July 8, 1878; Frank Coe-Ab Saunders ranch near La Junta & George Coe ranch near Glencoe, Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory---The Dolan forces are running all over the county searching for the Regulators. They have terrorized San Patricio and laid seige to the Chisum South Spring Ranch, yet they have nothing to show for it: no Regulators killed (not since Frank MacNab in late April anyway), none captured, none even wounded. Their frusteration is now on the verge of getting out of control.
The John Kinney Gang, without a doubt the most vile and muderous of the gangs employed by Dolan, decide to once again let their frusteration show. Possibly on Dolan's or Sheriff Peppin's urging, possibly not, they first travel to the Rio Hondo ranch of Frank Coe and Ab Saunders, then to the Rio Ruidoso ranch of their cousin, George Coe. The ranches have been more or less abandoned since Frank and George joined the Regulators and Saunders was shot and taken to Fort Stanton for medical attention and recuperation. The Kinney Gang enter the ranch houses, trash them, and loot them of anything that looks valuable. The gang then rides off, probably laughing as they go.
NOTE: It has been reported that the gang of John Selman, known as Selman's Scouts, the Rustlers, or the Wrestlers, were the ones who actually looted and burned the Coe ranch. However, this seems unlikely since Selman and his men weren't again reported until after the war ended in late July 1878. Even then, they were not fighters for Dolan as Kinney, Evans, and the Seven Rivers Warriors were; rather, they were just a gang of thugs that came to Lincoln County to terrorize it and take advantage of the anarchy that existed at the time.
Regulators involved
Murphy-Dolan-Riley men involved
