https://www.historynet.com/death-of-billy-the-kid-as-pat-garrett-tells-it/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot. In the dark, Billy had gone to cut a slice of meat. At some point after these murders, Lew Wallace became governor of New Mexico. But this nice, steady job for Billy the Kid grew more turbulent thanks to a dispute between Tunstall and his rivals. The comments below have not been moderated. These qualities contributed to his image as both a notorious outlaw and a folk hero. In 1882, Garrett and his ghost writer, Marshall Upson, published The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid. 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?" A tiny stone cabbage has a big backstory stretching from Beijings Forbidden City to Taipei's National Palace Museum. Pat Garrett, the sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory, had been on the trail for months. The case dates back to 1881so why the New Years Eve deadline you may ask? 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. Pat Garrett was a man of the times. Did Pat Garrett kill Billy the Kid as per the official tale? An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. Well, let me explain by starting with a little history lesson. 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. The Kid was known to be friendly and personable and a smart dresser, often wearing a Mexican sombrero. Experts believe a picture that shows the New Mexico outlaw with Garrett would be worth much more. The Billy the Kid Museum opened in Hico nearly 40 years after Robertss death, and the city actively celebrates the connection. He wore a broad-brimmed hat, a dark vest and pants, and was in his shirtsleeves. McCarty, was a member of the Regulators gang. During an interview in 1983, Pat Garretts last surviving daughter, Elizabeth, claimed that her father did not kill the Kid. Little is known about Billy the Kids early days, but Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. At midnight, Garrett moved silently towards the Maxwell houses southeast corner, just outside Maxwells bedroom. About two months later with no amnesty forthcoming, Billy realized hed been had and they were going to hang him instead. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. Its now summer 1881. And that included his last escape, from the custody of Sheriff Garrett. Garrett was fatally shot on the road from the ranch to Las Cruces, N.M. In 2008, for instance, Bonham sold Billy's gun for $64,350. 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. 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. 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. A cropped version of the sole fully authenticated photo of Billy the Kid. It was the last contact he ever had with Antrim. Billy the Kids grave is in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. He joined the wrong groups and wound up running from the law. 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. He had stopped his wagon on a lonely road about four miles east of Las Cruces, New Mexico, in order to empty his bladder. Retreating rapidly across the room he cried: Quien es? Brushy Bill Roberts, who died in 1950, claimed that he was the Kid. I wont put a price on it, quite frankly its priceless. Wikimedia CommonsThe disputed photo bought by Randy Guijarro, allegedly showing Billy the Kid (center). One particular misstep in the Kids life was his affiliation with the Lincoln County War. 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 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. Of course, the above is Pat Garretts account which has been disputed by many people ever since. Garrett was away from Lincoln on county business when the Kid made his escape. Right, another photo of Billy the Kid, whowas celebrated for his gun skills and, according to popular legend killed 21 men - one for each year of his short life. A very similar situation arose with yet another disputed photo of Billy in 2017. 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. American mafia founder Albert Anastasia's What a sparkler! WebOn the night of July 14, 1881, Sheriff Pat Garrett gunned down outlaw Billy the Kid in Fort Sumner. Billy the Kid, that heasked Sheriff Kimball to appoint him deputy sheriff until his term officiallybegan in January of 1881. El Paso Times 1934: Pistol That Killed Billy the Kid Will Be Returned to Garretts Widow. 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. Garrett did not seek re-election as sheriff of Lincoln County the year after McCarty's death. Were not trying to deceive anyone. Anne Morrow Lindbergh, The Persevering Pilot And Author Who Charted Her Own Course, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. At the same time he served as a deputy U.S. marshal. It is believed to benow worth millions of dollars. Some argue his book about Billy Bonney is the only reason why The Kid is remembered today. 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. 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. Maybe they lacked imagination, though "Willy Wet Behind the Ears" doesn't scan particularly well. Its the last day of Richardsons term. Once more, Sheriff Garrett was sent after the Kid. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Billy the Kid was free for just three months before his final encounter with Pat Garrett. Meanwhile, Billy encountered Poe and McKinney and apparently said Quien es? which means who is it? in Spanish. Who Killed The Sheriff Who Shot Billy the Kid? Quickly as possible I drew my revolver and fired, threw my body aside, and fired again. Garrett invited Tom Powers to go along and introduced Powers to the President as a prominent Texas cattleman; they sat for photographs with Roosevelt. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. However, Poe and several other people say they moved the body quickly, dressed it and prepared it for a wake. 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.. The Kid was known to be friendly and personable and a smart dresser, often wearing a Mexican sombrero. 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. 