The young gunslinger stole the occasional horse, but he never once held up a bank, train or even a stagecoach. Requiem for Billy the Kid, Anne Feinsilber's 2006 motion picture starring Kris Kristofferson. 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. The Collected Works of Billy the Kid: Left-handed Poems, by Michael Ondaatje, 1970 Governor General's Award-winning biography in the form of experimental poetry. This was done to prevent an accidental discharge should the hammer be struck. 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. Billy the Kid's DNA sparks legal showdown - NBC News The Kid was shackled and imprisoned in a room in the Lincoln courthouse as two deputies took turns guarding over him. He also recorded it in 1944 for Moe Asch's Asch/Folkways label (MA67).[128]. Victims of Billy the Kid, the Regulators, and the Rustlers, Billy's The Kid decided to laid low long enough until the law would give up hunting him and he could rustle up some money and leave the territory. With appearances from Billy Strings, Charley Crockett, Chris . Dave Paulson. McCarty vehemently denied shooting Carlysle,[89] and later wrote to Governor Wallace, claiming to be innocent of this crime and others attributed to him. They could hear as the Kid gasped for breath and then all was quiet -Billy the Kid was dead (8). McCarty was buried the next day in Fort Sumner's old military cemetery, between his fallen companions Tom O'Folliard and Charlie Bowdre. 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. American composer Mark Nichols (American Composer/Playwright) wrote a popular score for Michael Ondaatje play,"The Collected Works of Billy the Kid" in 1990. [40] At some point in 1877, McCarty began to refer to himself as "Willam H. Family tree of Henry McCarty Billy the Kid - Geneanet According to one version of events, Carlyle heard a shot that had been fired accidentally outside. [54][57][58] On the very day that McCloskey, Morton, and Baker were slain, Governor Samuel Beach Axtell arrived in Lincoln County to investigate the ongoing violence. 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. Although he did participate in killings, the men he fought against were much worse than he ever was. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Garrett and Maxwell ran out of the room and huddled outside with the two deputies and waited. Brushy Bill Roberts claimed he'd been born William Henry Roberts, in Buffalo Gap, Texas. [86] He then informed Grant of his identity. That is, unless he was buried in the middle of Texas. Outside of his gunfighting days with the Regulators, his main criminal enterprise was rustling cattle on the New Mexico plains. Tunstall refused to be intimidated and instead tried to fight back with legal action. He was a pawn in losing game and he was made a scapegoat for other outlaws crimes. 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. Did Billy the Kid Cheat Death and Live on as 'Brushy Bill'? The Illegal Rebirth of Billy the Kid is a science fiction novel by Rebecca Ore, published in 1991. [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. The actor Richard Jaeckel played The Kid in a 1954 episode of Jim Davis's syndicated television series, Stories of the Century. MPI/Getty Images. On April 28, while Garrett was out of town, McCarty stunned the territory by killing both of his guards and escaping. The next day Billy the Kid was buried at the Fort Sumner cemetery near his two fallen companions, Tom OFolliard and Charlie Bowdre. [57] With this move, the McSween faction disillusioned many former supporters, who came to view both sides as "equally nefarious and bloodthirsty". [92], During this time, McCarty became acquainted with an ambitious local bartender and former buffalo hunter named Pat Garrett. The feud then turned into an all out war. Marty Robbins' song "Billy the Kid" from the album Gunfighter Ballads & Trail Songs Volume 3. His real name and date of birth are disputed. It's estimated that he was born around 1860-61 possibly in New York. When he arrived, the young man was supposedly near death, but Mrs. Jones nursed him back to health. [118] Ultimately, the case was bogged down in the courts, "much to the delight of New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who knows all too well the value of Billy as a cultural icon and a draw for tourists". From that point on, McCarty was more or less a fugitive. Supporting Dolan was the powerful Santa Fe Ring (similar to a mafia) in which members consisted of the governor, politicians and attorneys. Billy the Kids grave is in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. [49] Tunstall's murder enraged McCarty and the other ranch hands. [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. Henry Hooker, one-time employer of Billy the Kid, at his Sierra Bonita Ranch in southeast Arizona McCarty was 15 years old when his mother died. Garrett may have deliberately been waiting in the dark to shoot the Kid. [17] Nevertheless, young McCarty often used the surname "Antrim" when referring to himself. 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. Buster Crabbe played Billy the Kid in a serial series during 1942 and 1943. [111], The undeserved notoriety that McCarty gained during the Lincoln County War effectively doomed his appeals for amnesty. The Kid wrote to the governor that he was tired of running and would surrender to authorities and testify against the Dolan side to have his murder charges dropped. Director: Oliver Drake | Stars: Anthony Dexter, Sonny Tufts, Marie Windsor, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers Votes: 147 15. McCarty was transported from Fort Sumner to Las Vegas, where he gave an interview to a reporter from the Las Vegas Gazette. 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. His mother Catherine McCarty was a widow and single mother and he had a younger brother named Joseph (born 1863). 