Link Thompson (died 16 November 1881) was an American outlaw of the Wild West who was affiliated with Sam Brewster's gang.
Biography[]
Link Thompson was born in Texas, and he worked as a cowboy for Sam Brewster's crew; he was previously involved in several shootings which he claimed were in self-defense. On 1 November 1881, during a stopover in Tombstone, Arizona while driving cattle to a US Army base in the Arizona Territory, Thompson antagonized Sheriff Clay Hollister for having him and Sam and Tully Brewster check their guns on entering the town, and he threatened to kill Hollister in a gunfight should the time ever come. On 16 November 1881, two weeks after Tully was shot dead by deputy Charlie Riggs in self-defense, Thompson rode into town to check in on Tully, and Sheriff Hollister delivered the news of Tully's death. Thompson secretly celebrated Tully's death, as he desired a gunfight. Sheriff Hollister and Curly Bill Brocius rode out to meet Brewster's crew after Brocius spotted them riding past Galeyville, and, when the sheriff and Brocius confronted Brewster and his crew, Thompson agitated for Brewster to kill the two men. Hollister drew his shotgun and warned Brewster that, if he rode into Tombstone, he would ride into his gun, causing Thompson to reach for both of his guns. Before Thompson could draw, Brewster blasted Thompson from his horse, killing him.
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