Classic Audiobook Collection - History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Siringo ~ Full Audiobook [biography]

Episode Date: November 1, 2022

History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Siringo audiobook. Genre: biography A cowboy outlaw whose youthful daring has never been equalled in the annals of criminal history. When a bullet pierced his heart he was less than twenty-two years of age, and had killed twenty-one men, Indians not included. The author feels that he is capable of writing a true and unvarnished history of 'Billy the Kid,' as he was personally acquainted with him, and assisted in his capture, by furnishing Sheriff Pat Garrett with three of his fighting cowboys--Jas. H. East, Lee Hall and Lon Chambers. The facts set down in this narrative were gotten from the lips of 'Billy the Kid,' himself, and from such men as Pat Garrett, John W. Poe, Kip McKinnie, Charlie Wall, the Coe Brothers, Tom O'Phalliard, Henry Brown, John Middleton, Martin Chavez, and Ash Upson. All these men took an active part, for or against, the 'Kid.' Ash Upson had known him from childhood, and was considered one of the family, for several years, in his mother's home. Other facts were gained from the lips of Mrs. Charlie Bowdre, who kept 'Billy the Kid,' hid out at her home in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, after he had killed his two guards and escaped. For ad-free listening try our premium subscription Chapters (Approximate) (00:00:00) Chapter 01 (00:09:23) Chapter 02 (00:18:37) Chapter 03 (00:27:57) Chapter 04 (00:41:26) Chapter 05 (00:52:42) Chapter 06 (01:01:08) Chapter 07 (01:20:58) Chapter 08 (01:44:51) Chapter 09 (01:56:50) Chapter 10 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

history of billy the kid by charles a syringo chapter i billy bonnie kills his first two men and becomes a daring outlaw in the republic of mexico in the slum district of the great city of new york on the twenty-third day of november eighteen fifty nine a blue-eyed baby boy was born to william h bonnie and his good-looking auburn-haired young wife catholic Being their first child, he was naturally the joy of their hearts. Later, another baby boy followed. In 1862, William H. Bonnie shook the dust of New York City from his shoes and emigrated to Coffeyville, Kansas, on the northern border of the Indian Territory with his little family. Soon after settling down in Coffeyville, Mr. Bonnie died.

Then the young widow moved to the territory of Colorado, where she married a Mr. Antrim. Shortly after this marriage, the little family of four moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, at the end of the old Santa Fe Trail. Here they opened a restaurant, and one of their first boarders was Ash Upsen, then doing work on the Daily New Mexican. Little blue-eyed Billy Bonnie was then about five years of age. and became greatly attached to good-natured jovial Ash Upson, who spent much of his leisure time playing with the bright boy. Three years later, when the hero of our story was about eight years old, Ash Upson and the Antrim family pulled up stakes and moved to the booming silver mine camp of Silver City in the southwestern part of the territory of New Mexico.

Here Mr. and Mrs. Antrim established a new restaurant, and had Ash Upson as the Star Border. Naturally, their borders were made up of all classes, both women and men, some being gamblers and tuffs of the lowest order. Amidst these surroundings, Billy Bonnie grew up. He went to school and was a bright scholar. When not at school, Billy was associating with tough men and men and men. boys and learning the art of gambling and shooting. This didn't suit Mr. Antrim, who became a cruel stepfather, according to Billy Bonnie's way of thinking. Jesse Evans, a little older than Billy, was a young tough who was a hero in Billy's estimation. They became fast friends and bosom companions.

In the years to come, they were to fight bloody battle side by side, as friends. friends, and again as bitter enemies. As a boy, Mr. Upsen says Billy had a sunny disposition, but when aroused had an uncontrollable temper. At the tender age of twelve, young Bonnie made a trip to Fort Union, New Mexico, and there gambled with the Negro soldiers. One black nigger cheated Billy, who shot him dead. This story I got from the lips of Billy. the kid in 1878. Making his way back to Silver City, he kept the secret from his fond mother,

who was the idol of his heart. One day, Billy's mother was passing a crowd of tufts on the street. One of them made an insulting remark about her. Billy, who was in the crowd, heard it. He struck the fellow in the face with his fist, then picked up a rock from the street. the tough made a rush at billy and as he passed ed moulton he planted a blow back of his ear and laid him sprawling on the ground this act cemented a friendship between ed moulton and the future young outlaw about three weeks later ed moulton got into a fight with two tufts in joe dyer's saloon he was getting the best of the fight the young blacksmith who had insulted mrs andrews

and who had been knocked down by Ed Moulton saw a chance for revenge. He rushed at Moulton with an uplifted chair. Billy Bonnie was standing nearby on Nettles, ready to render assistance to his benefactor at a moment's notice. The time had now arrived. He sprang at the blacksmith and stabbed him with a knife three times. He fell over dead. Billy ran out of the saloon, his right hand dripping with human blood. Now to his dear mother's arms, where he showered her pale cheeks with kisses for the last time. Realizing the result of his crime, he was soon lost in the pitchy darkness of the night, headed towards the southwest afoot.

For three days and nights, Billy wandered through the cactus-covered hills without seeing a human being. luck finally brought him to a sheep camp where the mexican herder gave him food from the sheep camp he went to mcnight's ranch and stole a horse riding away without a saddle three weeks later a boy and a grown man rode into camp bowie a government post both were on a skinny sore-back pony this new-found companion had a name and history of his own which he was nursing in secret he gave his name to billy as alias and that was the name he was known by around camp finally billy having disposed of his sore-back pony started out for the apache indian reservation with alias afoot they were armed with an old army rifle and a six-shooter which they had borrowed from soldiers about ten miles southwest of camp bowie these two young desperadoes came on to three indians who had twelve ponies a lot of pelts and several saddles besides good firearms and blankets in telling of the affair afterwards billy said it was a ground-hog case here were twelve good ponies a supply of blankets and five heavy loads of pelts here were three bloodthirsty savages revelling in luxury and refusing help to two free-born white american citizens footsore and hungry the plunder had to change hands

As one live Indian could place a hundred United States soldiers on our trail, the decision was made. In about three minutes there were three dead Indians stretched out on the ground, and with their ponies and plunder we skipped. There was no fight. It was the softest thing I ever struck. About one hundred miles from this bloody field of battle, the surplus ponies and plunder were sold and truld. traded off to a band of Texas emigrants. Finally, the two young brigands settled down in Tucson, where Billy's skill as a Monty dealer and card player kept them in luxuriant style

and gave them prestige among the sporting fraternity. Becoming tired of town life, the two desperadoes hit the trail for San Simon, where they beat a band of Indians out of a lot of money in a fake horse race. the next we hear of billy bonnie is in the state of sonora old mexico where he went alone according to his own statement in sonora he joined issues with a mexican gambler named melchiaz segora one night the two murdered a monte dealer don jose martinez and secured his bank roll now the two desperadoes shook the dust of sonora from their feet and the two desperadoes shook the dust of sonora from their feet and landed in the city of Chihuahua, the capital of the state of Chihuahua, several hundred miles to the eastward, across the Sierra Madres Mountains.

End of Chapter 1 Recording by Roger Maline Chapter 2 of History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo. This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Roger Maline History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo Chapter 2 A fierce battle with Apache Indians

Single-handed Billy Bonnie liberates Segura from jail. In the city of Chihuahua, the two desperadoes led a hurrah life among the sporting elements. Finally, their money was gone, and their luck at cards went against them. Then Billy and Segura held up and robbed several Monty dealers when on the way home after their games had closed for the night. One of these Monty dealers had offended Billy, which caused his death. One morning before the break of day, this Monty dealer was on his way home. A peon was carrying his fat bankroll in a buckskin bag,

finely decorated with gold and silver threads. when nearing his residence in the outskirts of the city sagora and young bonnie made a charge from behind a vacant adobe building the one-sided battle was soon over a popular mexican gambler lay stretched dead on the ground the peon willingly gave up the sack of gold and silver now towards the texas border in a northeasterly direction a distance of three hundred miles as fast as their mounts could carry them when their horses began to grow tired other mounts were secured their bills were paid on route with gold de blooms taken from the buckskin sack. On reaching the Rio Grande River, which separates Texas from the Republic of Mexico, the young outlaws separated for the time being. Billy Bonnie finally met up with his Silver City chum, Jesse Evans, and they became partners in crime in the bordering state of Texas and the territories of New Mexico and Arizona. Many robberies and some murders,

were committed by these smooth-faced boys, and they had many narrow escapes from death or capture. Fresh horses were always at their command, as they were experts with the lasso, and the scattering ranchmen all had bands of ponies on the range. On one occasion the boys ate dinner with a party of Texas emigrants, and were well-treated. Leaving the emigrant camp, a band of renegade. gate Apache Indians were seen skulking in the hills. The boys concealed themselves to await results, as they felt sure a raid was to be made on the emigrants who were headed for the territory of Arizona. There were only three men in the party and several women and children.

Just at dusk, the boys, who were stealing along their trail in the low, flint-covered hills, heard shooting. Realizing that a battle was on, Billy Bonnie and Jesse Evans put spurs to their mounts and reached the camp just in time. By this time it was dark. The three men had succeeded in standing off the Indians for a while, but finally a rush was made on the camp by the Reds with blood-curdling war-whoops. At that moment the two young heroes charged among the Indians and sprang off their horses, with Winchester rifles in hand. For a few moments the battle raged. One bullet shattered the stock of Billy's rifle,

crippling his left hand slightly. He then dropped the rifle and used his pistol. When the battle was over, eight dead Indians lay on the ground. The emigrants had shielded themselves by getting behind the wagons. Two of the men were slightly wounded, and the other dangerously shot through the stomach.