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. [8] A single tombstone was later erected over the graves, giving the three outlaws' names (Billy's as "William H. Bonney") and with a one word epitaph of "Pals" also carved into it. John Tunstall was brutally murder by members of Sheriff Bradys posse and the Boys. Wallis wrote in 2007 that McCarty was ambidextrous. He would spend the rest of his life on the run from the authorities. If it werent for our attraction to Billy the Kid, the history of the Lincoln County War and its participants would've been long forgotten. 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. 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. 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. When the boy was placed in jail and escaped, he was not bad, just scared. Though he was serious in emergencies, his humor was often apparent even in such situations. [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. Upon the Kid's release, however, the. [64], The connection between McSween and the Regulators was ambiguous, however. [89] Meanwhile, Greathouse was sent out to act as a hostage for the posse. But it wasn't the end, Billy the Kid lives on in history and legend. 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. By the Fall of 1880, Billy was still trying to convince the governor of a pardon, although continuing his outlaw activities. Garrett was a former employee of Pete Maxwell's and it's possible that Maxwell tipped Garrett off that the Kid was in the area. [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. All we know is that his mother's name was Catherine Devine or McCarty, Katherine Beaujean or Katherine Bonney. Various accounts recorded by friends and acquaintances describe him as fun-loving and jolly, articulate in both his writing and his speech, and loyal to those for whom he cared. 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". These qualities, along with his cunning and celebrated skill with firearms, contributed to his paradoxical image, as both a notorious outlaw and beloved folk hero. Edit. Of course the death was credited to the Kid and destroyed any ounce of sympathy the public had for him, not to mention, any chance for him to get things squared up with the governor to get his pardon. If his spectacular escape wasn't enough, his controversial death was the final dramatic ending to his story. [113] He was fluent in Spanish, popular with Latina girls, an accomplished dancer, and thus especially well-loved within the territory's Hispanic community. If he had only waited until they let him out he would have been all right, but he was scared and ran away. New Lincoln County Sheriff Pat Garrett and his posse captured Billy the Kid at a place called Stinking Springs on December 23, 1880. Watch Billy Strings Tear Up Willie Nelson's "Whiskey River" For 90th The pair's first collaboration is Billy the Kid Makes It Big, a book for children aged 4-7.Inspired by Billy, written by Parton and illustrated by Mackenzie Haley, the story follows a (lightly . The Antrim Family - About Billy the Kid The war was over; the Regulators disbanded and the Kid was now a fugitive. The Kid surrendered and testified in court, but the Santa Fe Ring had influence over the court system, so members of the Dolan side, including James Dolan, were acquitted. As Ollinger came running into view, McCarty leveled the shotgun at him, called out "Hello Bob!" Its believed that Henry was simply the tool of Sombrero Jack, who done the stealing whilst Henry done the hiding. [35], Deluvina Maxwell, a friend of Billy the Kid, stated: "Garrett was afraid to go back in the room to make sure of whom he had shot. Frequently Asked Questions - About Billy the Kid [77] On July 19, a column of U.S. cavalry soldiers entered the fray. 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. Quin es? Quin es?": Revisiting the Racial Context of the Billy the [66][68] Four other Regulators were wounded in the skirmish. Actor Tom Blyth will be starring in the upcoming TV series Billy the Kid, where he plays the titular character. He was familiar with the Kids habits and hideouts, which may show that Garrett may have been a rustler himself or at one time may have ridden with the Kid. Billy "The Kid" Emerson was a songwriter, singer, producer, and afterward, a Rev. Or maybe William Bonney. [23] Early biographers sought to explain McCarty's subsequent descent into lawlessness by focusing on his habit of reading dime novels that romanticized crime. One of the most famous questions about Billy the Kid is whether or not he had any children. Beginning of a short life On November 23, 1859, Henry McCarty was born in New York City but moved to Kansas with his family when he was very young. By 1871, Catherine was diagnosed with Tuberculosis and was told to move to a climate that was warmer and drier. 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. Jon Bon Jovi's album Blaze of Glory, used as part of the soundtrack for Young Guns II, and featured the song "Billy Get Your Gun". "Billy the Kid's" Real Name was Not William H. Bonney - Today I Found Out One biographer, Joel Jacobsen, recounts the story as described in Utley, describing Grant as a "drunk" who was "making himself obnoxious in a bar". Who is it?"). One version suggests that as the Kid entered, he failed to recognize Garrett in the poor light. [69] For a short period, the Regulators benefited from the appointment of Sheriff John Copeland, who proved sympathetic to the McSween faction. The thirteen films included Blazing Frontier, The Renegade, Cattle Stampede, and Western Cyclone (1943).[122]. It was the newspapers who had given him a name that he would forever be known as Billy the Kid.. