Billy The Kid The Life of an American

Billy The Kid The Life of an American Legend Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons By Darci Clark The American West Dr. Mary. Ann Borden

Nicknames and Aliases Henry Mc. Carty Henry Antrim The Kid Antrim The Wandering Kid William H. Bonney Billy Bonney El Chivato Billy The Kid Source: Michael Wallis, Billy The Kid The Endless Ride , 5.

Roots and Parentage General Consensus Among Historians: Born Henry Mc. Carty on either September 17, 1859 or November 20, 1859 in the Irish slums of New York City Mother was Catherine Mc. Carty. No solid evidence of his father’s name Henry had one brother named Joseph but it is not clear if he was older or younger than Henry Sources: Robert M. Utley, Billy The Kid, 2. Michael Wallis, Billy The Kid The Endless Ride, 6 -7.

Early Years By 1868 Catherine and her two sons had moved to Indianapolis, IN where she met William Antrim In 1870 Antrim and the family moved to the cattle town Wichita, KS By 1873 the family moved to Santa Fe New Mexico Territory where Catherine and William Antrim’s marriage on March 1, 1873 was recorded and witnessed by Henry and Joseph Finally settled in Silver City later that year Source: Michael Wallis, Billy The Kid The Endless Ride , 14 -17, 52, 56.

Education • No evidence Henry attended school in Wichita • Jan. 1874 - Silver City opens first public school • Henry and Joseph attended classes with Anglo and Hispanic students • Spanish and English languages taught • Henry showed an aptitude for Spanish language Source: Michael Wallis, Billy The Kid The Endless Ride , 21, 66 -68.

Turning Point � Death of Catherine Antrim on September 19, 1874 � William Antrim was not interested in bringing up Catherine’s sons � The brothers were split up and started working � Henry began reading dime novels and stories of criminals in the Police Gazette Source: Michael Wallis, Billy The Kid The Endless Ride , 78, 82 -87

First Run In With the Law �Henry was first arrested at 15 �In September 1875 he was first incarcerated for hiding stolen goods �He escaped by climbing up a chimney �Left Silver City for Arizona Territory �Made a living off gambling, dealing, and theft including horse theft and cattle rustling Sources: Michael Wallis, Billy The Kid The Endless Ride , 87 -89, 94 -96 Robert M. Utley, Billy The Kid, 10

First Verified Killing At 17 Years Old � August 17, 1877 � George Atkin’s saloon in Camp Grant Arizona Territory � Francis P. Cahill nicknamed “Windy” � Henry shot him during an altercation � Fled back into New Mexico Territory eventually landing in Lincoln County � Never indicted since he fled and the Arizona authorities did not pursue him Source: Robert M. Utley, Billy The Kid, 12 -14

1880 Map Lincoln County New Mexico w • Located in Southeastern New Mexico • 30, 000 Square Miles of territory • Less than 2, 000 citizens • County Seat: Lincoln Sources: Robert M. Utley, Billy The Kid, 17 Photo Credit: http: //alabamamaps. ua. edu/historicalmaps/us_states/newmexico/

LIFE IN NEW MEXICO TERRITORY Why was life in New Mexico Territory so dangerous ? • The Quest for Power and Easy Money • Liquor • Firearms • The Code of the West Source: Robert M. Utley, Billy The Kid, 4.

Code Of The West What was The Code Of The West ? • Concept originated on the Texas cattle trails • Called for an act of revenge for any real or imagined insult or injury • Stand your ground and never retreat from an aggressor • Use any level of violence necessary including murder Sources: Robert M. Utley, Billy The Kid, 4. Michael Wallis, Billy The Kid The Endless Ride , 121.

The Lincoln County War 1878 ▪ Competition between the mercantile businesses of John Tunstall and Lawrence Murphy & James Dolan ▪ Murphy & Dolan had no competition before Tunstall opened his business John Tunstall Photo Credit: http: //www. findagrave. com/ ▪ Tunstall formed an alliance with Lincoln lawyer Alexander Mc. Sween ▪ Tunstall’s cold blooded murder by Dolan’s men was the first violent confrontation between the two factions Alexander Mc. Sween Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons Source: Robert M. Utley, Billy The Kid, 35 -36 James Dolan and Lawrence Murphy Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The “Regulators” Seek Revenge for Tunstall’s Murder Billy was deeply affected by Tunstall’s murder and swore revenge on the men that had killed him Richard Brewer Photo Credit: Wikipedia Charlie Bowdre: Photo Credit: Wikipedia Richard Brewer was made a “special constable” and served as captain of the “Regulators” deputized posse Jose Chavez Y Chavez Photo Credit: Wikipedia The Regulators comprised ten to thirty men but there were as many as sixty at one point Source: Robert M. Utley, Billy The Kid, 48 -55 Josiah “Doc” Scurlock Photo Credit: Wikipedia Tom O’Folliard Photo Credit: Findagrave. com Dave Rudabaugh Photo Credit: Legends of. America. com