One little girl had a fractured skull from a blow on the head with a rifle. The mother of the child fainted on seeing her daughter fall. In telling of this battle, Billy Bonnie said the war whoops shouted by himself and Jesse, as they charged into the band of Indians, helped to win the battle. He said a bullet knocked the heel off one of his boots, and that jessie's hat was shot off his head he felt sure that the man shot through the stomach died though he never heard of the party after separating

soon after the indian battle billy bonnie and jessie evans landed in the mexican village of la masia new mexico and there met up with some of jessie's chums their names were jim mcdaniels bill morton and frank baker during their stay in messiah jim mcdaniels christened bill bonny billy the kid and that name stuck to him to the time of his death finally these three tough cowboys started for the paco's river with jesse evans billy the kid promised to join them later as he had received word that his old mexican chum sagora was in jail in san elizario texasus below El Paso. This word had been brought by a Mexican boy, sent by Sigura. The kid told the boy to wait and messiah till he and Segura got there. It was the fall of 1876. Mounted on his favorite gray horse, Billy the Kid started at six o'clock in the evening

for the 81-mile ride to San Elisario. A swift ride brought him. him to El Paso, then called Franklin, a distance of 56 miles, before midnight. Here he dismounted in front of Peter Den's saloon to let his noble gray rest. While waiting, he had a few drinks of whiskey and fed gray some crackers, there being no horse feed at the saloon. Now for the 25-mile dash down the Rio Grande River, over the river. over a level road to San Elisario.

It was made in quick time. Daylight had not yet begun to break. Dismounting in front of the jail, the kid knocked on the front door. The Mexican jailer asked, Kianess! Who's that? The kid replied, in good Spanish,

Open up, we have two American prisoners here. The heavy front door. was opened and the jailer found a cocked pistol pointed at him now the frightened guard gave up his pistol and the keys to the cell in which sagora was shackled and handcuffed in the rear of the jail building there was another guard asleep he was relieved of his firearms and dagger when sagora was free of irons the two guards were gagged so they couldn't give an alarm and chained to a post The two outlaws started out in the darkest part of the night, just before day, Segura on gray, and the kid trotting by his side afoot. An hour later, the two desperadoes were at a confederates ranch across the Rio Grande River in Old Mexico. After filling up with a hot breakfast, the kid was soon asleep, while Segura kept watch for officers. the kid's noble gray was fed and with a mustang kept hidden out in the brush now the ranchman rode into san elizario to post himself on the jail break

hurrying back to the ranch he advised his two guests to hit the high places as there was great excitement in san elizario reaching la masia new mexico the two young outlaws found found the boy who had carried the message to Billy the Kid from Segura and rewarded him with a handful of Mexican gold. End of Chapter 2 Recording by Roger Maline Chapter 3 of History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Roger Maline History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Caringo.

A. Soringo. Chapter 3. Billy the Kid and Segura make successful robbery raids into Mexico. A battle with Indians. The Kid joins his chum, Jesse Evans. After a few daring raids into Old Mexico, with Segora, the kid landed in La Messia, New Mexico.

Here he fell in with a wild young man by the name of Tom O'Keefe. Together they started for the Pecos River to meet Jesse Evans and his companions. Instead of taking the wagon road, the two venturesome boys cut across the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation, which took in most of the high Guadalupe range of mountains, which separates the Pecos and Rio Grande rivers. First they rode into El Paso, Texas, and loaded a pack-mule with provisions. a few days out of el paso the boys ran out of water and were puzzled as to which way to ride finally a fresh indian trail was found evidently leading to water it was followed to the mouth of a deep canyon for fear of running into a trap the kid decided to take the canteen and go afoot leaving his mount and the pack-mule with o'kief who was instructed to come to his rescue should he hear yelling and shooting. A mile of cautious traveling brought the kid to a cool spring of water.

The ground was tramped hard with fresh pony and Indian tracks. After filling the canteen and drinking all the water he could hold, the kid started down the canyon to join his companion. He hadn't gone far when Indians, afoot, began pouring out of the cliff to the right, which, cut off his retreat down the canyon there was nothing to do but return towards the spring as fast as his legs could carry him the twenty half-naked braves were gaining on him and shouting blood-curdling war-whoops like a pursued mountain lion the kid sprang into the jungles of a steep cliff foot by foot his way was made to a place of concealment the indians seeing him leave the the trail, scrambled up into the bushy cliff. Now the kid's trusty pistol began to talk, and several young braves, who were leading the chase, passed to the happy hunting ground. The kid said the body of one young buck went down the cliff and caught on the overhanging

limb of a dead tree, and there hung suspended in plain view. Many shots were fired at the kid when he sprang from one hiding place to another. One bullet struck a rock near his head, and the splinters gave him slight wounds on the face and neck. Reaching the extreme top of a high peak, the young outlaw felt safe, as he could see no reds on his trail. Being exhausted, he soon fell asleep.

On hearing the yelling and shooting, Tom O'Keefe stampeded, leaving the kid's mount and the pack-mule where they stood. Reaching a high bluff, which was impossible for a horse to climb, O'Keefe quit his mount and took it afoot. From cliff to cliff he made his way towards the top of a peak. Finally, his keen eyesight caught the figure of a man, far away across a deep canyon, trying to reach the top of a mountain peak.

He surmised that the bullsaint. bold climber must be the kid. At last, young O'Keefe's strength gave out, and he lay down to sleep. His hands and limbs were bleeding from the scratches received from sharp rocks, and he was craving water. Being refreshed from his long night's sleep, the kid headed for the big red sun, which was just creeping up out of the great Yano Estacado, staked plains, over a hundred miles to the the eastward across the Pekos River. Finally, water was struck and he was happy.

Then he filled up on wild berries, which were plentiful along the borders of the small sparkling stream of water. Three days later, the young hero outlaw reached a cow camp on the Rio Picos. He made himself known to the cowboys, who gave him a good horse to ride, and conducted him to the Murphy Dolan cow camp, where his chum, Jesse Evans, was employed. In this camp, the kid also met his former friends, McDaniels, Baker, and Morton. Here, the kid was told of the smoldering cattle war

between the Murphy Dolan faction on one side and the cattle king, John S. Chisholm, on the other. Many small cattle owners were arrayed with the firm of Murphiard. Dolan, who owned a large store in Lincoln and were the owners of many cattle. On John S. Chisholm's side were Alex A. McSween, a prominent lawyer of Lincoln, the county seat of Lincoln County, and a wealthy Englishman by the name of John S. Tunstall, who had only been in America a year. McSween and Tunstall had formed a co-partnership in the cattle business, and had established a general trading store in Lincoln.

It was now the early spring of 1877. Jesse Evans tried to persuade Billy the Kid to join the Murphy Dolan faction, but he argued that he first had to find Tom O'Keefe, dead or alive, as it was against his principles to desert a chum in time of danger. For nearly a year, a storm had been brewing between John Chisholm and the smaller ranchman.

Chisholm claimed all the range in the Pekos Valley from Fort Sumner to the Texas Line, a distance of over 200 miles. Naturally, there was much mavericking, in other words, stealing unbranded young animals from the Chisholm bands of cattle, which ranged about 25 miles on each side of the Pekos River.

Chisham owned from 40 to 60,000 cattle on this jingle-bob range. His cattle were marked with the long jingle-bob hanging down from the doolap. In branding calves, the chisholm cowboys would slash the doolap above the breast, leaving a chunk of hide and flesh hanging downward. When the wound healed, the animal was well marked with a dangling jingle-bob. Thus did the chisholmob. Thus did the chisholm on outfit get the name of the jingle bobs. Well mounted and armed, Billy the kid started in search of Tom O'Keefe. He was found at Las Cruces, three miles from Lemisea, the county seat of Dona Anna County, New Mexico.

It was a happy meeting between the two smooth-faced boys. Each had to relate his experience during and after the Indian trouble. O'Keefe had gone back to the place where he had left the kid's mount and the pack-mule. There he found the kid's horse shot dead, but no sign of the mule. His own pony ran away with the saddle when he sprang from his back.

Now O'Keefe struck out a foot towards the west, living on berries and such game as he could kill, finally landing in Las Crucese, where he swore off. being the companion of a daring young outlaw. Billy the Kid tried to persuade O'Keefe to accompany him back to the Pecos Valley to take part in the approaching cattle war, but Tom said he had had enough of playing bad man from Bitter Creek.

Now the kid went to a ranch, where he had left his noble gray, and with him started back towards the Pecos River. End of Chapter 3. Recording by Roger Maline Chapter 4 of History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Roger Maline. History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo.

Chapter 4 The starting of the bloody Lincoln County War. The murder of Tunstall. Billy the Kid is partially revenged when he kills Morton and Baker. Arriving back at the Murphy Dolan cow camp on the Paco's River, Billy the Kid was greeted by his friends McDaniels, Morton, and Baker, who persuaded him to join the Murphy and Dolan outfit and become one of their fighting cowboys.