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Cowboys & Outlaws:The Real Billy the Kid, https://www.history.com/news/9-things-you-may-not-know-about-billy-the-kid, 9 Things You May Not Know About Billy the Kid. Tunstall noticed something different about this rustler, he wasnt rough like the other men, but just a boy who got a bad start in life and was looking for place to belong. So Tunstall gave him an ultimatum: if he testified against the other rustlers, Tunstall would hire him as an employee. Some researchers believe that a sympathizer placed a pistol in a nearby privy that McCarty was permitted to use, under escort, each day. Forced to seek new lodgings when his foster family began to experience "domestic problems", McCarty moved into a boarding house and pursued odd jobs. On November 30, 1880, Billy the Kid's Gang, David Anderson, aka Billy . The governor, accompanied by James Dolan and associate John Riley, proved hostile to the faction now headed by McSween. The posse led by Garrett fared well, and his men closed in quickly. Billy the Kid's real name was William Henry McCarty (1), when and where he was born, or who or what happened to his father is not known. He got into an argument with a bully named Frank Windy Cahill, who had picked on him numerous times before. [35], In fear of Cahill's friends and associates, McCarty fled Arizona Territory and entered New Mexico Territory. [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. [130], Billy Joel's song The Ballad of Billy the Kid, a historically inaccurate re-telling of Billy the Kid's life, off of his 1973 album Piano Man. They were now viewed as the bad guys and warrants were put out for their arrest. Or, possibly,. [96] Soon afterward, somebody from within the building reached for the horse's halter rope, but Garrett shot and killed the horse, whose body blocked the building's only exit. Last of the Desperados (1955) This wise precautionary move saved the Kid's life, because Grant then pulled his gun on him and fired. At about age 21, Billy the Kid was gunned down by Sheriff Pat Garrett. Billy the Kid was born in 1859, most likely in New York City. 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 [35], Susan McSween, widow of Alexander McSween, stated: "Billy was not a bad man, that is he was not a murderer who killed wantonly. 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. [24] In April, 1875, McCarty was arrested by Grant County Sheriff Harvey Whitehill, after McCarty stole some cheese. 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 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. How Did Billy the Kid Die? - History 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. He ran toward the building and as the Kid saw him approaching he shot Olinger down with a shotgun (7). Billy the Kid Biography - life, family, name, death, mother, young 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. [96] Mistaken for McCarty, he was shot down by the posse. He spun around before Grant could reach a loaded chamber. Anything for Billy is a 1988 novel by Larry McMurty. Contemporaries described him as a "neat" dresser who favored an "unadorned Mexican sombrero". a 19th century American frontier outlaw and gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War. Western outlaw Billy the Kid met his demise at about 12:30 a.m. on July 14, 1881, when he went to his friend Pete Maxwell's home in Fort Sumner, New Mexico in search of a slice . Billy The Kid shooting down his foe who had taken refuge behind a saloon bar. Lincoln County Courthouse, site of Billy the Kids famous 1881 escape. Movie poster for a 1925 Billy the Kid film. Billy The Kid - Living Along The Ancient Way 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]. "Ash" Upson, published a sensationalistic biography titled The Authentic Life of Billy, the Kid. History first traces the Kid as a youngster in Indiana in the late 1860s and then in Wichita, Kansas in 1870. [2] The horse returned two days later.[106]. [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. McCarty was shot in the thigh while attempting to retrieve a rifle that Brady had seized from him during an earlier arrest. The tighter the place the more he showed his cool nerve and quick brain. Our family looks favorably on Billy, we have some stories of him from our Jaramillo cousins. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. He was an outlaw, of course he lied! By 1873 he had moved west to New Mexico as a result of his mother remarrying after. Footnote 1: There's a mystery with the last name of McCarty; it's speculated that it may be his father's name, mother's maiden name, or the last name of his half brother's father. 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. 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). Father of Jose Patrocinio Garcia, alleged son of BTK; NN; Florentina Yerby, alleged daughter of BTK and Alexander Montoya The conflict centered on a business rivalry between British-born rancher John Tunstall and a pair of Irish tycoons named James Dolan and Lawrence Murphy. The infamous Old West outlaw was first arrested at. [79] McCarty and the other Regulators fled, although McCarty is believed by some to have killed one "House" member named Bob Beckwith. Wilson. [100] On April 9, after two days of testimony, McCarty was found guilty of the murder of Sheriff Brady, the only conviction ever secured against any of the combatants in the Lincoln County Cattle War. It was widely assumed throughout much of the 20th century that Billy the Kid was left-handed. He was said to be friendly and personable at times, and many recalled that he was as "lithe as a cat". The NBC series The Tall Man ran from 1960 to 1962, starring Clu Gulager as Billy and Barry Sullivan as Pat Garrett. [18], Faced with a husband who was frequently absent, McCarty's mother reportedly washed clothes, baked pies, and took in boarders in order to provide for her sons.
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