Does Billy the Kid Deserve the Pardon He was Promised? Of course, the above is Pat Garretts account which has been disputed by many people ever since. They were acquitted of the Fountain killings, and the charges for killing the deputy were dismissed. He, too, knows Fort Sumner; he had once worked for Maxwell as a ranch hand. On ABCs, Good Morning America Friday, Richardson explained that the evidence of the case simply did not warrant a pardon. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Free shipping for many products! During this fight, the Army was forced to intervene and the Regulators lost many of their men. Now, the stories of what actually happened next seem to clash, so suffice it to say that the Kid ended up in custody. McCartys family life was total chaos from the start. 'Only known photograph discovered' of Billy the Kid and Pat Captured and brought in to Las Vegas, New Mexico, he was described as "in a joyous mood" He called out to an acquaintance, "Thought I jes drop in and see how you fellers in Vegas air behavin' yerselves." Richardson told the Associated Press on Wednesday, I dont know where Ill end up. Billy the Kid, that heasked Sheriff Kimball to appoint him deputy sheriff until his term officiallybegan in January of 1881. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. They mistook OFolliard for Bonney, however,and fatally shot him. When we reached the porch in front of the building, I left Poe and McKinney at the end of the porch, about twenty feet from the door of Petes room, and went in. Billy the Kid has long been one of the many names associated with the Wild West, alongside the Bob Dalton Gang, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Cole Younger, Jesse James, and more. An experienced outlaw (even at a tender age) would surely have recognized two deputies standing on the porch. He moved in with an El Paso prostitute; when Curry learned of Garretts situation, he withdrew his offer. 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. Garrett was fatally shot on the road from the ranch to Las Cruces, N.M. At around 9 pm, Garrett and his deputies rode to a peach orchard in the area to chat with Maxwell. I now believe without a doubt that Billy the Kid was not killed by Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner. Garrettwas dismissed in1906 and returned to New Mexico. We concealed ourselves quickly and listened; but the distance was too great to hear words, or even distinguish voices. Now the law had yet another reason to be after Billy the Kid. The two men knew each other and had socialized with one another; it might be a stretch to call them friends. Since that time, debates have raged over Robertss claims, and whether he was truly one of the Wests most notorious gunmen or just an old man looking for attention. Brushy Bill was very well known around these parts, says Jane Klein, historian at the Billy the Kid Museum. 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. In New Mexico, Garrett worked as a cowboy for Pedro Pete Maxwell but quit to open a saloon. McCartys new stepfather was a part-time prospector who frequently went off on extended trips. Meanwhile, Billy encountered Poe and McKinney and apparently said Quien es? which means who is it? in Spanish. Garrett had hoped to apprehend the men while they were asleep, but Lee and Gililland set themselves up as lookouts on the roof of the bunkhouse. Garrett was away from Lincoln on county business when the Kid made his escape. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Ukraine soldiers shoot down enemy drones with drones of their own, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts, MCCARTY, HENRY | The Handbook of Texas Online| Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), Do not sell or share my personal information. While in prison, the Kid escaped againthis time killing two guards in the process. To Poes great surprise, he recognized in the camper an old friend and former partner, in Texas, named Jacobs. A Strong-willed Texan Scout Joined the Confederacy at 15. Three days later, Garrett and his men surrounded the fugitives at Stinking Springs. Billy the Kid is shot to death - HISTORY 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. When he was unable to make mortgage payments on his ranch, the county auctioned off his personal belongings, but that raised only $650. The pardon was on behalf of the killing of Sherriff William Brady in 1878. Billy the Kid - Crime Museum For instance, Poe does not remember the significant incident at the peach orchard. There were various men in the American Southwest who went by the moniker "Billy the Kid." Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Once more, Sheriff Garrett was sent after the Kid. Garrett was able to get inside the house on July 14 and when Billy entered, Garrett shot him dead. He was armed with a knife and a gun. 