"BILLY THE KID" AND GANG STAND OFF A POSSE AT THE CHISUM RANCH. A BLOODY
BATTLE IN LINCOLN, WHICH LASTED THREE DAYS.
As time went on, Sheriff Peppin appointed new deputies on whom he could
depend. Among these being Marion Turner, of the firm of Turner & Jones,
merchants at Roswell, on the Pecos river.
For several years, Turner had been employed by cattle king John Chisum,
and up to May, 1878 had helped to fight his battles, but for some reason
he had seceded and became Chisum's bitter enemy.
Marion Turner was put in charge of the Sheriff's forces in the Pecos
valley, and soon had about forty daring cowboys and cattlemen under his
command. Roswell was their headquarters.
Early in July, "Billy the Kid" and fourteen of his followers rode up to
the Chisum headquarters ranch, five miles from Roswell, to make that their
rendezvous.
Turner with his force tried to oust the "Kid" and gang from their
stronghold, but found it impossible, owing to the house being built like a
fort to stand off Indians, but he kept out spies to catch the "Kid"
napping.
One morning, Turner received word that the "Kid" and party had left for
Fort Sumner on the upper Pecos river. The trail was followed about twenty
miles up the river, where it switched off towards Lincoln, a distance of
about eighty or ninety miles.
The trail was followed to Lincoln, where it was found that "Billy the
Kid" and gang had taken possession of McSween's fine eleven-room
residence, and were prepared to stand off an army.
On arriving in Lincoln with his posse, Turner was joined by Sheriff Peppin
and his deputies, and they made the "Big House," as the Murphy-Dolan store
was called, their headquarters.
For three days shots were fired back and forth from the buildings, which
were far apart.
On the morning of July 19th, 1878, Marion Turner concluded to take some of
his men to the McSween residence and demand the surrender of the "Kid" and
his "warriors." With Turner were his business partner, John A. Jones and
eight other fearless men.
At that moment the "Kid" and party were in a rear room holding a
consultation, otherwise some of the advancing party might have been
killed.
On reaching the thick adobe wall of the building, through which portholes
had been cut, Turner and his men found protection against the wall between
these openings.
When the "Kid" and party returned to the port-holes they were hailed by
Turner, who demanded their surrender, as he had warrants for their arrest.
The "Kid" replied: "We, too, hold warrants for you and your gang, which we
will serve on you, hot from the muzzles of our guns."
About this time Lieut. Col. Dudley, of the Ninth Cavalry, arrived from Ft.
Stanton with a company of infantry and some artillery.
Planting his cannons midway between the belligerent parties, Col. Dudley
proclaimed that he would turn his guns loose on the first of the two, who
fired over the heads of his command.
Despite this warning, shots were fired back and forth, but no harm was
done.
Now Martin Chavez, who at this writing is a prosperous merchant in Santa
Fe, rode up with thirty-five Mexicans, whom he had deputized to protect
McSween and the "Kid's" party.
Col. Dudley asked him under what authority he was acting. He replied that
he held a certificate as deputy sheriff under Brady. Col. Dudley told him
that as Sheriff Brady was dead, and a new sheriff had been appointed, his
commission was not in effect. Still he proclaimed that he would protect
the "Kid" and McSween.
Now Col. Dudley ordered Chavez off the field of battle, or he would have
his men fire on them. When the guns were pointed in their direction, the
Chavez crowd retreated to the Ellis Hotel. Here he ordered his followers
to fire on the soldiers if they opened up on the "Kid" and party with
their cannon.
Toward night the Turner men, who were up against the McSween residence,
between the port-holes, managed to set fire to the front door and windows.
A strong wind carried the blaze to the woodwork of other rooms.
Mrs. McSween and her three lady friends had left the building before the
fight started. She had made one trip back to see her husband. The firing
ceased while she was in the house.
In the front parlor, Mrs. McSween had a fine piano. To prevent it from
burning, the "Kid" moved it from one room to another until it was finally
in the kitchen.
The crowd made merry around the piano, singing and "pawing the ivory," as
the "Kid" expressed it to the writer a few months later.
After dark, when the fiery flames began to lick their way into the
kitchen, where the smoke begrimed band were congregated, a question of
surrender was discussed, but the "Kid" put his veto on the move. He stood
near the outer door of the kitchen, with his rifle, and swore he would
kill the first man who cried surrender. He had planned to wait until the
last minute, then all rush out of the door together, and make a run for
the Bonita river, a distance of about fifty yards.
Finally the heat became so great, the kitchen door was thrown open.
At this moment one Mexican became frightened and called out at the top of
his voice not to shoot, that they would surrender. The "Kid" struck the
fellow over the head with his rifle and knocked him senseless.
When the Mexican called out that they would surrender, Robert W. Beckwith,
a cattleman of Seven Rivers, and John Jones, stepped around the corner of
the building in full view of the kitchen door.
A shot was fired at Beckwith and wounded him on the hand. Then Beckwith
opened fire and shot Lawyer McSween, though this was not a death shot.
Another shot from Beckwith's gun killed Vicente Romero. Now the "Kid"
planted a bullet in Beckwith's head, and he fell over dead. Leaping over
Beckwith's body, the band made a run for the river. The "Kid" was in the
lead yelling: "Come on, boys!" Tom O'Phalliard was in the rear. He made
his escape amidst flying bullets, without a scratch, although he had
stopped to pick up his friend Harvey Morris. Finding him dead he dropped
the body.
McSween fell dead in the back yard with nine bullets in his body, which
was badly scorched by the fire, before he left the building.
It was 10 P. M. when the fight had ended. Seven men had been killed and
many wounded. Only two of Turner's posse were killed, while the "Kid" lost
five,--McSween, Morris and three Mexicans.