This he agreed to do and was put in the payroll at good wages. The summer and fall of 1877 passed along with only now and then a scrap between the factions, but the clouds of war were lowering and the kid was anxious for a battle. Still, he was not satisfied to be at war with the whole-souled young Englishman, John S. Tunstall, whom he had met on several occasions. On one of his trips to the Mexican town of Lincoln, to blow in his accumul wages, the kid met Tunstall and expressed regret at fighting against him. The matter was talked over, and Billy the kid agreed to switch over from the Murphy Dolan

faction. Tunstall at once put him under wages and told him to make his headquarters at their cow camp on the Rio Félez, which flowed into the Pecos from the west. Now the kid rode back to camp and told the dozen cowboys there of his new deal. They tried to persuade him of his mistake, but his mind was made up and couldn't be changed. In the argument, Baker abused the kid for going back on his friends. This came very near starting a little war in that camp. The kid made Baker back down when he offered to shoot it out with him on the square.

Before riding away on his faithful, gray, the kid expressed regrets at having to fight against his chum Jesse Evans in the future. At the Rio Feliz cow camp, the kid made friends with all the cowboys there, and with Tunstall and McSween when he rode into Lincoln to have a good time at the Mexican Fandangoes, dances. A few killings took place on the Paco's River during the fall, but Billy the kid was not in these fights. In the early part of December, 1877, the kid received a letter from his Mexican chum whom he had liberated from the jail in San Elisario, Texas, Melchia de Segura, asking that he meet him at their friend's ranch across the Rio Grande River in Old Mexico

on a matter of great importance. Mounted on gray, the kid started. Meeting Sigur, meeting Sigur, he found that all he wanted was to share a bag of Mexican gold with him. While visiting Segura, a war started in San Elisario over the Guadalupe Salt Lakes in El Paso County, Texas. These salt lakes had supplied the natives along the Rio Grande River with free salt for more than a hundred years. An American by the name of Howard had leased them from the state of Texas and prohibited the people from taking salt from them.

A prominent man by the name of Louis Cardiz took up the fight for the people. Howard and his men were captured and allowed their liberty under the promise that they would leave the salt lakes free for the people's use. Soon after, Howard killed Louis Cardiz in El Paso. This worked the natives up to a high pitch. Under the protection of a protection of a person, band of Texas Rangers, Howard returned to San Elisario, 25 miles below El Paso. On reaching San Elisario, the citizens turned out in mass and besieged the Rangers and the Howard

crowd in a house. Many citizens of Old Mexico, across the river, joined the mob, among them being Seguera and his Confederate, at whose ranch Billy the Kid and Seguerra was stopping. As Billy the Kid had no interest in the fight, he took no part, but was an eyewitness to it in the village of San Elisario. Near the house in which Howard and the rangers took refuge lived Captain Gregario Garcia and his three sons, Carlos Secundio, and Nazianzino Garcia. On the roof of their dwelling, they constructed a fort, and with rifles assisted in protecting Howard and the Rangers from the mob. The fight continued for several days.

Finally, against the advice of Captain Gregario Garcia, the Rangers surrendered. They were escorted up the river towards El Paso and liberated. Howard, Charlie Ellis, John Atkinson, and perhaps one or two other Americans, were taken out and shot dead. by the mob. Thus ended one of the bloody battles which Billy the Kid enjoyed as a witness. The following year, the present governor of New Mexico,

Octaviano A. Larizolo, settled in San Elisario, Texas, and married the pretty daughter of Carlos Garcia, who, with his father and two brothers, so nobly defended Howard and the Rangers. Now Billy the Kid, with his pockets bulging with Mexican gold, given him by Segura, returned to the Tunstall-Mexswain cow camp on the Rio Félis in Lincoln County, New Mexico. In the month of February 1878,

W.S. Morton, who held a commission as deputy sheriff, raised a posse of fighting cowboys, and went to one of the Tunstall cow camps on the Upper Rio Doso River to attach some horses, which were claimed by the Murphy Dolan outfit. Tunstall was at the camp with some of his employees, who hid out on the approach of Morton and the posse. It was claimed by Morton that Tunstall fired the first shot, but that story was not believed by the opposition. In the fight, Tunstall and his mount were killed.

While laying on his face, gasping for breath, Tom Hill, who was later killed while robbing a sheep camp, placed a rifle to the back of his head and blew out his brains. This murder took place on the 18th day of February 1878. Before sunset, a runner carried the news to Billy the Kid on the Rio Félis. His anger was at the boiling point on hearing of the foul murder. He at once saddled his horse and started to, to Lincoln to consult with lawyer McSween.

Now the Lincoln County War was on with a vengeance and hatred, and the kid was to play a leading hand in it. He swore that he would kill every man who took part in the murder of his friend Tunstall. At that time, Lincoln County, New Mexico, was the size of some states, about 200 square miles, and only a few thousand inhabitants, mostly Mexicans, scattered over its surface. On reaching the town of Lincoln,

the kid was informed by McSween that E.M. Brewer had been sworn in as a special constable and was making up a posse to arrest the murderers of Tunstall. Billy the kid joined the Brewer posse, and they started for the Rio Picos River. On the sixth day of March, the brewer posse ran into five mounted men at the lower crossing of the Rio Panasco,

six miles from the Pecos River. They fled and were pursued by Brewer and his crowd. Two of the fleeing cowboys separated from their companions. The kid recognized them as Morton and Baker, his former friends. He dashed after them, and the rest of the posse followed his lead. Shots were being fired back and forth.

At last Mortons and Baker's mounts fell over dead. The two men then crawled into a sinkhole to shield their bodies from the bullets. A parley was held and the two men surrendered after Brewer had promised them protection. The kid protested against giving this pledge. He remarked, My time will come.

Now the posse started for the Chisholm Home Ranch on South Spring River with the two handcuffed prisoners. On the morning of the 9th day of March, the Brewer Posse started with the prisoners for Lincoln, but pretended to be headed for Fort Sumner. The posse was made up of the following men. R. M. Brewer, J. G. Scurlock, Charlie Boudry, Billy the Kid,

Henry Brown, Frank McNabb, Fred Waite, Sam Smith, Jim French, John Middleton, and McCloskey. After traveling five miles, they came to the village of Roswell. Here they stopped to allow Morton time to write a letter to his cousin, the Honorable H. H. H. Marshall of Richmond, Virginia. Ash Upson was the postmaster in Roswell, and Morton asked him to notify his cousin in Virginia, if the posse failed to keep him.

their pledge of protection." McCloskey, who was standing near, remarked, If harm comes to you too, they will have to kill me first. The party started out about 10 a.m. from Roswell. About 4 p.m., Martin Chavez of Picacho arrived in Roswell and reported to Ash Upsen that the posse and their prisoners had quit the main road to Lincoln and had turned up off in the direction of Agua Negra, an unfrequented watering place.

This move satisfied the postmaster that the doom of Morton and Baker was sealed. On March the 11th, Frank McNabb, one of the brewer posse, rode up to the post office and dismounted. Mr. Upson expressed surprise and told him that he supposed he was in Lincoln by this time. Now McNabb confessed that Morton, Baker, and McCloskey were dead. Later, Ash Upson got the particulars from Billy the Kid of the killing. The Kid and Charlie Bodry were riding in the lead as they neared Blackwater Spring. McCloskey and Middleton rode by the side of the two prisoners. The balance of the posse followed behind. Finally, Brown and McNabb spurred up their horses

and rode up to McCloskey and Middleton. McNabb shoved a cocked pistol at McCloskey's head, saying, You are the son of a bitch has got to die before harm can come to these fellows, are you? Now the trigger was pulled, and McCloskey fell from his horse, dead, shot through the head. Billy the kid heard the shot and wheeled his horse around,

in time to see the two prisoners dashing away on their mounts. The kid fired twice, and Morton and Baker fell from their horses, dead. No doubt it was a put-up job to allow the kid to kill the murderers of his friend Tunstall with his own hands. The posse rode on to Lincoln, all but McNabb, who returned to Roswell. The bodies of McCloskey, Morton, and Baker, were lull. left where they fell. Later they were buried by some sheep herders. Thus ends the first chapter of the bloody Lincoln County War. End of Chapter 4. Recording by Roger Maline.

Chapter 5 of History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo. This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Roger Maline. History of... Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo. Chapter 5 The murder of Sheriff Brady and his deputy, Hindman, by the Kid and his band. Billy the Kid and Jesse Evans meet as enemies and part as friends.

On returning to Lincoln, Billy the Kid had many consultations with lawyer McSweene about the murder of Tunstall. It was agreed to never let up and until all the murderers were in their graves. The kid heard that one of Tunstall's murderers was seen around Dr. Blazers' sawmill, near the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation, on South Fork, about 40 miles from Lincoln. He at once notified Officer Dick Brewer,

who made up a posse to search for Roberts, an ex-soldier, a fine rider, and a dead shot. As the posse rode up to Blazer Sawmill from the east, Roberts came galloping up from the west. The kid put spurs to his horse and made a dash at him. Both had pulled their Winchester rifles from the scabbards. Both men fired at the same time. Robert's bullet went whizzing past the kid's ear, while the one from Billy the kid's rifle found lodgment in Rock.

body. It was a death wound, but gave Robert's time to prove his bravery and fine marksmanship. He fell from his mount and found concealment in an outhouse, from where he fought his last battle. The possemen dismounted and found concealment behind the many large saw logs scattered over the ground. For a short time the battle raged, while the lifeblood was fast-for-wateringed. flowing from Robert's wound. One of his bullets struck Charlie Boudry, giving him a serious wound. Another bullet cut off a finger from George Coe's hand. Still another went crashing through Dick Brewer's head as he peeped over a log to get a shot at Roberts. Brewer fell over dead. This was Roberts' last shot, as he soon expired from the wound Billy the kid had given him.

a graveyard was now started on a round hill near the blazer sawmill and in later years mr and mrs george nesbeth a little girl and a strange man who had died with their boots on being fouly murdered were buried in this miniature boot hill cemetery two of the participants in the battle at blazer's sawmill frank and george co are still alive being highly respected ranchmen on the rhodoso river where both have raised large families after the battle at blazer's mill the co-brothers joined issues with billy the kid and fought other battles against the murphy dolan faction in one battle frank coe was arrested and taken to the Lincoln Jail. Through the aid of friends, he made his escape. Now that their lawful leader, Dick Brewer, was in his grave, the posse returned to Lincoln. Here they formed themselves into a band, without lawful authority, to avenge the murder of Tunstall until not one was left alive. By common consent, Billy the Kid was appointed their leader. In Lincoln lived one of Billy the Kid's enemies, J.B. Matthews, known as Billy Matthews.

