Jesse Evans role in the Lincoln County War?

[MissyS]

One of the most confusing part on reading about the LCW is Jesse Evans role in it, it gets confusing because books aren't too clear about the gangs involved, the more I read about the killing of Tunstall, the more confusing it gets because of the different versions of who killed Tunstall etc..It seems there were the Seven River Warriors more of a posse than a gang and made up of small ranchers in and around the Seven Rivers area that were loyal to Murphy and Dolan, then there were the Jesse Evans gang or "The Boys" and Paco Anaya refered to them as the "Texans", they were mainly rustlers and may have done some robbing?, then there were the John Kinney gang also called "Rio Grande Posse" and made up of outlaws, and rustlers, their headquarters it seems was Dona Ana County, there was also Selman's Scouts a gang made up of the worst killers, rapists, and robbers. Jesse Evans was said to have at one time worked for Chisum?, unsure if this is true? Also he was said to have at one time been a member of the John Kinney gang, not sure if this is true either? and that Murphy and Dolan paid Jesse Evans gang to be their enforcers not sure if true either? Bill Morton and Frank Baker were said to have been members of the Jesse Evans gang, were they or were they members of the Seven Rivers Warriors, or both? if they owned land in or near the Seven Rivers area then they may have been a Seven River Warriors as well? One question is if it was Murphy and Dolan that sent men to the Tunstall ranch did they send a posse or a gang? Brushy said in the Lost Interviews that JJ Dolan got up a posse together of cutthroats and outlaws, the posse rode up led by Billy Morton. So if Billy Morton led the posse then it wouldn't have been the Jesse Evans gang or it would have been led by Jesse Evans it would seem since he was leader of his gang? Brushy said it was a posse he didn't say it was a gang, so given that  I believe it was the Seven Rivers Warriors that went to the Tunstall ranch and killed Tunstall and Jesse Evans gang was not present? I may be wrong, and Im still trying to research evidence of this, Im basing this on Brushy's words, Id like to know what you all think, was Jesse Evans present and been involved with Tunstall's killing or not?  

[susan]

I read that Jesse Evans told Billy The Kid that he did not kill Tunstall and that Billy took him at his word. I understand that Jesse Evans was present but did not do the actual killing. Have you read Gale Cooper's book "Joy of the Birds"? Do you consider it mainly fiction or somewhat historical? She supposedly wrote the book based on 40,000 pages of archival documents. What reason would Evans have had to kill Tunstall? Also, I have read that Billy swore vengeance at Tunstall's funeral. However, he did not get to attend because he was in jail. What is your opinion of the Joy of the Birds Book? I still think that Jesse Evans and Billy The Kid knew each other quite well and perhaps were very good friends. Could they have known each other before the LCW? I found Jesse Evans name as an alumni of Washington and Lee University. I had read that and sure enough in looking at the University list his name is there. I think he was interesting and he and Billy had a lot in common as to their intellects and skills with guns.

[sushiadam]

Evans had his gang of wild kids when he was younger called The Boys. I believe Billy was with them for awhile too. Most of what I've read says that Kinney would use them for his operations as "contract muscle". When the factions in Lincoln County started hiring their own muscle they obviously wanted the worst of the worst which is why all different gangs were present, but it's been really confusing trying to find much info the Seven Rivers Gang. One report said they were so rowdy and fought amongst each other so much that when a handful were found dead nobody knew if the Regulators did it or if had been killed by fellow members.

[MissyS]

I have not read Gale Cooper's books, "Joy Of The Birds" but sounds like one Id like to read, and will put it on my list. Susan that's awesome you found Jesse's name in the alumni, was it under Evans or Davis? In the book by Emerson Hough titled "The Story Of The Outlaw" he wrote that Jesse Evans was present when Tunstall was killed, but it was Tom Hill that shot him, and disturbingly there was a young boy present with them named Pantilon that beat Tunstall's skull with a rock afterwards, strange a boy would be with them? of course it may not be true? I read many times that Billy and the others did not engage the men because they were out-numbered, and I read that the Jesse Evans gang had around ten members, so Im guessing if it were just the Jesse Evans gang that rode up then they wouldn't have been so out-numbered? Im just guessing though. I read that Jesse Evans once worked for Chisum and so did Billy, was this when Jesse and Billy rode together? I do believe most or all the gangs got together later in Lincoln and fought in the siege at McSween's, and Billy shot off half of John Kinney's mustache.  Sushiadam I agree there's just not much detail written about the Seven Rivers Warriors just that they were mainly made up of small time cattle ranchers or farmers living in that area that were loyal to Murphy and Dolan and were angry with Chisum over his cattle grazing on their land or over beef contracts? I believe it may have been in Coe's book "A Frontier Fighter" that Jesse told Billy he did not kill Tunstall?, but was he present?

[susan]

Thank you Missy. Yes, George Coe wrote that Jesse told Billy he did not kill Tunstall. The name in the alumni listings at Washington and Lee is Jesse Evans and when you click on the name it links to Jesse Evans picture and info on the internet. Who did the young boy belong to? That is terrible. Also, was John Kinney hurt otherwise than having part of his mustache removed? George Coe also said in his book that Billy bought more bullets than anyone and practiced constantly. Also, I read that when he shot he rarely missed. I still do not understand why Billy did not leave the state of New Mexico earlier after the Lincoln County War was over. Do you have any thoughts on that?

[MissyS]

Susan,
Hough didn't mention who the boy belonged to, just that his name was Pantilon, I haven't read anything about a boy involved when Tunstall was killed in any other book or source, so I don't know where or how Emerson Hough knew this, or if it's true? John Kinney wasn't injured only half his mustache removed that was also in Hough's book, I can imagine Billy having a good laugh about it later. When Billy and his bunch sold all the horses in Tascosa Texas and settled the money amongst them they all parted ways, Fred Tecumseh Waite begged Billy to go with him to Oklahoma also some of the others made up their mind to not go back to NM, Billy was adamant about going back said he was going back to NM to steal himself a living, Billy found out there was alot of money to be made in rustling and he was very good at it, I believe its the main reason he stayed in NM after the war, he may also of had a girlfriend or two in NM also? Dr Henry Hoyt said Billy could of been a success anywhere, I want to add that he also said he was beardless, Hoyt's words were although Billy was a beardless youth he was a leader among men, Hoyt saw Billy last handcuffed on the train being guarded by Ollinger, so Hoyt backs up the newspaper man that said he was beardless at the time he was arrested, I just thought I'd add that, did Billy had time to grow a beard from that time to the time Garrett supposedly shot him?