Forgotten history: The cleansing of Las Vegas, New Mexico

[seamusTX]

In 1879 the railroad arrived from the east in the town of Las Vegas, New Mexico. This was and is an eensy-weensy town east of Santa Fe, hundreds of miles from the famous Las Vegas, Nevada.

Criminals fleeing the increasingly orderly states west of the Mississippi found a haven in Las Vegas. In short order a crime syndicate called the Dodge City Gang set up shop and coopted the offices of sheriff, coroner, and justice of the peace. This situation led to members of the gang having free rein for murder, robbery, extortion, gambling, prostitution, and pretty much any other criminal enterprise. At one point the town had 29 murders in a month.

The original citizens of Las Vegas eventually became angry at being unwilling hosts and victims of this criminality. They exercised their natural right to enforce natural law, including the hanging of criminals after brief trials, if the criminals survived arrest.

The following notice was published in the local newspaper on April 8, 1880:

To Murderers, Confidence Men, Thieves:

The citizens of Las Vegas have tired of robbery, murder, and other crimes that have made this town a byword in every civilized community. They have resolved to put a stop to crime, if in attaining that end they have to forget the law and resort to a speedier justice than it will afford. All such characters are therefore, hereby notified, that they must either leave this town or conform themselves to the requirements of law, or they will be summarily dealt with. The flow of blood must and shall be stopped in this community, and the good citizens of both the old and new towns have determined to stop it, if they have to HANG by the strong arm of FORCE every violator of the law in this country. "

Vigilantes

The surviving criminals saw the proverbial handwriting on the wall and fled to less settled places.

Las Vegas much later became the setting for movies including Red Dawn, All the Pretty Horses, and No Country for Old Men.

This episode of history was brought to my attention by an article by Gary Lantz in the May edition of the NRA magazine, America's First Freedom. Apparently this article is not available online at this time.

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-dodgecitygang.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[Venus Pax]

Thanks, Seamus. I always enjoy the history articles you post.

[seamusTX]

You're welcome.

- Jim

[philip964]

A few years back I went on my "No Country for Old Men" road trip. I went to Brackettsville to see the Alamo I remembered from the movies, then went further West to Del Rio to see all the cool sights from the movie. I could not find the neat old hotel or anything that looked familiar from the movie. No one in Del Rio remembered the movie being filmed there. Upon my return I found out the movie was filmed in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

A few months later I went on my 2nd "No Country for Old Men" road trip. Since Route 66 was on the way I did sections of the highway where I could find them. Naturally a stop at the Big Texan for a steak was also on the menu.

Las Vegas New Mexico is a little off the beaten path if you are traveling West on I-10 but well worth the detour. The town has two sides separated by a creek and a bridge, one side is Anglo and the other is Hispanic. Apparently it has been that way for ages. We stayed at the old Hotel in the movie, and saw the sporting goods store where he bought the supplies he needed. Saw the old motel where he hid the drug money and found the bridge to Mexico was just an overpass over the railroad tracks. It is amazing how the movies can make this magic.

The latest movie to be filmed in Las Vegas is "Paul" the comedy about the space alien http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1092026/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A lot will look familiar if you watch both movies close to each other.

Can not say I remember hearing about this story, when I was there. They certainly did not brag about it.

[FL450]

I have been to Las Vegas, NM. Now I can relate
Thanks for the neat Post

[sugar land dave]

Interesting facts. Thanks to all for the info!