A partial legal summons signed by Newton Jasper Earp (1837-1928), Wyatt Earp's half-brother, as "N.J. Earp" next to the printed word "Constable" at lower right. Encapsulated and PSA/DNA certified authentic. Issued on October, 22, 1883 in Garden City, Kansas. The subpoena also features approximately eleven other words in Newton Earp's hand, as: "Received Oct 22 [18]83 / [Served this writ on the within named] person by reading the same to him" at center. The partially manuscript and partially printed document is double-sided and concerned the case of Zelsted (?) E. Handy, Plaintiff vs. J.A. Stevens, Defendant. Expected wear including minor ink smears to cross-outs, and trimmed at bottom, else near fine and very legible. The sight size of the partial document is 3.5" x 5." The slab measures 4.125" x 7.25."

Newton Earp, then Constable of Garden City, Kansas, delivered this subpoena to one "B.L. Slotts" in compliance with the orders of the Justice of the Peace of Finney County, Kansas. Slotts was to report to the Justice's offices on a designated day, presumably to testify. There were dramatic consequences to those who skipped their examination, as the subpoena warns, "Hereof fail not, at your peril."

Newton Earp shared the same father and surname of his five half-brothers, among them James Earp (1841-1926); Virgil Earp (1843-1905); Wyatt Earp (1848-1929); Morgan Earp (1851-1882); and Warren Earp (1855-1900). (Newton also had three half-sisters among these children of Nicholas Porter Earp and second wife Virginia Ann Cooksey.) Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan Earp (as well as Doc Holliday, an unflappably cool dentist) had famously clashed with desperadoes at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona on October 26, 1881, almost two years to the day that Newton Earp delivered this summons.

Newton Earp lived in Missouri, Kansas, California, Nevada, Wyoming and other points west, where he kept a saloon, served as a farmer, carpenter, and contractor, and is even reported to have hunted buffalo. In 1870, Newton ran against his half-brother Wyatt in the constable's election in Lamar, Missouri: he lost. The following year, in 1871, Newton Earp relocated to Kansas. He served as first city marshal of Garden City, Kansas--located in Finney County about 215 miles almost due west of Wichita--after the city was first incorporated in January 1883. (Besides city marshals, constables, policemen, and "night men" carried out patrol duties and routine law enforcement.) The website of the Garden City Police Department indicates that Newton Earp resigned from his first term as Garden City marshal in August 1883. However, Newton also returned to policing on an on-and-off-again basis.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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