Witness to the Mob.
By: J.Young
George Washington was born in Texas sometime in 1841. He later arrived in Lincoln County in the 1870s at first working at Fort Stanton doing general labor and chores. Later moving into Lincoln found work as a handyman for Alex and Susan McSween. George was married in Lincoln on December 15, 1874.
Two years later Washington became apart of the brewing storm in Lincoln. 
George’s employer Mr. Mcsween, was joining his business affairs with John Tunstall and John Chisum, at the time who were in the process of taking over the beef and dry goods market in the county. The Murphy/Dolan faction were on the verge of going out of business due to this. Dolan and company played by no rules and used Mob like tactics in their business affairs.
Dolan decided Tunstall had to be killed. Tunstall sensed it but was too far into his venture to back out now and began hiring guns. On the night of February 17th, George Washington caught gossip of Dolan and Billy Matthew’s activities. Washington warned Tunstall that Matthews had a posse of 43 men and intended to decoy the Tunstall men out of their defenses, to kill them all and make off with their cattle. Matthews’ plot was foiled but they still managed to kill Tunstall the next day while he was traveling.
The Lincoln County War erupted. The Regulators were formed in the name of John Tunstall and commanded then by Alex Mcsween. George Washington became loosely affiliated to the organization and the troubles that came with it.
In retaliation for Tunstall, the Regulators killed 5 of the Murphy/Dolan men including the Sheriff and his deputy who were on Dolans side. An arresting party led by Dolan friend, deputy George Peppin, assisted by Lt. Smith from Fort Stanton, arrested some of Mcsween’s men, including George Washington and another servant of Mcsweens, a Mr. George Robinson. The two Mcsween employees were arrested on suspicion of being accomplices to the murders of sheriff Brady and deputy Hindman. Washington was sent to Mesilla for trial where he posted Bond. After returning to Lincoln County he was arrested again and paroled.
In the summer of 1878, McSween and The Regulators were reportedly hiding out around San Patricio. Dolan was busy trying to even the score and was able to get George Peppin appointed Sheriff of Lincoln and also had put out $100 each on the Regulators heads.
John Kenny and his Rio grande Posse, were eager to collect. They rode on to the plaza of San Patricio. They found no Regulators but flushed out George Washington who was serving as The Regulators camp cook while they were on lam.

Washington sprinted across a wheat field in an attempt to escape but shots from John Kinney‘s Winchester, were hitting the ground around his feet and stopped him in his tracks. After a little hassle they let Washington go.
Washington was present during the five-day battle at Lincoln, he did not take action and was merely a spectator. He later gave testimony against Colonel Dudley for his actions during the battle.
Washington is often confused with another black man named George Washington who was one of the Buffalo Soldiers from Fort Stanton and was also present during the last couple days of the five-day battle.
In the spring of 1879 Washington enrolled and joined The Lincoln County mounted rifles, a failed organization set up by Governor Wallace.
In the summer of 1879 George Washington “Accidentally” killed his family. He was acquitted for the shooting of his wife Luisa Sanchez and child, when he claimed he was shooting at a dog, and missed, killing both wife and child with one bullet.
In the winter of 1879, Washington was hanged by a mob led by Saturnino Baca when he was caught having a sexual affair with Baca’s young daughter Josefina, and planned to elope with her.

The following is Washington’s testimony during Dudleys court martial trial for misconduct.
George Washington a witness being duly sworn, testified as follows…

Questions by recorder Captain Humphreys: “State your name and place of residence.”

Answer: “My name is George Washington. I live in Lincoln county Lincoln plaza.”

Question: “State if you were at the town of Lincoln on the 19th day of July last, and if so, State weather you saw Colonel Dudley there on that day and what you saw him doing?”

Answer: “I was there and saw Colonel Dudley. I saw him there with his troops, and Cannon and Gatling gun, and heard him say that he came to protect women and children, and spoke to each party, had reference to each party not to fire over his troops from either one of the houses they were in, and if they did he would blow the houses down to the ground, and told the women that were in Mr Montana’s house, that they had better leave the house, if those men fired from there, he would blow the house down. After that I heard him ask Justice of the Peace John B. Wilson for a warrant for the arrest of Mr McSween, and I heard the justice of the peace tell him that he could not do it unless someone would swear out an affidavit, and Colonel Dudley says, what sir?… you tell me you can’t do it, when you have been doing that for the last 3 weeks. Now if you don’t do it, I will bound you up in iron so tight that you cannot move, or some words to that effect. Justice of the Peace told him that he wanted to do what was right, and could not make out a word unless he had someone to swear out an affidavit.