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. So, why is the notorious Billy the Kid up for this pardon, you ask? Garrett succeeded in capturing Billy the Kid and a few other outlaws at Stinking Springs on December 23, 1880. In 2010, many petitioned the New Mexico governors office to grant Billy the pardon they say Lew Wallace had promised him 130 years before, but it never came to pass. 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. 'Right now, that is not the first thing on my mind. However, Poe and several other people say they moved the body quickly, dressed it and prepared it for a wake. After three years on the run and several other murders, Pat Garrett finally arrested Billy in early 1881. Other sources state that without parental guidance, the Kid simply got a bad start in life. But how much of the myth is actually true? The two men were fined for disturbing the peace. Lew Wallaces descendant William Wallace argues that pardoning Billy the Kid would, declare Lew Wallace to have been a dishonorable liar. Garrett, a one-time friend, was the new sheriff of Lincoln County. The photo of the Kid discovered in 2015 has since been estimated to be worth $5 million. Garrett succeeded in capturing Billy the Kid and a few other outlaws at Stinking Springs on December 23, 1880. There are two theories about what happened at the house where Garrett found and killed McCarty. Mysteries of the Old West: Did Pat Garrett Kill Billy the Kid? But That Was Just the Beginning. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The sheriff and two deputies, John Poe and Thomas McKinney, saddle up and set out in search of their quarry. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. People in Hico, Texaspopulation 1,780 and home to the Billy the Kid Museumtell a slightly different version. While still young, his family relocated to New Mexico. Well, let me explain by starting with a little history lesson. All rights reserved. Before the sun came up, the Kid was underground with nothing but a wooden marker for his grave. The authenticity of the photo has since been disputed, despite National Geographic standing behind it. The next time the Kid encountered the sheriff however, it would be his last. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Pat Garrett is hired as a lawman on behalf of a group of wealthy New Mexico cattle barons to bring down his old friend Billy the Kid. Now these are strange things for someone that is a fraud to focus on. 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. Its now summer 1881. For those of you scratching your heads wondering who Billy the Kid is; he is the western outlaw also known as William Bonney. Once again, Billy didnt stay in jail for long. https://www.historynet.com/death-of-billy-the-kid-as-pat-garrett-tells-it/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot. This is the real story of Billy the Kid. He died by the gun of Sherriff Pat Garrett at age 21. 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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. Pat Garrett: The Truth About The Man Who Killed Billy The Kid A quick online search reveals more than 50 films in which Billy the Kid is either the main character or a secondary one. 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Richardson is a known Billy the Kid aficionado, and is considering the pardon because of an alleged promise by Governor Lew Wallace. But Garrett resigned before long and returned to his ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. He also obtained a deputy U.S. Marshals commission to have jurisdiction in other counties. Wikimedia CommonsThe disputed photo bought by Randy Guijarro, allegedly showing Billy the Kid (center). These qualities contributed to his image as both a notorious outlaw and a folk hero. in Spanish. I walked to the head of the bed and sat down on it, beside him, near the pillow. Billy the Kid was a late 19th-century thief and gunfighter. 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. It was taken at the ranch of John Tunstall, an Englishman rancher who organized the gang to protect his properties against rivals, The photo, zoomed in to see Billy the Kid more closely, wasdiscovered in 2015 and has since been estimated to be worth $5 million. The other account is that it was McCarty who entered the home, holding his knife, when he noticed a dark figure in the house, and again asked 'Who Is it?' Nobody is sure of the exact date he was born but it seems to have been sometime in September 1859 because theres a baptism record for him from the end of that month. Wallace reneged on his promise., Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. He tried to work straight jobs (hotel worker, ranch hand) but quickly found himself on the wrong side of the law. Pat Garrett: The Truth About The Man Who Killed Billy The Kid Garrett did not seek re-election as sheriff of Lincoln County the year after McCarty's death. Amid controversy, Garrett was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on January 2, 1902. Following Billy the Kids death, the media turned him into a folk hero and made Garrett out to be the bad guy. In 1948, a paralegal named William V. Morrison