What was the plan of the Santa Fe Ring to gain control of the land?

The plan of the Santa Fe Ring to gain control of the land involved a strategic maneuver where Melvin Mills would pay the back taxes on a parcel of land and subsequently sell it to Thomas Catron. This approach illustrates how the Santa Fe Ring leveraged legal and financial tactics to acquire land that was often owned by others, particularly the Maxwells, who were prominent landowners at the time. By paying the back taxes, they would effectively take control over properties that had been neglected or abandoned, and then facilitate further transactions to consolidate their influence and power within the region.

This method was particularly significant because it demonstrated a systematic and legal way to acquire land, rather than through outright violence or confrontation. The actions of the Santa Fe Ring reflected the larger dynamics of power, land ownership, and economic control in New Mexico during a period marked by territorial expansion and legal contests over land rights.