The KID in the Lincoln County War

 

The young Kid Antrim headed for Lincoln County as a member of the rough gang led by Jesse Evans. Shortly after arriving, the gang became allies for the county's dominating force: the L.G. Murphy & Dolan Co. and just in time, because tensions were building between the company and their new competition, John Tunstall. Despite early history books and movies, the Lincoln County War was not a range war. It was built up by numerous feuds that had erupted involving other parties since the late 1860s.  But the bitter feud between Englishman John Tunstall, against Irishman J.J. Dolan caused the most notoriety and bloodshed.

Both men had one objective, to form a monopoly in Lincoln County. But the Murphy & Dolan Co. had already established their enterprise, and they had the Santa Fe Ring, the county sheriff and now the "Boys" backing them up. James Dolan was L.G. Murphy's protégé and  with Murphy's money and connections with powerful men in New Mexico, he became head of the faction. Murphy, meanwhile was in Santa Fe dying of cancer.  John Tunstall was a young cocky newcomer who had a get-rich-quick scheme, and he learned quickly on how to go about it. He wrote home to his father about his plan:

  

"Everything in New Mexico that pays at all (you may say) is worked by a `ring' there is the `indian ring' `the army ring' `the political ring' `the legal ring' `the Roman Catholic ring' `the cattle ring' `the horse thieves ring' and half a dozen rings. It is necessary either to get into a ring or make one for yourself. I am at present at work making a ring." He goes on to write, "I propose to confine my operations to Lincoln County, but I intend to handle it in such a way, as to get half of every dollar that is made in the county by anyone."

Tunstall was not exactly the honest man struggling to start his own business in a corrupt town, but he too, was as greedy as Dolan and wanted to form a monopoly. It was only the difference between who was bad and worse. So with his father's money and taking on attorney Alex McSween as partner, Tunstall started his own ranch and town store, and  became a thorn in Dolan's side.
Big mistake. 
 
  

Dolan was already having financial problems and on the verge of going bankrupt. Now with Tunstall's competition and gaining support from the locals and from cattle baron John Chisum, it was creating a huge problem. Dolan lashed out by getting McSween arrested on phony embezzlement charges and having Jesse Evans and his gang steal horses from Tunstall's ranch. Tunstall struck back by exploiting Sheriff Brady for default in tax collecting in the editorial of the Independent.

Meanwhile, the Boys were getting a bit much even for the Kid, and at one point he separated himself from the gang and met some of the locals, such as the Jones family and two cousins, Frank and George Coe. The Kid's relationship with Jesse Evans was getting rocky and some members of the gang didn't like having a kid tagging along, particularly Bill Morton, who bullied and kicked the Kid out of camp one evening.

As the story goes, the Kid was getting too friendly with Morton's girl. The Kid then bounced back and forth from the Boys and who knows where, until he was arrested and charged with the theft of Tunstall's horses, and thrown in the town jail, which was nothing more then a hole in the ground. Because of his lack of involvement with the gang, it's often speculated whether he was even with the Boys during the theft; he may have been at the Jones Ranch.

  

John Tunstall knew the Kid was a member of Evans's gang, but if he won the Kid over and hired him, he could use him as witness against the rustlers.

The Kid knew he was no longer welcomed by the gang and had nowhere else to go, so he took Tunstall up on his offer. The Kid was released from jail and hired on as a Tunstall employee. The 17-year-old teenager hoped this was a new beginning for him, so he was now going by a new name, William H. Bonney.

This vagabond youth, who had no place to fit in since his mother died, now finally found his niche. He was welcomed aboard and immediately clicked with his new friends. George Coe would later remember, "He was the center of interest everywhere he went, and though heavily armed, he seemed as gentlemanly as college-bred youth. He quickly became acquainted with everyone, and because of his humorous and pleasing personality grew to be a community favorite." George's cousin Frank, would also remember, "He was about seventeen, 5ft 8in, weight 138lbs and stood straight as an Indian, fine looking lad as ever I met. He was a lady's man and the Mexican girls were all crazy about him. He spoke their language well. He was a fine dancer, could go all their gaits and was one of them. He was a wonder, you would have been proud to know him."

Dolan was getting frustrated. He was doing everything in his power to get rid of John Tunstall, by bad-mouthing him, threatening him (even pointing a gun in his face), rustling his livestock and the sheriff levying his property for McSween's debts, who was just released on bond. But it still wasn't driving the Englishman away. Tunstall knew his rights, and it made him more determined to fight back. Unfortunately, Tunstall's stubbornness and holding out would cost him dearly, including all of those around him.

