In 1948, a paralegal named William V. Morrison was investigating a man named Joe Hines, a survivor of the Lincoln County War, the feud that helped make Billy the Kids name. He Ended His Career in Disgrace. Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, declined to follow through with that pardon. Updates? At midnight, Garrett moved silently towards the Maxwell houses southeast corner, just outside Maxwells bedroom. A few months later, Garrett married Apolinaria Gutierrez, his sister-in-law. He escaped jail on April 28, however, killing two deputies, and remained at large until tracked down and ambushed by Garrett, who shot him dead on the evening of July 14 at the ranch home of Pete Maxwell. Ethan Hawke and Dane DeHaan ride tall in Vincent DOnofrios fresh take on the saga of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. He was then sent back to Lincoln County, where he was scheduled to be executed on May 13. Billy lights out for old Fort Sumner on the Pecos River, some 150 miles northeast of Lincoln. Its all just part of the areas mythology. El Paso Times 1934: Pistol That Killed Billy the Kid Will Be Returned to Garretts Widow. Nobody is sure of the exact date he was born but it seems to have been sometime in September 1859 because theres a baptism record for him from the end of that month. In 1879 he married and settled in Lincoln County, N.M., where he became first deputy sheriff and then sheriff. 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As is the case with so many mythologized historical figures, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. Born on New York Citys East Side, Billy as a child migrated with his parents to Kansas; his father died there, and the mother and her two boys moved to Colorado, where she remarried. But then I might. Why Billy The Kid Is The Most Infamous Gunslinger Of The Wild West. Pat Garrett: The Truth About The Man Who Killed Billy The Kid Although the incident happened well over a century ago, it remains an intriguing mystery. Although the book was not successful when it was released, an originaledition became quite valuable over the years. Nine years older than Billy, he'd been a buffalo hunter, hired gun, and cowboy before he ran for sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico, on a law-and-order platform. Billy the Kid didnt make it all the way to New Mexico. He contacted the governor to exchange a witness statement for a pardon. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. The report said: We, the jury, find that Billy the Kid (met) his death by a bullet which was fired from a gun in the hands of Pat F. Garrett . Garrett apparently lost the verdict by the next morning. However, there is no other evidence of this; we are relying on Anayas word alone for the entire existence of the jury and its verdict. He raised quickly his pistol, a self-cocker, within a foot of my breast. Furthermore, several of Billys friends say he only had a knife and not a gun. But when he unwisely returned to the area a few days later, he was locked up in the stockade pending the arrival of law enforcement. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. The two men were fined for disturbing the peace. The case dates back to 1881so why the New Years Eve deadline you may ask? Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. There are two theories about what happened at the house where Garrett found and killed McCarty. https://www.historynet.com/death-of-billy-the-kid-as-pat-garrett-tells-it/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot. in Spanish. Omissions? Frank Abrams, a North Carolina attorney, first spotted the tintype photo in Asheville in 2011. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Garrett was so impatient to capture the outlawWilliam Bonney, a.k.a. A cropped version of the sole fully authenticated photo of Billy the Kid. August 10th, 2010. Billy the Kid was free for just three months before his final encounter with Pat Garrett. Brazel surrendered to Deputy Sheriff Felipe Lucero in Las Cruces, shouting, Lock me up. Quien es? (Whos that? He murdered two deputies, James Bell and Bob Olinger, during the escape. Together the couple had nine children four girls and five boys. 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The authenticity of the photo has since been disputed, despite National Geographic standing behind it. But while under guard by two sheriff's deputies at a home, McCarty killed both men and then fled out of town on horseback. Interviewed later by a reporter, he took in his surroundings and asked, "Is the jail at Santa Fe any better than this? Garrett, who had been tracking the Kid for Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. Out on his own, McCarty slipped across the border into Arizona Territory, which technically made him a federal fugitive from justice though the federal government didnt have a huge presence in Arizona at the time and Henry was pretty much free to do as he liked. He had stopped his wagon on a lonely road about four miles east of Las Cruces, New Mexico, in order to empty his bladder. There are also suggestions that Billy and Garrett were friends and planned the whole incident so the fugitive