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. Garrett and his men laid siege to the Dedrick ranch at Bosque Grande on November 30th, expecting to find Billy the Kid. In 1931, locals raised money to give him a proper headstone. Billy agreed and went through with the farce. He was buried in the old military cemetery at Fort Sumner next to two of his gang members. Its now summer 1881. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. In 1879 he married and settled in Lincoln County, N.M., where he became first deputy sheriff and then sheriff. Pats son Dudley arranged with Jesse Brazel for a five-year lease of the Garretts Bear Canyon Ranch. Garrett had recently caught the Kid, who was sentenced to hanging for killing Billy the Kids life and mystique have inspired countless novels, films, and songs. 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. In November 1880, he and three of his gang were captured, and the Kid was tried and convicted for the murder of Brady. His end wasn't particularly glamorous. He died by the gun of Sherriff Pat Garrett at age 21. He headed west with his family as a youth and had his first brush with the law in 1875 when he was arrested for stealing clothes from a Chinese laundry in Silver City, New Mexico. A tiny stone cabbage has a big backstory stretching from Beijings Forbidden City to Taipei's National Palace Museum. Frank Abrams, a North Carolina attorney, first spotted the tintype photo in Asheville in 2011. Maybe they lacked imagination, though "Willy Wet Behind the Ears" doesn't scan particularly well. The Kid remained and Garrett was true to his word and arrested his former friend. But That Was Just the Beginning. 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.. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. 'Right now, that is not the first thing on my mind. Billy was sentenced to hang on April 13, 1881; the judge set his execution day for May 13. Are Double-Sided Graves the Solution to London's Burial Crisis? 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 you can imagine, there is much controversy arising from this investigationwhich side will you join? But this nice, steady job for Billy the Kid grew more turbulent thanks to a dispute between Tunstall and his rivals. August 10th, 2010. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Garrett is the man who eventually killed Billy the Kid, born as Henry McCarty. Circa 1879-1880. This is the real story of Billy the Kid. At about age 21, Billy the Kid was gunned down by Sheriff Pat Garrett. Director Sam Peckinpah Writer Were not trying to deceive anyone. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Now, Billy the Kid and the Regulators were in trouble with the new sheriff that had been appointed for causing so much bloodshed and murder. Some argue his book about Billy Bonney is the only reason why The Kid is remembered today. 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. Pat Garrett eventually shot and murdered him in July 1881. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. 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 the aftermath of the Lincoln County War, Lew Wallace, the new territorial governor of New Mexico, published a wanted list which included the Kid, who was implicated in the murder of Sheriff Brady in 1878, shortly after Brady arrested the Kid. Wallace reneged on his promise., Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. Henry got the better of Cahill and shot him, inflicting a wound that would kill him the next day. Pat Garrett, the man who shot Billy the Kid. William Wallace agrees, also citing that McGinn has, meager qualifications. Wikimedia CommonsThe full-length version of the sole completely authenticated photo of Billy the Kid. A judge apparently ruled against the efforts, but that hasnt stopped present Governor Richardsons interest in the case. The moment word got out about his escape, New Mexicos governor put another $500 bounty on the Kid, dead or alive. He continues to look into whether the Kid rightfully deserves a posthumous pardon as promised by Governor Wallace. Offer subject to change without notice. He was then sent back to Lincoln County, where he was scheduled to be executed on May 13. The Kid was moved to a jail in Lincoln, New Mexico but escaped on April 28 before the hangmans noose could claim him. 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. He was appointed deputy sheriff for the last two months of 1880 before taking office January 1, 1881. Overall, there are a huge number of unanswered questions. Whos that?) All this occurred in a moment. US Marshal Service How Much Did It Cost to Find Billy the Kid? When he was unable to make mortgage payments on his ranch, the county auctioned off his personal belongings, but that raised only $650. During a card game, Billy the Kid accused another player of cheating. Garrett delivered Webb and Davis to the sheriff of San Miguel County and rode on to Puerto de Luna. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Ukraine soldiers shoot down enemy drones with drones of their own, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts, MCCARTY, HENRY | The Handbook of Texas Online| Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), Do not sell or share my personal information. I now believe without a doubt that Billy the Kid was not killed by Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner. Historians say that this photo shows outlaw Billy the Kid, circled second from left, and Pat Garrett, circled far right, taken in 1880. Billy the Kid (left) and Brushy Bill Roberts (right). Richardson is a known Billy the Kid aficionado, and is considering the pardon because of an alleged promise by Governor Lew Wallace. As one of the few Regulators whod made it out of the Battle of Lincoln, Billy the Kid Was now a prime target for local law enforcement. One of Bonneys men was killed; Bonney and the rest of his men were captured. 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!' Garrett was so impatient to capture the outlawWilliam Bonney, a.k.a. No purchase necessary. They fired at the men from behind a wall, and Brady died after being shot at least a dozen times. 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. Omissions? All rights reserved. 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. He declared them matching in a notarized letter in September. He said that the Kid had certainly been about, but he did not know whether he had left or not. In November 1950, Morrison filed a petition on behalf of Brushy Bill. It is believed to be now worth millions of dollars, According to popular legend, Billy the Kid (left) and Garrett were friends before he became known an outlaw, but there is no historical evidence to support the theory. The Regulators and the new sheriffs forces clashed in July 1878 at whats become known as the Battle of Lincoln. Real Clear Life. While we await the rumored Blu-ray of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid to surface (or was Alex Cox misinformed? On ABCs, Good Morning America Friday, Richardson explained that the evidence of the case simply did not warrant a pardon. Carl Adamson agreed to take the goats until Brazel discovered his estimate of the number of goats had been wrong and demanded the buyer take all 1,800 goats. 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. When Garrett was appointed Sheriff of Dona Ana County in April of 1896, it took two years for him to gather enough evidence to ask a judge in Las Cruces for warrants to arrest William McNew, Oliver M. Lee, James Gililland, and Bill Carr. Originally published in the August 2006 issue of American History. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pat-Garrett, HistoryNet - Pat Garrett Was the Last Great Frontier Lawman, Texas State Historical Association - The Handbook of Texas Online - Biography of Pat Garrett, Robert Garrett - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). But his parents did not long survive the Civil War that devastated the South, leaving the children heavily in debt. Brushy Bill Roberts, who died in 1950, claimed that he was the Kid. It is only the fourth known photograph of Billy the Kid and is thought to be a trophy shot taken by Garrett and his posse after they arrested him. 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. Garrett decided to seek out Peter Maxwell, an old friend who lived in the area, in the hope that he could receive some details about the fugitives whereabouts. Garrett and his men had received information that the outlaws were coming and set up an ambush. found himself on the wrong side of the law, The authenticity of the photo has since been disputed, Bass Reeves, the bullet-dodging black lone ranger. Garrett was well aware that Billy was a cockeyed optimist when it came to hopes for escape. Billy the Kid has long been one of the many names associated with the Wild West, alongside the Bob Dalton Gang, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Cole Younger, Jesse James, and more. Garrett did not pursue re-election for sheriff of Lincoln County in 1882. The full-length version of the sole completely authenticated photo of Billy the Kid. In the midst of the act, he was shot in the back of the head. 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. As he descended into criminality and fled from town to town to evade the law, he regularly changed his name, eventually becoming known as Billy the Kid. As Currys inauguration was not for a few months, Garrett returned to El Paso to look for work. Portrait of Pat Garrett from The Story of the Outlaws. Richardson told the Associated Press on Wednesday, I dont know where Ill end up. He moved in with an El Paso prostitute; when Curry learned of Garretts situation, he withdrew his offer. Noticing it only had three rounds loaded, he subtly rotated the drum to an empty cylinder and handed it back. Ethan Hawke and Dane DeHaan ride tall in Vincent DOnofrios fresh take on the saga of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. One of the residents of Fort Sumner, Paco Anaya, wrote that after the shooting, Garrett handed a piece of paper to Alejandro Segura, the Justice of the Peace. 