Talk:Albert Jennings Fountain

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I have made this minor edit of the line: "Fall was well known to have hated Fountain, literally." I do not know why the distinction is made about "literalness" (whether the "hate" or how "well known" it was) and whether it is possible for someone to "hate" or be "well known" figuratively. I believe the initial author was just using literally as an intensifier, as many do incorrectly, and so have eliminated it. 167.127.24.25 15:02, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

I eliminated some Not Neutral Point of View postings in this artcile regarding the Lee/Fountain murder case. The majority party in NM at the time was Republican. Lee was a Democrat and it can be inferred that much of the case against him was politically motivated. The case had little merit and would not get near a Grand Jury much less a trial today. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.35.145.213 (talk) 14:05, 2 September 2007 (UTC)

I disagree. I think the case most certainly get to trial today, and there could have been a conviction had things went more smoothly for the prosecution in 1899. comment added by Shootseven —Preceding comment was added at 22:04, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

I have eliminated some not NPOV refernces specifically related to Fall and Oliver Lee. Referring to Fall as a corupt attorney for instance. Fall might rightly be called a corrupt politician later in life and that might be open to debate. I also eliminated reference to Lee being an employee of Fall. I have not read anything showing him to be an employee. They might be called business associates. Also calling Lee a land grabber was a subjective opinion. He certainly did buy and own a lot of land in the area. He also sold and developed a lot af that land. I do not believe land grabber is appropriate or relevant to an article on Albert Fountain. I also added that Fountain hated Fall. From my readings (Sonnichsen and others) the dislike was mutual. 216.81.81.82 (talk) 16:23, 29 April 2011 (UTC)TD

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Colonel Fountain deserves better than this

I have spent the last fourteen years studying and writing about the ten-year period leading to the disappearance (and likely murders) of Colonel Fountain and his young son. This article completely overlooks the fact that the Colonel was elected to the New Mexico Territorial House in November of 1888 and served as the Speaker of that House of Representatives. In this role, the press and opposing politicians alike praised him for his transparency, leadership, and efficiency. He was also in a large part responsible for Las Cruces getting the placement of the Land Grant Agricultural College, which today is New Mexico State University. Unlike some noted politicians of the time, the Colonel was not a wealthy man. Colonel Fountain promoted the arts and education, and it bothered him greatly when he could not pass an education bill during the session he administered. He was always active in civic organizations, providing leadership and financial support. His community respected him as a generous man. Colonel Fountain wanted statehood badly for New Mexico, and when he and his fellow Republicans failed miserably in 1889, he stated it might well be 25 years before they would get another opportunity. While the Colonel was a lawyer noted for his courtroom theatrics in defending his clients, he also was an able prosecutor and served as an Assistant District Attorney and at times a Special Assistant District Attorney in the Third Judicial District for about a decade. In that position, the federal government paid him a fraction of what he could have earned had he used his time on private clients that would have paid handsomely for his services. He was a man of law and order, and he felt the lawlessness of the time was a key detriment to achieving statehood.

Colonel Fountain defended Billy the Kid pro bono because he told the Colonel he was broke. Had the judge not preempted the Colonel's usual tactics, by some accounts, on the facts of the case, the jury would have been more likely to find Billy innocent. Colonel Fountain won acquittal or reduced sentences for many of his clients. The Billy the Kid case only became famous after Billy became celebrated.

While I think that Fall and Lee should only receive a brief mention in this article, I would like to share my thoughts about those men:

Albert Fall's fall from grace because of his involvement in the Teapot Dome scandal wasn't his only black mark in his political dealings. His tactics and actions even as an assistant federal judge in New Mexico's Third Judicial District plainly revealed the character of the man. After all that I have read and studied, I believe Fall was behind what happened to the Fountains.

Oliver Lee achieved notoriety at a time when your neighbor would claim your land and cattle if he had a chance and you had better do the same. He knew how to find, develop, and protect water resources. Without that in the Tularosa, land was worthless. The men (there is no proof that I have seen the Lee did this) of that period that controlled vast ranches did so by controlling access to water and often by shady dealings—sometimes through Homestead Act shenanigans or by onerous tactics against Hispanics that crooked land agents never knew or overlooked. Particularly in his younger days, Oliver had the gumption and the gun skills to always be on the winning side of land, water, and range of disagreements. I have not studied his history after the murders, but what I have read leads me to believe he became respected as a strong and able champion for Otero County, albeit with less threat and more reason than his younger years. Maryarm1211 (talk) 00:30, 2 February 2024 (UTC)

To understand what and why the murders happened, we must look back into history.

Fountain served in the Reconstructionist government in Texas, where he resurrected the Texas Rangers. However, he also believed in a strict reconstructionist governance which brought death threats. An attempt on his life drove him and his young family north into the Republican New Mexico in the 1870s.

New Mexico was solidly Republican through the 1870s. However, southern Democrats fleeing reconstruction occupation by the north flooded into the territory during the 1870s and 80s. Much of the resident Spanish/Mexican and early white pioneers were uneducated and the ex-confederate Democrats took great advantage to mold many into their way of thinking. This led to a shocking local sweep by the Democrats in Dona Ana County in the 1890 election which was largely orchestrated by Albert Fall’s threats that the Republican’s public school proposals would threaten the largely Catholic population’s way of life by forcing their children from their Catholic schools into worldly ways and their parents into being taxed for what Fall and the Democrats referred to as heathen teachings.

His Reconstruction service followed him and was the basis for the hatred that many Democrats had for him. That, along with his representation of Cattlemen’s Associations attempts to quell range disputes led to his and his young son’s deaths. Maryarm1211 (talk) 11:45, 2 February 2024 (UTC)