The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-14
NG-RlDDEN NEW MEXICO.
COyERNOR. JUDGE AND DISTRICT At
TORNLY 1BET7ING CRIME
The Reign OF Terror Tint Three Thicvins
ia suffers Brousht About - Tunstairs
FRte-A Town Attacked by CutthroRts.

70 back four or five years. That they origi-
mated in the operations Of three men, Murphy.
Dolan. and Reilly. who were working in the in
forests Of the Santa IA Ring. may be supposed.
from the fact that the citizens NJ Lincoln county
drew up petition setting forth that they were
the cause Of the disturbance. and requesting
them to leave the county, which they did before
the petition was presented.
Their firm was first styled l.. @. Murphy n
Co.. OF which Murphy was the principal. They
were post suffers and contractors at Fort Stan
ton and contractors for the Indian Department
In these contracts there was so much suspicion
Of dishonesty that the sutlershp was taken
away from them. Murphy and Dolan were
confined in the guard house. and ordered to
leave the post Murphy in three days and Do
Ian In fifteen minutes They then established
themselves in business in Lincoln. about nine
miles from Fort Stanton. whore they despot-
ically controlled the country for miles around.
The firm namo was changed TO J. J. Dolan h
Co.. rs Murphy could no longer secure con-
tract in his own name. They put I'm their
bids at figures which could not honestly
be made to pay. Having secured the beef
contract at Fort Stanton. and continuing to MI
II. II was suspected that the cattle furnished
were stolen. This was confirmed beyond n
doubt 10y nm account book Of theirs accidental
" falling into tho hands Of Mr.. McSwecn and
others. containing a record Of the number OF
cattle stoen and delivered to J. J. Dolnn X Co,
by Jesse Evans. Frank Baker Tom Hill and
others. at tho rate ~ s. n head. Such was the
style OF business carried on by Murphy. Dolan.
and Reilly. Many murders committed In this
county have been laid to them they controlled
the country, the commercial and the political
powers; IN TACT Mt one time Murphy was little
king.
them, and these men were singled out as proper
objects Tor persecution and vengeance; Two OF
The first named was ut one time the attorney of
Murphy * Co. and being AN honest man. he
quit them. From that time they sought an op-
portunity to remove him from their path. Mr.
Tunstal was an Englishman who had consid-
cradle means invested In Lincoln county n mer-
chandise. cattle. and other properly. He was
person Murphy X Co. saw dangerous rival.
and they determined that he too should be re-
An opportunity occurred in which they
thought ihey could see way 70 rid themselves
Of both McSween and Tunstall.
Murphy had nj one time n partner by the
name Of Fritz. who had n brother named Emil
Fritz This brother died, leaving n life insur-
ance policy amount ing g. slouDOto his sister.
Mrs. Scholanl. Murphy 4 co. pretended to
have a bill against Mrs. Scholand for merchan.
disc amounting 70 $1,000. which they claimed
on this policy. Tho policy was given into the
hands ~ McSween for collection. Mnrphy n
Co. made a demand on him for the money.
sent 81 Mrs. Scholnnd they had no right what
ever TO il. They did not then arrest VI 'Swsen.
when. t. make II appear that he was running
away. they had him arrested on charge Of
emhczzirmeni when about two hundred miles
from home. He was thrown into prison at Las
Vegas whore he was apron 'hed Tow parties
from Murphy. Doan and Reilly TO compromise.
He refused, saying that he had committed no
crime. and therefore had nothing To compro-
mise. He was then taken to llesilla, whore an
examination WAS held h-ior. Judge W. Bristol.
partisan Of Murphy'-. who pru 'tically prevent
Ell McSw"rn from giving bonds 10y saying that
he would no' accept any not approved hy District
l. z IA \ E 81 nj
Murphy's kynerson refused 10 approve any
and all bonds brought forward hy McSween, al
though perfectly good, and over the amount
Thu Deputy sheriff. seeing how matters were.
