During an interview in 1983, Pat Garretts last surviving daughter, Elizabeth, claimed that her father did not kill the Kid. People in Hico, Texaspopulation 1,780 and home to the Billy the Kid Museumtell a slightly different version. History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. As is the case with so many mythologized historical figures, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. *Source: Texas State Historical Association. However, he was unable to remember important events in Billys life such as the Lincoln prison escape, he didnt really look like the outlaw, he was illiterate while the Kid wasnt and finally, his birth date was recorded in his family Bible as 1879. Billy then drew fast and shot Grant in the head before making his escape. Billy the Kid was a late 19th-century thief and gunfighter. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.. It was taken at the ranch of John Tunstall, an Englishman rancher who organized the gang to protect his properties against rivals, The photo, zoomed in to see Billy the Kid more closely, wasdiscovered in 2015 and has since been estimated to be worth $5 million. Billy the Kid then stayed off the radar until January 1880, when he was drinking in a bar near Santa Fe. Three days later, Garrett and his men surrounded the fugitives at Stinking Springs. Once more, Sheriff Garrett was sent after the Kid. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. What is far more relevant to the case is the issue of discrepancy in the testimonies of Garrett, Poe, the coroner and several other people. The Lincoln County justice of the peace was convinced but before Brady could be arrested, local deputies loyal to the sheriff arrested Billy and threw him in jail. And yet with the good cheer came a surprising ruthlessness. McCartys new stepfather was a part-time prospector who frequently went off on extended trips. 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. Maxwell lit a candle to illuminate the room and the body of Billy the Kid lay motionless, with Garretts bullet lodged in his heart. 'I don't travel with it.'. Billy the Kids grave is in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. After seeing a TV program in 2015 about the discovery of a photo of the outlaw playing croquet, Abrams was inspired to research him further. But he came up with a plan to get himself off by providing Governor Lew Wallace with information about the murder of a prominent lawyer that hed witnessed recently. Of course, the above is Pat Garretts account which has been disputed by many people ever since. A Los Angeles forensic video expert said facial recognition software indicates that it is most likely Garrett and Billy the Kid in the picture, according to a signed declaration. It struck me that it might be Petes brother-in-law, Manuel Abreu, who had seen Poe and McKinney, and wanted to know their business. The family moved to New Mexico, and, in his early teens, Billy fell into a career of thievery and lawlessness, wandering throughout the Southwest and northern Mexico, often with gangs. Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973 9 Things You May Not Know About Billy the Kid - HISTORY Click here to sign a petition for the pardon of Billy the Kid, or click here to sign a petition opposed to that pardon. Garrett was able to get inside the house on July 14 and when Billy entered, Garrett shot him dead. Billy became a fugitive. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. A stranger named Joe Grant came into the saloon and sidled up to near the spot where Billy was drinking. Once again, Billy the Kid ended up in custody. 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. 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! A cropped version of the sole fully authenticated photo of Billy the Kid. The comments below have not been moderated. Henry Woodson Strong scouted for famed Indian fighter Ranald S. Mackenzie. I guess well just all have to anxiously await the outcome of this deceased outlaws judicial fate. He contacted the governor to exchange a witness statement for a pardon. Web2013-08-26 To Hell on a Fast Horse: Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and the Epic Chase to Justice in the Old West ; 2013-08-24 To Hell on a Fast Horse: Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and the Epic Chase to Justice in the Old West ; 2013-08-17 The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid ; 2012-03-25 Michael Flynn - The January Dancer Soon a man arose from the ground, in full view, but too far away to recognize. Garrett related his side of the story in his The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid: I then concluded to go and have a talk with Peter Maxwell, Esq., in whom I felt sure I could rely. His parents were Irish immigrants who came to America and married just after turning 20. He moved to Texas, where Governor John Ireland appointed him to the Texas Rangers. In July, Garrett caught wind that Billy might be