Alexander McSween-- Codename "Diablo"

Before leaving the States and heading back to England in the fall of 1878, Robert Widenmann penned a short "essay" entitled "Border Troubles in Lincoln Co., N.M." leaving it with family in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is approximately 1500 words and it is essentially a personal indictment of the activities of Murphy, Dolan, Riley, and Axtell. Before closing, Widenmann revealed a "cypher" which provided names for the prominent members of the Santa Fe Ring.

They are as follows:

T.B. Catron (U. S. Attorney)-- Grapes

L.G. Murphy-- Box

Maj. Godfroy (Ind. Agent)-- Hampton

Indians-- Trees

W.L. Rynerson (Dist. Attorney)-- Oyster

That is only part of the Ring which operates in Southern New Mexico. The northern part of the territory held the same structure. Other code names were Morris Bernstein-- "Soapweed," and Spiegelberg was "Sugar." Most evocative of all, the code name the House gave for Alexander McSween was "Diablo." Dolan and Riley claimed Widenmann stole papers containing this information when he searched the Murphy store.

Sources: Frederick Nolan "The Lincoln County War: A Documentary History"

Robert Widenmann "Border Troubles in Lincoln Co, NM" From Binder “T” Tunstall”, Box: 23, Folder: 13. Lewis A. Ketring, Jr. collection of Lincoln County research, Ms-0529. New Mexico State University Library Archives and Special Collections.