was investigating a man named Joe Hines, a survivor of the Lincoln County War, the feud that helped make Billy the Kids name. Garrett claims that he stayed in Maxwells house with his men for the entire night. There is no doubt there that Billy the Kid is one of their own, and theyre happy to tell the world. For example, a Mrs. Wood of Seven Rivers said she served the outlaw dinner three days after he was supposed to have died. I believe he lived, had many more adventures before he finally died in Hico in 1950. There are plenty of conspiracy theories about Garrett's assassination. According to popular legend, Garrett and McCarty were friends before he became an outlaw, but there is no historical evidence to support the theory. Portrait of American gunman Billy the Kid (18591881). He was buried in the old military cemetery at Fort Sumner next to two of his gang members. 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 came directly towards me. The Kid remained and Garrett was true to his word and arrested his former friend. Pat Garrett - Wikipedia Instead, he briefly moved to Texas to serve asa Lieutenant in the Texas Rangers before returning to his ranch in New Mexico. When you listen to his real story, he talks about how he wasnt an outlaw, how he never robbed banks or stagecoaches, how he resented the fact that Governor Lew Wallace reneged on his promise of a pardon in 1879 and left him to die, Edwards says. Marshal named Robert Widenmann, there as part of a federal effort to restore order, who let him out (presumably sparing him the hassle of planning his third jail escape). Nevertheless, it says a lot about the continued American fascination with Billy the Kid that a mere photo of him would be valued at $5 million some 135 years after his death. For starters, Billy the Kids name wasnt Billy and he wasnt born in the western United States. He headed west with his family as a youth and had his first brush with the law in 1875 when he was arrested for stealing clothes from a Chinese laundry in Silver City, New Mexico. 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 aftermath of the apparent shooting, numerous people claimed to have met the Kid. But while under guard by two sheriff's deputies at a home, McCarty killed both men and then fled out of town on horseback. Believing the photo to include Billy the Kid (which would make it just the second known photo of him), Guijarro eventually found an authentication firm that verified his claim with facial recognition analysis and valued it at $5 million. We had ridden to within a short distance of Maxwells grounds when we found a man in camp and stopped. 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. Texas. Circa 1879-1880. Its all just part of the areas mythology. It was near midnight and Pete was in bed. We unsaddled here, got some coffee, and, on foot, entered an orchard which runs from this point down to a row of old buildings, some of them occupied by Mexicans, not more than sixty yards from Maxwells house. Billy lights out for old Fort Sumner on the Pecos River, some 150 miles northeast of Lincoln. Corrections? In December 1880, he had brought in the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid on charges of murdering a former county sheriff. From gas leaks to eels, James "Smelly" Kelly changed the history of the city's underground. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. In Hico Billy is everywhere, from a statue downtown, to the standee in the Chamber of Commerce, to the monumental arch over Robertss grave. In 1881, he was apprehended by Sheriff Pat Garrett and sentenced to death by hanging for murder. 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. 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 Billy the Kids grave is in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. He was celebrated for his gun skills and, according to popular legend killed 21 men - one for each year of his short life. The image could be the last known picture of Billy the Kid, who was born Henry McCarty. Even by frontier standards, he was young. Patrick Floyd Jarvis Garrett (June 5, 1850 February 29, 1908) was an American Old West lawman, bartender and customs agent known for killing Billy the Kid. In 1901 Garrett was appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt as Collector of Customs in El Paso. Together the couple had nine children four girls and five boys. When he was a child,his father, John Lumpkin Garrett, bought a cotton plantation in Louisiana, and he grew up there with five sisters and two brothers. New Mexico Office of the State Historian. In 1931, locals raised money to give him a proper headstone. 