Billy Meets with "the Tool" Wallace

We all know that Billy met with Gov Wallace and agreed to turn states evidence against those that killed Tunstall, McSween and Huston Chapman. These are the governors hand written notes taken during that meeting. You can see from the information gleaned from his meeting and other various accounts led to the arrest of many of these players. Billy testified in court against Dudley in his Court Martial Hearing, and gave testimony in the murders of Tunstall, McSween and Chapman, only his pardon never came... out of all the killing before, during and after the Lincoln County War, Billy was the only one to ever be tried, convicted and sentenced to be hung... ALL others were pardoned, never pursued, or died by the gun.

Statements by Kid made Sunday night March 23, 1879

There is a cattle trail beginning about 5 miles above Yellow Lake in a conon running a little west of north to Cisneza del matcho (mule springs) and continuing around the point of the Captain mountains down towards Carrizozo in the direction of the Rio Grande. Frank Wheeler, Jake Owens and Dutch Chris are supposed to have used this trail taking a bunch of cattle over. Vansickle told K so. They stopped and killed two beavers for Sam Corbett— hush money to Vansickle to whom they gave his beavers. Vansickle also said the Owens-Wheeler outfit including “Chris” had been using this trail for about a year, but that lately their horses had given out and of 140 head which they started with they had only got through with 40. That now they were going to the reservation to make a raid on the Indian horses to work on.

The Rustlers

The Rustlers kid says were organized in Fort Stanton. Before they organized as “Rustlers” they had been with Pippins posse. They came from Texas. Owens was companions amongst them. They were organized before the burning of McSweens house and after that they went on their first trip down the country as far as Coe’s ranch and Ihena to the Feliz, when they took Tunstalls cattle. From the Feliz they went to the Pecos, where some of them deserted. Owens amongst them. (Martin, known to Sam Corbett, was in charge of the Tunstall cattle, and was taken prisoner, and saw them kill one of their own party. On the same trip they burnt Lola Wise’s house and took some horses. Coe at the time was residing at the house. On this trip they moved behind a body of soldiers, one company, and a company of Navaho scouts. They moved in light of the evening, taking horses, insulting women. Gregorio Trujillo, (Jus. Peder) Juan Trujillo, Jose M. Guiterrez, Pancho Sanchez, Santos Tafoya, are witnesses against them. They stopped on the Pecos at Seven Rivers. Collins, now at Silver City, was one of the outfit .. Nick named the Prowler by the cowboys. At seven Rivers there joined them Gus. Gildey (wanted at San Antonio for killing Mexicans. Gildey is carrying the mail now from Stockton to the Seven Rivers. James Irwin and Reese Gobles (rumored that their bodies were found in a drift down the Pecos).. Rustling Bob (found dead in the Pecos killed by his own Party).. John Selman (whereabouts unknown) came to Roswell with Carroll was there . The R’s stayed at Seven Rivers, which they left on their second trip via the Berenda, for Fort Stanton. On their return back they killed Chaves boys and the crazy boy, Lorenzo and the Sanchez boy, 14 years old. They also committed many robberies. They broke up after reaching the Pecos, promising to return when some more horses got fat.

Shedds Ranch

The trail used going from Seven Rivers to Shedds was around the S. W. point of the Guadalupe Mts. By a tank on the right hand of the trail. From Shedds the drives would be over to Las Cruces. Jesse Evans, Frank Baker (killed) Jim McDaniels (at Cruces, ranging between Cruces and El Paso) Reed at Shedds bought cattle from them. Also wild cattle to E. C. Preist, butcher in Cruces. “Big Mose” (at Cruces last heard from) and ____ , deserter from Calvary (went to Arizona)

Mimbres

Used to be called Mormon City– situated 30 miles on the road to Cruces from Silver City south. A good many of what are known as “West Hardin Gang” are there. Among them Joe Olney, known in Mimbras as Joe Hill, he has a ranch in old Mexico somewhere near Coralitos. He makes trips up in this country, was in Penasco not that long ago.

San Nichols Springs

So about 18 miles from Shedds ranch on the road to Tularosa, left hand road. Theres a house at the Spring and about 4 or 5 miles from it NW is another corral of brush and a spring, situated in a canon . There Jim McDaniels used to keep stolen Indian horses. McD one of the Rio Grande posse. Kid says the latter is still used.

The Jones Family

Came from Texas . Used to keep saloon at Fort Griffin. The family consists of the father, Jim Jones, John Jones, boy about 10 years old, a girl about 13, and the mother. Marion Turner lives with the family, and had killed a Mexican at Blazers Mill “Just to see him kick”. He had no cattle when the war started. The Jones ‘ John and Jim, killed a man named Riley, a partner of theirs, on the Penasco 3 or 4 years ago.

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