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. I might not pardon him. They were acquitted of the Fountain killings, and the charges for killing the deputy were dismissed. But mostly because of the cattle that went missing. Eidsons official position on the story echoes that of the rest of the Historical Commissionwe keep an open mind. 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. Mblitch CC BY-SA 3.0. 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. 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 Either way, Billy sensed that trouble was coming and decided to head it off at the pass. Wikimedia CommonsA cropped version of the sole fully authenticated photo of Billy the Kid. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. At about age 21, Billy the Kid was gunned down by Sheriff Pat Garrett. Exactly how Billy the Kid was shot to death on July 14, 1881 has been the subject of widespread speculation. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. And yet with the good cheer came a surprising ruthlessness. While we await the rumored Blu-ray of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid to surface (or was Alex Cox misinformed? Garrett attempted to turn himself in to authorities, but no charges were filed. 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. Billy the Kid was a late 19th-century thief and gunfighter. 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. In 1931, locals raised money to give him a proper headstone. 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. 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. The Kid remained and Garrett was true to his word and arrested his former friend. 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. Afterward, he moved even farther west to New Mexico Territory. 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. As a child, Billy the Kid went under the name of Henry McCarty. He was celebrated for his gun skills and, according to popular legend killed 21 men - one for each year of his short life. Billy the Kid was also still stealing. A few months later, Garrett married Apolinaria Gutierrez, his sister-in-law. His parents were Irish immigrants who came to America and married just after turning 20. But That Was Just the Beginning. Carl Adamson took Garrett to Las Cruces, New Mexico, and was soon joined by Brazel on horseback. From gas leaks to eels, James "Smelly" Kelly changed the history of the city's underground. 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. For instance, Poe does not remember the significant incident at the peach orchard. Four months later, Billy the Kid escaped just after his conviction for murder. 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. 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. He made a deal with the governor that should he testify against persons involved in the Lincoln County War, he would receive a full pardon for involvement in Sheriff Bradys death and other misdeeds. But they were only able to arrest John Webb, an accused murderer, along with horse thief George Davis. Pat Garrett: The Truth About The Man Who Killed Billy The Kid Frank Abrams, a North Carolina attorney, first spotted the tintype photo in Asheville in 2011. McCartys family life was total chaos from the start. New Mexico Office of the State Historian. The extended dance of Sheriff Pat Garrett shoots Henry McCarty, popularly known as Billy the Kid, to death at the Maxwell Ranch in New Mexico. The image could be the last known picture of Billy the Kid, who was born Henry McCarty. 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 darkness, he could not see Garrett well and repeatedly asked: Who is it? Garrett replied with two gunshots, killing Bonney. 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. Wikimedia CommonsThe full-length version of the sole completely authenticated photo of Billy the Kid. For example, Billy was extremely nave on the night in question. 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. ), correspondent Darren Gross has come across a watchable web encoding of a Peckinpah TV drama that seems to be more or less lost. Good star performances (Jean Simmons, Bradford Hes since been romanticized in print, and on stage, television, and film as an emblem of the lawless West. I asked him as to the whereabouts of the Kid. A struggle or two, a little strangling sound as he gasped for breath, and the Kid was with his many victims. Tim Sweet, owner of the Billy the Kid museum, previously said that he was 95 per cent sure that Garrett is in the photo. But Garrett resigned before long and returned to his ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. Wikimedia CommonsLew Wallace, before he became governor. Wikimedia CommonsPat Garrett, the man who shot Billy the Kid. 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. 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). Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Brazels trial for the murder of Garrett lasted only one day, on May 4, 1909. 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. 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. However, the true figure is believed to be somewhere between four and nine. The defining issue revolves around the belief that Wallace promised this pardon in exchange for Kids knowledge in a murder case involving three men. Pat Garrett: The Truth About The Man Who Killed Billy The Kid. He murdered two deputies, James Bell and Bob Olinger, during the escape. Although he claimed to have killed 21 men, the actual number is likely less than 10. In New Mexico, Garrett worked as a cowboy for Pedro Pete Maxwell but quit to open a saloon. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. One of them suddenly got up, walked out of the orchard, and leaped over a fence. They lived in a slum on Manhattans east side and his father, Patrick, died soon after his first son was born. Once again, Billy didnt stay in jail for long. 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. The second shot was useless; the Kid fell dead. 