Well said Dudley I can get someone to do that and I saw  Colonel Dudley afterward give the warrant to sheriff George peppin and told him he wanted to arrest Mcsween and if he did not do it he would report him to the governor. Peppin taking the warrant started off with it, and Colonel Dudley called him back and told him he had better not go himself, to summon some other man to go in his place, for if they killed him then it would be settled. Peppin handed the warrant to The Man by the name of Robert Beckwith and told him he wanted to arrest Mcsween. I will help you summon some men. Colonel Dudley said yes, summon all your men. Then the sheriff commenced summoning men and summoned me -George Washington, Serbian Bates, Joe Dixon and other citizens. He told the sheriff that I was a paroled prisoner and he did not think it was right to carry me, but told the sheriff to make the rest of them go, citizens of the plaza, for he had authority to do it and wanted him to attend to it. Mr Beckwith, deputy sheriff, takes these men and starts for Mr Mcsween’s house. An hour and a half or more after they had gone the firing commenced very rapidly. I was in Colonel Dudley’s camp at the time. Dr Daniel Appell says to me, George, can you take me to some near point where we can see the fun? I took him around by the justice of the peace house, but we could not see them, only we could see the house on fire. We came back into camp again. Dr. Appell told Colonel Dudley that the house was burning and he did not think it was right to let them burn it down. Oh shaw, says Colonel Dudley they can’t burn down the old Adobe walls, they’re just making a scare. Mrs Mcsween came into camp and spoke to Colonel Dudley. I heard him tell her that he did not want to talk to her. She said to him that he said he had come to protect women and children, and why not protect her and her sister that lived in the house that was on fire. Colonel Dudley says to her that there were a lot of outlaws in her house, and that she hadn’t ought to have them there if she expected him to protect her. Shortly after that doctor Appell says to me George, there is no nearer place that we can go see them fight? I took him around by the riverbank back to town and saw a lot of men, some firing into the windows and doors, others throwing wood lumber on the fire.
I left that place and left the town the same evening, I stayed at Mrs Brady’s ranch all night. The next morning I came to the plaza, Lincoln, with some soldiers Colonel Dudley had sent down to relieve the guard he had down at Mrs Brady’s that’s all I can remember.” 

Question: “What did you see going on towards Ellis’s house on July 19th last?”

Answer: “I saw the sheriff firing from a house opposite Mr Ellis’ and he had a party of men with him that were leaving town and upon the foothills. I went up into the soldiers camp when the sheriff came back with his party. Mr Robert Beckwith had a can of coal oil in his hand. Colonel Dudley says what are you going to do with that? Oh I’m going to burn them out. Colonel Dudley laughed and said nothing more to him.”

Question: “Where did these men go after leaving the camp that had the coal oil?”

Answer: “They started for the Mcsween house, but I did not see them go there.”

Question: “State what if anything you saw of the movements of the Cannon or Gatling gun that day.”

Answer: “I saw the Gatling gun pointed toward the Foothills back of Mr mcswain’s House.” 

Question: “State weather at the time you saw the Gatling gun pointed at the Foothills back of Mr Mcsween’s house, any person was handling the gun.”

Answer: “Men turned it around, the soldiers.”

Question: “State weather you saw any soldiers about Mcsween’s house when you went down with Dr apple and saw firing into mcsween’s house?”

Answer: “I saw them about there, but did not see them firing”

Question: “How many were there, and how near the house were they, and how near the men who were firing?”

Answer: “I saw three soldiers, infantrymen, standing opposite Mr shield house joining the room of Mr Mcsweens, about 25 yards from The men who were firing into the mcsween house.”

Question: “Did you know whether they had guns or not with them?”

Answer: “No, I did not notice”

Question: “What was Colonel Dudley’s conduct toward Mrs Mcsween when she was in a conversation with him at the camp?”

Answer: “He told her he wanted her to leave camp, that he did not want to talk to her any more, and told a man who was on post to not allow her to come in camp.”

Question: “Was his conduct towards her violent or excited, and in what manner did he treat her?”

Answer: “Yes sir he spoke to her madly as though he did not want to talk to her. I don’t know how to answer the balance of it.”

Question: “State how he acted on the occasion toward Mrs Mcsween”

Answer: “I don’t know.” 

Question: “State how it was.”

Answer: “he spoke to her very unpleasantly, as though he was mad and did not want to talk to her.”

Question: “State whether you saw Colonel Dudley the next day, if so where, and what was he doing.”

Answer: “Yes sir I saw him walking up the street, he was not doing anything when I saw him.

the court then stated to the recorder that an objective to this line of examination.”

Question: “Did you see him in the tunstall store the next day after the killing of mcsween?”

Answer: “No sir I did not.”

Question: “Have you stated all you saw and heard of Colonel Dudley’s actions on that day if not State what further you saw him do or heard him say”

Answer: “Yes sir, I have stated it all.”