While he had taken no part in the killing of Tunstall, he had openly expressed himself in favor of Jimmy Dolan and Murphy, and against the other faction. On the 28th day of March, Billy Matthews, unarmed, met the kid on the street by accident. Matthews started into a doorway, just to be a man. as the kid cut down on him with a rifle. The bullet shattered the doorframe above his head. Major William Brady, a brave and honest man, was the sheriff of Lincoln County. He was partial to the Murphy Dolan faction, and this offended the opposition. He held warrants for Billy the kid and his associates for the killing of Morton, Baker, and Roberts. On the first day of April 1878, Sheriff Brady left the Murphy Dolan store, accompanied by George Hindman and J.B. Matthews,

to go to the courthouse and announce that no term of court would be held at the regular April term. The sheriff and his two companions carried rifles in their hands, as in those days every male citizen who had grown to manhood went well armed. The Tunstall and McSweene store stood about midway between the Murphy Dolan store and the courthouse. In the rear of the Tunstall McSweene store there was an adobe corral, the east side of which projected beyond the store building, and commanded a view of the street, over which the sheriff had to pass. On the top of this corral wall, Billy the kid and his warriors had cut grooves in which to arrest their rifles. As the sheriff and party came in sight, a volley was fired at them from the

adobe fence. Brady and Hindman fell mortally wounded, and Matthews found shelter behind a house on the south side of the street. Ike Stockton, who afterwards became a killer of men and a bold desperado in northwestern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado, and who was killed in Durango, Colorado, at that time kept a saloon in Lincoln, and was a friend of the kids. He ran out of his saloon to the wounded officers. Hindman called for water. Stockton ran to the Bonita River nearby and brought him a drink in his hat. About this time, Billy the kid leaped over the adobe wall and ran to the fallen officers. As he raised Sheriff Brady's rifle, from the ground, J. B. Matthews fired at him from his hiding place.

The ball shattered the stock of the sheriff's rifle and plowed a furrow through the kid's side, but it proved not to be a dangerous wound. Now Billy the kid broke for shelter at the McSween home. Some say that he fired a parting shot into Sheriff Brady's head. Others dispute it. at any rate both brady and hindman lay dead on the main street of lincoln this cold-blooded murder angered many citizens of lincoln against the kid and his crowd now they became outlaws in every sense of the word from now on the kid and his warriors made their headquarters at mcsween's residence when not scouting over the country searching for enemies who sanctioned the killing of tunstall often this little band of warriors would ride through the streets of lincoln to defy their enemies and be royally treated by their friends finally george w pepin was appointed sheriff of the county and he appointed a dozen or more deputies to help uphold the law still bloodshed and anarchy continued throughout the county as the kids crowd were not idle san patricio a mexican plaza on the rio doso river about eight miles below lincoln was a favorite hangout for the kid and his warriors as most of the natives there were their sympathizers

one morning before breakfast in san patricio jose miguel sedillo brought the kid news that jessey evans and a crowd of seven river warriors were prowling around the hill hills near the old brewer ranch where a band of the chisholm mcsween horses were being kept thinking that their intentions were to steal these horses the kid and party started without eating breakfast in the party besides the kidd were charlie baudry henry brown j g scurlock john middleton and a young texan by the name of tall o'falliard who had lately joined the gang. On reaching the hills, the party split, the kid taking Henry Brown with him. Soon, the kid heard shooting in the direction taken by the balance of his party. Putting spurs to his mount, he dashed up to Jesse Evans and four of his warriors, who had captured Charlie Bodry, and was joking him about his leader, the kid. He remarked, we are hungry and thought we would roast the kid for breakfast we want to hear him bleat at that moment a horseman dashed up among them from an arroyo with a smile charlie baudry said pointing at the kid there comes your breakfast jessie with drawn pistol old gray was checked up in front of his former chum in crime jessie evans

with a smile jesse remarked well billy this is a hell of a way to introduce yourself to a private picnic party the kid replied how are you jessie it's a long time since we met jessie said i understand you are after the men who killed that englishman i nor none of my men were there i know you wasn't jessie replied the kid. If you had been, the ball would have been opened before now. Soon, the kid was joined by the rest of his party and both bands, separated in peace. End of Chapter 5. Recording by Roger Maline. Chapter 6 of History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo.

This Librevox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Roger Maline. History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo. Chapter 6 Billy the Kid and gang stand off a posse at the Chisham Ranch, a bloody battle in Lincoln which lasted three days. As time went on, Sheriff Pepin appointed new deputies on whom he could depend. Among these being Marion Turner, of the firm of Turner and Jones,

merchants at Roswell on the Pecos River. For several years, Turner had been employed by Cattle King John Chisholm, and up to May 1878, had helped to fight his battles, but for some reason he had seceded and became Chisholm's bitter enemy. Marion Turner was put in charge of the sheriff's forces in the Pecos Valley, and soon had about 40 daring young cowboys and cattlemen under his command. roswell was their headquarters early in july billy the kid and fourteen of his followers rode up to the chisholm headquarters ranch five miles from roswell to make that their rendezvous turner with his force tried to oust the kid and gang from their stronghold but found it impossible owing to the house being built like a fort to stand off indians but he kept out spies to catch the kid napping

one morning turner received word that the kid and party had left for fort sumner on the upper pecos river the trail was followed about twenty miles up the river where it switched off towards lincoln a distance of about eighty or ninety miles the trail was followed to lincoln where it was found that billy the kid and gang had taken possession of mc swine's fine eleven-room residence and were prepared to stand off to stand off an army. On arriving in Lincoln with his posse, Turner was joined by Sheriff Pepin and his deputies, and they made the big house, as the Murphy Dolan store was called, their headquarters. For three days, shots were fired back and forth from the buildings, which were far apart. On the morning of July 19, 1878, Marion Turner concluded to take some of his men to the McSweene, residents and demand the surrender of the kid and his warriors. With Turner were his business partner, John A. Jones, and eight other fearless men.

At that moment, the kid and party were in a rear room holding a consultation, otherwise some of the advancing party might have been killed. On reaching the thick adobe wall of the building, through which portholes had been cut, Turner and his men found protection against the wall between these openings. When the kid and party returned to the portholes, they were hailed by Turner, who demanded their surrender, as he had warrants for their arrest. The kid replied,

We too hold warrants for you and your gang, which we will serve on you, hot from the muzzles of our guns. About this time, Lieutenant Colonel Dudley, of the Ninthew, cavalry, arrived from Fort Stanton with a company of infantry and some artillery. Planting his cannons midway between the belligerent parties, Colonel Dudley proclaimed that he would turn his guns loose on the first of the two who fired over the heads of his command. Despite this warning, shots were fired back and forth, but no harm was done. Now Martin Chavez, who at this writing is a prosperous merchant in Santa Fe, rode up with

35 Mexicans whom he had deputized to protect McSween and the kids' party. Colonel Dudley asked him under what authority he was acting. He replied that he held a certificate as deputy sheriff under Brady. Colonel Dudley told him that his sheriff Brady was dead and a new sheriff had been appointed. his commission was not in effect. Still, he proclaimed that he would protect the kid and McSween. Now Colonel Dudley ordered Chavez off the field of battle, or he would have his men fire on them.

When the guns were pointed in their direction, the Chavez crowd retreated to the Ellis Hotel. Here he ordered his followers to fire on the soldiers if they opened up on the kid and party with their cannon. toward night the turner men who were up against the mcsween residence between the portholes managed to set fire to the front door and windows a strong wind carried the blaze to the woodwork of other rooms mrs mcswain and her three lady friends had left the building before the fight started she had made one trip back to see her husband the firing ceased while she was in the house in the front parlor mrs mcswain had a fine piano to prevent it from burning the kid moved it from one room to another until it was finally in the kitchen the crowd made merry around the piano singing and pawing the ivory as the kid expressed it to the writer a few months later after dark when the fiery flames began to lick their way into the kitchen where the smoke-begrimed band were congregated

a question of surrender was discussed, but the kid put his veto on the move. He stood near the outer door of the kitchen with his rifle and swore he would kill the first man who cried surrender. He had planned to wait until the last minute, then all rush out of the door together and make a run for the Bonita River, a distance of about 50 yards. Finally, the heat became so great the kitchen door was thrown open. At this moment, one Mexican became frightened and called out at the top of his

voice not to shoot, that they would surrender. The kid struck the fellow over the head with his rifle and knocked him senseless. When the Mexican called out that they would surrender, Robert W. Beckwith, a cattleman of seven rivers, and John Jones, stepped around the corner of the building in full view of the kitchen door. A shot was fired. A shot was fired. fired at Beckwith and wounded him on the hand. Then Beckwith opened fire and shot lawyer McSween, though this was not a death shot. Another shot from Beckwith's gun killed Vicente Romero.

