He is arrested and jailed in Lincoln County for possessing horses belonging to cattleman John Tunstall. On April 28, 1881 the Kid made his most daring escape (which would also be his last). 20:30. [12] By 1868, Catherine McCarty had moved with her two young sons, Henry and Joseph, to Indianapolis, Indiana. During this time, his notoriety with newspapers increased, and they dubbed him "Billy the Kid," and the most important outlaw of New Mexico. [66][68] Four other Regulators were wounded in the skirmish. [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. The Kid assumes the alias William H. Bonney. Later that evening, Grant pulled the same pistol on the Kid and tried to shoot him in the back. Footnote 4: James Dolan was the protg of LG Murphy and when Murphy became ill of cancer and hospitalized in Santa Fe, Dolan stepped up to take his place. Unlike other Old West outlaws such as Jesse James, Cole Younger or Butch Cassidy, Billy the Kid didnt make his living as a bandit. On September 16, 1875, McCarty was caught stealing food. [2] Meanwhile, McCarty scooped up Ollinger's[103] 10-gauge double barrel shotgun and waited at the upstairs window for Ollinger, who had been across the street with some other prisoners, to come to Bell's aid. [40] According to this account, Apaches stole McCarty's horse, forcing him to walk many miles to the nearest settlement, which happened to be Jones' home. [87], Other versions of this story exist. Bob Dylan's album Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, soundtrack of the 1973 film by Sam Peckinpah. Dirty Little Billy,[124] Stan Dragoti's 1972 film starring Michael J. Pollard. Genealogist and historian Susan Stevenson talks to Michael about the extensive work she's done rebuilding William H. Bonney's family tree. Billy the Kid first earned his reputation as a gunslinger in 1878, when he participated in a bloody frontier war in Lincoln County, New Mexico. The man went under the name of John Miller and lived in the country southeast of Ramah, around Cerro Alto. So Tunstall gave him an ultimatum: if he testified against the other rustlers, Tunstall would hire him as an employee. Billy the Kid first earned his reputation as a gunslinger in 1878, when he participated in a bloody frontier war in Lincoln County, New Mexico. Footnote 2: Its my guess that Billy the Kids stepfather never legally adopted his stepsons, since the Kid would also be referred to by his last name McCarty in Silver City. [84] After the trial, McCarty and O'Folliard slipped away on horses that were supplied by friends. [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. That same year, he adopted the alias William H. Bonney and became known as Billy the Kid or simply The Kid.. In 1870 the two accompanied each other to Wichita, Kansas and settled in different homes. Another hypothesis is that Billy the Kid was in fact Ollie L. (Brushy Bill) Roberts, who escaped, lived in Mexico and the U.S. Southwest, rode in Wild West shows, and died in 1950 in Hico, Texas. The Kid rode out of Lincoln a free man and headed to the only place he could call home: Fort Sumner. Billy stood with us to the end, brave and reliable, one of the best soldiers we had. He then armed himself with a double-barreled shotgun and gunned down a second guard who was crossing the street. [46] After murdering Tunstall, the gunmen shot down his prized bay horse. All Rights Reserved. [60] Catron cooperated closely with the Murphy-Dolan faction, which was perceived as part of the notorious "ring". [33] The coroner's inquest concluded that McCarty's shooting of Cahill was "criminal and unjustifiable." One of the most famous questions about Billy the Kid is whether or not he had any children. His legend survived and grew long after his death. Although he did participate in killings, the men he fought against were much worse than he ever was. Beginning with Garrett's account, Billy the Kid grew into a symbolic figure of the American Old West. [120] DNA samples from the remains were sent to a lab in Dallas, Texas, to be compared with traces of blood obtained from a bench that was believed to be the one upon which McCarty's body was placed after he was shot to death. It happened when a posse from White Oaks surrounded the Kid and his gang at a station house, during the standoff the posse accidentally killed their own deputy, James Carlyle. The feud then turned into an all out war. During a trip to the outhouse, the Kid slipped out of his handcuffs, ambushed a guard and shot the man to death with his own pistol. He returned some stolen horses to the army to clear himself and got work as a ranch hand. A more likely explanation, however, was his slender physique, "which placed him in precarious situations with bigger and stronger boys".