Question: “Did you ever hear Colonel Dudley say anything about his actions at Lincoln, on that day the house was burned, afterwards. If so, state where and what it was.”

Answer: “No sir I did not.”

*The Recorder stated that he was finished with the witness*.
*Washington was then cross-examined by Colonel Dudley himself*

Question by Dudley: “Where did Dudley go into camp on the 19th day of July last, when he arrived in the town of lincoln, on who’s ground?”

Answer: “On my grounds, I contracted it for Mr Ellis.”

Question: “Did he ask your permission to camp there? If so State what was said at that time.”

Answer: “He was camped there when he asked me. Colonel Dudley said to some of the officers that he might raise a fuss about them being camped on one of them’s land, and then asked me whose land it was that he was camped on. I told him it was mine, he asked me if he could camp there, I told him yes.”

Question: “Did you not in that connection also tell him that you were very glad that he came down there?”

Answer: “I don’t remember.”

Question: “Did you not on that same connection say to Colonel Dudley that you wish he had come before”

Answer: “No sir.”

Question: “What time of the day was it that Colonel Dudley arrived?”

Answer: “On or before 10:00.”

Question: “Where did the conversation take place which you heard between Colonel Dudley and Justice Wilson?”

Answer: “In the Lincoln plaza, in his camp right in front of his camp.”

Question: “How far were you from them at the time?

Answer: about 15 paces”

Question: “How long had justice Wilson been there, when the conversation occurred? Had he just arrived? If not, how long before?”

Answer: “Yes sir, he just arrived.”

Question: “Had you been at Colonel Dudley’s camp from the time of his going into camp up to Justice Wilson’s arrival?”

Answer: “Yes sir I had”

Question: “And you say that it was at the time of Justice Wilson’s arrival at Colonel Dudley’s camp warrants for the last 3 weeks, and if he did that issue the warrant he would bind him up in iron so tight that he couldn’t move.”

Answer: “Yes sir”

Question: “How long had Colonel Dudley been in camp at that time?”

Answer: “About 15 minutes.”

Question: “Who was president at the time of this conversation just referred to Colonel Dudley and Justice Wilson?”

Answer: “Colonel George Purington, Captain Thomas blair, Dr apple, lieutenant Millard f goodwin, myself and others that I did not take notice see there were lots of people around.”

Question: “How long after that was it before Justice Wilson brought the warrant?”

Answer: “I don’t know I was not there”

Question: “Do you swear that Colonel Dudley delivered the Warrant into the hands of sheriff Pepin?”

Answer: “Yes sir cuz I saw him give it to him and told him that it was a warrant for their rest of Mcsween”

Question: “Who was present at the time?”

Answer: “Johnny Hurley, Robert beckwith, myself and other men who I did not know their names and sheriff Peppin.”

Question: “Were those men there when you say colonel Dudley told the sheriff not to go himself and during the rest of the conversation that you say took place at that time?”

Answer: “All except Mr Beckwith Robert Beckwith.”

Question: “Were any of Colonel Dudley’s officers present, if so State who they or any of them were.”

Answer: “I don’t remember seeing them at that time.”

Question: “Where did Justice Wilson go after the conversation referred to did he go to his office?”

Answer: “I don’t know sir”
Question: “Did you see any of the officers going to Justice Wilson’s office?
Answer: “No sir I did not I saw them passed along the front of the office.”
Question: “Were there any of Mcsween’s parties in the Montana house when Colonel Dudley arrived?”
Answer: “Yes or there was.”
Question: “Was it while they were in there Colonel Dudley told the women as you say that they had better come out of the house?”
Answer: “Yes sir.”
Question: “You say that the sheriff gave the work to Robert Beckwith a deputy sheriff and commenced some men to accompany him and they went towards Mcsween’s house and that about a half an hour or more after where the firing commenced very rapidly was this before or after you heard the firing toward the Ellis house?”
Answer: “It was after.”
Question: “How long after?”
Answer: “About 10 or 15 minutes.”
Question: “Did you say that Colonel Dudley on his arrival in Lincoln that he came there to protect women and children and spoke to each party or in reference to each party not to fire over his troops and if they did he would blow the house down to the ground what do you mean by each of the parties and who and what were the parties you alluded to in that connection?”
Answer: “There were two parties of men in the plaza at that time fighting against each other one was called the Mcsween party and the other Dolan and Murphy party.”
Question: “Was the Dolan and Murphy party the party who was acting as sheriff pepin, who were not called the sheriff’s posse?”
Answer: “The party that was with sheriff Pepin was called the Dolan and Murphy party. Colonel Dudley called one party the Mcsween party. The other Dolan and Murphy party. These were the words he said when he arrived in front of the Montana’s that he did not come to fight the Dolan and Murphy party or the Mcsween party that he had come to protect women and children.”
Question: “Were not the party of men you term Dolan and Murphy men on that day, acting as a posse to the sheriff?”