could escape. He was bareheaded. Real Clear Life. When she succumbed and died in late 1874, Antrim was a couple of days ride away. Are Double-Sided Graves the Solution to London's Burial Crisis? Unfortunately, by the time the Kid was fifteen years old his mother had passed away from tuberculosis. In the aftermath of the apparent shooting, numerous people claimed to have met the Kid. Morrison approached Roberts who, perhaps sensing the end of his life was near (if he had been Billy, hed have been 90 at the time), made a confession. They all moved to Kansas together in 1870 and she married Antrim in 1873. In July 1881 he tracked down and shot the escaped murderer Billy the Kid. With a few words, which fell like a murmur on our ears, he went to the fence, jumped it, and walked down towards Maxwells house. The Kid was moved to a jail in Lincoln, New Mexico but escaped on April 28 before the hangmans noose could claim him. See. Lets get the issue of imposters out of the way quickly. The man who had leased the ranch, Wayne Brazel, alleged that Garrett had drawn a gun on him and that the killing was self-defense. Even by frontier standards, he was young. Before resigning in disgrace, federal judge William Story preceded the more celebrated hanging judge Isaac Parker in Arkansas Western District. But they were only able to arrest John Webb, an accused murderer, along with horse thief George Davis. In July, Garrett rode to Fort Sumner and learned the Kid was staying with the same Pedro Maxwell who had employed Garrett when he first arrived in New Mexico. Nevertheless, it says a lot about the continued American fascination with Billy the Kid that a mere photo of him would be valued at $5 million some 135 years after his death. But his parents did not long survive the Civil War that devastated the South, leaving the children heavily in debt. Soon a man arose from the ground, in full view, but too far away to recognize. He was appointed deputy sheriff for the last two months of 1880 before taking office January 1, 1881. Using the name Billy Antrim and nicknamed the kid for his youth and boyish appearance, McCarty soon came to be known as Billy the Kid and found work as a cowboy and ranch hand in Arizona. The extended dance of Billy the Kid, byname of William H. Bonney, Jr., original name Henry McCarty?, (born November 23, 1859?, New York, New York, U.S.died July 14, 1881, Fort Sumner, New Mexico), American outlaw who was one of the most notorious gunfighters of the American West. That same year, a man named Randy Guijarro bought an old photo for $2 at a shop in Fresno, California. She writes, A promise is a promise and should be enforced. Wikimedia CommonsA cropped version of the sole fully authenticated photo of Billy the Kid. Whatever happened, the answer will probably remain a secret forever. Meanwhile, Billy encountered Poe and McKinney and apparently said Quien es? which means who is it? in Spanish. Billy the Kid was born Henry McCarty to Irish immigrants in New York City around 1859. Did Blues King Robert Johnson Sell His Soul To The Devil To Become The World's Greatest Musician? Bonney and the others escaped. The Kid remained and Garrett was true to his word and arrested his former friend. Brushy Bill and Billy the Kid, the whole story, thats part of who we are now, Eidson says. A year after pulling the trigger, Pat Garrett wrote and published an account of what happened that night, and you can find that account here. His parents were Irish immigrants who came to America and married just after turning 20. Pat Garrett, byname of Patrick Floyd Garrett, (born June 5, 1850, Chambers County, Ala., U.S.died Feb. 29, 1908, near Las Cruces, N.M.), Western U.S. lawman known as the man who killed Billy the Kid (q.v.). But before that could happen, Billy snuck out of jail yet again and stole another horse which he rode hard for New Mexico Territory where he was still wanted for robbery. Soldier in range wars, cattle rustler, horse thief, but also universally described as charming, funny, a good singer and good dancer, at least bilingual, and an avid reader. One of them suddenly got up, walked out of the orchard, and leaped over a fence. Richardsons deputy chief of staff Eric Witt wants to clarify that they are not offering a general pardon for all of Kids crimes, but rather a pardon for the individual case of killing a sheriff. When you listen to his real story, he talks about how he wasnt an outlaw, how he never robbed banks or stagecoaches, how he resented the fact that Governor Lew Wallace reneged on his promise of a pardon in 1879 and left him to die, Edwards says. He was sentenced to hang and was then transferred to the courthouse and jail in Lincoln, but on April 28, 1881, he killed deputies James Bell and Robert Olinger and escaped. Billy the Kid was also still stealing. At first, nobody knew which side they were there to take, but when they fell in with Bradys men and set the saloon on fire, Billy the Kid and just a few other Regulators were able to flee. Pat Garrett, the sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory, had been on the trail for months. In the midst of the act, he was shot in the back of the head. From gas leaks to eels, James "Smelly" Kelly changed the history of the city's underground. At this point also calling himself William Bonney, he took up honest work as a cowboy for a rancher in Lincoln County named John Tunstall. As for Billy the Kid, hes long since passed become an icon of American history, even a folk hero of sorts. History Channel 9 Things You May Not Know About Billy the Kid, History Channel Billy the Kid Convicted of Murder, History Collection Billy the Kid Is Arrested for the First Time (1875). He died by the gun of Sherriff Pat Garrett at age 21. Although he claimed to have killed 21 men, the actual number is likely less than 10. In April 1878, the Regulators ambushed Brady and four of his deputies on a main street in Lincoln. Governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson, declined to pardon Western outlaw Billy the Kid during his last hours in office. Billy the Kid was born Henry McCarty to Irish immigrants in New York City around 1859. Marshal named Robert Widenmann, there as part of a federal effort to restore order, who let him out (presumably sparing him the hassle of planning his third jail escape). It was a good racket, but he couldnt stay out of trouble long enough to enjoy it. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Billy the Kid: A Short and Violent Life at the best online prices at eBay! Richardson told the Associated Press on Wednesday, I dont know where Ill end up. Ive just killed Pat Garrett! Deputy Lucero locked up Brazel, called for a coroners jury, and rode to the location of the murder. New Mexico Office of the State Historian. CNN A Pardon for The Notorious Billy the Kid? Sheriff Pat Garrett shoots Henry McCarty, popularly known as Billy the Kid, to death at the Maxwell Ranch in New Mexico. One particular misstep in the Kids life was his affiliation with the Lincoln County War. Film Review: The Kid. American mafia founder Albert Anastasia's What a sparkler! They saw a group of men nearby who were speaking in Spanish. For instance, Poe does not remember the significant incident at the peach orchard. Garrett was away from Lincoln on county business when the Kid made his escape. In 1903, Garrett got into a public brawl with his employee, George Gaither. The defining issue revolves around the belief that Wallace promised this pardon in exchange for Kids knowledge in a murder case involving three men. People thought me bad before, but if ever I should get free, he said after finally being captured, Ill let them know what bad means., The following spring after a trial that had more to do with putting on a good show for the papers than searching for the truth of what happened in the Lincoln County War, Billy the Kid was found guilty and sentenced to hang. At some point, due to the debate, there had been a movement to have the supposed bodies of the Kid and his mother exhumed for DNA testing. Garrett, a one-time friend, was the new sheriff of Lincoln County. But it wasnt to be. Its now summer 1881. He and an accomplice named John Mackie began swiping horses from a nearby Army fort and then selling them. Pat Garrett was away at the time and didnt try to track the Kid until he received information that the outlaw was holed up in a ranch at Fort Sumner, some 140 miles away from Lincoln. Join us for a daily celebration of the worlds most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places. The pardon was on behalf of the killing of Sherriff William Brady in 1878. There were at least 26 newspaper articles written that claimed Billy was still alive after July 14, 1881. Garrett settled a truce with the fugitives to retrieve his deputy, who died on the way to Las Cruces. 'To me, it's one of the most intriguing and historically significant of those tintypes of the Old West. Believing the photo to include Billy the Kid (which would make it just the second known photo of him), Guijarro eventually found an authentication firm that verified his claim with facial recognition analysis and valued it at $5 million. In 1931, locals raised money to give him a proper headstone. In December 1880, he had brought in the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid on charges of murdering a former county sheriff. Billy the Kid then stayed off the radar until January 1880, when he was drinking in a bar near Santa Fe. So, why is the notorious Billy the Kid up for this pardon, you ask? Brushy Bill Roberts, who died in 1950, claimed that he was the Kid. Some believe that the Kid lived on as Brushy Bill Roberts, but others believe that the Kid was in fact buried the next day in the Fort Sumner cemetery. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). It's my work, he'd say, and I do it for pay And when it's over I'd just as soon go on my way Up to some paradise Where the trout streams flow and the air is nice And ride a horse along a trail. Wikimedia CommonsLew Wallace, before he became governor. Did Billy the Kid Cheat Death and Live on as 'Brushy Bill'? He was reportedly killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett, who later burnished the legend of the Wild West outlaw. Henry Woodson Strong scouted for famed Indian fighter Ranald S. Mackenzie. He got in trouble for petty thefts of things like food and clothing, but things got worse when stole some pistols from a Chinese laundry in 1875 and was sent to jail. After the shooting, Garrett claimed the Kid had a .41 caliber pistol in his hand, Poe said it was a .38 caliber. Once again, Billy the Kid was now on the run. At the same time he served as a deputy U.S. marshal. Amid controversy, Garrett was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on January 2, 1902. He also wouldnt have backed into a darkened doorway where more danger possibly lurked. In November 1950, Morrison filed a petition on behalf of Brushy Bill. By Kelly Mclaughlin For Mailonline and Ashley Collman For Dailymail.com and Associated Press, Published: 06:57 EST, 15 November 2017 | Updated: 10:53 EST, 15 November 2017. Afterward, he moved even farther west to New Mexico Territory. Sure enough, after the two men antagonized each other some more, Grant did soon point his gun at Billy and pull the trigger but all it produced was a click. However, Abrams isn't interested in finding out anytime soon. He never spoke. One of Bonneys men was killed; Bonney and the rest of his men were captured. I believe he lived, had many more adventures before he finally died in Hico in 1950. McGinn also says that Wallace assured Kid that he had the authority to exempt him from prosecution should he cooperate and share his knowledge, but that Wallace never held up his end of the deal. In 1901 Garrett was appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt as Collector of Customs in El Paso. He would tell people around here, You know, I have a secret and one of these days youre going to find out what it is. He didnt want to tell his story at first. Before I made the discoveries I made in my book, I did not have an opinion on Brushy Bill, says Edwards. WebPat Garrett was elected Sheriff of Lincoln County in 1880 on a reform ticket with the expectation that he would reinstate justice in the area. 'I told him "The biggest thing you could do right now is get the picture out and let people look at it and give you feedback",' Stahl said. Stahl said he thought it was a 'high probability' that it was Garrett in the photo, but he wasn't sure if another man was Billy the Kid. Mysteries and theories still surround the outlaw's death and burial in Indiana, 85 years later. In 1878, to settle a dispute over a large debt owed by Tunstalls business partner to a rival cohort of local businessmen, Sheriff William Brady and his posse attempted to seize around $40,000 worth of Tunstalls cattle. When the warden came out into the street to investigate the gunshot, Billy shouted down to him: Look up, old boy, and see what you get! and then he shot him dead (apparently arousing no suspicion from any bystanders in the process). These absences got longer and more common as McCartys mother got sick with tuberculosis and became more dependent on the men in her family to look after her. Captured and brought in to Las Vegas, New Mexico, he was described as "in a joyous mood" He called out to an acquaintance, "Thought I jes drop in and see how you fellers in Vegas air behavin' yerselves." The Kid was known to be friendly and personable and a smart dresser, often wearing a Mexican sombrero. Billy the Kid was a late 19th-century thief and gunfighter. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. That's when he recognized Garrett in the image. When he was a child,his father, John Lumpkin Garrett, bought a cotton plantation in Louisiana, and he grew up there with five sisters and two brothers. Garrett had recently caught the Kid, who was sentenced to hanging for killing It was a game of two, Billy said, and I got there first.. Alternate titles: Brushy Bill, Henry McCarty, William H. Bonney, Jr. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. These qualities contributed to his image as both a notorious outlaw and a folk hero. Of course, the above is Pat Garretts account which has been disputed by many people ever since. People in Hico, Texaspopulation 1,780 and home to the Billy the Kid Museumtell a slightly different version. Garretts body was left on the side of the road. In 2008, for instance, Bonham sold Billy's gun for $64,350. In 1881, he was apprehended by Sheriff Pat Garrett and sentenced to death by hanging for murder. In 2010, many petitioned the New Mexico governors office to grant Billy the pardon they say Lew Wallace had promised him 130 years before, but it never came to pass. Marshals Posse. The sheriff and two deputies, John Poe and Thomas McKinney, saddle up and set out in search of their quarry. On the night ofJuly 14, 1881, Sheriff Pat Garrett gunned down outlaw Billy the Kid in Fort Sumner. The man, local blacksmith Frank Cahill, called Billy a pimp. His age, appearance, and size won him his 'Kid' moniker. A suspicion lingered that Brazel or someone else conspired to execute Garrett, a lawman with many enemies. Born in Alabama and reared in Louisiana, Garrett left home at about the age of 17 and headed for Texas and the life of a cowboy and buffalo hunter. Though some say hed previously killed several members of the Apache tribe, the first kill (out of 20 or more total) widely attributed to Billy the Kid came in 1876. Maxwell lit a candle to