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. 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. 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 He was buried, it is said, in Fort Sumner Cemetery, with his associates Tom OFolliard and Charlie Bowdre, and the epitaph Palsthough none of them are likely directly under the tombstone there today. Another chance at a famous crime solving came after Colonel Albert Jennings Fountain and his eight-year-old son Henry vanished at White Sands, New Mexico, in 1896. Experts believe a picture that shows the New Mexico outlaw with Garrett would be worth much more. At some point after these murders, Lew Wallace became governor of New Mexico. To Poes great surprise, he recognized in the camper an old friend and former partner, in Texas, named Jacobs. We concealed ourselves quickly and listened; but the distance was too great to hear words, or even distinguish voices. At that moment a man sprang quickly into the door, looking back, and called twice in Spanish, Who comes there? No one replied and he came on in. Detail from a larger photo alleged to show Bonney (left) playing croquet in New Mexico in 1878. before being shot dead. Bonney and the others escaped. 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. By 1892 Garrett and his family had relocated to Uvalde, Texas, where he befriended John Nance Garner, a future United States vice-president. Once more, Sheriff Garrett was sent after the Kid. I asked him as to the whereabouts of the Kid. Wikimedia CommonsA cropped version of the sole fully authenticated photo of Billy the Kid. 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. In December 1880 he was captured by Garrett and stood trial for murder in Mesilla, New Mexico, in April 1881; he was found guilty and was sentenced to hang. Outlaws have a romantic air about them and I think the people in Hamilton County really enjoy having this as part of the history.. 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." There were at least 26 newspaper articles written that claimed Billy was still alive after July 14, 1881. Portrait of American gunman Billy the Kid (18591881). Amid controversy, Garrett was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on January 2, 1902. Patrick Floyd Jarvis Garrett (June 5, 1850 February 29, 1908) was an American Old West lawman, bartender and customs agent known for killing Billy the Kid. Set of wooden folding chairs sells for 5.3MILLION after Live like the mob! 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. A little over a year later, the New Mexico territorial legislature voted to give Garrett the $500 he was owed. 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. Its the last day of Richardsons term. Garrett learned that The Kid had been in and out of Sumner, New Mexico, and was staying there with Pete Maxwell. He was armed with a knife and a gun. Patrick Floyd Jarvis Garrett was born in Chambers County, Alabama, on June 5, 1850. in Spanish. 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. Billy the Kid didnt make it all the way to New Mexico. WebFind helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Young Guns 2 at Amazon.com. 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. Tim Sweet, owner of the Billy the Kid museum, previously said that he was 95 per cent sure that Garrett is in the photo. There are also suggestions that Billy and Garrett were friends and planned the whole incident so the fugitive could escape. He came directly towards me. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Retreating rapidly across the room he cried: Quien es? 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 The infamous Billy the Kid was no more. Garrett had recently caught the Kid, who was sentenced to hanging for killing another Sheriff, but Billy managed to escape. An experienced outlaw (even at a tender age) would surely have recognized two deputies standing on the porch. He was reportedly killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett, who later burnished the legend of the Wild West outlaw. Billy supposedly aimed his gun at Poe while backing into the nearest door, which happened to be Maxwells bedroom. The violence kicked off February 1878 with the murder of John Tunstall by the members of the Jesse Evans Gang, led by the then-sheriff of Lincoln County, William Brady. Texas. In July, Garrett caught wind that Billy might be staying with a friend in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Other sources state that without parental guidance, the Kid simply got a bad start in life. 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 Now the law had yet another reason to be after Billy the Kid. Wow, a new Sam Peckinpah western!