staying with a friend in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. The pardon was on behalf of the killing of Sherriff William Brady in 1878. After his release, Billy the Kid joined up with a posse called the Lincoln County Regulators in order to avenge Tunstalls death. After Patricks departure, his widow took the young Henry McCarty and his brother out to Indiana, where she met a man named Bill Antrim. Wikimedia CommonsA cropped version of the sole fully authenticated photo of Billy the Kid. But surely even the man who shot charming, murderous Billy the Kid deserved a better end than a bullet while watering the desert. They mistook OFolliard for Bonney, however,and fatally shot him. Portrait of American gunman Billy the Kid (18591881). Whos that?) All this occurred in a moment. The self-described history buff said the group picture of five men was part of a set and sat on his wall for several years. New Lincoln County Sheriff Pat Garrett and his posse captured Billy the Kid at a place called Stinking Springs on December 23, 1880. 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. 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. Marshals Posse. Garrett gets word that the Kid is hiding out near Maxwells place. Historians say that this photo shows outlaw Billy the Kid, circled second from left, and Pat Garrett, circled far right, taken in 1880. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. We had ridden to within a short distance of Maxwells grounds when we found a man in camp and stopped. Garrett and his men laid siege to the Dedrick ranch at Bosque Grande on November 30th, expecting to find Billy the Kid. Corrections? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Sheriff Pat Garretts grandson, J.P. Garrett, argues that Richardson should have assigned an impartial historian to aid in the case, and believes that McGinns involvement may be a conflict of interest. Pat Garrett, the sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory, had been on the trail for months.In December 1880, he had brought in the infamous outlaw Billy the Little is known about Billy the Kids early days, but Garrett is the man who eventually killed Billy the Kid, born as Henry McCarty. There were at least 26 newspaper articles written that claimed Billy was still alive after July 14, 1881. I wont put a price on it, quite frankly its priceless. What prompted this last minute decision? As Currys inauguration was not for a few months, Garrett returned to El Paso to look for work. Those who oppose the pardon argue that there is no proof that Governor Wallace ever offered one; he may have simply tricked Kid in to offering up information. For deaths, sure. On November 2, 1880, Garrett turned to law enforcement. 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. 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. Now these are strange things for someone that is a fraud to focus on. Its the last day of Richardsons term. He wore a broad-brimmed hat, a dark vest and pants, and was in his shirtsleeves. 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). He continues to look into whether the Kid rightfully deserves a posthumous pardon as promised by Governor Wallace. For all of you Wild, Wild West aficionados out there, here is a post that is sure to be interesting! Once again, Billy broke out of jail and went on the run. Biggest diamond EVER sold at auction sells Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, 'Vindication': Georgia Harrison on ex Stephen Bear's sentencing, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' Mblitch CC BY-SA 3.0. Garrett attempted to turn himself in to authorities, but no charges were filed. Billy the Kid Billy the Kid was born Henry McCarty to Irish immigrants in New York City around 1859. At almost precisely the same time, Garrett woke Maxwell up; his friend was understandably annoyed at being disturbed. The other account is that it was McCarty who entered the home, holding his knife, when he noticed a dark figure in the house, and again asked 'Who Is it?' Whether they produced battlefield images of the dead or daguerreotype portraits of common soldiers, []. 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. As a society back then, people were tough, strong, and fearless, and yet this little guy is known as the most deadly outlaw of them all, says Daniel A. Edwards, author of Billy the Kid: An Autobiography. Following Billy the Kids death, the media turned him into a folk hero and made Garrett out to be the bad guy. From his step I could perceive he was either barefooted or in his stocking-feet, and held a revolver in his right hand and a butcher knife in his left. Pat Garrett (2nd from right) with friends on the porch in Roswell, New Mexico. These qualities contributed to his image as both a notorious outlaw and a folk hero. On April 15th, Judge Warren Bristol sentenced Billy the Kid to hang, but he escaped before the sentence was carried out. If not, did someone else shoot the outlaw? 