Instead, he briefly moved to Texas to serve asa Lieutenant in the Texas Rangers before returning to his ranch in New Mexico. Garrett gets word that the Kid is hiding out near Maxwells place. I asked him as to the whereabouts of the Kid. By 1892 Garrett and his family had relocated to Uvalde, Texas, where he befriended John Nance Garner, a future United States vice-president. Did Pat Garrett kill Billy the Kid as per the official tale? What prompted this last minute decision? This time however, he was sentenced to hang for the death of Sheriff Brady. As for Billy the Kid, hes long since passed become an icon of American history, even a folk hero of sorts. 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. 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. Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, declined to follow through with that pardon. In the aftermath of the apparent shooting, numerous people claimed to have met the Kid. Its now summer 1881. He joined the wrong groups and wound up running from the law. At around 9 pm, Garrett and his deputies rode to a peach orchard in the area to chat with Maxwell. President Roosevelt supported Garrett as complaints piled up and went so far as to invite him to a reunion for the Rough Riders in San Antonio in April of 1905. A stranger named Joe Grant came into the saloon and sidled up to near the spot where Billy was drinking. 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. In 1879 he married Juanita Gutierrez, who died in childbirth less than a year after their marriage. Billy the Kid was a late 19th-century thief and gunfighter. Mysteries of the Old West: Did Pat Garrett Kill Billy the Kid? This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Billy-the-Kid-American-outlaw, American Heritage - Billy the Kid: From Outlaw to Legend, PBS - American Experience - The Life and Legend of Billy the Kid, Billy the Kid - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Before he reached the bed, I whispered: Who is it, Pete? but received no reply for a moment. Four months later, Billy the Kid escaped just after his conviction for murder. The governor agreed and suggested that, for appearances sake, he should arrest Billy and lock him up in jail before taking his statement about the other murder. The following day, the Kid was buried in the Fort Sumner cemetery. 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. Garrett did not seek re-election as sheriff of Lincoln County the year after McCarty's death. 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. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Lets get the issue of imposters out of the way quickly. In Naples, Praying With Skulls Is an Ancient Tradition, Show & Tell With the Staff of Chicagos Field Museum, A Visit to the Museum of Broken Relationships, A Journey Through Black History in Miniature, The World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions of the World's Largest Things, See the Mysterious Horned Helmet of Henry VIII, One Street: Chinatown-International District, Seattle, Hawaiis Native-Language Newspaper Archive, 'Discovering' Mexico's Monarch Butterfly Migration, The Real Story Behind George Washington's Dentures. She writes, A promise is a promise and should be enforced. Billy the Kid was free for just three months before his final encounter with Pat Garrett. He also obtained a deputy U.S. Marshals commission to have jurisdiction in other counties. ', This undated file photo (left) is thought to be an image of famed gunslinger Billy the Kid near the age of 18. 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. Thats him! Simultaneously the Kid must have seen, or felt, the presence of a third person at the head of the bed. 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. Brushy Bill Roberts, who died in 1950, claimed that he was the Kid. Hewas elected to the office of sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico, winning ahead ofincumbent Sheriff George Kimball. Updates? During an interview in 1983, Pat Garretts last surviving daughter, Elizabeth, claimed that her father did not kill the Kid. Does Billy the Kid Deserve the Pardon He was Promised? Billy lights out for old Fort Sumner on the Pecos River, some 150 miles northeast of Lincoln. This man was Billy; he was lounging around the orchard at the same time the lawmen entered. The Regulators found themselves cornered and under siege in a local saloon by elements of the local sheriffs posse. 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?" Richardson is a known Billy the Kid aficionado, and is considering the pardon because of an alleged promise by Governor Lew Wallace. Memorial marking spot where Pat Garrett was killed. During the Kids time as an outlaw, Pat Garrett was elected Sheriff and sent after him. Billy the Kid was born Henry McCarty to Irish immigrants in New York City around 1859. Corrections? Real Clear Life. Lee and Gililland stayed on the run for another eight months and finally surrendered. He raised quickly his pistol, a self-cocker, within a foot of my breast. Billy agreed and went through with the farce. 