowboy, outlaw, rustler |
| Years active | 1860–1882 |
| Opponents |
|
| Allegiance | The Cowboys |
| O.K. Corral gunfight |
|---|
| Principal events |
| Lawmen |
| Outlaw Cowboys |
William Brocius (c. 1845 – March 24, 1882),[1] better known as Curly Bill Brocius, was an American gunman, rustler and an outlaw Cowboy in the Cochise County area of the Arizona Territory during the late 1870s and early 1880s. His name is likely an alias or nickname, and some evidence links him to another outlaw named William "Curly Bill" Bresnaham, who was convicted of an 1878 attempted robbery and murder in El Paso, Texas.
Brocius had a number of conflicts with the lawmen of the Earp family, and he was named as one of the men who participated in Morgan Earp's assassination. Deputy U.S. Marshal Wyatt Earp and a group of deputies including his brother Warren Earp pursued those they believed responsible for Morgan's death. The Earp posse unexpectedly encountered Curly Bill and other Cowboys on March 24, 1882, at Iron Springs (present-day Mescal Springs). Wyatt killed Curly Bill during the shootout. In his journal written in October 1881, George Parsons referred to Brocius as "Arizona's most famous outlaw".
- ^ Lowe, Sam (2012). Speaking Ill of the Dead Jerks in Arizona History. Guilford, Conn.: Globe Pequot Press. p. 25. ISBN 9780762783755. Retrieved August 8, 2016.