*Objection by the court for this question*..

Question: “Was it before or after the warrants were delivered to the sheriff that the men who were in The Montana house left that house and went to Alan’s house?”
Answer: “It was before.”
Question: “How long before? Answer I don’t know how long exactly before, but the sheriff had been down firing at them and came back, then got the warrant.”

Question: “Who was with the sheriff when he came and got the warrant?”
Answer: “Johnny Hurley he was the only one that was with him when he got the warrant.”
Question: “When was it with reference to the time of the firing near the Ellis house by the sheriff at the man on the hillside, that you saw Beckwith with the can of coal oil.”

Answer: “It was after the firing for Beckwith was with the sheriff at the time of the firing and when he came back up the street he brought the oil with him.”
Question: “Had the warrant been given into his back with hands before this?”
Answer: “No sir it had not.”
Question: “The firing then commenced down from the Ellis house before it did at the McQueen’s?”
Answer: “Yes sir.”
Question: “When and where did the first firing begin on the day?”
Answer: “I don’t know sir there was firing all over town before Colonel Dudley came to town.”
Question: “When did you see the Gatling gun pointed at the Foothills at the rear of Mcsween’s house?”
Answer: “It was late in the evening”.
Question: “Do you swear that the Gatling gun was pointed at Montana’s window?”
Answer: “No sir it was a brass piece.”
Question: “Who were the men you saw throwing wood on the fire?”
Answer: “I don’t know any of them by name. It wasn’t the soldier’s.”
Question: “What time was it when you saw them in throwing wood and lumber on the fire?”
Answer: “Well I can’t exactly say what time of day it was, it was after the house was fired and burning.”

Question: “Do you know who the soldiers were that you say you saw there about the burning house if so state?”
Answer: “I do not know.”
Question: “How close were you to them? Answer about 25 yards.”
Question: “Do you know Sergeant Andrew keef of company h 15 infantry?”
Answer: “Yes sir.”
Question: “Was he one of the men?”
Answer: “I don’t know sir if he was I did not recognize him.”
Question: “If he had been could you not have recognized him in that distance?”
Answer: “If I could if I saw his face”

Question: “Have you given all or substance all of the conversation that you say occurred between Colonel Dudley and Mrs mcsween on the 19th of July last at Colonel Dudley’s camp?”
Answer: “All that I heard.”
Question: “Did you not say you were there when she came up to the camp?”
Answer: “No sir I did not.”
Question: “Were you not in the camp when Mrs Mcsween came to the camp and spoke to Colonel Dudley?”
Answer: “No sir I was not I was about 15 steps from there.”
Question: “Were you there or near there during all the conversation which you say occurred between Colonel Dudley and Mrs Mcsween”
Answer: “I left Mrs Mcsween in the camp and I went into Juan Patrons.”

Question: “Did you return, if so was Mrs mcsween still there or had she gone?”
Answer: “Yes I had returned and she had gone.”
Question: “Well then did she leave at the time Colonel Dudley told her to leave camp?”
Answer: “No she did not. I heard her asking him for protection as I went into the Patron’s house.”
Question: “Was the warrant given to Deck with that the time you say he came up with the sheriff after the firing near the Ellis house, and was it at that time he had the tin can of coal oil?”

Answer: “Beckwith was on his way to Captain Baca’s house when he was called back to retrieve the warrant from sheriff pepin, but he had done with the oil I don’t know, he had the oil before the warrant was given to him.”
Question: “If those soldiers had been armed or had guns with them could you not have seen it?”
Answer: “According to where they had them.” *Lieutenant Dudley stated he had finished with the witness*

*Question: By recorder*, “Explain whether when you speak of the time that passed between the events occurring on that day you actually know the time or is it just what time you thought it was?”

Answer: “It was my impression. I had no watch.”

Question: “Explain where you were when Justice Wilson brought the warrant to Colonel dudley.”

Answer: “I never saw him bring it to Colonel dudley.”
Question: ‘Explain to whom Colonel Dudley was addressing in his conversation when you say he had reference to each party.”

Answer: “Mrs Teresa Philipbuski Mrs Montana, myself and some of them Mcsween party other women and children were present at the time.”
Question: “Explain whether Colonel Dudley and Mrs Mcsween had been talking together before you heard what you have stated that past between them in your hearing.”

Answer: “Not unless he talked to her when he passed her building.”
Question: “State if you know which party commenced the firing before Colonel Dudley came into town that day.”
Answer: “The Murphy party.”
Recorder states he has finished with the witness and the witness has withdrawn.