Colonel Albert Jennings Fountain
Albert Jennings Fountain was born allegedly on Staten Island, New York on October 23, 1838. He had a love for adventure and traveled over the world. He eventually became a lawyer in San Francisco and also was commissioned as a lieutenant in the army. As he and other troops were approaching New Mexico, they ran into Cochise and over 1,000 Indians. They had a battle that lasted two days, with the army winning. Fountain married Mariana Perez de Ovante in 1862 and would eventually have twelve kids. Fountain left the army in 1864 and was commissioned captain of a volunteer calvary. At El Paso, he was appointed custom-house officer. He later became a colonel in Benito Juarez's army in Mexico. After Chihuahua was taken, Fountain returned to Texas. In 1868, he became the president of the state senate. In 1875, Fountain went back to New Mexico and served for a short time as a district attorney, during which time he greatly opposed the Santa Fe Ring and their crooked dealings. He became copublisher of the Mesilla Valley Independent in 1877 and often used the newspaper as a platform to blast the Santa Fe Ring. In 1879, Fountain left the newspaper. He remained a lawyer and was friends with many men on the Tunstall side in the Lincoln County War. Fountain was appointed to serve as the lawyer for Billy the Kid in the Kid's trial for the murder of Sheriff William Brady. Needless to say, Fountain lost this case and Billy was sentenced to death. On Feb. 1, 1896, Fountain and his youngest son, Henry, were traveling from Las Cruces to Lincoln. They disappeared around Tularosa and were undoubtedly murdered. A huge conspiracy was no doubt in order for the murders to happen. The bodies have never been found and nobody was ever convicted for the murders. It's been rumored that the bodies are buried somewhere in the White Sands.