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. In 1931, locals raised money to give him a proper headstone. WebPat 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 Returning to the building with pistol in one hand, knife in the other, Billy was startled and instead of opening fire, hesitated, repeatedly asking, in Spanish, "Who is it?" At some point, someone shot and killed Garrett, but exactly who did it has been a subject of debate. I now believe without a doubt that Billy the Kid was not killed by Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner. 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. In 1903, Garrett got into a public brawl with his employee, George Gaither. Garrettwas dismissed in1906 and returned to New Mexico. Maybe they lacked imagination, though "Willy Wet Behind the Ears" doesn't scan particularly well. 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. Lee and Gililland stayed on the run for another eight months and finally surrendered. While still young, his family relocated to New Mexico. In 1901 Garrett was appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt as Collector of Customs in El Paso. Updates? During the ensuing confrontation, the sheriff and his posse, loyal to Tunstalls rivals, shot Tunstall off his horse and then picked up his own gun and used it to kill him with a shot to the back of the head. Eidsons official position on the story echoes that of the rest of the Historical Commissionwe keep an open mind. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Along with deputies Thomas McKinney and John Poe, Garrett reached the Fort on the night of July 14, 1881. Abrams, who lives in Arden, told Albuquerque's KRQE-TV that he spent the next several months consulting various forensic experts. Rumor has it that the Kid has taken a shine to Maxwells sister Paulita, though its likely shes not the only local girl to have caught his eye. Wallace reneged on his promise., Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. Billy the Kid - Photo, Movie & Pat Garrett - Biography His end wasn't particularly glamorous. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. Detail from a larger photo alleged to show Bonney (left) playing croquet in New Mexico in 1878. He Ended His Career in Disgrace. 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). Billy supposedly aimed his gun at Poe while backing into the nearest door, which happened to be Maxwells bedroom. However, just two days later, he escaped and his life as a fugitive began. 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. While we await the rumored Blu-ray of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid to surface (or was Alex Cox misinformed? Richardson told the Associated Press on Wednesday, I dont know where Ill end up. He Was a Fast-Rising Judge in Arkansas. Here's how Sheriff Pat Garrett related his side of the story. The Kid Review: Outlaw Billys Story Told From - Variety They lived in a slum on Manhattans east side and his father, Patrick, died soon after his first son was born. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. 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. Despite these accusations, McGinn claims that her only link to the administration is that she offered to handle the case for free because of Richardsons lifelong interest in Billy the Kid. He moved in with an El Paso prostitute; when Curry learned of Garretts situation, he withdrew his offer. 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. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. The two would have nine children over the years. It was at the saloon that Pat Garrett met and often gambled with William Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid. The two were seen together so often they soon took on the nicknames of Big Casino and Little Casino. Richard Stockton is a freelance science and technology writer from Sacramento, California. He was armed with a knife and a gun. He murdered two deputies, James Bell and Bob Olinger, during the escape. Some argue his book about Billy Bonney is the only reason why The Kid is remembered today. WebOn the night of July 14, 1881, Sheriff Pat Garrett gunned down outlaw Billy the Kid in Fort Sumner. Brazel surrendered to Deputy Sheriff Felipe Lucero in Las Cruces, shouting, Lock me up. Garretts body was left on the side of the road. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The next time the Kid encountered the sheriff however, it would be his last. The intruder came close to me, leaned both hands on the bed, his right hand almost touching my knee, and asked, in a low tone:Who are they Pete?at the same instant Maxwell whispered to me. He managed to locate his stepfathers place in New Mexico, where he holed up for a few weeks. A photo that was bought at a flea market for $10 shows Billy the Kid standing with the lawman who would ultimately kill him, experts have concluded. 