Oliver Lee, Democrat, at the election of 1892

On election day, 1892, Republicans planned to use local militia to surround the polls in Las Cruces while Albert Bacon Fall, a Democrat, was determined to stop them.

Mr. Fall sent a messanger to Oliver Lee at his ranch in the Tularosa Basin with news of the Republican plan and a request for help. Lee gathered his cowboys and rode all night to take up positions on Las Crucces roof tops. Lee strongly opposed the old Republican political controllers.

Early on election day, Las Cruces militia marched toward the polls. Fall, also early, shouted at them, "Get the hell out of here... or I will have you all killed!" He pointed to the cowboys on the roofs of buildings opposite the polls, Winchester rifles at the ready. The Republican leaders countermarched their troop and dismissed it. There were no disturbances at the polls and Democratic candidates won their elections.