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. Soon a man arose from the ground, in full view, but too far away to recognize. After he thought about it, though, he told [Morrison] that he was Billy the Kid. Soon after, the family moved farther west where Henry McCarty started getting into trouble. The months-long war came to a climax with the July 19, 1878, Battle of Lincoln, also called 'The Five-Day Battle'. The extended dance of But they were only able to arrest John Webb, an accused murderer, along with horse thief George Davis. The picture is the only known photo of the Regulators gang all together. By 1876 he was hunting buffalo, until a dispute with another hunter, Joe Briscoe, ended up with Garrett killing Briscoe. No purchase necessary. Noticing it only had three rounds loaded, he subtly rotated the drum to an empty cylinder and handed it back. 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. What historians do know is that Garrett was elected sheriff of Lincoln County in November 1880, on a platform promising to end the violence between two groups of warring landowners feuding over dry goods and cattle interests in the county. Eidsons official position on the story echoes that of the rest of the Historical Commissionwe keep an open mind. Each landowner was supported by their own gang. Thats him! Simultaneously the Kid must have seen, or felt, the presence of a third person at the head of the bed. He and an accomplice named John Mackie began swiping horses from a nearby Army fort and then selling them. They lived in a slum on Manhattans east side and his father, Patrick, died soon after his first son was born. How Billy the Kid Died, as Sheriff Pat Garrett Tells It HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. Born Henry McCarty, he was the first of two boys raised by a small Irish Catholic family in New York City. Wikimedia CommonsPat Garrett, the man who shot Billy the Kid. As they talked, Billy, said Garrett, "expressed no enmity towards me, but evinced respect and confidence in me acknowledging that I had only done my duty, without malice, and had treated him with marked leniency and kindness.". William Wallace agrees, also citing that McGinn has, meager qualifications. But surely even the man who shot charming, murderous Billy the Kid deserved a better end than a bullet while watering the desert. Brushy Bill Roberts, who died in 1950, claimed that he was the Kid. During a card game, Billy the Kid accused another player of cheating. Garrett did not pursue re-election for sheriff of Lincoln County in 1882. They saw a group of men nearby who were speaking in Spanish. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. At some point after these murders, Lew Wallace became governor of New Mexico. The next scene with Jason Robards, James Coburn is sporting a nice moustache. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. He managed to locate his stepfathers place in New Mexico, where he holed up for a few weeks. According to legend, the judge shouted at the 21-year-old Kid that he was to hang by the neck until he was dead, dead, dead! Also according to legend, Billys last words on the record were to tell the judge he could go to hell, hell, hell!. Little is known about Billy the Kids early days, but Once inside, he asked Maxwell: Who are these fellows outside Pete? Maxwell said: Thats him! to Garrett, who opened fire almost as soon as Billy said: who are you? in Spanish. On the evening of April 28, 1881, Billy was left under the supervision of a single guard in the jailhouse while the rest of the staff hit the saloon across the street. From his step I could perceive he was either barefooted or in his stocking-feet, and held a revolver in his right hand and a butcher knife in his left. Wikimedia CommonsThe full-length version of the sole completely authenticated photo of Billy the Kid. This is a terrible place to put a fellow in.". By Kelly Mclaughlin For Mailonline and Ashley Collman For Dailymail.com and Associated Press, Published: 06:57 EST, 15 November 2017 | Updated: 10:53 EST, 15 November 2017. 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. He said that he had theories as to why McCarty would have taken a photo with the man who eventually killed him, pointing to the cigars as signs that Garrett and his lawmen were celebrating capturing McCarty. They fired at the men from behind a wall, and Brady died after being shot at least a dozen times. Marshals Posse. Pat Garrett eventually shot and murdered him in July 1881. 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. 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.). Soldier in range wars, cattle rustler, horse thief, but also universally described as charming, funny, a good singer and good dancer, at least bilingual, and an avid reader. He raised quickly his pistol, a self-cocker, within a foot of my breast. For all of you Wild, Wild West aficionados out there, here is a post that is sure to be interesting! But then I might. Outlaws have a romantic air about them and I think the people in Hamilton County really enjoy having this as part of the history.. Wow, a new Sam Peckinpah western! Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). As a child, Billy the Kid went under the name of Henry McCarty. It was a game of two, Billy said, and I got there first.. On the night ofJuly 14, 1881, Sheriff Pat Garrett gunned down outlaw Billy the Kid in Fort Sumner.