Billy the Kid is one of the most notorious Wild West outlaws, which is especially impressive because he had to fit all his outlawing into just 21 years of life. [89] Recognizing their mistake, the posse members became demoralized and scattered, enabling McCarty and his gang to slip away. The Kid was known for his easygoing personality, but he wasnt afraid to draw his six-shooter when provoked. Henry McCarty, better known as Billy the Kid, but also known by the aliases Henry Antrim and William H. Bonney (reportedly November 23, 1859 July 14, 1881), was a 19th century American frontier outlaw and gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War. The Regulators began to panic, so the cool-headed Billy the Kid, only about seventeen years old, took over leadership of the men. Roberts may have actually been born 20 years later than Billy. The Kid was a thousand times better and braver than any man hunting him, including Pat Garrett". On December 19, McCarty barely escaped a midnight ambush in Fort Sumner, which left one member of the gang, Tom O'Folliard, dead. [42] Through them he met Frank Coe, George Coe and Ab Saunders, three cousins who owned their own ranch near to the ranch of Dick Brewer. He was humorous and told me many amusing stories. At about age 21, Billy the Kid was gunned down by Sheriff Pat Garrett. After a short stint working on the ranch of Henry Hooker, McCarty began working on the Coe-Saunders ranch. 4K views 3 years ago #BillyTheKid #Travel The Spirits of the Lincoln County War | Haunted Travels - In the heart of the state of New Mexico, lies the historic ghost town of Lincoln. B illy The Kid was born in the slums of New York City in 1859. 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. History first traces the Kid as a youngster in Indiana in the late 1860s and then in Wichita, Kansas in 1870. The pair had been searching for McCarty's physical remains since 2003, starting in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, and eventually ending up in Arizona. Tunstall came to Lincoln to start his own business and ranch, but Dolan didnt like the competition and set out to drive him away. The feud would be famously known as the Lincoln County War (4). The gang made their way to Lincoln County where the Boys joined forces with James Dolan, who was currently in a feud against an Englishman entrepreneur named John Tunstall and his attorney and partner Alex McSween. [21] The following year, on September 16, 1874, Catherine McCarty died; she was buried in the Memory Lane Cemetery in Silver City. Upon the Kid's release, however, the. 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. Then they ambushed Sheriff Brady and his deputy George Hindman in Lincoln (5). HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. When the men began to run out of the burning house the Dolan side opened fire and all hell broke loose. [27] In 1876, he settled in the vicinity of Fort Grant Army Post in Arizona, where he worked local ranches and tested his skills at local gaming houses. But after some close calls, arrest, and escaping from custody, the Kid decided it was wiser to give up his new occupation. [59] Notably, Axtell refused to acknowledge the existence of the so-called "Santa Fe Ring", a group of corrupt Republican politicians and business leaders led by U.S. Attorney Thomas Benton Catron. [45] Events turned bloody on February 18, 1878, when Tunstall was spotted while driving a herd of nine horses towards Lincoln and murdered by William Morton, Jessie Evans, Tom Hill, and Frank Baker all members of the Murphy-Dolan faction, and members of a posse sent to attack McSween's holdings. To date, no results of the DNA tests have been made public. His negotiations with Governor Lew Wallace (famed Civil War general and author of the novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ) for amnesty came to nothing. The county sheriff decided to keep him locked up for a couple of days just to scare him, but the Kid escaped and ran away (3). [88] In Jacobsen's recounting of the incident, however, Grant attempted to shoot McCarty unawares. [118] At least two men claimed to be McCarty, and they were successful in persuading a small segment of the public. Quin es?" There were other outlaws and rustlers in New Mexico, much worse than Billy the Kid, but the Kid had gain fame and was singled out by the newspapers who had built him up into something he wasnt. Our family looks favorably on Billy, we have some stories of him from our Jaramillo cousins. [112] When a reporter reminded Wallace that the Kid was depending on Wallace's intervention, the governor supposedly smiled and said, "Yes, but I can't see how a fellow like him can expect any clemency from me". [89] A posse member named James Carlyle[90] ventured into the house under a white flag, in an effort to negotiate the group's surrender. Sensing trouble, the Kid casually approached Grant and remarked, Thats a mighty nice looking six-shooter you got. He then slipped Grants gun out of its holster, spun its cylinder so that its next shot would be an empty chamber, and handed it back. He was killed not for who he really was, but for what people thought he was. The Kid from Texas (1950, Universal International) film starring Audie Murphy--location of title character's place of origin changed to appeal to Texans and capitalize on Murphy association with that state. [89] Meanwhile, Greathouse was sent out to act as a hostage for the posse. )[114] Indeed, the notion of a left-handed Billy became so entrenched that, in 1958, a film biography of "the Kid" (starring Paul Newman) was titled The Left Handed Gun. Once in control of the courthouse, the Kid collected a small arsenal of weapons, cut his leg shackles with a pickaxe and fled town on a stolen horse. Footnote 