Il see that you wish to murder this man. and
! VIII not give him NJ 10 YOU until court is
lie then returned with McSwcen. remaining
=. Murphy 4 Go. then prevailed upon Judge
Bristol TO issue warrants Of attachment against
the properly Of VI .Sween X Tunsial 4 posse
was organized 10y sheriff Brady. a tool Of MUIR
phys, and there were placed on II the notorious
thieves and murderers. Jesse Evans. Frank
Baker. Tom Hill and Rivers. After attaching
the cattle OF Tunstall and Richard Brewer. they
rendering himself was brutality murdered 10y
them with his own pistol. They then shot his
a rock. One Of their victims was disposed Of.
This murder created the most intense excite
mrnt Warrants were issued by j. Is, Wilson.
Justice Of the Peace. for the arrest Of the muir
dcrers and placed in the hand. Of Richard
Brewer AMI others "a a "5nstables posse
Brewer succeeded IN arirsting two. who upon
attempting TO escape were Killed. The Govern
or, \ II. ANte" then arrived and going to Muir
ply 10 e=r'crnin the cause of Tn" trouble, was 80
the representatives. ofthe people. Messrs. Ellis
and Shields. lie issued proclamation. in
which h. set forth that his only desire was tp
prs-'nve law and order; announcing also that
j. H. Wilson was no longer Justice OF the Peace.
Notwihsmnding Brady md posse had muir
dered Mr., Tunstull. thu Governor still gave him
authority to net Hs sheriff and the privilege "
procuring ~ many soldiers as he wished to
hunt Brewer and posse. the men who were try
ing 10 arrest The murJcrers OF Tunstall, 10 the
The ciii2nns then banded themselves together
NJ regulators with the out-poken intention Of
hunting down Murphy. Bolan. Reilly. sheriff
Brady and posse, the .murderrrs Of Tunstall.
They succeeded in killing the Murphy tool,
Brady. in the town OF Lincoln. Then Cant.
burlington. commanding officer AT Fort Stan
ton came rushing out with n large body
OF soldiers, and without WARRANT or author
y, arrested and took 10 Fort Stanton and
SwagInnsd w n the Gn9rd house Mcssrs
suspicion Of being concerned In tho death OF
Brady 4 citizen nreseni Grot9,l'ngi u tho
against his illegal nets. burlington damned the
Constitution. He also abused others present in
language too shameful for publication. H. had
his disapprohatiou 81 Messrs. Murphy Dolan
and Reilly pronouncng them thieves ana muir.
drrcrs. He was removed from the command ~
me po1t lfort stanton, and i is expected that
he Will he court marialled A.. nothing could
DH louud against MrSWeon, Mludeman, and
Shields, they were discharged.
Murphy partisuns then gathered together
band Of twrnty-V" of the worst rutth rOnts and
cattle thieves on the Pecos and Rio Grnnde
rivers. and made mn attack on the town Of Lin
coin. Frank Coe Frank M'Nah. and A. Saun-
d"rs were waynid 10y them. M"Nab murdered
and Saunders wounded They fired into the
houses Of Ellis. McSween. and others but for
tnnatey harminR no one. The news reach ing
Fort Stanton. soldiers were sent down and the
lighting stopped. Sheri1 Copeland made some
arrests of tho Murphytes, and took them TO
Fort Stanton.
Several dnys afterward Lieut.. Goodwin. a
Murphy partisan, made his appearance in Lin
coin, and arrested Messrs. Ellis McSween. aud
Niddeman. Goodwin took nil the oppOrtuni-
ties lie could to vent his spleen aud spite on
IN" prisoners. who were confined in tbs guard
house and made to sleep on the bare ilour, while
the Murphyites were allowed the Liberties Of the
post. armed.
The Governor has issued a second proclama.
ton. After the death OF Sheriff BRADY, the
County Commissioners appointed to the vacan-
cy john Copeland. an honest man and ona re-
snaeted by the honest men Of Lincoln county.
The Governor removed Copeland upon the uro-
text that he did not file bonds for the collection
OF taxes, Copeland had never been notified nor
asked 10 do this. but could have done 30 to
treble the amount reauired. in his place was
appointed Il. II; Peppin, who participated in
the murder OF McNab and woundng Of Saun-
drrs. and for whom the officers of the law had
IN thelr hands three warrants for three several