Now the kid planted a bullet in Beckwith's head, and he fell over dead. Leaping over Beckwith's body, the band made a run for the river. The kid was in the lead, yelling, Come on, boys! Tom O'Felliard was in the rear. He made his escape amidst flying bullets without a scratch, although he had stopped to pick up his friend Harvey Morris. Finding him dead, he dropped the body. McSween fell dead in the backyard with nine bullets in his body, which was badly scorched by the fire before he left the building. It was 10 p.m. when the fight had ended.

seven men had been killed and many wounded only two of turner's posse were killed while the kid lost five mcsween morris and three mexicans end of chapter six recording by roger maline chapter seven of history of billy the kid by charles a syringo this librovoc's recording is in the public domain recording by roger History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo Chapter 7 Billy the Kid kills two more men. At the head of a reckless band, he steals horses by the wholesale. He becomes desperately in love with Miss Dulcewea del Toboso. After their escape from Lincoln, Billy the Kid got his little band together

and made a business of stealing stock and gambling. Their headquarters were made in the hills near Fort Stanton, only a few miles above Lincoln. The soldiers at the fort paid no attention to them. Now Governor Lou Wallace, the famous author of Ben Hur, of Santa Fe, the capital of the territory of New Mexico, issued a proclamation granting a pardon to Billy the Kid and his followers if they would quit their lawlessness. But the kid laughed it off. as a joke. On the fifth day of August, Billy the Kid and Gang rode up in plain view of the

Mescalero Indian Agency and began rounding up a band of horses. A Jew by the name of Bernstein mounted a horse and said he would go out and stop them. He was warned of the danger, but persisted in his purpose of preventing the stealing of their band of gentle saddle horses. When Mr. Bernstein rode up to the gang and told them to Vammoose, in other words, to hit the road, the kid drew his rifle and shot the poor Jew dead. This was the kid's most cowardly act. His excuse was that he didn't like a Jew know-how. During the fall, the government had given a contract to a large gang of Mexicans

to put up several hundred tons of hay at $25 a tonne. As they drew their pay, the kid and gang were on hand to deal Monty and win their money. When the contract was finished, there was no more business for the kid's Monty game, so with his own hand, as told to the author by himself, he set fire to the haystacks one windy night. Now the government gave another contract for several hundred tons of hay at fifty dollars a tonne, as the work had to be rushed before frost killed the grass. When payday came around, the kid's Monty game was raking in money again.

The new stacks were allowed to stand, as it was too late in the season to cut the grass from more hay. During the fall, the kid and some of his gang made trips to Fort Sumner. Bodry and Scurlock always remained near their wives in Lincoln. But finally, those two outlaws moved their families to Sumner, where a rendezvous was established. Here, one of their gang, who always kept in the dark, and worked on the sly, lived with his Mexican wife, a sister to the wife of Pat Garrett. His name was Barney Mason, and he carried a curse of God on his brow for the killing of John Ferris, a cowboy friend of the riders in the early winter of 1878. On one of his trips to Fort Sumner,

Billy the Kid fell desperately in love with a pretty little 17-year-old half-breed Mexican girl, whom we will call Miss Dulcinea del Toboso. She was a daughter of a once-famous man and a sister to a man who owns sheep on a thousand hills. The falling in love with this, pretty young miss was virtually the cause of Billy the Kid's death. As up to the last, he hovered around Fort Sumner like a moth around a blazing candle. He had no thought

of getting his wings singed. He couldn't resist the temptation of visiting this pretty little miss. During the month of September 1878, the kid and part of his gang visited the town of Lincoln, and on leaving there stole a large band of fine range horses from Charlie Fritz and others. This band of horses was driven to Fort Sumner, thence east to Tuscosa in the wild panhandle of Texas on the Canadian River. While disposing of these horses to the cattlemen and cowboys, the kid and his gang camped for several weeks at the LX Cattle Ranch, 20 miles below Tuscrow. It was here, during the months of October and November 1878, that the writer made the acquaintance of Billy the Kid, Tom O'Falliard, Henry Brown, Fred Wyatt, John Middleton, and others of the gang whose names can't be recalled. The author had just returned from Chicago, where he had taken a shipment of fat steers, and found this gang of outlaws camped under some large cottonwood trees.

within a few hundred yards of the LX Headquarter Ranch House. For a few weeks, much of my time was spent with Billy the Kid. We became quite chummy. He presented me with a nicely bound book, in which he wrote his autograph. I had previously given him a fine Meerschaum cigar holder. While loafing in their camp, we passed off the time playing cards and shooting at marks, with our colt's forty-five pistols i could hit the mark as often as the kid but when it came to quick shooting he could get in two shots to my one i found billy the kid to be a good-natured young man he was always cheerful and smiling being still in his teens he had no sign of a beard his eyes were a hazel blue and his brown hair was long and curly

the skin on his face was tanned to a chestnut brown and was as soft and tender as a baby's he weighed about one hundred and forty pounds and was five feet eight inches tall his only defects were two upper front teeth which projected outward from his well-shaped mouth during his many visits to tescosa where whiskey was plentiful the kid never got drunk he seemed to drink more for sociability than for the love of liquor here henry brown and fred wyatt quit the kid's outlaw gang and went to the chickasaw nation in the indian territory where the parents of half-breed fred fred wyatt lived it is said that fred wyatt in later years served as a member of the oklahoma legislature henry brown became city marshal of caldwell kansas and while wearing his star rode to the near-by town of medicine lodge with three companions and in broad daylight held up the bank killing the president wily paine and his cashier george this put an end to henry brown as the enraged citizens mobbed the whole band of bad men the snow had begun to fly when the kid and the remnant of his gang returned to fort sumner new mexico one of his followers john middleton had sworn off being an outlaw and rode away from tuscosa for southern kansas where the author met him in later years he had settled down to a peaceful life the kid made his headquarters at fort sumner so as to be near his sweetheart he made several raids into lincoln county to steal cattle and horses

On one of these trips to Lincoln County, his respect for women and children avoided a bloody battle with United States soldiers. In the month of February 1879, William H. McBroom, at the head of a United States surveying crew, established a camp at the Roberts Ranch on the Panasco Creek in the Pecos Valley. While absent with most of his crew, Mr. McBroom left a young man, twenty-two years of age, Will M. Tipton in charge of the camp and extra mules. A young Mexican by the name of Nicholas Gutierrez was detailed to help young Tipton care for the stock. Their camp was within a few hundred feet of the Robert's home on the bank of the creek. One morning Mr. Roberts started up the river to Roswell to buy supplies, leaving his wife, grown daughter,

and five-year-old son at the ranch. Late that evening, Captain Hooker and some Negro soldiers pitched camp near the Roberts' home. They had several American prisoners with them to be taken to Fort Stanton and placed in jail. That night, after supper, Mr. Will M. Tipton, who at this writing, 1920, is a highly respected citizen of Santa Fe, New Mexico, says he and nicholas gutierrez were sitting on the bank of the creek in their camp he was playing a guitar while nicholas was singing just then a horseman climbed up the steep embankment from the bed of the creek and dismounted this stranger began asking questions about the soldier's camp where the campfires blazed brilliantly in the pitchy darkness finally the stranger gave a shrill whistle and soon a companion rode into camp out of the bed of the creek the second visitor was a slender boyish young man who seemed anxious to learn all about the soldier's camp

in a few moments three negro soldiers strolled into camp and chatted a while when they left to return to their quarters the two strangers bade tipton and his companion good-night and rode down the bed of the creek at noon next day mr roberts returned from roswell on meeting young tipton he remarked you boys had billy the kid as a visitor last night he then told of meeting the kid and his band of warriors that morning and of how the kid told of his visit to the mcbrun camp he told will tipton that the small young man was the kid billy the kid had told roberts that they had planned to make a charge into the soldier's camp and liberate the prisoners who were friends of theirs but finding that mrs roberts and the children were alone and that the soldier's camp was so near the roberts home they gave up the proposed battle knowing that the shooting would disturb mrs roberts and the family mr roberts explained to mr tipton that he had always fed the kid and his warriors when they happened by his place hence their friendship for him now the kid and his party rode to lincoln to use their influence in a peaceful way to liberate their friends whom captain hooker intended to turn over to the new sheriff of lincoln county in lincoln the kid met his former chum jesse evans and they started out to celebrate the meeting with jessie evans was a desperado named william campbell one night a lawyer named chapman who had been sent from las vegas to settle up the mc swine estate was in the saloon when campbell shot at his feet to make him dance

the lawyer protested indignantly and was shot dead by campbell jimmy dolan and j b matthews being present were later arrested along with campbell for this killing doland and matthews came clear at the preliminary trial and campbell was bound over to the grand jury he was taken to fort stanton and placed in jail there he made his escape and has never been hurt of in that part of the country since. Now Billy the Kid and Tom O'Falyard rode back to Fort Sumner, but soon returned to Lincoln, where they were arrested by Sheriff Kimbrel and his deputies, merely as a matter of performing their duty, but with no intention of disgracing them.