Killing Of Sheriff William Brady � April 1, 1878 � Billy and five other Regulators ambushed Sheriff Brady and his deputy George Hindman from behind an adobe wall � Both men were killed � Billy gets shot in the leg but was able to escape � Public opinion turned against the Regulators and were considered no different than the Murphy Dolan faction Source: Michael Wallis, Billy The Kid The Endless Ride , 201 -202.

The Five-Day War � July 14, 1878 � Climax of Lincoln County War � Alex Mc. Sween and sixty Regulators holed up in the Mc. Sween house in Lincoln � James Dolan and Sheriff George Peppin had at least as many men � Basically a stalemate with only sporadic shooting for the first four days � Colonel Dudley with cavalry and infantry on July 19 � Many of the Regulators escaped leaving on Mc. Sween and thirteen Regulators in the house. Source: Michael Wallis, Billy The Kid The Endless Ride , 211 -213

The End Of The Lincoln County War �Sheriff Peppin’s men set fire to the house �Billy devises an escape plan for the Regulators �Alex Mc. Sween is killed during the escape �Gov. Axtell and Dolan did not want to be blamed for the bloody fight and decided to place the blame on Billy Source: Michael Wallis, Billy The Kid The Endless Ride , 214 -216

After the Lincoln County War � Billy and the Regulators used Fort Sumner as a base of operations where they stole horses and cattle � Billy contacts new Governor Lew Wallace and offers to testify against Dolan’s men in exchange for a pardon for Brady’s murder � They meet and agree to a deal which will put Billy in protective custody until he can testify Source: Michael Wallis, Billy The Kid The Endless Ride , 221 Robert M. Utley, Billy The Kid, 117 -118

Another Escape � Billy testified but D. A. Rynerson reneged on the deal Governor Wallace had offered � Billy would have been convicted of Sheriff Brady’s murder � On June 17, 1879 he escaped from custody and returned to Fort Sumner � Billy continued to steal horses and cattle � By November 1880 Billy was considered a big time rustler and a new sheriff would be charged with apprehending him Source: Robert M. Utley, Billy The Kid, 136 -138

The Only Verified Photo of Billy The Kid Tintype taken of The Kid in Fort Sumner in 1880. Images are reversed in tintypes which led people to think The Kid was left-handed The reversed image on the right shows The Kid like he actually posed for the photo The shotgun in his left hand his pistol on his right hip Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Pat Garrett � Arrived in Fort Sumner in 1878 � Billy knew Garrett but they were not close friends � Won election as sheriff of Lincoln County on November 2, 1880 � Began his hunt for Billy on December 18, 1880 Pat Garrett Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons Sources: Robert M. Utley, Billy The Kid, 136 Mark Lee Gardner, To Hell On A Fast Horse, 120 -121

The Hunt For Billy The Kid � Governor Lew Wallace offers a $500 reward for the apprehension of “Billy The Kid” � Pat Garrett shoots and kills Tom O’Folliard at Fort Sumner on December 19, 1880 � Pat Garrett traps Billy and the other Regulators at Stinking Spring. Garrett shoots and kills Charlie Bowdre thinking it was The Kid � Surrounded and without supplies The Kid, Dave Rudabaugh and two others surrender to Garrett Source: Mark Lee Gardner, To Hell On A Fast Horse, 121 -133 Governor Lew Wallace Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Prisoner in Lincoln The Kid was tried in Mesilla for Sheriff Brady’s murder and was found guilty He was returned to Garrett’s custody in Lincoln on April 21, 1881 and sentenced to hang on May 13 Pat Garrett assigns Bob Ollinger and James Bell to guard The Kid Ollinger was a bully who tormented The Kid but Bell treated him fairly Garrett warned both deputies not to underestimate The Kid but they did not heed his warning Above: Jail Cell at Fort Sumner Photo Credit: Darci Clark Right: Handcuff and chain at the Lincoln County Courthouse Photo Credit: Darci Clark Source: Mark Lee Gardner, To Hell On A Fast Horse, 138 -143