[24]. Tom Sullivan, a former sheriff of Lincoln County, and Steve Sederwall, a former mayor of Capitan, disinterred the bones of John Miller in May 2005. Corrections? He went by many names -- Henry McCarty, William Henry Bonney (William H. Bonney), Oliver P. Roberts (Ollie), and, most notably, Billy the Kid. Updates? Billy the Kid is something of a phantom figure. [79] McCarty and the other Regulators fled, although McCarty is believed by some to have killed one "House" member named Bob Beckwith. The Law vs Billy the Kid (1954, Columbia Pictures Corporation) starring Scott Brady. McCarty (or Bonney, the name he used at the height of his notoriety) was 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) to 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall with blue eyes, a smooth complexion and prominent front teeth. Young Guns, Christopher Cain's 1988 motion picture starring Emilio Estevez as Billy and Patrick Wayne, son of John Wayne as Pat Garrett. William H. Bonney, known as Billy the Kid, was the youngest and most famous example of a gun-fighter from the American West. When Tunstall realized he couldn't fight his enemies the legal way due to the bias Judge Bristol and Governor Sam Axtell, Tunstall decided to fight fire with fire and hired his own gunmen. Then on September 16, 1874, the Kids mother died. Henry McCarty. The Kid then jerked Bell's pistol and told him to throw up his hands, but instead the deputy ran and the Kid had no choice but to shoot him. Garrett and Maxwell ran out of the room and huddled outside with the two deputies and waited. After he escaped from prison in 1881, he'd adopted the name Oliver P. Roberts, which he lived under for the rest of his life until his death in 1950. Following Tunstalls death, the Kid and several other former employees organized themselves into a vigilante group called The Regulators and swore revenge. Billy the Kids grave is in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. It was also on Ry Cooder Classics Volume II. Since there were now two Billies in the household, the Kids mother referred to him by his middle name, he was now Henry McCarty-Antrim (2). Chisum, 1970 movie starring John Wayne as John Chisum, dealing with Billy the Kid's involvement in the Lincoln County War. Antrim didnt want to be burden with two small boys, so he separated them and placed them in foster homes and left Silver City for Arizona. For the next 2 years the Kid tramped around as a ranch hand and gambler. Connect to the World Family Tree to find out, William Henry Harrison (Antrim), Catherine Devine Zirkle, Sep 17 1859 - New York City, New York, United States, July 14 1881 - Fort Sumner, DeBaca County, New Mexico Territory, July 14 1881 - Fort Sumner, De Baca, New Mexico, Usa, William Henry Harrison ANTRIM, Catherine DEVINE, Sep 17 1859 - New York, New York County (Manhattan), New York, USA, July 14 1881 - Fort Sumner, DeBaca County, New Mexico, USA, William Harrison Bonney, Catherine Mccarty Antrim, Patrick Mccarty, Catherine Devine Mccarty (born Antrim), July 14 1881 - Fort Sumner, DeBaca, New Mexico, United States, Bonney, Bonney (born Mccarty), Nov 23 1859 - New York, New York, New York, USA, July 14 1881 - Fort Sumner, De Baca, New Mexico, USA, William Harrison Bonney, Catherine Bonney (born Devine), William Harrison Bonney, Katherine Bonney (born Boujean), Harrison (Antrim), Catherine Devine Zirkle, Mccarty (Antrim), Mccarty, Fort Sumner, De Baca County, New Mexico, United States, We're Related to Royalty and Famous People, Juana Montoya "La Tullida" Patron, alleged girlfriend of BTK, Paulita Jaramillo, alleged girlfriend of Billy the Kid, Maria Manuelita Martinez Herrera, alleged girlfriend of BTK, Jose Patrocinio Garcia, alleged son of BTK, Florentina Yerby, alleged daughter of BTK, [speculation] Henry "billy The Kid" Mccarty, William Henry Billy, the Kid McCarty Bonney, Antrim, William Henry (Billy The Kid) Bonney McCarty, William Henry (Billy The Kid) Mccarty Bonney, Birth of Jose Patrocinio Garcia, alleged son of BTK, "Henry McCarty", "William H. Bonney", "Henry Antrim", "Kid Antrim", Cattle rustler, cowboy and ranch hand, gambler horse thief, outlaw, September 17 or November 23, 1859 (disputed) - New York City, United States, Died July 14, 1881 (aged 21) - Fort Sumner, New Mexico Territory, Cause of death Gunshot wound - Resting place Old Fort Sumner Cemetery - 342413N 1041137W, Other names William H. Bonney, Henry Antrim, Kid Antrim, Occupation: Cattle rustler, cowboy and ranch hand, gambler, horse thief, outlaw, Martin Garcia, alias he used when he allegedly married Abrana S. Garcia. On July 14, 1881 just before midnight, Pat Garrett waited till the town was quiet before he slipped into Pete Maxwells room to ask him about Billy the Kid. Before long, he fell in with a rough crowd and turned to petty crime and thievery. Other investigators have since theorized that the Kid lived to be an old man under the alias John Miller. Millers alleged remains were exhumed in 2005, but a plan to compare his DNA to the Kids never materialized. cavalrymen. 