They were turned over to Deputy Sheriff T.B. Longworth and guarded in the home of Don Juan Patron, where they were whined and dined. on the twenty-first day of march eighteen seventy nine deputy sheriff longworth received orders to place his two prisoners in the town jail a filthy hole arriving at the jail door the kid told mr longworth that he had been in this jail once before and he swore he would never go into it again but to avoid making trouble he would go back on his pledge on a pine door to one of the cells the kid wrote with his pencil william bonnie was incarcerated first time december twenty second eighteen seventy eight second time march twenty first eighteen seventy nine and hope i will never be again w h bonnie this inscription showed on the old jail door for many years after it was written the first time the kid was put in this jail he walked right out and this second time he broke down the door when he got ready to go after breaking out of the jail the kid and ophalyard spent a couple of weeks in lincoln carrying their rifles whenever they walked through the street in plain view of the sheriff

in april they returned to fort sumner and were joined by charlie bodry and skirlock jesse evans had left for the lower paco's where he was later killed according to reports the summer was spent by the kid and his followers stealing cattle and horses in october they went to roswell and stole a hundred and eighteen head of john chisholm's fattest steers and later sold them to colorado beef buyers the kid claimed that chisholm owed him for fighting his battles during the lincoln county war and he was using this method to get his pay from now on for the next year the kid and gang did a wholesale business in stealing cattle tom cooper and his gang had joined issues with the kid and party and they established headquarters at the portales lake a salty body of water at the foot of the staked plains about seventy-five miles east of fort sumner here a permanent camp was pitched against a cliff of rock at a fresh water spring and it afterward became noted as billy the kid's cave a rock wall had been built against the cliff to take in the spring and afforded protection as a fort in case of a surprise from Indians or law officers. They had the whole country to themselves, as there were no inhabitants, only drifting bands

of buffalo hunters. Raids were made into the Texas Panhandle, the western line being a few miles east of their camp, and fat steers stolen from the LX and LIT cattle ranges on the Canadian River. These herds of stolen steers were driven to Tula Rosa in Dona Anna County, New Mexico, and turned over to Pat Coughlin, the king of Tularosa, who had a contract to furnished beef to the U.S. soldiers at Fort Stanton. Coughlin had made a deal with Billy the Kid to buy all the steers he could steal in the Texas panhandle and deliver to him in Tularosa.

In January, 1880, the kid added another notch on the handle of his pistol as a man-killer. He and a crowd of the Chisholm Cowboys were celebrating in Bob Hargroves' saloon in Fort Sumner. A bad man from Texas, by the name of Joe Grant, was filling his hide full of Kill Me Quick Whiskey in the Hargroves' saloon. Grant pulled a fine ivory-handled Colt's pistol from the scabbard of Cowboy Finan, putting his own pistol in place of it. Here the kid asked Grant to let him look at this beautiful ivory-handled pistol. The request was granted. Then the kid revolved the cylinder and saw there were two empty chambers.

He let the hammer down so that the first two attempts to shoot would be failures. now the pretty pistol was handed back to grant and he stuck it in his scabbard a little later grant stepped behind the bar so as to face the crowd and jerking his pistol he began knocking glasses off the bar with it eyeing billy the kid he remarked pard i'll kill a man quicker than you will for the whisky the kid accepted the challenge grant fired at the kid fired at the kid's kid, but the hammer struck on an empty chamber. Now the kid planted a ball between Grant's eyes, and he fell over dead. At the Boscue Grande on the Pecos River, the three Derek boys, Sam, Dan, and Moes, owned a ranch, which became quite a rendezvous for the kids and Tom Cooper's gangs. From here, the herds of stolen panhandle, Texas cattle, were started across the waterless desert to the foot of the Capitan Mountains, a distance of about 100 miles.

Here Dave Rudabaw, who had the previous fall, killed the jailer in Las Vegas in trying to liberate his friend Webb, joined Billy the Kid's gang. Also, Billy Wilson and Tom Pickett joined the party, and their time was spent stealing cattle and horses. End of Chapter 7. Recording by Roger Maline. Chapter 8 of History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo. This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Roger Maline.

History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo. Chapter 8. Billy the Kid adds one more notch to his gun as a killer. trapped at last by Pat Garrett and Posse. Two of his gang killed. In jail at Santa Fe. In the year 1879, Rich Goldor had been struck on Baxter Mountain,

three miles from White Oak Spring, about 30 miles north of Lincoln, and the new town of White Oaks was established with a population of about 1,000 souls. The kid had many, friends in this hurrah mining camp? He had shot up the town and was wanted by the law officers. On the 23rd day of November, 1880, the kid celebrated his birthday in White Oaks, undercover among friends. On riding out of town with his gang, after dark, he took one friendly shot at Deputy Sheriff Jim

Woodland, who was standing in front of the Pioneer Saloon. The chances are, he had no intention of shooting Woodland, as he was a warm friend to his chum, Tom O'Falyard, who was working by his side. O'Falyard and Jim Woodland had come to New Mexico from Texas together a few years previous. Woodland is still a resident of Lincoln County, with a permanent home on the large block cattle ranch. This shot woke up Deputy Sheriff's Jim Carlyle and J.N. Bell, fired parting shots at the gang as they galloped out of town. The next day a posse was made up of leading citizens of White Oaks, with Deputy Sheriff Will Hudgens and Jim Carlyle in command.

They followed the trail of the outlaw gang to Coyote Spring, where they came onto the gang in camp. Shots were exchanged. Billy the Kid had sprung onto his horse, which was shot from under him. when the kid's gang fired on the posse johnny hudgeon's mount fell over dead shot in the head the weather was bitter cold and snow lay on the ground without overcoat or gloves billy the kid rushed for the hills afoot after his horse fell the rest of the gang had become separated and each one looked out for himself in the outlaw's camp the posse found a good supply of grub and pull plunder. Jim Carlyle appropriated the kid's gloves and put them on his hands. No doubt they were the real cause of his death later. With Billy the Kid's saddle, overcoat, and the other plunder found

in the outlaw's camp, the posse returned to white oaks, arriving there about dark. It would seem from all accounts that Billy the kid trailed the posse into white oaks, where he found shelter at the Dedrick and West livery stable. He was seen on the street during the night. On November 27th, a posse of White Oates citizens under command of Jim Carlyle and Will Hudgens rode to the Jim Greathouse Road Ranch, about 40 miles north, arriving there before daylight. Their horses were secreted, and they made breastworks of logs and brush, so as to cover the ranch house, which was known to be a rendezvous of the kid's gang. After daylight, the cook came out of the

house with a nose bag and ropes to hunt the horses which had been hobbled the evening before. This cook, Steck, was captured by the posse behind the breastworks. He confessed that the kid and his gang were in the house. Now Steck was sent to the house with a note to the kid demanding his surrender. The reply he sent back by Steck read, You can only take me a corpse. The proprietor of the ranch, Jim Greathouse, accompanied Steck back to the posse behind the logs. Jimmy Carlyle suggested that he go to the house unarmed and have a talk with the kid. Will Hudgens wouldn't agree to this until after Great House said he would remain to guarantee Carlyle's safe

return, that if the kid should kill Carlisle, they could take his life. A time limit was set for Carlisle's return, or Great House would be killed. This was written on a note and sent by Steck to the kid. When Carlisle entered the saloon, in the front part of the log building, the kid greeted him in a friendly manner, but seeing his gloves sticking out of Carlisle's coat pocket, he grabbed them, saying, What in the hell are you doing with my gloves? Of course, this brought back the misery

he had endured without gloves after the posse raided their camp at Coyote Spring. Here he invited Carlisle up to the bar to take his last drink on earth, as he said he intended to kill him when the whiskey was down. After Carlisle had drained his glass, the kid pulled his pistol

and told him to say his prayers before he fired. With a laugh, the kid put up his pistol, saying, Why, Jimmy, I wouldn't kill you. Let's all take another friendly drink. Now the time was spent singing and dancing. Every time the gang took a drink, Carlisle had to join them in a social glass. The kid afterwards told friends

that he had no intention of killing Carlisle, that he just wanted to detain him until after dark so they could make a dash for liberty the time had just expired when the posse were to kill jim greathouse if carlyle was not back at that moment a man behind the breastworks fired a shot at the house carlyle supposed this shot had killed great house which would result in his own death he leaped from the glass window taking sash and all with him The kid fired a bullet into him. When he struck the ground, he began crawling away on his hands and knees, as he was badly wounded. Now the kid finished him with a well-aimed shot from his pistol. The men behind the logs were witnesses to this murder, as they could see Carlisle crawling away from the window. Now they opened fire with a vengeance on the building.

the gang had previously piled sacks of grain and flour against the doors to keep out the bullets. In the excitement, Jim Greathouse slipped away from the posse and ran through the woods. Finding one of his own hobbled ponies, he mounted him and rode away. He was later shot by desperado Joe Fowler with a double-barrel shotgun as he lay in bed asleep. This murder took place on Joe Fowler's cattle ranch west of Socorro, New Mexico. After dark, the posse concluded to return to white oaks as they were cold and hungry. They had brought no grub with them, and they dared not build a fire to keep warm for fear of being shot by the gang. A few hours later, the kid and gang made a break for liberty, intending to fight the posse to a finish,

they not knowing that the officers had departed. All night the gang waited through the deep snow afoot. They arrived at Mr. Spence's ranch at daylight and ate a hearty breakfast, then continued their journey towards Anton Chico on the Pecos River. About daylight that morning, Will Hudgens, John Hurley, and Jim Brent made up a large posse and started to the Great House Road Ranch. Arriving there, they found the place vacated. The buildings were set of fire,

then the journey continued on the Gangs Trail in the deep snow. A highly respected citizen, by the name of Spence, had established a road ranch on a cut-off road between White Oaks and Las Vegas. The gang's trail led up to this ranch, and Mr. Spence acknowledged cooking breakfast. for them. Now Mr. Spence was dragged to a tree with a rope around his neck to hang him. Many of the posse protested against the hanging of Spence, and his life was spared, but revenge was taken by burning up his buildings. The kid's trail was now followed into a rough hilly country and there abandoned. Then the posse returned to White Oaks.