3: The Silver City newspaper reported: Henry McCarty, who was arrested Thursday and committed to jail to await the action of the grand jury, upon the charge of stealing clothes from Charley Sun and Sam Chung, celestials, sans cue, sans Joss sticks, escaped from prison yesterday through the chimney. One particularly legendary gunfight unfolded in January 1880 at a New Mexico saloon. The young gunslinger stole the occasional horse, but he never once held up a bank, train or even a stagecoach. He also appeared in another period. He would practice shooting at anything he saw, from every conceivable angle, on and off his horse". and killed him. Brushy Bill Roberts claimed he'd been born William Henry Roberts, in Buffalo Gap, Texas. There is only one known photograph of him. 1. The Outlaw, Howard Hughes' 1943 motion picture featuring Jane Russell in her breakthrough role as the Kid's fictional love interest. McCarty (or Bonney, the name he used at the height of his notoriety) was 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) to 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall with blue eyes, a smooth complexion and prominent front teeth. Scholarly opinion is divided over whether that or William H. Bonney, Jr. (the name he used later, as in the trial), was his true name. When he noticed the silhouette of one of Garretts deputies on the porch, the Kid drew his pistol and backed toward the door, shouting, Whos that? in Spanish. [50], McSween, who abhorred violence, took steps to punish Tunstall's murderers through legal means; he obtained warrants for their arrests from the local justice of the peace John B. In late 1880, Lincoln County Sheriff Pat Garrett tracked the Kid to a cabin in Stinking Springs, New Mexico, and forced his surrender. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! There, he was regarded as a champion of the oppressed. The conflict centered on a business rivalry. The posse led by Garrett fared well, and his men closed in quickly. The Kid rode out of Lincoln a free man and headed to the only place he could call home: Fort Sumner. [97] Realizing that they had no hope of escape, the besieged and hungry outlaws finally surrendered later that day and were allowed to join in the meal. During the pursuit for Billy the Kid, Garrett ended up killing two of the Kids closest comrades, Tom OFolliard and Charlie Bowdre. [19] Although she was fondly remembered by onetime boarders and neighbors as "a jolly Irish lady, full of life and mischief",[20] she was already in the final stages of tuberculosis when the family reached Silver City. Billy the Kid's real name? It's estimated that he was born around 1860-61 possibly in New York. Add languages. Billy "The Kid" Emerson performed all those linked genres over the course of a long career that . [117], Frank Coe, who rode as a Regulator, recalled years after the Kid's death: "I never enjoyed better company. As a result, people interpret him in their own ways.. Later that evening, Grant pulled the same pistol on the Kid and tried to shoot him in the back. His real name and date of birth are disputed. He was born on December 21, 1925, and he passed away on April 25, 2023. The bullet pierced the Kid's heart and he fell to the floor. [72] The only casualty was Dutch Charley Kruling, a Dolan man wounded by a rifle slug fired by George Coe at a distance of 440 paces. As Ollinger came running into view, McCarty leveled the shotgun at him, called out "Hello Bob!" When it didnt fire, the Kid drew his own gun and shot Grant dead. Beginning with the 1911 silent film Billy the Kid, the gun-toting outlaws story has appeared on the big screen more than 50 times. Director: Oliver Drake | Stars: Anthony Dexter, Sonny Tufts, Marie Windsor, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers Votes: 147 15. The family moved to Silver City in Grant County, located in southern New Mexico. [25] Two days after McCarty was placed in jail, the teenager escaped by worming his way up the jailhouse chimney. Billy the Kid's DEATH PHOTO displayed in a 1920s museum in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Some of the most famous actors to play the Kid include Roy Rogers, Paul Newman, Val Kilmer and Emilio Estevez. Henry McCarty; aka Billy the Kid; aka Willian H Bonney (he used his grandfather's name). Son of Patrick Henry McCarty and Catherine Antrim His position was further undermined by a string of negative newspaper editorials that referred to him as "Billy the Kid". On September 24, 1875, McCarty was again arrested when he was found in possession of clothing and firearms that a fellow boarder had stolen from a Chinese laundry owner. Catherine was suffering from consumption and her health began to deteriorate rapidly. The outlaw was found guilty of the murder of Sheriff William Brady and confined to the Lincoln courthouse. Most recently explored in the Discovery Channel documentary, Billy the Kid: Unmasked, this theory contends that Garrett went to the bedroom of Pedro Maxwell's sister, Paulita, and bound and gagged her in her bed. The governor agreed and promised the Kid a full pardon. By 1871, Catherine was diagnosed with Tuberculosis and was told to move to a climate that was warmer and drier. [70] On April 29, 1878, a posse including the Jessie Evans Gang and the Seven Rivers Warriors, under the direction of former Brady deputy George W. Peppin, engaged Regulators Frank McNab, Ab Saunders and Frank Coe in a shootout at the Fritz Ranch. "In the time that the Kid roamed the land he chided Hispanic villagers who were fearful of standing up to the big ranchers who stole their land, water, and way of life".