On February 18, 1878, Sheriff Brady sent Deputy Bill Mathews and a posse to Tunstall's ranch to attach the cattle in the case of McSween. Tunstall would allow them to take the cattle, but not his horses. So Tunstall, and a handful of his men herded the horses to Lincoln. Upon arriving at Tunstall's ranch, Deputy Mathews formed a sub-posse led by Bill Morton to go after Tunstall and the horses. Among the posse, there were Jesse Evans, Tom Hill, Frank Baker, George Hindmann and several more. Ironically, half the men who rode with the posse were members of the Boys and were wanted outlaws.

In the afternoon, the Tunstall group rode towards a canyon. The Kid and John Middleton rode drag about 300 yards behind pushing the horses, while Tunstall, Brewer, and Rob Widenmann led the way. A flock of wild turkeys got the attention of Brewer and Widenmann. Pulling out their rifles, they loped after them, leaving Tunstall alone. Suddenly, the Kid saw the posse galloping towards. While the Kid spurred his horse forward to warn Brewer and Widenmann, Middleton rode towards Tunstall and yelled out, "For God's sake, follow me!" as he and the others all headed for cover behind some rocks. "What John.what?" was Tunstall's last words.

John Tunstall was dead, shot down in cold-blood by Morton and his posse. The following day Brewer and the Kid swore out affidavits to Justice of the Peace J. Wilson, who then issued warrants for the assassins. Constable Martinez deputized the Kid and Fred Waite to aid in serving the warrants against the men, who were at Dolan's store. When they walked in, Sheriff Brady was present and refused to permit the arrest of his men. He then took the constable and his two deputies prisoner. The men cursed and abused then and confiscated their weapons, including a Winchester rifle Tunstall had given the Kid. After a couple of hours, only Martinez was free to go. The Kid and Fred Waite were released two days later, missing Tunstall's funeral, so the story of him swearing revenge over his employer's grave at the funeral is just part of his myth.

  

Wilson then deputized Brewer, who formed his own posse; they would call themselves the "Regulators." The Kid would prove himself to very dependable solider due to his loyalty and fighting capabilities. Frustrated by the Sheriff Brady's interference and Governor Axtell turning a blind eye to what was going on in the county, the Regulators were going to fight fire with fire.

First, Bill Morton and Frank Baker were killed (possibly execution style) after surrendering to the Regulators, who rightfully believed that if the prisoners were turned over to the sheriff, they would be released. During the killing, they also killed William McCloskey, who was on friendly terms and sympathetic towards Morton and Baker and who may also have been a spy. Then six Regulators, including the Kid, ambushed and killed Sheriff Brady and his deputy George Hindmann. The Kid would later confess to Mrs. McSween, that he was aiming at Deputy Bill Mathews, who narrowly escaped the shooting. The Kid felt Mathews was responsible for Tunstall's death, by sending the sub-posse to go after Tunstall. But instead, Mathews got the last word when the Kid stepped out in the street to reclaim his rifle, which lay next to Brady's corpse; leveling his rifle, Matthews fired, but the bullet only clipped the Kid in the hip.

Soon afterwards, Buckshot Roberts, a Dolan gunman, fell victim, but not before he killed Dick Brewer and wounded two others. The Kid was even grazed in the arm by a bullet. Though Charlie Bowdre gave Roberts his fatal wound, the Kid would be blamed for it.

Now it was Murphy and Dolan's turn, with the help of Colonel Dudley and the Fort Stanton Army.  The Kid and several Regulators, along with Alex McSween, were trapped and surrounded in McSween's home in Lincoln by Dolan's men and army troops. 

After a five-day siege, the house was set on fire. Alex McSween fell in despair, and the other men started to panic.  The Kid, up until that point, was a follower, but now he stepped forward and took leadership.

 

The plan was that he and four others would make a break out the back door and run towards Tunstall's store through a gate on the east side of the wall, drawing the line of fire to them.  Meanwhile, McSween and the others would run to the rear wall, through a back gate and lose themselves in the dark by the river. 

It was about 9 o'clock at night when they made their move.  The Kid would recall the flames from the fire "made it almost as light as day for a short distance around."  The Kid led his group towards Tunstall's store as planned, but when met by gunfire coming from the store, they made a quick dash for the river to meet the others.  Meanwhile, McSween and his group ran for their lives towards the back gate, and they too received a volley of bullets.  It was pure pandemonium, guns blazing from both sides and men falling dead or wounded.  When the smoke cleared, it was over.

That night, on the Kid's side, McSween and four others were dead. Several others, who were wounded, managed to escaped.  On the Dolan side, Robert Beckwith was killed.  Following the aftermath, the victors got drunk and looted Tunstall's store, while The Kid and the survivors slipped away into the darkness.

  

The Kid had hoped for a better future by joining Tunstall's side, but now it was blowing away with the ashes from McSween's house. The only future he had now, was to be the whipping boy for this senseless war. Out of everyone who fought in the Lincoln County War, the Kid would be the only punished.

From here on out, he would be a wanted man.