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Summary:

"When New Mexico became part of the United States, the territory contained 295 land grants, the largest of these being the Maxwell Land Grant. The size and boundaries of the grant were disputed, with some believing that much of the land was public domain. Settlers on this land were fought not only by the land grant owners but also by a group of corrupt politicians and lawyers-known as the Santa Fe Ring (most notably Thomas Catron and Stephen Elkins)-who tried to use the situation for personal profit and land acquisition. The fight escalated in late 1875 with the assassination of Reverend F. J. Tolby, an outspoken critic of the Santa Fe Ring. In a confession one of the assassins stated that men connected to the ring had paid to have Tolby killed. Outrage, civil unrest, and more murders followed. The town of Cimarron alone was the scene of a lynching, a barroom gunfight in the St. James Hotel involving legendary gunman Clay Allison, and a nighttime murder of a prisoner. For a time the troubles in New Mexico were ignored by the federal government. But in 1878 the murder of John Tunstall set off a wave of violence known as the Lincoln County War. Following that, a letter came to light that appeared to show that the governor of the territory, Samuel B. Axtell, planned a mass execution of critics of the Santa Fe Ring, who he considered to be agitators in the Colfax County troubles. Finally, officials in Washington took notice and sent Frank W. Angel with orders to investigate the violence, murders, and corruption that plagued the territory. Following his investigation, Angel concluded, "It is seldom that history states more corruption, fraud, mismanagement, plots and murders, than New Mexico, has been the theatre under the administration of Governor Axtell." The actions taken as a result of Angel's investigation wouldn't end the violence in New Mexico, but they did lead to the end of the Colfax County War."-- [Provided by publisher]

Table of Contents:

• The Maxwell Land Grant
• The Santa Fe Ring at Work
• Franklin J. Tolby
• Violence in Colfax County
• Gunfight at the St. James Hotel and Arrests Made
• Bill Signed
• Dealing with Colfax County
• Term of Court
• Mary McPherson
• Axtell Responds
• The Trial of Oscar P. McMains
• Axtell's "Dear Ben" Letter
• Frank Warner Angel
• A Change in Governorship
• End of the Colfax County War
• O. P. McMains versus the Maxwell Land Grant
• Appendix: Franklin J. Tolby's Letters to Family.

Author/Creator:

Recko, Corey, 1974- , author

Contributors:

University of North Texas Press , publisher, http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/pbl

Languages:

English

Language Notes:

Item content: English

Main Work:

The Colfax County War: violence and corruption in territorial New Mexico [by Recko, C.]

Other Related Resources:

Online version: Colfax County War [by Recko, C.] (Denton, Texas : University of North Texas Press, [2024] — ISBN 1574419412; LCCN 2024012330; OCLC Number 1429144340)

Related Series:

A.C. Greene series; [volume] 22

Subjects:

Santa Fe Ring (Political organization) — Corrupt practices

Land tenure — New Mexico — Colfax County — History — 19th century

Violence — New Mexico — Colfax County — History — 19th century

Maxwell Land Grant (N.M. and Colo.) — History

New Mexico — History — 1848-

Since 1800

Land tenure

Violence

Corruption

United States — Maxwell Land Grant

New Mexico

New Mexico — Colfax County

Genres:

History

General Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.
(Special Collections copy) Bound in black paper wrapped boards with gold embossed spine titles. Retains original dust jacket.

Physical Description:

xvi, 222 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm.

Physical Characteristics:

map; illustration

Call Numbers:

F802.C7 R43 2024

ISBNs:

9781574419320 (hardcover)
1574419323 (hardcover)
9781574419412 (electronic book) [Invalid]

Library of Congress Control Numbers:

2024012329

OCLC Numbers:

1418993843