| On February 18, 1878, English settler, John Tunstall, took a herd of his horses and began to ride to Lincoln, New Mexico. His presence had caused a political rift in the Lincoln area and Tunstall found himself in a dangerous position. The men opposed to Tunstall’s plans included the local lawman, William Brady, and the powerful Dolan-Murphy House. The struggle was an economical one to see who would claim supreme control of the area. On this day Tunstall was riding with some of his men when they were attacked by a sub-posse of Brady’s. The surprised men darted away as fast as they could go leaving a confused Tunstall all alone. The men of the posse rode up to Tunstall and shot him dead. It was this killing that started the Lincoln County War (1878-1880) and spawned the legend of Henry McCarty who became Billy the Kid.
This shows Rob Widenmann, Billy the Kid, and Dick Brewer firing their guns at the posse of Sheriff Brady.
|