[106]. Henry quickly adapted to life in the rugged territory and became fluent in Spanish, but his sickly mother died of tuberculosis in 1874, leaving him an orphan at the age of just 14. One-Eyed Jacks (1961) is the only film directed by actor Marlon Brando, who also played its lead character, Rio. [60] Catron cooperated closely with the Murphy-Dolan faction, which was perceived as part of the notorious "ring". According to one version of events, Carlyle heard a shot that had been fired accidentally outside. Pat Garrett became an Old West legend for killing Billy the Kid, yet as the years passed, rumors circulated that the Sheriff had either shot the wrong man or helped fake the outlaws death. . Whatever happened, Bell staggered into the street and collapsed, mortally wounded. [91] At some point in the evening, Carlyle evidently decided the outlaws were stalling. The Kid left the war with a reputation as one of the Wests most skilled gunmen, but he remained wanted for the murder of Sheriff Brady. Ms Kelly, the late Queen's confidante and stylist for more than 20 years, is leaving her grace-and-favour cottage in the grounds of Windsor Castle for a new life in the Peak District - 180 miles away. The Kid was the only one convicted and punished over the events of the war. The Regulators revenge only made things worse. Finally on December 23, 1880 Garrett trapped the Kid and three other gang members at a cabin in Stinking Springs. His role in the LCW was minor -he wasnt the leader but a follower. MPI/Getty Images. At that exact moment, the Kid with a knife in hand went to Maxwells house to get some fresh beef for a late steak dinner. [61], Unfazed, the Regulators planned to settle a score with Sheriff William J. Brady, who had arrested McCarty and fellow deputy Fred Waite in the aftermath of Tunstall's murder. Miller was buried at the state-owned Pioneers' Home Cemetery in Prescott, Arizona. Instead he was a gunfighter in a feud between two factions in which both sides stole from each other and killed. [127], "Billy the Kid" folksong sung by Woody Guthrie, recorded by Alan Lomax in 1940 for the Library of Congress (#3412 B2), with a melody Guthrie later used for his song "So Long, it's Been Good to Know You". Deputy James Carlyle, member of the posse that tried to capture Billy the Kid, Dirty Dave Rudabaugh, and Billy Wilson. Added as an immortal to Michael Scott's series Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel during the third book The Sorceress. In January 1880, he reportedly killed a man named Joe Grant in a Fort Sumner saloon. [9][10] According to some accounts, McCarty was born as William Henry McCarty, Jr., but his mother preferred to call him "Henry" because she did not wish him to be known as "Junior". He ran toward the building and as the Kid saw him approaching he shot Olinger down with a shotgun (7). Its estimated that he was born around 1860-61 possibly in New York. [1] The song was written by Dean and Paul Nelson. As a child, Billy the Kid went under the name of Henry McCarty. [88] As in other accounts of the incident, the Kid is described as rotating the cylinder "so an empty chamber was beneath the hammer". One bullet struck the 21-year-old near his heart, killing him instantly. A large number of residents in the surrounding country and . Now fighting for the Tunstall side and in the hopes of a better future, the Kid changed his name to William H. Bonney, but his friends called him Kid. Tensions were high and the feud between Dolan and Tunstall escalated in to bloody violence. Requiem for Billy the Kid, Anne Feinsilber's 2006 motion picture starring Kris Kristofferson. Omissions? Although the popularity of the first story persists, and portrays Garrett in a better light, many historians contend that the second version is probably the accurate one. Another individual who allegedly claimed to be Billy the Kid was John Miller, whose family supported his claim in 1938, some time after Miller's death. Brother of Joseph McCarty, Miguel Otero is one of my cousins, another Otero cousin helped make the coffin and buried Billy. Dirty Little Billy,[124] Stan Dragoti's 1972 film starring Michael J. Pollard. [80] McSween was shot down while fleeing the blaze, and his death essentially marked the end of the Lincoln County Cattle War. [17] At age 14, McCarty was taken in by a neighboring family who operated a hotel where he worked to pay for his keep. As the Kid dodged the law, Pat Garrett was elected sheriff and made US Marshal to hunt for Billy the Kid. [74] Around the time of Segovia's death, the Regulator "iron clad" gained a new member, a young Texas "cowpoke" named Tom O'Folliard, who became McCarty's close friend and constant companion. [9] There is clear evidence that his Mother's name was Catherine McCarty, although "there have been continuing debates about whether McCarty was her maiden or married name". Updates? He would spend the rest of his life on the run from the authorities. This was done to prevent an accidental discharge should the hammer be struck. Wallis wrote in 2007 that McCarty was ambidextrous. But it wasn't the end, Billy the Kid lives on in history and legend. [88], In November 1880, a posse pursued and trapped McCarty's gang inside a ranch house owned by one of the Kid's friends, James Greathouse, at Anton Chico in the White Oaks area. [112] A number of the Regulators faded away or secured amnesty, but McCarty was in no position to accomplish either. Billy the Kids real name was William Henry McCarty (1), when and where he was born, or who or what happened to his father is not known. 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. Since the end of the Lincoln County War, the Kid spent the next two years eluding the law and living in and around Fort Sumner (a former military fort transformed into a tiny Mexican village). McCarty drew his pistol and backed away, asking "Quin es?

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