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. I asked him as to the whereabouts of the Kid. In 1882, Garrett and his ghost writer, Marshall Upson, published The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid. Billy the Kid Director Sam Peckinpah Writer He never spoke. He also wouldnt have backed into a darkened doorway where more danger possibly lurked. Hines told him a whopper of a tale: Billy the Kid had not been killed in New Mexico but was alive and well and living in a town called Hico in Hamilton County, Texas, as one Ollie Brushy Bill Roberts. The men inside were pretty tough and the battle started to turn against the lawmen, but then reinforcements arrived from a nearby army base. The Kid was catapulted into legend due to the $500 bounty - then a staggering amount - on his head. Circa 1879-1880. He soon, however, hailed his friend, who was sleeping in the room, told him to get up and make some coffee, adding: Give me a butcher knife and I will go over to Petes and get some beef; Im hungry. The Mexican arose, handed him the knife, and the Kid, hatless and in his stocking-feet, started to Maxwells, which was but a few steps distant. The case dates back to 1881so why the New Years Eve deadline you may ask? Historians say that this photo shows outlaw Billy the Kid, circled second from left, and Pat Garrett, circled far right, taken in 1880. He had already written down the jurys verdict and asked Segura, Anaya and the rest of the jury to sign it. Now, the stories of what actually happened next seem to clash, so suffice it to say that the Kid ended up in custody. Before he reached the bed, I whispered: Who is it, Pete? but received no reply for a moment. How exactly the tension mounted between Billy and Grant remains unclear (some say Billy pegged Grant for a bounty hunter come to kill him; some say Grant was a loudmouth drunk looking for a fight). According to Robert M. Utley's definitive Billy the Kid, by the time his life ended on July 14, 1881, at age 21, McCarty/Antrim/Bonney had killed four men for certain, one perhaps, and participated in killing perhaps five more. 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). Lets get the issue of imposters out of the way quickly. New Mexico governor, Bill Richardson, has mere hours left to decide whether or not to pardon Billy the Kid in the killing of a sheriff. This story originally ran in 2017; it has been updated for 2022. Meanwhile, Billy encountered Poe and McKinney and apparently said Quien es? which means who is it? in Spanish. The abandoned U.S. Army post on the Goodnight-Loving cattle trail is now the home of rancher Peter Maxwell. He tried to work straight jobs (hotel worker, ranch hand) but quickly found himself on the wrong side of the law. 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. There are different accounts regarding the tip-off that brought the lawmen to Fort Sumner, the encounter at the orchard, and the moments before and after the shooting. When we reached the porch in front of the building, I left Poe and McKinney at the end of the porch, about twenty feet from the door of Petes room, and went in. A tiny stone cabbage has a big backstory stretching from Beijings Forbidden City to Taipei's National Palace Museum. 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. 15 Most Famous Cowboys and Outlaws of the Wild West A suspicion lingered that Brazel or someone else conspired to execute Garrett, a lawman with many enemies. Garretts adversaries attained copies of the photos and sent them to Roosevelt along with a note telling the President that Powers was not a cattleman, but the proprietor of a rowdy saloon. He states, Just think of all the good publicity New Mexico is receiving around the world on thisIts fun. Well, let me explain by starting with a little history lesson. By 1876 he was hunting buffalo, until a dispute with another hunter, Joe Briscoe, ended up with Garrett killing Briscoe. He died by the gun of Sherriff Pat Garrett at age 21. Whether it was time with the infamous Regulators and his exploits during the Lincoln County War, or his dramatic escapes from custody culminating in his death at the hands of Pat Garrett in 1881, Billy the Kid is one of the most mythologized figures in American history. It was a good racket, but he couldnt stay out of trouble long enough to enjoy it. There are also suggestions that Billy and Garrett were friends and planned the whole incident so the fugitive could escape. Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) - IMDb At midnight, Garrett moved silently towards the Maxwell houses southeast corner, just outside Maxwells bedroom. 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 He had stopped his wagon on a lonely road about four miles east of Las Cruces, New Mexico, in order to empty his bladder. 