Mike Phelps is 3rd from left.

There were 4 Phelps brothers:  George,  Mike,  Bill,  &  Thomas

IKE AND FINN CLANTON

MEET

BILL AND MIKE PHELPS

About 1883

From an interview with Thomas Phelps

     Ike and Finn Clanton were dangerous fellows but they knew when to pull in their horns.  Brother Bill and Mike had never met them or seen them before the day they were playing a peaceable game of billards in the frame saloon on the Eagar road.

     Two horsemen rode up to the door, made their horses go up the steps and road up to the billard table where brothers Bill and Mike were playing.

     Bill had seen them ride in, but paid no attention to them until he found his play blocked by one of the horses and riders.  He looked up at the rider who happened to be Ike, (all parties had on their pistols) and said: "I don't know who you fellows are but we were playing a quiet game of billards and we don't intend to be stopped!"  

     They looked at each other a minute and Ike and brother rode out.

     When someone asked Ike later why he did it, he replied: "I had heard about this Bill Phelps, and when I heard he was in the saloon, I decided to find out what kind of a fellow he was." 

     "Did you find out?" he was asked.

     "Yes, I'm satisfied," he replied.

Click here to view a picture of Joseph Isaac "Ike" Clanton,  Courtesy- Arizona Historical Society, Tucson, AZ

From Jack Becker's Collection