Escape From The Lincoln County Courthouse � � Stairs at the Lincoln County Courthouse where James Bell was shot Photo Credit: Darci Clark � � � April 28, 1881 Ollinger escorts several prisoners to the hotel across from the courthouse for dinner The Kid asked Bell to take him to the outhouse When they reentered the courthouse Billy ascended the stairs followed by Bell When he reached the top of the stairs Billy suddenly hit Bell in the head with his handcuffs A struggle ensued but Billy grabbed Bell’s pistol Bell ran down the staircase and The Kid fired. The bullet ricocheted and hit Bell stumbled out of the courthouse and died

The Kid Shoots Bob Ollinger Source: Mark Lee Gardner, To Hell On A Fast Horse, 145146, 155 Bob Ollinger Marker outside the Lincoln County Courthouse Photo Credit: Find. AGrave. com Photo Credit: Darci Clark Billy retrieved Ollinger’s own shotgun out of the armory He looked out the windows so he could see any activity on the street below Ollinger heard the shots and ran out of the hotel and back toward the courthouse Billy shot Ollinger through an open window killing him instantly This is the one event that made Billy The Kid truly famous, feared and notorious…. .

Garrett: “I Knew Now That I Would Have To Kill The Kid” � After his escape, The Kid returned to the area around Fort Sumner � Garrett did not immediately go after The Kid � Once Garrett received solid info that The Kid was at Fort Sumner he decided to act � Garrett arrived in Fort Sumner on July 13, 1881 with only two deputies instead of a large posse � Information indicated that The Kid was staying in the vicinity of Pete Maxwell’s place so Garrett went to the house to speak with Maxwell Source: Mark Lee Gardner, To Hell On A Fast Horse, 157, 159, 161, 163, 168

¿Quién Es? � � � Garrett went into the bedroom where Pete Maxwell was sleeping to ask him about The Kid’s whereabouts At that same moment Billy entered Pete Maxwell’s to pick up some meat for a meal Garrett’s two deputies were outside the bedroom but The Kid did not know them and they had never seen him before Billy slipped away from the deputies and into Pete Maxwell’s dark bedroom where Gravestone for Tom O’Folliard, Garrett was waiting. Charlie Bowdre and William H. Bonney The Kid asked ¿Quién es? several times not at Fort Sumner recognizing the stranger in the room Photo Credit: Darci Clark Garrett fired without warning and shot Billy squarely in the chest killing him. Source: Mark Lee Gardner, To Hell On A Fast Horse, 168 -172

Did Garrett Really Kill The Kid? Questions That Remain: Oddly enough, when Garrett announced to his deputy, John W. Poe, that he had killed The Kid, Poe replied: “Pat, the Kid would not come to this place. You have shot the wrong man” Garrett replied, “I am sure that it was him, for I know his voice too well to be mistaken. ” Regardless, the body was finally identified by Garrett and many of The Kid’s friends as William H. Bonney His funeral took place the next day on July 15, 1881 and he was buried in the Fort Sumner burying ground and was marked with a simple wooden marker with only the words “Billy The Kid” stenciled on the surface Source: Mark Lee Gardner, To Hell On A Fast Horse, 171 -175

Controversy Over William “Brushy Bill” Roberts In 1948 a paralegal working on an estate settlement discovered evidence that William “Brushy Bill” Roberts was in fact Billy The Kid. At first Roberts denied the fact but eventually admitted he was The Kid and still wanted the pardon he had been promised by Lew Wallace His stated Garrett actually killed a friend of The Kid’s named Billy Barlow who looked liked him and had a similar slim build On November 30, 1950 New Mexico Governor Thomas Mabry met with Roberts but declined to issue him a pardon He passed away shortly after his meeting with Governor Mabry William “Brushy Bill” Roberts Photo Credit: Wikipedia Sources: W. C. Jameson, Billy The Kid Beyond The Grave, 2, 18, 41 Mark Lee Gardner, To Hell On A Fast Horse, 254

Bibliography Gardener, Mark Lee. To Hell On A Fast Horse. New York: Harper. Collins, 2011 Jameson, W. C. Billy The Kid Beyond The Grave. Lanham, MD: Taylor Trade Publishing, 2005 Utley, Robert M. Billy The Kid A Short and Violent Life. Lincoln & London: University of Nebraska Press, 1989. Wallis, Michael. Billy The Kid The Endless Ride. New York & London, W. W. Norton & Company, 2007.