action in the Lincoln County War. (3) Friend of Kit Carson; the man who
carried the news of the big street fight to Ft. Stanton]

With the McSween party, there was one game Mexican, Ighenio Salazar, who
is alive to-day, by miracle. In the rush from the house, Salazar was
shot down, being struck by two bullets. He feigned death. Old Andy Boyle
stood over him with his gun cocked. "I guess he's dead," said Andy. "If
I thought he wasn't, I shoot him some more." They then jumped on
Salazar's body to assure themselves. In the darkness, Salazar rolled
over into a ditch, later made his escape, stopped his wounds with some
corn husks, and found concealment in a Mexican house until he
subsequently recovered.

This fight cost McSween his life just at the point when he thought he
had attained success. Four days before he was killed, he had word from
the United States Government's commissioner, Angell, that the President
had deposed Governor Axtell of New Mexico, on account of his appointment
of Dad Peppin as sheriff, and on charges that Axtell was favoring the
Murphy faction. General Lew Wallace was now sent out as Governor of New
Mexico, invested with "extraordinary powers." He needed them. President
Hayes had issued governmental proclamation calling upon these desperate
fighting men to lay down their arms, but it was not certain they would
easily be persuaded. It was a long way to Washington, and a short way to
a six-shooter.

General Wallace assured Mrs. McSween of protection, but he found there
was no such thing as getting to the bottom of the Lincoln County War. It
would have been necessary to hang the entire population of the county to
execute a formal justice. Almost none of the indictments "stuck," and
one by one the cases were dismissed. The thing was too big for the law.

The only man ever actually indicted and brought to trial for a killing
during the Lincoln County War was Billy the Kid, and there is many a
resident of Lincoln to-day who declares that the Kid was made a
scapegoat; and many a man even to-day charges Governor Wallace with bad
faith. Governor Wallace met the Kid by appointment at the Ellis House in
Lincoln. The Kid came in fully armed, and the old soldier was surprised
to see in him a bright-faced and pleasant-talking boy. In the presence
of two witnesses now living, Governor Wallace asked the Kid to come in
and lay down his arms, and promised to pardon him if he would stand his
trial and if he should b