I'm back in front of a computer again! Going to continue my New Mexico shots.
The Lincoln County War took place from 1878-1881 in the area of Lincoln, New Mexico Territory. The town is a one road town that would come to be known as “The most dangerous road in America.” The conflict was between two cattle ranching and mercantile business factions. Lawrence Murphy and James Dolan had established the only general store in the area and secured government contracts to supply beef and other provisions to the Mescalero Apaches and forts in the area. John Tunstall, Alexander McSweeny, and John Chisum established a second general store and cattle ranch in direct competition.
The war was started when a partner of Dolan and Murphy died with a life insurance policy. The executors of the will hired McSweeny to collect the money. After he was successful, McSweeny refused to give the money to his competitors who were in need of cash to keep their business operational. Murphy and Dolan won a court order to seize all of McSweeny’s assets and the court mistakenly included Tunstall’s assets as well. The Lincoln sheriff, an associate of Dolan and Murphy, went to the Tunstall ranch along with cattle rustlers and several gangs, including the Jesse Evans gang, known to provide stolen cattle to Murphy and Dolan.
When confronted at the ranch, Tunstall was murdered by the Jesse Evans gang. The murder was witnessed by Tunstall’s ranch hands, including William Bonney, otherwise know as Billy the Kid. The ranch hands and other locals organized themselves as the Regulators to seek revenge for the murder, and starting the Lincoln County War.