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. Brushy Bill Roberts, who died in 1950, claimed that he was the Kid. Before the sun came up, the Kid was underground with nothing but a wooden marker for his grave. The official version is that Garrett was shot and killed by Wayne Brazel, a cowboy involved in a leasing dispute with Garrett. Brazel said he shot Garrett in self-defense. He was tried and acquitted in a trial in which the only other known person at the scene of the shooting did not testify and the jury returned a verdict in 15 minutes. Yet at the same time, Billy the Kid seemed to be making an attempt at going straight. Updates? However, the true figure is believed to be somewhere between four and nine. Even by frontier standards, he was young. He and an accomplice named John Mackie began swiping horses from a nearby Army fort and then selling them. A Strong-willed Texan Scout Joined the Confederacy at 15. He said that the Kid had certainly been about, but he did not know whether he had left or not. El Paso Times 1934: Pistol That Killed Billy the Kid Will Be Returned to Garretts Widow. The Regulators found themselves cornered and under siege in a local saloon by elements of the local sheriffs posse. john chisum ranch map In researching his book, Edwards analyzed photographs of Billy the Kid and Roberts, and dug into the details of Robertss account of his life and compared them with known facts about Billy the Kid. Did Blues King Robert Johnson Sell His Soul To The Devil To Become The World's Greatest Musician? Garrett learned that The Kid had been in and out of Sumner, New Mexico, and was staying there with Pete Maxwell. New Mexico Office of the State Historian. A quick online search reveals more than 50 films in which Billy the Kid is either the main character or a secondary one. 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." He and Garrett went to court, and Brazel agreed to cancel his lease with Garrett providing he could sell his 1,200 goats. Memorial marking spot where Pat Garrett was killed. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. "I knew the desperate character of the man," Garrett would later write in his own biography of Billy, "that he was daring and unscrupulous, and that he would sacrifice the lives of a hundred men who stood between him and liberty." He was the sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico, as well as Doa Ana County, New Mexico. The following day, the Kid was buried in the Fort Sumner cemetery. A witness agreed, and Brazel went free. To Poes great surprise, he recognized in the camper an old friend and former partner, in Texas, named Jacobs. He was orphaned as a teen. However, the Kid later escaped, shooting dead two deputies and riding out of town Henry got the better of Cahill and shot him, inflicting a wound that would kill him the next day. Why Billy The Kid Is The Most Infamous Gunslinger Of The Wild West. The two talked of this and that. In December 1880, he had brought in the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid on charges of murdering a former county sheriff. Billy the Kid was free for just three months before his final encounter with Pat Garrett. At about age 21, Billy the Kid was gunned down by Sheriff Pat Garrett. It was at this point that many sources say the Kid began his life of crimestarting with stealing and progressing to murder. Interviewed later by a reporter, he took in his surroundings and asked, "Is the jail at Santa Fe any better than this? He realized that the law had made its way to Fort Sumner, so he fled towards Maxwells compound. Now the law had yet another reason to be after Billy the Kid. During a card game, Billy the Kid accused another player of cheating. Four months later, Billy the Kid escaped just after his conviction for murder. 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. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. In 2008, for instance, Bonham sold Billy's gun for $64,350. Amid controversy, Garrett was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on January 2, 1902. One of Bonneys men was killed; Bonney and the rest of his men were captured. Billy lights out for old Fort Sumner on the Pecos River, some 150 miles northeast of Lincoln. He is either a folk hero that single-handedly stood up against a corrupt government system, or he is a ruthless outlaw and cop killer that left a wake of terror in his path.. I believe all communities are built on legends, and in Hamilton County Brushy Bills stories connect us to those wild days of the frontier.. In 1879 he married and settled in Lincoln County, N.M., where he became first deputy sheriff and then sheriff. https://www.historynet.com/death-of-billy-the-kid-as-pat-garrett-tells-it/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot. One of two confirmed photographs of Billy the Kid (left), playing croquet in New Mexico, 1878. The Billy the Kid Museum opened in Hico nearly 40 years after Robertss death, and the city actively celebrates the connection. Carl Adamson never appeared at the trial as a witness, and Brazel was acquitted. I might not pardon him. Though quick with a joke, he did not hesitate before pulling the trigger.
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