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). [17] At age 14, McCarty was taken in by a neighboring family who operated a hotel where he worked to pay for his keep. On the contrary, the evidence (from viewing his photo correctly) is that he was right-handed: he wears his pistol on his right hip with the butt pointing backwards in a conventional right-handed draw position. His role in the LCW was minor -he wasnt the leader but a follower. " Billy the Kid " is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Billy Dean. 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). A matter of fact, Billy the Kid is known as the Old West's most favorite outlaw. McCarty was transported from Fort Sumner to Las Vegas, where he gave an interview to a reporter from the Las Vegas Gazette. According to legend, he killed over 20 white men and a number of Mexicans and Indians,[2]but he is generally accepted to have killed four men.[2]. Supporting Dolan was the powerful Santa Fe Ring (similar to a mafia) in which members consisted of the governor, politicians and attorneys. [69] Copeland's authority, however, was undermined by the Murphy-Dolan faction, which promptly rounded up recruits from among Sheriff Brady's former deputies. Henry McCarty Billy the Kid (Henry Antrim) ( Henry McCarty) William H. Bonney Born 17 September 1859 - New York, NY Baptized 28 September 1859 - St. Peter's Church, Manhattan, New York, NY Deceased 14 July 1881 - Fort Sumner, DeBaca Co., NM,aged 21 years old Outlaw 2 files available Parents Patrick McCarty 1828-1869 Catherine Devine 1829-1874 Wallace simply lost interest and left the Kid to his fate. [38] It is unclear how long McCarty rode with the gang of rustlers known as "the Boys", but reliable sources indicate that he soon turned up at the house of Heiskell Jones in the Pecos Valley,[39] New Mexico. [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. They retaliated by killing Bill Morton, Frank Baker and William McCloskey. "Ash" Upson, published a sensationalistic biography titled The Authentic Life of Billy, the Kid. He neglected to keep a low profile, however, and it wasnt long before Sheriff Pat Garrett and two deputies rode into town. [65] According to a contemporary newspaper account, the Regulators disclaimed "all connection or sympathy with McSween and his affairs" and expressed their sole desire to track down Tunstall's murderers. Even in death Billy the Kid is likeable and he has a large following with people all over the word. When they tried to intimidate Tunstalls upstart operation, the Englishman enlisted the Kid and several other gunmen to protect his property. Early in life, he adopted the nickname Billy the Kid. He became handy with a Winchester rifle and a Colt revolver, and in August 1877 he killed his first man during a dispute in an Arizona saloon. After a year of no parental guidance and looking out for himself, the Kid quickly fell in with the wrong crowd. Updated: April 8, 2020 | Original: July 14, 2016. I went in and was the first to discover that they had killed my little boy. McSween and three men were killed, but Billy the Kid and the others escaped into the darkness. The Kid felt betrayed when he learned that Governor Wallace didnt have the power to pardon him without Rynersons cooperation, nor was the governor pressuring the attorney to collaborate. [93] Running on a pledge to rid the area of rustlers, Garrett was elected as sheriff of Lincoln County in November 1880, and in early December, he assembled a posse and set out to arrest McCarty, now known almost exclusively as "Billy the Kid" and carrying a $500 bounty on his head.[94]. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. History first traces the Kid as a youngster in Indiana in the late 1860s and then in Wichita, Kansas in 1870. Footnote 8: Its of great speculation whether or not the Kid was armed with a gun. The journey begins with Billy's mother Catherine McCarty Catherine Bonney arrived in New York City by way of Devonshire, England in 1846. [86] Grant, who did not realize he was playing poker with McCarty, boasted that he would kill "Billy the Kid" if he ever encountered him. Partner of Paulita Jaramillo, alleged girlfriend of Billy the Kid; Celsa Gutierrez; Maria Manuelita Martinez Herrera, alleged girlfriend of BTK and Nasaria Yerby, alleged girlfriend of BTK Aaron Copland's Billy the Kid, a ballet that premiered in 1938. He also appeared in another period. DC shooting Gold heist The Power of Water 'Rust' shooting Photo of Billy the Kid and His Killer Uncovered at Flea Market, Owner Says Frank Abrams is working with experts to verify if the photo he bought at a North Carolina flea market is really of Billy the Kid posing in a group with 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. The tombstone has been stolen and recovered three times since it was set in place in the 1940s, and the entire gravesite is now enclosed within a steel cage. In 1881, Billy the Kid was captured by Pat Garrett, the Lincoln County Sheriff, for his involvement in the Lincoln County War, and he was found guilty of killing Sheriff Brady. (by Dr. Denis Ismael HaLevi-Otero) ISBN-10: 1558852344 ISBN-13: 978-1558852341WHO ARE BILLY'S PARENTS?