In Anton Chico, the kid in his party stole horses and saddles and rode down the Pecos River. A few days later, Pat Garrett, the sheriff of Lincoln County, arrived in Anton Chico from Fort Sumner to make up a posse to run down the kid and his gang. At this time, the writer and Bob Roberson had arrived in Anton Chico from Tascosa, Texas, with a crew of fighting cowboys to help run down the kid and put a stop to the stealing of Panhandle, Texas cattle. The author had charge of five warriors,

James H. East, Cal Polk, Lee Hall, Frank Clifford, Bigfoot Wallace, and Lawn Chambers. We were armed to the teeth and had four large mules to draw the mess wagon driven by the Mexican cook Francisco. Bob Roberson was in charge of five riders and a mess wagon. At our camp, west of Anton Chico, Pat Garrett met us,

and we agreed to loan him a few of our warriors. The rider turned over to him three men, Jim East, Lawn Chambers, and Lee Hall. Bob Roberson turned over to him three cowboys, Tom Emery, Bob Williams, and Louis Bowesman. We then continued our journey to White Oaks in a raging snowstorm. Pat Garrett started down the Paco's River with his crew, consisting of our six cowboys, his brother-in-law, Barney Mason,

and Frank Stewart, who had been acting as detective for the Panhandle Cattlemen's Association. At Fort Sumner, Pat Garrett deputates. Charlie Rudolph and a few Mexican friends to join the crowd, which now numbered about 13 men. Finding that the kid and party had been in Fort Sumner and made the old abandoned United States Hospital Building, where lived Charlie Boudry and his half-breed Mexican wife, their headquarters, Pat Garrett concluded to camp there.

He figured that the outlaws would return and visit Mrs. Charlie Baudry, whose husband was one of the outlaw band in order to get a true record of the capture of billy the kid and gang the author wrote to james h east of douglas arizona for the facts jim east is the only known living participant in that tragic event his reputation for honesty and truthfulness is above par wherever he is known he served eight years as sheriff of oldham county texas at tuscosa and was city marshal for several years in douglas arizona herewith his letter to the writer is printed in full douglas arizona may first nineteen twenty dear charlie yours of the twenty ninth received and contents noted i will try to answer your questions but you know after a lapse of forty years one's memory may slip a cog first we were quartered in the old government hospital building in fort sumner the night of the first fight lawn chambers was on guard our horses were in pete maxwell's stable sheriff pat garrett tom emery bob williams and barney mason were playing poker on a blanket on the floor i had just laid down on my blanket in the corner when chambers ran in and told us that the kid and his gang were coming it was about eleven o'clock at night we all grabbed our guns and stepped out in the yard

Just then the kids' men came around the corner of the old hospital building, in front of the room occupied by Charlie Bodry's woman and her mother. Tom O'Felliard was riding in the lead. Garrett yelled out, Throw up your hands! But O'Falierd jerked his pistol. Then the shooting commenced. It being dark, the shooting was at random.

Tom O'Falierd was shot through the body, near the heart, and lost control of his horse. Kid and the rest of his men whirled their horses and ran up the road. O'Falyard's horse came up near us, and Tom said, Don't shoot any more, I am dying. We helped him off his horse and took him in, and laid him down on my blanket. Pat and the other boys then went back to playing poker. I got Tom some water.

He then cussed Gary. and died in about 30 minutes after being shot. The horse that Dave Routabaw was riding was shot, but not killed instantly. We found the dead horse the next day on the trail, about one mile or so east of Fort Sumner. After Dave's horse fell down from loss of blood, he got up behind Billy Wilson, and they all went to Wilcox's ranch that night. The next morning, a big son. snowstorm set in and put out their trail. So we laid over in Sumner and buried Tom O'Falyard.

The next night, after the fight, it cleared off, and about midnight Mr. Wilcox rode in and reported to us that the kid, Dave Rudebaugh, Billy Wilson, Tom Pickett, and Charlie Bodeley, had eaten supper at his ranch about dark, then pulled out for the little rock house at Stink spring. So we saddled up and started about one o'clock in the morning. We got to the Rock House just before daylight. Our horses were left with Frank Stewart and some of the other boys under guard, while Garrett took Lee Hall, Tom Emery, and myself with him. We crawled up the arroyo to within about 30 feet of the door, where we lay down in the snow. There was no window in this house and only one door, which we would cover with our guns.

The kid had taken his race mirror into the house, but the other three horses were standing near the door, hitched by ropes to the Vega poles. Just as Day began to show, Charlie Bodry came out to feed his horse, I suppose, for he had a moral in one hand. Garrett told him to throw up his hands, but he grabbed at his six-shooter. Then Garrett and Lee Hall both shot him in the breast. Emery and I didn't shoot, for there was no use to waste ammunition then. Charlie turned and went into the house, and we heard the kid say to him, Charlie, you are done for.

Go out and see if you can't get one of the sons of bitches before you die. Charlie then walked out with his hand on his pistol. but was unable to shoot. We didn't shoot, for we could see he was about dead. He stumbled and fell on Lee Hall. He started to speak, but the words died with him. Now, Garrett, Lee, Tom, and I fired several shots at the ropes which held the horses and cut them loose, all but one horse which was halfway in the door. Garrett shot him down, and that blocked the door, so the kid could not make a wolf dart on his mare. We then held a medicine talk with the kid, but, of course, couldn't see him. Garrett asked him to give up. Billy answered, Go to hell, you long-legged son of a bitch.

Garrett then told Tom Emery and I to go around to the other side of the house, as we could hear them trying to pick out a porthole. Then we took it time about guarding the house all that day. When nearly sundown, we saw a white handkerchief on a stick, poked out of the chimney. Some of us crawled up the arroyo near enough to talk to Billy. He said they had no show to get away and wanted to surrender, if we would give our word not to fire into them when they came out.

we gave the promise and they came out with their hands up but that trader barney mason raised his gun to shoot the kid when lee hall and i covered barney and told him to drop his gun which he did now we took the prisoners and the body of charlie bodry to the wilcox ranch where we stayed until next day then to fort sumner where we delivered the body of bodry to his wife garrett asked louis bousman and i to take bodry in the house to his wife as we started in with him she struck me over the head with a branding iron and i had to drop charlie at her feet the poor woman was crazy with grief i always regretted the death of charlie baudry for he was a brave man and true to his friends to the last before we left fort sumner with the prisoners for santa fe the kid asked garret to let tom emry and i go along as guards which as you know he did the kid made me a present of his winchester rifle but old beaver smith made such a roar about an account he said billy owed him that at the request of billy i gave old beaver the gun i wish now i had kept it on the road to santa fe the kid told garret this that those who live by the sword die by the sword part of that prophecy has come true pat garret got his but i am still alive i must close you may use any quotations from my letters for they are true good luck to you mrs east joins me in best wishes

sincerely yours james h east the author had previously written to jim east about billy the kid's sweetheart miss dulcinea del toboso here is a quotation from his answer of april twenty sixth nineteen twenty your recollection of dulcinea del toboso about tallies with the way i remember her she was rather stout built like her mother but not so dark after we captured billy the kid at arroyo tivan we took him dave rudabaugh billy wilson and tom picket also the dead body of charlie baudry to fort sumner after dinner mrs toboso sent over an old navajo woman to ask pat garrett to let billy come over to the house and see them before taking him to santa fe so garrett told lee hall and i to guard billy and dave rudabaw over to tobosos dave and billy being shackled together as we went over the lock on dave's leg came loose and billy being very superstitious said that is a bad sign i will die and dave will go free which as you know proved true when we went in the house only mrs toboso dulcinea and the old navajo woman were there mrs toboso asked hall and i to let billy and dulcinea go into another room and talk a while but we did not do so for it was only a stall of billy's to make a run for liberty and the old lady and the girl were willing to further the scheme

the lovers embraced and she gave billy one of those soul kisses the novelists tell us about till it being time to hit the trail for vegas we had to pull them apart much against our wishes for you know all the world loves a lover it was december twenty third eighteen eighty when the kid and gang dave rudabaugh tom pickett and billy wilson were captured and charlie baudry killed the prisoners were taken to the nearest railroad at las vegas where a mob tried to take them away from the posse to string them up they were placed in the county jail at santa fe the capital of the territory of new mexico as the penitentiary was not yet completed. Dave Rudabaw was tried and sentenced to death for the killing of the jailer in Las Vegas. Later, he made his escape and has never been heard of since. End of Chapter 8.

