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(LINCOLN COUNTY : SCENE OF EXCITING EARLY DAY EVENTSBy Ml». Bknj. F. Nmiopks.t Albuquerque Herald,iTin* historic old courthouse at the now peaceful little town of I Lincoln, which is wb.»ui gixtv miles weat of Roswell is perhapsbetter known and more widely celebrated a» the center of stirring events and bloody battles and the spot where more bad men lost their lives with their boots on than any other part of New Mexico.The first of these important events was the Harrold War. the principal scenes of which were enacted in or about Lincoln.It was in general a filed based upon nice hatred. The story of the war in brief in n» follows: In 1873 u family of five brothers, named Hurrold, came from Lain pftufl county, Texas, bringing their families and sink with them, and settled on tho Ituidoso about 10 miles from Lincoln,One day while on a trip to Lincoln one of the boys, Ben, with two other white men got to drinking and brandishing their guns, which some Mexican deputies took away from them. This so angered the bite men that , they procured more guns and in the fight which followed the 3 Americans and one Mexican were killed. When Ben's brothers heard of this, they came to Lincoln and tried to have the Mexicans prosecuted, but as the Mexicans had only done their duty, they failed in that way, so took out their revenge on them by killing every Mexican they met. The Mexicans gave back the same tiling, and many murders were committed until finally the llrrold brothers returned toI Texas, where they nil met violent' ends,i This ended what was known ft* the Hurrold war, but the illII finding still sin mix* red for a per-i »vk! of about two ye.tr-, whenwhat was termed the Lincoln •! county war broke out afresh, ► and iK’twwm the years «*f 1875 • land 1882, Lincoln county was ' probably the bloodiest spot in I the I'nitud States, considering its population.Here it was that the bloody filed between the two parties of . cattlemen began iti the spring of .1187(1. Tho two purties were beaded, one by John S. Chisum, whose attorney. Alex MeSwain, wo* really the fighting head of , this faction, and the other byDolan and Itiley. These two j firms were bitter rivals to secure the contracts to fumhdi both I i cuttle and other supplies to Fort r StanUm, then h military post,. now a government hospital for . marine consumptive*, p miles , southwest of Lincoln. Each of , these factions accused the other of stealing the other's cattle with which to furniMi Fort Kten-j ton with kef. Naturally the majority of the residents of the whole county uc.e drawn to declare sides with one* or the other. Numerous bad men were hired to do the gun work for these two factions.Following is a ishort extract from The History uf New Mexico, which explains In brief the cause of the Lincoln county war. Alexander MeSwain, who headed the faction of which Mr. Coe was a partisan, came to Lincoln about 1870, practiced law for neveral yours and in 1873 established a partnership with John H. Tungstel in the mercantile, banking and ranch business at Lincoln, in the building now occupied by J. J. Jnira Co. Me-Swain also became attorney lor John S. Chisum, the cattle kingof the Pecos river, who, at IhiM time had about 70,000 head of cattle on the range.Colonel Kmil Frits and Major L. G. Murphy had been post traders at Fort Stanton until the government turn mi out the traders and then about 1807 or '08 they came to Lincoln and continued their mercantile partnership in the building later used us a courthouse. While on n trip to Germany, Colonel Fritz died and a short time afterward. J. J. Dolan and John Riley succeeded to the firm of L. G. Murphy Co., tho Murphy remained in the firm as silent partner.These two firms were bitter rivals fir the contracts to supply the government posts with cattle and other supplies. The rivalry was carried on both above and below board and doubtless both sides resorted to questionable means of obtaining advantage, but it became rather generally understood that a great tnany of the cattle t hat were being turned in hy the firm of Dolan Riley were stolen cattle picked out from the brand herds then owned and run by John Chisum. The latter, with his attorney, MeSwain, prosecuted a number of persons for the larceny of these cattle.* This is thought to have been the entering wedge which sejat-ruted the people of Lincoln county into two contending factions.About a year before the first act f hostility in the war MeSwain. acting as attorney for Mrs. Scholan, sister of Colonel Emil Frits, collected an insurance* policy on the life of her deceased brother. MeSwain, so it is alleged, had previously agreed with tho sister to collect the policy at hi* own expense and was then to retain a certain percent of the proceed*.He wont to New \\»rk at his own expense and compromised the case with the insurance company which had theretofore refused to pay a dollar. On his return he* offered to turn over to Mrs, Scholan, as substantiated by several witnesses, the entire amount collected by him less his percentage as attorney.Mrs. Sholun, acting under advice of Murphy, Dolan anti Riley, refuse 1 to oecept this money and demanded the entire collection less the iiersonal expenses. McSwuin refused andMUCH ENTHUSIASM SHOWN’OVER HIGH SCHOOL P0SSIBL1TYSubject is Prominently Mentioned at Meeting of Pitr-ent*T cachcrs' Association Last Monday Night.MUSICAL SELECTIONS GREATLY ENJOYEDThe Carrizozo Paitmfc-Teacliera Association, or Putrunss' Club ofthe local schools, held their monthly meeting at the Crystal theatre Monday night at which tinu* considerable discussion ami favorable mention wan made of the Wetmoro bill which woul I enable Cttrrizozo to get a full and accredited high school in the near future.One feature of the evening wasa paper by Principal M rs. Ethel V. Jewett of tho high school in which she plainly set forth the existing conditions of the local high school department. This was followed by an able address by County Superintendent J. K. Koonce. Attorney W. C. Merchant led a general discussion and several Interesting impromptu talks were made by different members of the audience.Vocal ducts by Mrs, Stanley Squler and M iss Garvin, accompanied by Mrs. McCurdy, were excellently rendered and highly enjoyed. Selections by the male quartet, combined of Rev. Arthur M are ton. R. T. Crihb. H. C. Franklin and Professor Mc( nrdy. and a very commendable piano solo by George Ferguson completed the musical program for the evening. The attendance, although not of large proportions, was very enthusiastic.Mrs. Scholan commenced legal action to recover the insurance money. In this suit an attachment was levied on the mercantile firm ol Tungstel MeSwain and upon all the cattle on the ranch owned by Tungstel on the Felix river in Lincoln county.When the deputy sheriff and his posse arrived at the much to serve the writ they found there John H. Tungstel, Richard Brewer his foreman and William H Bonnoy, later famous a* Billy the Kid. Mr. Coe states Hun the parties were friendly while at the ranch and that after levying the attachment on the cattle tin* deputy sheriff permitted Tungstel. Brewer and Bonnoy to set oil for town with all the ranch horses. When about twenty miles from tig* ranch the latter party discovered a hunch of turkeys in what is now known as Tungstel canyon and stooped to hunt them. While hunting the sheriff's force come upon them. According to the statement of Brewer and Bonney. Fungatel rode toward the ixxutee. Arriving within 15 to 20 feet they or derod him to throw up his hands which he did. dropping his sun and everything, ami they shot him while his nanus were over his head.- Continued next week.
Newspaper Details
Carrizozo Outlook
Carrizozo, New Mexico, US
Fri, Mar 16, 1917
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CA 11 Nov 2022
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