=. He was humorous and told me many amusing stories. With appearances from Billy Strings, Charley Crockett, Chris . [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". [78] After a five-day siege, McSween's house was set on fire by the sheriff's posse. History first traces the Kid as a youngster in Indiana in the late 1860s and then in Wichita, Kansas in 1870. Footnote 6: Before the shooting, Billy the Kid sensed trouble from a man named Joe Grant and he casually went up to him and asked to see his gun. 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. Although he claimed to have killed 21 men, the actual number is likely less than 10. When the boy was placed in jail and escaped, he was not bad, just scared. It's not known 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. [31] In 1877, McCarty was involved in an altercation with the civilian blacksmith at Fort Grant, a loquacious Irish immigrant named Frank "Windy" Cahill, who took pleasure in bullying young McCarty. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! 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. The Green Mile, Wild Bill has a tattoo of Billy the Kid in the 1999 film. In 1949, a paralegal named William Morrison located a man in West Texas named Ollie P. Roberts (nicknamed "Brushy Bill"), who claimed to be Billy the Kid and challenged the popular account of Billy's slaying at the hands of Pat Garrett in 1881. His father can't be proven, but theory says that his name could be William Harrison Bonney, Patrick Henry McCarty, Patrick McCarthy, and a few more. He got into an argument with a bully named Frank Windy Cahill, who had picked on him numerous times before. Despite lack of information on these three, here are short biographies on Catherine, Joseph, and William Antrim. The Kid was in unfriendly territory and one of his threats was prosecutor attorney William Rynerson, who was part of the Ring and wanted to put the Kid on trial for the murder of Sheriff Brady. [2][104] The Kid's escape was delayed for an hour while he worked free of his leg irons[105] with a pickax and then the young outlaw mounted a horse and rode out of town, reportedly singing. Quin es?" Catherine was suffering from consumption and her health began to deteriorate rapidly. 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. [91] At some point in the evening, Carlyle evidently decided the outlaws were stalling. The 2003 Discovery Channel Quest, Billy the Kid: Unmasked, investigated the life and death of Billy the Kid through forensic science. Reliable accounts suggest McCarty retaliated by drawing his gun and shooting Cahill, who died the next day. Always a good marksman, he shot Grant in the chin". 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. Purgatory (film), Uli Edel's 1999 made for TV movie starring Donnie Wahlberg as Deputy Glen/Billy The Kid. [83] Although McCarty's testimony helped to indict John Dolan, the district attorney, one of the powerful "House" faction leaders, disregarded Wallace's order to set McCarty free after his testimony. When it didnt fire, the Kid drew his own gun and shot Grant dead. [51] Tunstall's men formed their own group called the Regulators. [77] On July 19, a column of U.S. cavalry soldiers entered the fray. [70] Frank Coe escaped custody a short time later, when his captors were occupied elsewhere. The Left Handed Gun, Arthur Penn's 1958 motion picture based on a Gore Vidal teleplay, starring Paul Newman as Billy and John Dehner as Garrett. Brushy Bill Roberts claimed he'd been born William Henry Roberts, in Buffalo Gap, Texas. Or maybe William Bonney. If indeed, his birthplace was New York, no records that can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he ever lived there have ever been uncovered". Although Billy the Kid was one of many who fought and killed during the LCW, he was the only one that faced conviction and was sentenced to death. Billy the Kid was quickly put on trial in Mesilla and was sentence to hang for the murder of Sheriff Brady. At the time Brady arrested them, the two men were attempting to serve a warrant on Brady for his suspected role in looting Tunstall's store after the Englishman's death, as well as his posse members for the murder of Tunstall. During this time, McCarty became acquainted with John R. Mackie, a Scottish-born ex-cavalry private with a criminal bent. The Kid was known for his easygoing personality, but he wasnt afraid to draw his six-shooter when provoked. [54][55][56] During their journey to Lincoln, the Regulators also killed one of their own members, a man named McCloskey, whom they suspected of being a traitor. His real name and date of birth are disputed. Cartridges were scarce, and he always used about ten times as many as everyone else. During the pursuit for Billy the Kid, Garrett ended up killing two of the Kids closest comrades, Tom OFolliard and Charlie Bowdre. A tribute to the 1973 album Shotgun Willie. 