Sheriff William Brady, 1871
William Brady was born on August 16, 1829 at Cavan, County Cavan, Ireland to John and Catherine Brady. By 1851, he left Ireland for America. On July 11, 1851 he enlisted in the U. S. Army. After five years, he was discharged in Texas, but reenlisted for five more years. After getting discharged in 1861, he again reenlisted and took comand of Fort Stanton, in Lincoln County, in 1864. He was out of the army for good on October 31, 1866. While he was in the service, he married Maria Bonifacia Chaves Montoya on November 16, 1862. He later became Sheriff of Lincoln County. He was a good friend of the Murphy-Dolan-Riley men and was basically a henchman for them with a badge. He deputized several of the other Murphy-Dolan-Riley men, some of which were known outlaws and killers. Since his posse were the ones that shot and killed John Tunstall, the Regulators decided to kill him. Some say Alex McSween offered a reward to the Regulators if they killed Brady, but this is false. On April 1, 1878, Brady and four deputies, Billy Mathews, George Peppin, George Hindman, and Jack Long walked from the House (Murphy-Dolan-Riley store) to the Ellis house to arrest McSween, who was supposed to be there that day. As the five men passed the Tunstall store, six Regulators, hidden behind the gate of the Tunstall store's corral, opened fire on them. The Regulators were Billy the Kid, Fred Waite, Frank MacNab, Big Jim French, John Middleton, and Henry Brown. Brady fell dead with eight or nine bullets in him and Hindman also was killed.
Sheriff William Brady (center, standing) and Friends
This photo of Brady was taken circa 1871-72. The two men with him are unidentified.
Sheriff Willaim Brady
This photo was taken in Santa Fe in late 1877 when Brady was 48.