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. 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. https://www.historynet.com/death-of-billy-the-kid-as-pat-garrett-tells-it/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot. Garrett would encounter him again in July 1881, apparently killing him in a nighttime shootout. 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. There are also suggestions that Billy and Garrett were friends and planned the whole incident so the fugitive could escape. He then bought a horse ranch, leased it, and became involved in a heated dispute over the lease. We approached these houses cautiously, and when within earshot, heard the sound of voices conversing in Spanish. At almost precisely the same time, Garrett woke Maxwell up; his friend was understandably annoyed at being disturbed. Wikimedia CommonsThe disputed photo bought by Randy Guijarro, allegedly showing Billy the Kid (center). It was a good racket, but he couldnt stay out of trouble long enough to enjoy it. McCarty was just 21 when he died. However, Abrams isn't interested in finding out anytime soon. A witness agreed, and Brazel went free. One of Bonneys men was killed; Bonney and the rest of his men were captured. The Kid remained and Garrett was true to his word and arrested his former friend. Wikimedia CommonsPat Garrett, the man who shot Billy the Kid. He never spoke. Garrett was well aware that Billy was a cockeyed optimist when it came to hopes for escape. Pat Garrett: The Truth About The Man Who Killed Billy The Kid For starters, Billy the Kids name wasnt Billy and he wasnt born in the western United States. In April 1878, the Regulators ambushed Brady and four of his deputies on a main street in Lincoln. He was to outlaws what Wyatt Earp was to lawmen, an iconic figure whose legacy persists on to this day. Somehow, he managed to reach a friends house, where he was allowed to rest and recover from his ordeal in the desert. 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. 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. Brazel used the land to raise goats, which was unacceptable to the Garrets. That's when he recognized Garrett in the image. Garrett claims that he stayed in Maxwells house with his men for the entire night. Though quick with a joke, he did not hesitate before pulling the trigger. But this nice, steady job for Billy the Kid grew more turbulent thanks to a dispute between Tunstall and his rivals. During this fight, the Army was forced to intervene and the Regulators lost many of their men. Are Double-Sided Graves the Solution to London's Burial Crisis? Portrait of American gunman Billy the Kid (18591881). We learned, subsequently, that, when he left his companions that night, he went to the house of a Mexican friend, pulled off his hat and boots, threw himself on a bed, and commenced reading a newspaper. The Kid was catapulted into legend due to the $500 bounty - then a staggering amount - on his head. 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. Roberts died a month later, and neither Billy the Kid nor Brushy Bill Roberts ever received a pardon. After the escape, Garrett set out to remove Billy from the landscape, one way or another. Corrections? In Hico Billy is everywhere, from a statue downtown, to the standee in the Chamber of Commerce, to the monumental arch over Robertss grave. He was then sent back to Lincoln County, where he was scheduled to be executed on May 13. Born Henry McCarty, he was the first of two boys raised by a small Irish Catholic family in New York City. New Mexico Office of the State Historian. Billy was sentenced to hang on April 13, 1881; Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. All he wanted to do was to get that pardon that hed been promised, and I believe he felt this was his last chance to get it.. Perhaps he killed an innocent man as the fugitive escaped and fled to Mexico? He states, Just think of all the good publicity New Mexico is receiving around the world on thisIts fun. The authenticity of the photo has since been disputed, despite National Geographic standing behind it. Now these are strange things for someone that is a fraud to focus on. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. In November 1880, he and three of his gang were captured, and the Kid was tried and convicted for the murder of Brady. 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. Set of wooden folding chairs sells for 5.3MILLION after Live like the mob! 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. I guess well just all have to anxiously await the outcome of this deceased outlaws judicial fate. Yet at the same time, Billy the Kid seemed to be making an attempt at going straight. It was a game of two, Billy said, and I got there first.. Overall, there are a huge number of unanswered questions. On the evening of July 14, Garrett waited inside Maxwell's bedroom. Noticing it only had three rounds loaded, he subtly rotated the drum to an empty cylinder and handed it back. The picture is the only known photo of the Regulators gang all together. 