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. Whatever happened, Bell staggered into the street and collapsed, mortally wounded. [69] For a short period, the Regulators benefited from the appointment of Sheriff John Copeland, who proved sympathetic to the McSween faction. 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. 1. The Kid worked his hand free to his revolver and fired it into Cahills gut. and killed him. The family moved to Silver City in Grant County, located in southern New Mexico. [16] Antrim found sporadic work as a bartender and carpenter but soon became more interested in prospecting and gambling for fortune than in his wife and stepsons. Jack has skinned out.. Thanks to Billy the Kid, New Mexico has a thriving business in tourism as a steady flow of tourists each year come to visit the Billy the Kid sites. He would practice shooting at anything he saw, from every conceivable angle, on and off his horse". "Billy the Kid", a folk song in the public domain, was published in John A. Lomax and Alan Lonax's American Ballads and Folksongs,[126] and also their Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads. The tensions finally boiled over in February 1878, when Tunstall was murdered by a posse organized by Sheriff William Brady, a supporter of The House. Billy the Kid was born Henry McCarty and spent his early life in New York. At first the deputized Regulators tried to do things legally by serving warrants, but with the prejudice Sheriff Brady and the bias court system, they couldnt count on justice being served. He would have been a successful man under other circumstances. [51] On April 1, Regulators Jim French, Frank McNab, John Middleton, Fred Waite, Henry Brown and McCarty ambushed Sheriff Brady[62] and his deputy, George W. Hindman,[63] killing them both in Lincoln's main street. [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". [32] On August 17, Cahill reportedly attacked McCarty after a verbal exchange and threw him to the ground. [2] The horse returned two days later.[106]. Omissions? He was said to be friendly and personable at times, and many recalled that he was as "lithe as a cat".] [96] Mistaken for McCarty, he was shot down by the posse. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. On the run again and an outlaw, the Kid went back to making a living the only way he knew how rustling. The young gunslinger stole the occasional horse, but he never once held up a bank, train or even a stagecoach. It was widely assumed throughout much of the 20th century that Billy the Kid was left-handed. There is only one known photograph of him. McCarty retrieved the gun, and turned it on Bell when the pair had reached the top of a flight of stairs in the courthouse. He spun around before Grant could reach a loaded chamber. No sooner had he woken Maxwell than the Kid also approached the house, having stopped nearby to get beef for a late dinner. By July of 1881, Garrett heard rumors that Billy the Kid was in the Fort Sumner area, so with two deputies he rode into Fort Sumner. Or, possibly,. Though he was serious in emergencies, his humor was often apparent even in such situations. [88] As in other accounts of the incident, the Kid is described as rotating the cylinder "so an empty chamber was beneath the hammer". Young Guns II, Geoff Murphy's 1990 motion picture starring Emilio Estevez as Billy and William Petersen as Pat Garrett. Outside of his gunfighting days with the Regulators, his main criminal enterprise was rustling cattle on the New Mexico plains. Please take notice of the footnote numbers in parenthesis within the summary, you will find the footnotes at the end of the paragraph in italics. After a short standoff, Billy the Kid came out and surrendered. All we know is he had a mother named Catherine (maiden name unknown) and a younger brother named Joseph (middle and last name unknown), and absolutely nothing is known of his biological father. When Grant fired, nothing happened, and McCarty then shot him. [9][10] Some genealogists argue, however, that the future outlaw was born William Henry Bonney, the son of William Harrison Bonney and wife Katherine Boujean, paternal grandson of Levi Bonney and wife Rhoda Pratt and great-grandson of Obadiah Pratt, who in turn were the Grandparents of Mormon leader Parley P. Pratt, making him and McCarty first cousins once removed. Henry McCarty; aka Billy the Kid; aka Willian H Bonney (he used his grandfather's name). The other guard Bob Olinger was across the street having dinner when he heard the gunshots. After some name-calling, Cahill rushed the Kid and slammed him down on the ground, then jumped on top of him and proceeded to slap him in the face. New Lincoln County Sheriff Pat Garrett and his posse captured Billy the Kid at a place called Stinking Springs on December 23, 1880.

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