After Major Lawrence G. Murphy and Company had been ordered to leave Fort Stanton, they established themselves down the road at nearby Lincoln and formed an alliance, made up of ex-Army officers from Fort Stanton. They built a hotel, store and bank. In 1873 they began Construction for a large two-story adobe fortress that was created and built using a labor force of individuals indebted to Murphy. The structure would become known as The House and was a store, bank, masonic hall and much more all in one.

Murphy wanted complete control of the land and people and the syndicate weaseled their way into politics. Politicians that did not serve Murphy’s purpose were cast out one way or another. But the ones who held the strongest influence over the majority of the community were Juan Patron and Robert Casey, and they were hard to shove.

Things began to fall apart when Murphy became a probate judge briefly but was removed when $20,000 in tax money came up missing. With many political seats to be filled, the town called for a convention. Murphy was busy trying to stack the deck with nominees that would only serve his agenda, this way whichever party was picked, Murphy would win support. Robert Casey knew what Murphy was doing and prepared a speech for the occasion, blasting Murphy and his cohorts. The convention was held on August 1st 1875. During the morning session, Casey read his speech, infuriating Murphy and Dolan. The session broke out in arguments and the chaos was called to recess.

Mr. Casey was a successful and kind man who ran a flour mill known as Casey’s Mill on the Hondo. He operated a small store on his ranch which was frequented by travelers along the Hondo. As an ex-Union officer and Dragoon, Casey was not going to stand for political corruption and made his point at the convention that day.
During the recess, Casey accompanied by his store clerk, Edmond Welch went to the Wortley for lunch. The men bumped into William Wilson on their way and invited him to eat with them. Wilson was an ex-employee of Casey and seemed to still be on friendly terms. Little did Casey know that he was about to enjoy his last meal at Wortleys.
After lunch the 3 men split up to do their own things.  Casey headed towards the new Murphy store unaware that death was lurking around the corner.
William Wilson waited until Casey was close and pulled the rifle to his shoulder and fired. The hot lead struck Casey in the hip. A stunned Casey managed to run south to the rear of a house, and Wilson ran behind the courthouse. When both men reached the backyards they made eye contact briefly before Wilson was able to shoot again. This time Casey was shot in the face and dropped. That first shot already began to attract a crowd. The curious citizens began packing into the rear of the Murphy store, cornering Wilson, who backed against the wall and held his rifle on the crowd. His escape was foiled and his identity was made, he was caught!
The crowd kept on him and suddenly Sheriff Baca, (a murphy man) appeared and took Wilson prisoner to the guardhouse at Fort Stanton.
Back at the gruesome scene an Army surgeon Carlos Carvalllo, determined nothing could be done about Mr. Casey, as he expired before him.
The citizens, including puzzled witnesses who saw the men eating together that day, began to wonder about what motivated Wilson to do something like this. Wilson said he killed Casey because he refused to pay him a past due eight dollars. At least one citizen bought it, Mrs. Mcsween, who commented on the murder, “Mr. Casey seemed to hire men to work for him until he owed them a Big Bill. Then he would run them off with the gun.” BUt what did she know? Probably only what her husband tells her…and at the time, Mcsween was a Murphy man.

The Casey family and friends believe Robert Casey was killed in a conspiracy to commit murder. Rumors circulate that Murphy paid $500 for Wilson to execute Casey which he did but had not thought his crime through and was caught. Perhaps it was just set up the morning after the morning session? Or perhaps Wilson did not get Casey before he reached Lincoln that day…who knows.
It is also worth noting here that while Mr. Casey is dead and gone, an attempt to kill Juan Patron occurred in September 1875 by a Murphy man.
On October 11th 1875 William Wilson was charged with the murder of Robert Casey. Also indicted was Charles Myrick the manager of the Wortley Hotel as an accessory to murder. Myrick fled the territory before he could be brought in before the jury, making him look very suspicious. An indictment from the trial reads “On August 1st 1875, Myrick maliciously did insite move, procure, aid, hire counsel and command Wilson to kill Casey. ” Robert Casey’s son Robert Jr claimed Myrick was holding on to a horse for Wilson to flee the scene on. But when Wilson never showed up, and hearing the shots, Myrick feld on the horse and never returned. He was also accused of stealing a rifle from Joseph Harvard. His arrest warrant was never served due to his whereabouts unknown and was eventually dismissed and forgotten.
On October 15th the trial continued. Wilson was defended by William Rynerson, a Murphy ally.  The prosecutor was Colonel Albert J. Fountain. The trial lasted for 3 days and on the final day Rynerson was unable to get Wilson off the hook and he was sentenced to hang on November 11th of 1875. Rynerson went crying to Governor Axtell asking for a stay of execution, it was not granted but did postpone the hanging by a month.