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. He had already written down the jurys verdict and asked Segura, Anaya and the rest of the jury to sign it. Garrett and his lawman tracked down McCarty to modern day Taiban, New Mexico, where the group surrendered in December 1880. These qualities contributed to his image as both a notorious outlaw and a folk hero. When Notorious Outlaw Billy the Kid Briefly Joined a U.S. Did Blues King Robert Johnson Sell His Soul To The Devil To Become The World's Greatest Musician? The other known pictures of the outlaw were believed to have been taken in 1877, 1878 and 1879. Garrett tried to break the lease when he learned his creditor, W.W. Bill Cox, was financing Brazel. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. 'I don't travel with it.'. 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. From his first robberies to his days as a frontier gunslinger to his epic death, Billy the Kid remains perhaps the definitive legend of the Wild West. Somewhere on his ride, he was surrounded by Apaches who took his stolen horse and left him to walk through the desert for miles back to civilization. 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. WebBut he never did like to talk about it all that much. 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.). Texas. New Lincoln County Sheriff Pat Garrett and his posse captured Billy the Kid at a place called Stinking Springs on December 23, 1880. A little over a year later, the New Mexico territorial legislature voted to give Garrett the $500 he was owed. McCartys new stepfather was a part-time prospector who frequently went off on extended trips. He did, however, manage to escape from jail and go on the run. He was a gambler and heavy drinker andoften deeply in debt. They are personal things, and things that make complete sense for him to be upset about if his story was true.. I now believe without a doubt that Billy the Kid was not killed by Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner. He also wouldnt have backed into a darkened doorway where more danger possibly lurked. Billy agreed and went through with the farce. Billy then drew fast and shot Grant in the head before making his escape. Bonney woke up and went into the kitchen, presumably to get something to eat. 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 contacted the governor to exchange a witness statement for a pardon. 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. Unfortunately, by the time the Kid was fifteen years old his mother had passed away from tuberculosis. At about age 21, Billy the Kid was gunned down by Sheriff Pat Garrett. In the midst of the act, he was shot in the back of the head. 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. Outlaws have a romantic air about them and I think the people in Hamilton County really enjoy having this as part of the history.. I think people really like being associated with it now. But surely even the man who shot charming, murderous Billy the Kid deserved a better end than a bullet while watering the desert. Furthermore, several of Billys friends say he only had a knife and not a gun. Exactly what happened after that has been the subject of speculation ever since, but everyone agrees on one fact: On the night of July 14, Billy the Kid was shot to death in Maxwells home. "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." Garrett, who had been tracking the Kid for The Kid testified as promised, but the pardon was never granted. Film Review: The Kid. He realized that the law had made its way to Fort Sumner, so he fled towards Maxwells compound. The victim, Patrick Floyd Jarvis Pat Garrett, was the former sheriff of Lincoln County best known for having killed outlaw Billy the Kid on July 14, 1881. Garrett served as sheriff of Doa Ana County from 1896 to 1900. He was murdered at about 10:30 on the morning of Feb. 29, 1908, some 5 miles east of Las Cruces. 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. It was at this point that many sources say the Kid began his life of crimestarting with stealing and progressing to murder. 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). Word reached him of the death, but he didnt cut his trip short and missed the funeral. The picture is the only known photo of the Regulators gang all together. For example, a Mrs. Wood of Seven Rivers said she served the outlaw dinner three days after he was supposed to have died. 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. 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). One of his first acts was to capture Billy the Kid, sending him to trial for the murder of the Lincoln sheriff and his deputy. There is no doubt there that Billy the Kid is one of their own, and theyre happy to tell the world. He was to outlaws what Wyatt Earp was to lawmen, an iconic figure whose legacy persists on to this day. 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 appointed deputy sheriff for the last two months of 1880 before taking office January 1, 1881. One of Garretts deputies went to check the roof and was fatally shot. 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. What you may not know is that the long dead Kid may be up for a pardon from current New Mexico governor Bill Richardson. During the Kids time as an outlaw, Pat Garrett was elected Sheriff and sent after him. If not, did someone else shoot the outlaw? On ABCs, Good Morning America Friday, Richardson explained that the evidence of the case simply did not warrant a pardon. Before resigning in disgrace, federal judge William Story preceded the more celebrated hanging judge Isaac Parker in Arkansas Western District. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. He came directly towards me. Garrett went on to be a rancher, customs collector, sheriff of another county, and terrible gambler. Does Billy the Kid Deserve the Pardon He was Promised? McCarty was then brought to Las Vegas where he stood trial for Brady's murder and on April 13, was sentenced to die. Garrett was able to get inside the house on July 14 and when Billy entered, Garrett shot him dead. Billy had numerous friends and people sympathetic to his plight at the Fort, so the lawmen found it difficult to extract any information. August 10th, 2010. 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. There were various men in the American Southwest who went by the moniker "Billy the Kid."