Death of a Sheriff – Murder and Conspiracy in the Old West
The American Old West, a period romanticized in countless tales of cowboys, saloons, and gunfights, was also a harsh reality filled with lawlessness, political intrigue, and personal vendettas. The story of John Doherty, a sheriff in New Mexico, is a stark reminder of this complex and often brutal era. His life, marked by both legendary exploits and tragic demise, offers a glimpse into the dark underbelly of the Wild West.
Born in Donegal, Ireland, in 1851, John Doherty, along with his brothers James and Joe, sought opportunity across the Atlantic, settling in the town of Mora, New Mexico, in the mid-19th century. They joined their relative, Thomas, who owned a general store. The brothers thrived in this new land. James became a wealthy ranchero, demonstrating the prosperity that could be found through hard work and determination.
John, however, carved a different path. He gained notoriety as one of the most skilled poker players in the West. Legend has it that he carried a substantial fortune – around $100,000 in gold, equivalent to nearly $2.5 million today – as his bankroll. He only played No Limit poker and demanded that his opponents match his stakes. One particular tale claims that in 1889, he faced Texas cattle baron Ike Johnson for the title of "Poker Champion of the West." As the stakes escalated, and Ike, determined to win, wagered a deed for his ranch and cattle, John, unable to match the raise, allegedly drew a gun on the Governor of New Mexico, who was in the audience. He forced the governor to sign a document, which he then used to raise "the Territory of New Mexico." Ike, dumbfounded, folded.
While this tale is captivating, it is also likely embellished. At the time of the alleged incident, John Doherty was the Sheriff of Mora County. As an officer of the law and a politician, it would have been out of character for him to threaten the governor. Nevertheless, it adds to the mystique surrounding his name.
Doherty’s involvement in law enforcement began before his election as Sheriff in 1886. In 1880, he was deputized by Sheriff A.L. Branch to assist in leading a posse from Las Vegas, New Mexico, to apprehend two fugitives who had killed the Marshall of Las Vegas. The fugitives surrendered on the guarantee of protection from mob violence. However, this promise was broken when a mob of about 100 locals seized the prisoners and lynched them.
The election of law enforcement officials is a uniquely American tradition. While it makes the police accountable to the public, it also entangles them in the political landscape. It was politics that ultimately led to Doherty’s downfall. In 1890, he failed to secure the Democratic nomination for re-election. Perhaps his reputation as a poker player overshadowed his credibility as a sheriff, or perhaps internal party politics were at play. In response, Doherty and other Democrats formed a "People’s Party" ticket with the Republicans, which earned him the moniker "Judas Doherty" in the Democratic papers. Despite this tactic, he lost the election to Agapito Abeytia Jr.
Despite losing the election, Doherty remained active in the territory’s affairs, serving on the board that organized the Territorial Fair in Las Vegas. But he would not get another chance to reclaim the office of Sheriff. On the evening of December 9, 1893, he was murdered.
Doherty had just collected his mail and was reading it in his office, with two of his children on his knees. A single shot rang out. The bullet struck his arm and entered his chest. Although the arm deflected the shot, saving him from immediate death, he was mortally wounded. Before passing, he told his twelve-year-old son not to shoot into the darkness and uttered his final words: "Crime, crime! Let me die in peace."
The assassination of a prominent figure like John Doherty sent shockwaves through the community. His brother James offered a reward of $2,000 for information on the killers, and the Governor offered $50, later raised to $500, for the capture of those involved. Sheriff Abeytia brought bloodhounds to track the killers, but this tactic failed. Two goatskin masks were found near the scene, along with the tracks of two horses, suggesting that two men were involved. The telephone lines out of Mora had also been cut, further indicating a planned operation.
The county jailer, Juan Romero, was arrested but later released, and the case remained unsolved for months. Then, in February 1894, a man named Estanislado Sandoval claimed that Juan Antonio Rael, a known "bad man," had tried to recruit him to assist in the murder. Based on this testimony, a warrant was issued for Rael’s arrest. Sheriff Abeytia’s men found Rael in La Cueva. Rael was killed in the encounter. The deputies claimed Rael attempted to escape and opened fire on them, forcing them to retaliate. However, witnesses contradicted this account, stating that Rael was shot while lying in bed, raising suspicions that he was silenced to protect others.
The death of Rael drew the attention of New Mexico Governor William Taylor Thornton. Thornton, determined to end political assassinations, personally investigated the case. He learned that Rael had spoken of turning state’s evidence and that the deputies’ account of his death was false. An examination of Rael’s body revealed that he had been shot six times, not four, and the angles suggested that he had been lying down when he was shot. Furthermore, the bullet hole in Romero’s coat, allegedly caused by Rael, was made by a gun held against the garment.
Given the implications of the deputies having killed Rael to stop him from talking, Governor Thornton decided to take Sheriff Abeytia out of the loop. He enlisted Sheriff Cunningham of Santa Fe to arrest Sandoval, Bartolome Cordova, and Sostenes Lucero. Cordova and Sandoval confessed to their involvement in the murders.
The two men admitted to being part of the local chapter of Vicente Silva’s Society of Bandits, also known as the White Caps, along with Rael, Romero, Sostenes Lucero, and others. The editor of the local newspaper had also been induced to aid them. The head of the local chapter was Sheriff Agapito Abeytia Jr. himself. The men feared that John Doherty was gathering evidence against them, potentially implicating them in thefts and the murder of a man named Jones. They decided to kill him, with Abeytia returning to misdirect any investigation. The twins Juan and Tomas Lucero carried out the murder, and Abeytia deliberately delayed the use of bloodhounds. Abeytia had called a meeting of the band at the local jail and had agreed that Cordova would determine where Rael would be that night, Sandoval would swear an affidavit that he had confessed to the murder of Doherty, and Romero and Sostenes would ensure that he was not arrested alive.
Sheriff Cunningham arrested almost the entire band. It was discovered that Abeytia had embezzled over $13,000 from the county accounts. Tomas Lucero, one of the twins who had murdered John Doherty, was arrested by Sheriff Cunningham. Joe Doherty assisted in the capture. Joe was himself elected Sheriff the following year.
The story of John Doherty is a reminder of the harsh realities of the Old West. His life, marked by both legendary exploits and tragic demise, is a testament to the lawlessness and political intrigue that permeated the era. Although his quest to bring the murderous gang to justice led to his death, his death spelled their doom in the end.