Jessie Evans Gang
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The Jessie Evans Gang, also known as The Boys, was a gang of rustlers and robbers led by outlaw and gunman Jessie Evans. The gang originated in 1876 and went to 1880.
The gang was formed after Jessie Evans (sometimes spelled Jesse) broke away from the John Kinney Gang. After breaking away he brought Billy Morton, Frank Baker, Tom Hill, Dolly Graham, George Davis, Jim McDaniels, Buffalo Bill Spawn, Bob Martin, Manuel 'Indian' Segovia and Nicholas Provencio.
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[edit] History
[edit] Early history
The gang initiated numerous acts of robbery and cattle rustling from 1876 through 1880, most committed in New Mexico. Sometime in the Spring of 1876 Evans and other gang members killed Pancho Cruz, Romabn Mes and Tomas Cuerele at Shedd's ranch at San Augustin, Dona Ana County. They then shifted their domain to Lincoln County, New Mexico. They raided John Chisum's ranch, whom Evans had once worked for, and the Mesoscalo-Apacha reservation. Sometime around the 1877 mark it is believed that Billy the Kid rode with them.
[edit] Lincoln County War
The gang was hired in late 1877 by the "Murphy-Dolan Faction", to harass the latter's opposition in Lincoln County, New Mexico. They began by rustling the cattle and horses of the Tunstall-McSween Faction. In February 1878, a posse was dispatched by Sheriff William J. Brady to arrest rancher John Tunstall. That posse included Jessie Evans, William Morton, Frank Baker, Tom Hill and Dolly Graham, all members of Jessie Evans' gang. They ambushed and murdered Tunstall on February 18th, 1878, which ignited the Lincoln County War. Several days later, on March 9th, 1878, the Lincoln County Regulators, a vigilante posse formed by Tunstall and McSween supporters and at the time led by Dick Brewer, and later led by Billy the Kid, caught Morton and Baker, and executed both men. On that same day Jessie Evans was injured and Tom Hill was killed while attempting to raid a ranch near Tularosa. Evans was arrested but managed to break out of jail. Evans returned and was present at the five day siege at McSween's house, known as the Battle of Lincoln.
[edit] After the Lincoln County War
After the war he and Billy Mathews are said to have attempted to make peace with Billy The Kid, but the two killed lawyer Huston Chapman, putting them on the run from law enforcement. The gang fled down to Texas, but Texas Rangers began pursuing them relentlessly, and killed several gang members including Dolly Graham. The Rangers caught up with the gang, including Jessie Evans, in Presidio del Norte, Mexico, on July 3rd, 1880. The gunfight that followed would mark the end of the Jessie Evans Gang. The Rangers engaged them in a shootout, during which Jessie Evans shot and killed Ranger George Bingham, and Ranger D.T. Carson was wounded by other gang members. In turn, Ranger Carson and Ranger Ed Sieker shot and killed gang member George Davis, and shot and wounded gang member John Gross. The remaining members were captured. Gross was sentenced to a long prison term, but spent less than four years. Evans was sentenced to ten years, but while on work release he escaped, and disappeared from history. His whereabouts after that are a mystery, as he never surfaced again.
[edit] Known Members
This is a list of all the known members of the Jessie Evans gang:
- Jessie Evans, disappeared after escaping prison.
- William Morton, killed by the Regulators on March 9, Agua Negra Canyon, New Mexico.
- Frank Baker, killed by the Regulators on March 9 1878, Agua Negra Canyon, New Mexico.
- Tom Hill, killed by a sheep herder on March 9 1878, near Tularosa, New Mexico.
- Dolly Graham, killed by Texas Rangers.
- George Davis, killed by Texas Rangers on July 3 1880, Chinati mountains, Texas.
- Manuel 'Indian' Segovia, killed by the Regulators on May 19 1878, Seven Rivers, New Mexico.
- Jimmy McDaniels, died of old age around 1950.
- Dick Lloyd, killed in Arizona in early 1880's.
- Charles Diehl, (aka Pony Diehl), went to Tombstone, Arizona and played a prominant role during the Clanton - Earp feud.
- Jack Long, went to Arizona and disappeared.
- George 'Buffalo Bill' Spawn, nothing known of life after Lincoln County War.
- Nicholas Provencio, nothing known of life after Lincoln County War.
- Bob Martin, nothing known of life after Lincoln County War.
- Roscoe Burrell, nothing known of life after Lincoln County War.
- Serafin Aragon, nothing known of life after Lincoln County War.
- Ponciano Domingues, nothing known of life after Lincoln County War.
- Billy Campbell, nothing known of life after Lincoln County War.
The gang possibly included 'Curly Bill' Brocius, who was later killed by Wyatt Earp, March 24 1882 , Mesacal Springs, Arizona. But that is unconfirmed.]]
