History Notes: Albert Fountain and Albert Fall February 10, 2011

Las Cruces, NM – The Branigan Cultural Center reprises its popular “History Notes” Lecture Series on Thursday, February 10 with a lecture on historical figures Albert Fountain and Albert Fall. The talk will be delivered by local historian Christopher Schurtz.

Schurtz’ talk will focus on the lives of Albert Fountain and Albert Fall, as well as the complex relationship between the two men.

Fountain and his son disappeared near White Sands in 1896 on their way back to Mesilla, where Fountain had established a law practice after serving in various powerful western Texas political positions. Fountain’s most notorious client was Billy the Kid. The bodies of Fountain and his son were never located.

Attorney Albert Fall successfully represented three men charged with Fountain’s murder and later became a United State Senator representing New Mexico; he later served as Secretary of the Interior under President Warren G. Harding, and was soon after indicted for his involvement in the Teapot Dome oil drilling scandal. Fall was known to have disliked Fountain because of his extensive land holdings and the two faced off repeatedly in court over land and political issues.

A reporter and contributing writer for the Las Cruces Sun-News, Christopher Schurtz currently writes about local history for My Las Cruces, a weekly Sun-News publication. He is also working with the Las Cruces Museums Foundation on a new book, Historic Las Cruces: The Story of Las Cruces and the Mesilla Valley.

"History Notes” are informal discussions focusing on local and regional history on the second Thursday of each month from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Cultural Center. The programs are free and open to the public; no registration is required. The Branigan Cultural Center is located at the north end of the Downtown Mall in Las Cruces at 501 N. Main Street. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact the Branigan Cultural Center at (575) 541-2154 or visit www.las-cruces.org/museums.