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Authors: Charles River Editors
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of the peace and revoked Widenmann’s duties as deputy marshal. By doing so, he removed any legal authority that the Regulators had, turning them into a band of outlaw vigilantes.
Late in the evening of March 31, the Regulators launched their plan to get Brady. The Kid and five other men snuck into town and hid behind an adobe wall in a corral near Tunstall’s store. The next morning, as Brady left the Dolan store, the Regulators unleashed at least a dozen rounds of gunfire and killed him in the muddy street. A deputy was also killed. For unknown reasons, the Kid and another man named Jim French ran to Brady’s body, perhaps looking for warrants or a gun. A shot came from a nearby house and went through the Kid’s thigh and into French’s leg, but they were both able to escape.
Sheriff Brady
With the cold-blooded assassination of their sheriff, the Regulators lost sympathy from many in the town. They were now viewed as murderers and no better than The House. The Regulators went back to San Patricio, the tiny community on the Ruidoso River that served as their headquarters. The Kid and French recovered from their wounds, and the Regulators picked up new men to join the crew before moving up the river and into the mountains on April 4. Their destination was Blazer’s Mill, located on the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation in the Tularosa Creek canyon. The Regulators heard that men who were involved in Tunstall’s murder were there and Brewer planned to serve his arrest warrants, whether they were valid or not.
The small settlement called Blazer’s Mill belonged to a dentist named Joseph Blazer, who leased a two-story adobe house to the federal government, where Indian agent Frederick Godfroy and his wife lived. The Godfroys took in lodgers and Mrs. Godfroy ran a small restaurant, known for its hearty meals. While the Regulators were enjoying the hot meal, Buckshot Roberts rode into town, possibly to see if a check he was waiting for had arrived. Roberts wanted no more to do with the Lincoln County War and was in the process of selling his ranch. He also had ridden in the posse that killed Tunstall.
When the Regulators spotted Roberts, it left neither side with very little choice of what to do. If the Regulators simply left, Roberts would chase them down and shoot them. If Roberts tried to leave, the Regulators would kill him. Frank Coe, one of the Regulators who knew Roberts the best, tried to talk him into surrendering, but Roberts would not agree to that.
Meanwhile, Dick Brewer grew impatient and led his posse, including the Kid, out of the dining room, and toward Roberts and Coe. Both Roberts and Charlie Bowdre fired simultaneously, touching off the gunfight. Roberts was almost immediately shot in the stomach, a mortal wound, but he managed to keep firing from his Winchester at the Regulators as he headed for the doorway of Blazer’s house. In the process, Middleton was hit in the chest, Frank Coe’s cousin George had his trigger finger blown off, and Doc Scurlock had a graze wound. When Billy the Kid realized Roberts had fired all his bullets, he ran up to kill Roberts, only to be beaten unconscious by the barrel of Roberts’ gun.
Roberts managed to get into the house and barricade himself, now using another rifle that belonged to Blazer to keep shooting. The Regulators, however, were stunned by the carnage that had been inflicted by Roberts. As most of the posse began to care for their own, Brewer moved around the house and started firing into the room in which Roberts was laying down. Seeing the smoke from Brewer’s gun rising behind the log pile Brewer was hiding behind, Roberts waited for Brewer to stick his head out. As soon as Brewer did, Roberts let off a shot that hit Brewer in the eye and tore off much of his head with it.
The Regulators were stunned by the bloodshed and the loss of their leader. Gathering up their wounded, they left Roberts behind, who died a painful death the next day.
Late in the evening of March 31, the Regulators launched their plan to get Brady. The Kid and five other men snuck into town and hid behind an adobe wall in a corral near Tunstall’s store. The next morning, as Brady left the Dolan store, the Regulators unleashed at least a dozen rounds of gunfire and killed him in the muddy street. A deputy was also killed. For unknown reasons, the Kid and another man named Jim French ran to Brady’s body, perhaps looking for warrants or a gun. A shot came from a nearby house and went through the Kid’s thigh and into French’s leg, but they were both able to escape.
Sheriff Brady
With the cold-blooded assassination of their sheriff, the Regulators lost sympathy from many in the town. They were now viewed as murderers and no better than The House. The Regulators went back to San Patricio, the tiny community on the Ruidoso River that served as their headquarters. The Kid and French recovered from their wounds, and the Regulators picked up new men to join the crew before moving up the river and into the mountains on April 4. Their destination was Blazer’s Mill, located on the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation in the Tularosa Creek canyon. The Regulators heard that men who were involved in Tunstall’s murder were there and Brewer planned to serve his arrest warrants, whether they were valid or not.
The small settlement called Blazer’s Mill belonged to a dentist named Joseph Blazer, who leased a two-story adobe house to the federal government, where Indian agent Frederick Godfroy and his wife lived. The Godfroys took in lodgers and Mrs. Godfroy ran a small restaurant, known for its hearty meals. While the Regulators were enjoying the hot meal, Buckshot Roberts rode into town, possibly to see if a check he was waiting for had arrived. Roberts wanted no more to do with the Lincoln County War and was in the process of selling his ranch. He also had ridden in the posse that killed Tunstall.
When the Regulators spotted Roberts, it left neither side with very little choice of what to do. If the Regulators simply left, Roberts would chase them down and shoot them. If Roberts tried to leave, the Regulators would kill him. Frank Coe, one of the Regulators who knew Roberts the best, tried to talk him into surrendering, but Roberts would not agree to that.
Meanwhile, Dick Brewer grew impatient and led his posse, including the Kid, out of the dining room, and toward Roberts and Coe. Both Roberts and Charlie Bowdre fired simultaneously, touching off the gunfight. Roberts was almost immediately shot in the stomach, a mortal wound, but he managed to keep firing from his Winchester at the Regulators as he headed for the doorway of Blazer’s house. In the process, Middleton was hit in the chest, Frank Coe’s cousin George had his trigger finger blown off, and Doc Scurlock had a graze wound. When Billy the Kid realized Roberts had fired all his bullets, he ran up to kill Roberts, only to be beaten unconscious by the barrel of Roberts’ gun.
Roberts managed to get into the house and barricade himself, now using another rifle that belonged to Blazer to keep shooting. The Regulators, however, were stunned by the carnage that had been inflicted by Roberts. As most of the posse began to care for their own, Brewer moved around the house and started firing into the room in which Roberts was laying down. Seeing the smoke from Brewer’s gun rising behind the log pile Brewer was hiding behind, Roberts waited for Brewer to stick his head out. As soon as Brewer did, Roberts let off a shot that hit Brewer in the eye and tore off much of his head with it.
The Regulators were stunned by the bloodshed and the loss of their leader. Gathering up their wounded, they left Roberts behind, who died a painful death the next day.
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