Western Figure. Born in De Witt County, Texas, he was a rancher known as W.W. Cox. As a young man, he with others was arrested for murder charges in 1876, by Texas Rangers. In jail pending trail, he was allowed to post bail, then fled Texas and relocated in the New Mexico Territory. There he settled and later purchased what was to become the San Augustin Springs Ranch, one of the largest in New Mexico. During the events of the Lincoln County Wars, it was felt that Cox was one of many individuals who was either directly or indirectly involved in the murder of Sheriff Pat Garrett, the man who killed Billy the Kid. In 1899, one of the possible motives, Cox was angry when he returned to his ranch and found that then Sheriff Garrett and Deputy Jose Espalin had invaded his home and killed an unarmed young man named Reed. Another theory is that Garrett was killed because Cox wanted his ranch. However, in later years he could have acquired the ranch merely by foreclosing the delinquent mortgage Garrett held on the property. If Cox conspired to have Pat Garrett killed, he must have had some motive which no one has even been able to discover. Cox went on to be a prominent citizen, serving as Dona Ana County Treasurer and Tax Collector, (1911-13). He died of natural causes at age 69 in Dona Ana, New Mexico.
Western Figure. Born in De Witt County, Texas, he was a rancher known as W.W. Cox. As a young man, he with others was arrested for murder charges in 1876, by Texas Rangers. In jail pending trail, he was allowed to post bail, then fled Texas and relocated in the New Mexico Territory. There he settled and later purchased what was to become the San Augustin Springs Ranch, one of the largest in New Mexico. During the events of the Lincoln County Wars, it was felt that Cox was one of many individuals who was either directly or indirectly involved in the murder of Sheriff Pat Garrett, the man who killed Billy the Kid. In 1899, one of the possible motives, Cox was angry when he returned to his ranch and found that then Sheriff Garrett and Deputy Jose Espalin had invaded his home and killed an unarmed young man named Reed. Another theory is that Garrett was killed because Cox wanted his ranch. However, in later years he could have acquired the ranch merely by foreclosing the delinquent mortgage Garrett held on the property. If Cox conspired to have Pat Garrett killed, he must have had some motive which no one has even been able to discover. Cox went on to be a prominent citizen, serving as Dona Ana County Treasurer and Tax Collector, (1911-13). He died of natural causes at age 69 in Dona Ana, New Mexico.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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