The Life of an

American Legend

Billy The Kid

By Darci ClarkThe American WestDr. MaryAnn Borden

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Nicknames and Aliases

Henry McCartyHenry Antrim

The KidKid Antrim

The Wandering KidWilliam H. Bonney

Billy BonneyEl Chivato

Billy The Kid Source:Michael Wallis, Billy The Kid The Endless Ride , 5.

Roots and Parentage

General Consensus Among Historians:

Born Henry McCarty on either September 17, 1859 or November 20, 1859 in the Irish slums of New York CityMother was Catherine McCarty. No solid evidence of

his father’s nameHenry 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 AntrimIn 1870 Antrim and the family moved to the cattle town Wichita, KSBy 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 yearSource: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, 94-96Robert 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

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

Lincoln County New Mexico w

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 WestSource: 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

▪ Tunstall formed an alliance with Lincoln lawyer Alexander McSween

▪ Tunstall’s cold blooded murder byDolan’s men was the first violent confrontation between the two factions

John TunstallPhoto Credit:http://www.findagrave.com/

James Dolan and Lawrence MurphyPhoto Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Alexander McSweenPhoto Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Source:Robert M. Utley, Billy The Kid, 35-36

The “Regulators” Seek Revenge for Tunstall’s Murder

Richard BrewerPhoto Credit: Wikipedia

Josiah “Doc” ScurlockPhoto Credit: Wikipedia

Tom O’FolliardPhoto Credit: Findagrave.com

Charlie Bowdre:Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Jose Chavez Y ChavezPhoto Credit: Wikipedia

Dave RudabaughPhoto Credit: Legends ofAmerica.com

Billy was deeply affected by Tunstall’s murder and swore revenge on the men that had

killed himRichard Brewer was made a “special constable” and served as captain of the “Regulators” deputized posseThe Regulators comprised ten to thirty men but there were as many as sixty at one pointSource:Robert M. Utley, Billy The Kid, 48-55

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 McSween and sixty Regulators holed up in the

McSween 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 McSween

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 McSween 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 , 221Robert 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 and 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 GarrettPhoto Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Sources: Robert M. Utley, Billy The Kid, 136Mark 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 WallacePhoto Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Prisoner in LincolnThe Kid was tried in Mesilla for Sheriff Brady’s murder and was found guiltyHe was returned to Garrett’s custody in Lincoln on April 21, 1881 and sentenced to hang on May 13Pat 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 SumnerPhoto Credit: Darci Clark

Right:Handcuff and chain at the Lincoln County CourthousePhoto Credit: Darci ClarkSource:

Mark Lee Gardner, To Hell On A Fast Horse, 138-143

Escape From The Lincoln County Courthouse

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

Bell stumbled out of the courthouse and died

Stairs at the Lincoln County Courthouse where James Bell was shot Photo Credit: Darci Clark

The Kid Shoots Bob Ollinger

Bob Ollinger Marker outside the Lincoln County CourthousePhoto Credit: FindAGrave.com Photo Credit: Darci Clark

Source:Mark Lee Gardner, To Hell On A Fast Horse, 145-146, 155

Billy retrieved Ollinger’s own shotgun out of the armory He looked out the windows so he could see any activity on the street belowOllinger heard the shots and ran out of the hotel and back toward the courthouseBilly shot Ollinger through an open window killing him instantlyThis 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 MaxwellSource: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 Garrett was waiting.

The Kid asked ¿Quién es? several times not recognizing the stranger in the room

Garrett fired without warning and shot Billy squarely in the chest killing him.

Gravestone for Tom O’Folliard, Charlie Bowdre and William H. Bonney at Fort SumnerPhoto Credit: Darci Clark

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 estatesettlement 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

WallaceHis stated Garrett actually killed a friend

of TheKid’s named Billy Barlow who looked liked

him and had a similar slim build On November 30,1950 New Mexico

GovernorThomas Mabry met with Roberts but

declined to issue him a pardonHe 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: HarperCollins, 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.