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 But mostly because of the cattle that went missing. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. 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. At about age 21, Billy the Kid was gunned down by Sheriff Pat Garrett. McCarty, was a member of the Regulators gang. Garrett went on to be a rancher, customs collector, sheriff of another county, and terrible gambler. I believe all communities are built on legends, and in Hamilton County Brushy Bills stories connect us to those wild days of the frontier.. But while under guard by two sheriff's deputies at a home, McCarty killed both men and then fled out of town on horseback. Why Billy The Kid Is The Most Infamous Gunslinger Of The Wild West. Adamson agreed to meet with Garrett and Brazel to iron out an agreement. The first is that Garrett sat down down to speak with the homeowner when McCarty unexpectedly came in with his gun drawn, asking 'Who is it? WebOn the night of July 14, 1881, Sheriff Pat Garrett gunned down outlaw Billy the Kid in Fort Sumner. On November 2, 1880, Garrett turned to law enforcement. Outlaws have a romantic air about them and I think the people in Hamilton County really enjoy having this as part of the history.. 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. The other known pictures of the outlaw were believed to have been taken in 1877, 1878 and 1879. In December 1880, he had brought in the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid on charges of murdering a former county sheriff. Garrett is the man who eventually killed Billy the Kid, born as Henry McCarty. 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. After making sure his siblings had homes with relatives, Pat headed west in 1869 and found work as a cowboy in Dallas for about six years. El Paso Times 1934: Pistol That Killed Billy the Kid Will Be Returned to Garretts Widow. At some point, someone shot and killed Garrett, but exactly who did it has been a subject of debate. On the night ofJuly 14, 1881, Sheriff Pat Garrett gunned down outlaw Billy the Kid in Fort Sumner. Billy the Kids life and mystique have inspired countless novels, films, and songs. The extended dance of In 1903, Garrett got into a public brawl with his employee, George Gaither. He hoped that Morrison could help him claim the pardon that New Mexico Governor Lew Wallace supposedly promised Billy the Kid back in 1879. Even by frontier standards, he was young. In July, Garrett caught wind that Billy might be staying with a friend in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. 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 wore a broad-brimmed hat, a dark vest and pants, and was in his shirtsleeves. Hes since been romanticized in print, and on stage, television, and film as an emblem of the lawless West. Director Sam Peckinpah Writer While Garrett was there, he was forced to defend himself from a local bully, Mariano Leiva, by shooting him in the shoulder. He moved to Texas, where Governor John Ireland appointed him to the Texas Rangers. WebIn the scene where Garrett gets a hot shave, he then leaves clean shaven, as Bob Dylan follows him out. 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. 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 tried to work straight jobs (hotel worker, ranch hand) but quickly found himself on the wrong side of the law. Offer subject to change without notice. Brazels trial for the murder of Garrett lasted only one day, on May 4, 1909. But surely even the man who shot charming, murderous Billy the Kid deserved a better end than a bullet while watering the desert. For example, a Mrs. Wood of Seven Rivers said she served the outlaw dinner three days after he was supposed to have died. He was plagued by debt in his later years, and while his ranch holdings weren't anywhere near profitable, their locations were desirable for water rights and staging grounds for, shall we say, nefarious activities. *Source: Texas State Historical Association. No purchase necessary. WebBut he never did like to talk about it all that much. 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 Garrett on July 14, 1881, in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. 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. Once again, Billy broke out of jail and went on the run. Now a fugitive, Henry McCarty had to lay low. After a week or two, he made a connection with some local cattle rustlers who made a living out of stealing cattle from a businessman named John Chisum in Lincoln County, New Mexico. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you.
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