illuminate the room and the body of Billy the Kid lay motionless, with Garretts bullet lodged in his heart. Roberts died a month later, and neither Billy the Kid nor Brushy Bill Roberts ever received a pardon. The infamous Billy the Kid was no more. But before Garrett could get his prisoners to jail, he had to defend them from a lynch mob that formed around the train on the route to Santa Fe. Billy became a fugitive. The Washington Post One Mans Quest to Bury the Wild West Mystery of Billy the Kids Death. He continues to look into whether the Kid rightfully deserves a posthumous pardon as promised by Governor Wallace. Scholarly opinion is divided over whether that or William H. Bonney, Jr. (the name he used later, as in the trial), was his true name. Billy the Kids life and mystique have inspired countless novels, films, and songs. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In July, Garrett caught wind that Billy might be staying with a friend in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. He states, Just think of all the good publicity New Mexico is receiving around the world on thisIts fun. Brushy Bill was very well known around these parts, says Jane Klein, historian at the Billy the Kid Museum. WebFind helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Young Guns 2 at Amazon.com. Brazels trial for the murder of Garrett lasted only one day, on May 4, 1909. Texas. Circa 1879-1880. These qualities contributed to his image as both a notorious outlaw and a folk hero. McNew and Carr were the first to be arrested. The comments below have not been moderated. He talked the guard into letting him out to use the outhouse and then on the way back in he slipped his chains and beat the guard to the ground. Mblitch CC BY-SA 3.0. Wikimedia CommonsThe full-length version of the sole completely authenticated photo of Billy the Kid. No purchase necessary. Now the law had yet another reason to be after Billy the Kid. You can read all about Billys last night from the point of view of the man who shot him. Several said the tintype was likely taken between 1879 and 1880, which coincides with the August 2, 1880, date someone had written on the photo,Abrams said. He was to outlaws what Wyatt Earp was to lawmen, an iconic figure whose legacy persists on to this day. History tells us that the outlaw known as Billy the Kid (aka Henry McCarty, aka William Bonney) was gunned downat the ripe old age of 21by Sheriff Pat After the cease fire, McCarty and most of the Regulators fled town, but they were followed by Garrett, who wanted to cash in on the bounty on McCarty's head. Garrett and his men had received information that the outlaws were coming and set up an ambush. As they talked, Billy, said Garrett, "expressed no enmity towards me, but evinced respect and confidence in me acknowledging that I had only done my duty, without malice, and had treated him with marked leniency and kindness.". Garrett then supposedly shot McCarty dead. He moved to Texas, where Governor John Ireland appointed him to the Texas Rangers. He was orphaned as a teen. Since that time, debates have raged over Robertss claims, and whether he was truly one of the Wests most notorious gunmen or just an old man looking for attention. The Kid testified as promised, but the pardon was never granted. Click here to sign a petition for the pardon of Billy the Kid, or click here to sign a petition opposed to that pardon. Patrick Floyd Jarvis Garrett was born in Chambers County, Alabama, on June 5, 1850. According to popular legend, Garrett and McCarty were friends before he became an outlaw, but there is no historical evidence to support the theory. His last days have been the central narrative of many of them, including Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, a 1973 film by director Sam Peckinpah that endures as a classic among fans of the genre. Garrett went on to be a rancher, customs collector, sheriff of another county, and terrible gambler. The Regulators and the new sheriffs forces clashed in July 1878 at whats become known as the Battle of Lincoln. Free shipping for many products! Billy the Kids grave is in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Some of those in favor of Kids pardon have filed a petition, including defense attorney Randi McGinn who has offered to handle the case for free. Garrett was fatally shot on the road from the ranch to Las Cruces, N.M. The next scene with Jason Robards, James Coburn is sporting a nice moustache. A little over a year later, the New Mexico territorial legislature voted to give Garrett the $500 he was owed. Pat Garrett. Quickly as possible I drew my revolver and fired, threw my body aside, and fired again. Garrett would encounter him again in July 1881, apparently killing him in a nighttime shootout. He was armed with a knife and a gun. While trying to verify the photo, Abrams approached Robert Stahl, a retired professor emeritus at Arizona State University who is no stranger to the history of Billy the Kid. McCartys new stepfather was a part-time prospector who frequently went off on extended trips. On April 15th, Judge Warren Bristol sentenced Billy the Kid to hang, but he escaped before the sentence was carried out.