Lincoln County's L.G. Murphy reaped the whirlwind alright
But it just wasn't at the hands of Billy the Kid
Fans of the movie Young Guns likely remember how impactful the late great Jack Palance was as Lawrence G. Murphy, the films antagonist. But not everyone is aware that by the time the Lincoln County War kicked off, Murphy was a non factor. While L.G. was indeed a force to be reckoned with in his youth, a bout with alcholoism and cancer led the man to both an early retirement and an early grave.
The Irish born Murphy spent most of his adult life as a military man, enlisting straight off the boat in 1851 and serving until the end of the Civil War. Following the hostilities he joined the Grand Army of the Republic and became involved in politics and business with fellow veteran and immigrant Emil Fritz. Together, they secured military contracts to supply beef and other goods to both the Apache Reservation and Fort Stanton, in addition to the speculating in - and selling of - bogus land grants. Murphy, himself the former commander of Fort Stanton, served as sort of an official advisor to the officers and even provided payday loans to the soldiers.
Mo’ money, mo’ problems
As time went on Murphy and Fritz became even more corrupt, buying stolen cattle at $5 a head from the outlaw Jesse Evans and reselling the beeves to the military for three times that amount.
Fritz fell ill and returned to Germany, leaving Murphy to partner with another Irishman 17 years his junior, James Joseph Dolan. Together, they continued their shady business practices and soon were barred from operating out of Fort Stanton altoghether, causing the pair to set up shop in the nearby town of Lincoln.
In due time The House - as Murpny and Dolan’s empire came to be known - controlled nearly all of the business in Lincoln County, New Mexico. The pair owned quite a bit of the surrounding land, operated a mercantile store, brewery, boarding house, saloon, and even had the sheriff in their pocket. Murphy was diagnossed with a cancer of the bowels, however; a condition only exasberated by his heavy drinking. By the time a young Englishman by the name of Tunstall entered the picture, L.G. had become almost completely irrelevant.
According to one Lincoln County resident “old man Murphy was dissipated and got so he couldn’t do business, just drink whiskey”. Yet another recalled that the former officer spent most of his time in an “alcoholic stupor”.
In March of 1877 - back when The Kid was still in Arizona - Murphy relinqushed most of his control of The House to a then 29 year old Dolan. In constant pain and drinking to just maintain, Murphy would soon retire to a ranch outside of Santa Fe where he’d pass away in October of 1878 at just 47 years of age.
While Murphy may have offered council and possibly even given consent or permission to have John Tunstall murdered, it was J.J. Dolan who was the real powerhouse behind the Murphy faction during the Lincoln County War and it was the Dolan men who The Kid and the Regulators went a-hunting.
Although Murphy would live throughout the entirty of the conflict, it’s unclear how much he knew of the events raging nearly 200 miles to the south. He’d reap the whirlwind alright, but it just wasn’t at the hands of young William H. Bonney.
Hey, thanks for reading! If you’re the sort who’d like to “buy me a beer” if we were to have this conversation in person, feel free to buy me a coffee!
Also, The Wild West Extravaganza recently wrapped up the series on Jim Bridger, give it a listen if you haven’t already. And make sure you follow wherever you listen to podcasts. A new series begins next week as we delve into the life and times of Billy the Kid.
