The events of April 1st,1878, in Lincoln, New Mexico, are legendary. A Sheriff murdered in the street, outlaws and gunsmoke and confusion all around. When all was said and done, two bodies lay on Lincoln’s only road. Sheriff Brady and his Deputy George Hindman. The poor Deputy Hindman is often thought as an unfortunate victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Lily Klasner described him as “a good, quiet, an inoffensive person.” Hindman came through Lincoln County during a cattle drive from Texas, in 1875. He quit his cow-boy job and took up work with Robert Casey (Lily Klasner’s father.) The owners of the cattle were none too pleased with Hindman’s desertion. One of the co-owners of the herd from Texas was a man named Bill Humphreys, and his anger at Hindman finally culminated in violence. The two men loudly argued, and within a few short moments both men drew their revolvers and exchanged gunfire.

Hindman and Humphreys shot it out at a close distance. Both men missed their first shot, but Hindman’s next bullet struck Humphreys in the top of his head, it grazed his scalp and knocked Humphreys to the ground. At almost the same instant Humphreys was wounded, he managed to fire off a last shot, which hit Hindman’s pistol. The gun broke into pieces from the bullet’s impact, sending chunks of metal flying through the air. Both men survived the fight. Though Hindman’s gun hand was mangled badly, and several chards of metal lodged permanently in his hand.

Soon Hindman was well enough to get back to work. He rented a farm from Robert Casey with Sam Bass later that year. Casey was murdered by William Wilson in August of 1875. Hindman and Sam Bass had a falling out and Bass was forced to leave the area for a more notorious life possibly. George Hindman remained in the territory. In June of 1877 he was indicted by a Dona Ana County grand jury for various offenses committed during the Pecos Wars, where many future Lincoln County warriors honed their skills fighting against John Chisum and his cow-boys. Nothing ever became of the charges.

Frank Coe described Hindman as, “a crippled man… a bear up in the mountains had chawed him up, tearing up his hands and legs.” He was attacked by a grizzly bear in the hills near the Ruidoso. The bear badly disfigured Hindman’s face and left him with a crippled arm and a terrible limp. No doubt he was a rough looking fellow. Coe also said that back in Texas, Hindman and Frank MacNab had some troubles there. This left a hatred between the two men reportedly, though little is known about the actual cause of the bitterness.

On February 13th, 1878, the first posse led by Deputy J.B. Mathews went to the Tunstall Ranch. Riding with Mathews that day was George Hindman. When the posse was thwarted and forced to return to Lincoln to regroup, Hindman also was part of the next posse sent to Tunstall’s place. On February 18th, George Hindman rode with Deputy Mathews and others and by the end of the day John Tunstall lay dead in a lonely canyon. Based on statements from Tunstall’s men, a coroner’s jury made a list of those they considered responsible for the Englishman’s murder. The fourth man named on the list, was George Hindman (listed before Jimmy Dolan and William Morton.)

On April 1st, 1878, Tunstall’s men got their chance at Hindman. As Sheriff Brady and his Deputies walked east across Lincoln, they passed by Tunstall’s store. Hindman was just a few steps in front of Sheriff Brady when the gunfire erupted. Brady was riddled in the initial volley and collapsed to the ground, Deputy Long was grazed by a bullet, and went running to the Torreon for cover. George Hindman was also wounded and knocked to the ground. Deputies Mathews and Peppin both went scrambling for safety. Hindman is said to have tried to get back on his feet and called out for water. Another round of fire finished off Sheriff Brady.

Before anyone could answer Hindman’s request, a single shot rang out, killing George Hindman. He collapsed only feet away from the Sheriff. Regulator Frank MacNab is often credited for this fatal shot. The corpses of the two lawmen lay on the main road through Lincoln for several hours. Sheriff Brady and George Hindman were later buried on the Brady property. Their graves lie just off Highway 380, not far from where Frank MacNab was later killed. George Hindman’s tombstone has deep scarring, as if the bear attack, he endured while alive still lingers today.