On December 10, 1875 Lincoln was set for a hanging. The Gallows were built just that morning and a large crowd gathered in front of the original courthouse across from the Torreon. Likely in the crowd was Charlie Bowdre, an ex-employee of the late Robert Casey and his pal Doc Scurlock likely accompanied by his father in law, Fernando. Also present were Mr. and Mrs. Mcsween and The Casey family. It was noted the crowd seemed very chatty and in good spirits for what the occasion was gathered for.
The following actions of the event are very peculiar, especially in the manner of the odd behavior of certain individuals. It seems like something was supposed to happen…but did not.
Just before 11 a.m., a quiet settled over the crowd as the 8th Cavalry Army pulled into town on horseback following William Wilson being escorted in an ambulance. The wagon stopped before Sheriff Saturnino Baca’s home (next to the Torreon) and Wilson was escorted inside to change into his burial clothes. While they were inside the soldiers began to clear a path to and around the Gallows. Several minutes went by before the door opened and Sheriff Baca emerged with the prisoner and escorted him across the road and up to the gallows. A bystander noticed how calm, cool and collected Wilson seemed to be in his all-black burial suit. Wilson shook hands with a few friends as he strolled to the gallows as if he was on stage in a play. As Wilson climbed up the crowd began to boo and hiss and hurl insults at him including Casey’s daughter who was supposedly the most vocal.
Wilson faced the crowd standing by were; A doctor, Padre Lamey, Sheriff Baca, 2 soldiers and Mr. Murphy. Sheriff Baca began to read the death warrant trying to calm the crowd, first in English then in Spanish.
Next he read some words of repentance from Wilson, first in English then in Spanish. As Padre Lammey began to perform a prayer; anointing the sick, the rite of the Extreme Unction upon Wilson, Murphy became extremely agitated and began softly exchanging words with Sheriff Baca. When Padre Lamey was finished, Murphy and Wilson quietly exchanged words. A soldier stepped up to the rear of Wilson and began to place a hood over his head to cover his face followed by a rope noosed around his neck. Murphy became even more agitated.
Suddenly Sheriff Baca spoke up that there would be a half hour reprieve for the Condemned man. The crowd burst into hysterics. So much that the soldiers had to push them back to keep them corralled. Intense words were being flung soundlessly back and forth between Baca and Murphy. Captain Stewart of the Army interrupted, and commanded his Soldier to proceed. The soldier proceeded when Wilson turned his head toward Murphy and began to speak out loudly through the hood, pleading with him, “You are the cause of this and promised me a way out but….” Before he could finish his sentence, Murphy kicked the lever, dropping Wilson through the trap door. The crowd cheered and went silent as the hangman danced and became still. The crowd gazed upon the dangling man and began conversation for about 10 minutes when Sheriff Baca ordered the corpse cut down. Wilson’s body was tossed into a coffin and left on display in front of the gallows. As the crowd continued to commerce a sudden shriek from a Mexican woman brought the crowd to attention. “¡Ha vuelto de entre los muertos!” (He is back from the dead!)
Curious onlookers and disbelievers rushed in to observe and found Wilson was still breathing. They began to get riled up when Murphy began trying to convince them that Wilson had enough and that he shouldn’t be punished twice for the same crime. But the crowd was having none of that. The crowd turned mob and quickly produced a rope and tied it around Wilson’s neck, and dragged his body out of his coffin back to the Gallows. He was hung this time for 20 minutes and pronounced dead.
Alex Mcsween remembered the heinous scene, “Wilson was well hung pronounced dead, showed signs of life in the coffin and was hung up a second time, con mucho gusto, until legally dead.”
The Murphy/Dolan faction was an organized crime syndicate that dealt with their problems like a mafia organization with murder, extortion, corruption of public officials, gambling, infiltration of legitimate businesses, labor racketeering, loan sharking, tax fraud schemes and stock manipulation schemes. They would soon set their sights on John Tunstall, who acquired the Casey’s land and stock, and would soon share the same fate as Mr. Casey.
This was Lincoln’s first legal hanging,