Recording by Roger Maline. Chapter 9 of History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo. This Librevox recording is in the public domain. recording by roger maline history of billy the kid by charles a syringo chapter nine billy the kid is sentenced to hang he kills his two guards and makes good his escape in the latter part of february eighteen eighty one billy the kid was taken to messiah to be tried for the murder of roberts at blazer sawmill judge bristol presided over the district court and assigned ira e leonard to defend the kid he was acquitted for the murder of roberts in the same term of court the kid was put on trial for the murder of sheriff william brady in april eighteen seventy eight this time he was convicted and sentenced to hang on the thirteenth day of may eighteen eighty one in the court-house yard in lincoln him. Deputy United States Marshal, Robert Ollinger, and Deputy Sheriff David Wood, drove the kid in a

covered back to Fort Stanton and turned him over to Sheriff Pat Garrett. As Lincoln had no suitable jail, an upstairs room in the large Adobe courthouse was selected as the kid's last home on earth, as the officer supposed, but fate decided otherwise. Bob Ollinger and J.W. Bell were selected to guard Billy the Kid until the time came for shutting off his wind with a rope. The room selected for the kid's home was large, and in the northeast corner of the building, upstairs. There were two windows in it,

one on the east side and the other on the north, fronting the main street. In order to get out of this room, one had to pass through a hall into another room, where a back stairs led down to the rear yard in a room on the southwest corner of the building the surplus firearms were kept in a closet or armory one room was assigned as the sheriff's private office the kid's furniture consisted of a pair of steel handcuffs steel shackles for his legs a stool and a cot bob ollinger the chief guard was a large powerful middle-aged man with a mean disposition. He and the kid were bitter enemies on account of having killed warm friends of each other during the bloody Lincoln County War.

It is said that Ollinger shot one of the kid's friends to death while holding his right hand with his, Ollinger's, left hand. After this local war had ended, the fellow stepped up to Ollinger to shake hands and bury the hatchet of former hatred. Ollinger extended his left hand and grabbed the man's right, holding it fast until he had shot him to death. Of course, this cowardly act left a scar on Billy the kid's heart, which only death could heal. J. W. Bell was a tall, slender man of middle age, with a large knife scar across one cheek. He had come from San Antonio, Texas. He held a grudge against the kid for the killing of his friend, Jimmy Carlisle, otherwise there was no enmity between them. In the latter

part of April, cowboy Charlie Wall had four Mexicans helping him irrigate an alfalfa field above the Mexican village of Tula Rosa on Tularosa River. A large band of Tula Tula Tula. A large band of Tularosa Mexicans appeared on the scene one morning to prevent Young Wall from using water for his thirsty alfalfa. When the smoke of battle cleared away, four Tularosa Mexicans lay dead on the ground, and Charlie Wall had two bullet wounds in his body, though they were not dangerous wounds. Now, to prevent being mobbed by the angry citizens of Tularosa, which was just over the line in Dona Anika, County, Wall and his helpers made a run on horseback for Lincoln to surrender to Sheriff Pat Garrett. The sheriff allowed them to wear their pistols and to sleep in the old jail.

At mealtimes, they accompanied either Bob Ollinger or J.W. Bell to the Ellis Hotel across the main street, which ran east and west through town. Charlie Wall did his loafing while recovering from his bullet wounds in the room where the kid was kept. On the morning of April 28, 1881, Sheriff Garrett prepared to leave for White Oaks, 35 miles north, to have a scaffold made to hang the kid on. Before starting, he went into the room where the kid sat in his stool, guarded by Ollinger, who was having a friendly chat with Charlie. Charlie Wall, the man who gave the writer the full details of the affair.

J. W. Bell was also present in the room. Garrett remarked to the two guards, Say, boys, you must keep a close watch on the kid, as he has only a few more days to live and might make a break for liberty. Bob Ollinger answered, Don't worry, Pat, we will watch him like a goat. Now Ollinger stepped into the other room and got his double-barrel shotgun. With the gun in his hand and, looking towards the kid, he said,

There are 18 buck shots in each barrel, and I reckon the man who gets them will feel it. With a smile, Billy the kid remarked, You may be the one to get them yourself. Now Ollinger put the gun back in the armory, locking the door, putting the key in his pocket. Then Garrett left for White Oaks. About five o'clock in the evening, Bob Ollinger took Charlie Wall

and the other four-armed prisoners to the Ellis Hotel across the street for supper. Bell was left to guard the kid. According to the story, Billy the Kid told Mrs. Charlie Baudry and other friends, after his escape, he had been starving himself so that he could slip his left hand out of the steel cuff.

The guards thought he had lost his appetite from worry over his approaching death. J. W. Bell sat on a chair facing the kid several paces away. He was reading a newspaper. The kid slipped his left hand out of the cuff and made a spring for the guard, striking him over the head with the steel cuff. Bell threw up both hands to shield his head from another blow. Then the kid jerked Bell's pistol out of it scabbard. Now Bell ran out of the door and received a bullet from his own pistol.

The body of Bell tumbled down the back stairs, falling on the jailer, a German by the name of Geis, who was sitting at the foot of the stairs. Of course, Geis stampeded. He flew out of the gate. towards the Ellis Hotel. On hearing the shot, Bob Ollinger and the five armed prisoners got up from the supper table and ran to the street. Charlie Wall and the four Mexicans stopped on the sidewalk, while Ollinger continued to run towards the courthouse. After killing Bell, the kid broke in the door to the armory and secured Ollinger's shotgun. Then he hobbled to the open window facing the

hotel. When in the middle of the street, Ollinger met the stampeded jailer, and as he passed, he said, Bell has killed the kid. This caused Olinger to quit running. He walked the balance of the way. When directly under the window, the kid stuck his head out, saying, Hello, Bob! Ollinger looked up and saw his own shotgun pointed at him. He said, in a voice loud enough to be heard by Wall and the other prisoners across the street. Yes, he has killed me too. These words were hardly out of the guard's mouth when the kid fired a charge of buckshot into his heart. Now Billy the kid hobbled back to the armory and buckled around his waist two belts of cartridges and two Colts pistols.

Then taking a Winchester rifle in his hand, he hobbled back. to the shotgun, which he picked up. He then went out on the small porch in front of the building. Reaching over the balusters with the shotgun, he fired the other charge into Ollinger's body. Then, breaking the shotgun in two, across the balusters, he threw the pieces at the corpse, saying, Take that, you son of a bitch, you will never follow me with that gun again. Now the kid hailed a jailer, old man Geiss, and told him to throw up a file, which he did. Then the chain holding his feet close together was filed in two. When his legs were free, the kid danced a jig on the little front porch,

where many people who had run out to the sidewalk across the street on hearing the shots, were witnesses to this free show which couldn't be beat for money. geis was hailed again and told to saddle up billy burts the deputy county clerks black pony and bring him out on the street this black pony had formerly belonged to the kid when the pony stood on the street ready for the last act the kid went down the back stairs stepping over the dead body of bell and started to mount being encumbered with the weight of two pistols two belts full of ammunition and the rifle, the kid was thrown to the ground when the pony began bucking before he had got into the saddle. Now the kid faced the crowd across the street, holding the rifle ready for action. Charlie Wall told the rider that he could have killed him with his pistol, but that he wanted to see him escape. Many other men in the crowd felt the same way,

no doubt. When the pony was brought back, the kid gave Geis his rifle to hold while he mounted. The rifle being handed back to him when he was securely seated in the saddle, then he dug the pony in the sides with his heels and galloped west. At the edge of town, he waved his hat over his head, yelling, Three cheers for Billy the kid! Now the curtain went down for the time being. End of Chapter 9. Recording by Roger Maline. Chapter 10 of History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo.

This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Roger Maline. History of Billy the Kid by Charles A. Seringo. Chapter 10. Billy the Kid goes back to his sweetheart in Fort Sumner. shot through the heart by sheriff pat garrett and buried by the side of his chum tom o'faylor'd a few days after the kid's escape billy bert's black pony returned to lincoln dragging a rope he had either escaped or been turned loose by the kid the next we hear of the kid he visited friends in las tablas and stole a horse from andy richardson from there he headed for fort sun to see his sweetheart, Miss Dulcinea del Toboso.

It was said he tried to persuade her to run away with him and go to Old Mexico to live in happiness ever afterward, but that sweet little Dulce refused to leave Mama. The kid found shelter and concealment in the home of Mrs. Charlie Boudry and her mother. One night, a few weeks after his escape, the writer was within whispering distance of, of Billy the Kid. Myself and a crowd of cowboys had attended a Mexican dance.

Mrs. Charlie Bodry was there, dressed like a young princess. She captured the heart of the author so that he danced with her often and escorted her to the midnight supper. About three o'clock in the morning the dance broke up and the writer escorted the pretty young widow, Mrs. Charlie Bodry, to her adobe home. At the front door, I almost got down on my knees, pleading for her to let me go into the house and talk a while. But no use. She insisted that her mother would object. Now a wine-soaked young cowboy with jingling spurs on his high-heel boots,

staggered into camp and piled into bed, spread on the ground under her cottonwood tree to dream of Mexican fandangos where the girls have no choice of partners. Without an introduction, the man walks up to the girl of his choice and leads her out on the floor to dance to his heart's content. About six months later, in the fall of 1881, after the kid had been killed, the writer was in Fort Sumner again and attended a dance with Mrs. Charlie Boudry. Now she explained the reason for not letting me enter the house. She said at that time, Billy the kid, who was in hiding at her home, was on the outside of the door, listening to our conversation, that he recognized my voice. Here, Mrs. Bodry told me the facts in the case,

of how Billy the kid met his death, bareheaded and barefooted, with a butcher knife in his hand. While in hiding in Fort Sumner, the kid stole a saddle-horse from Mr. Montgomery Bell, who had ridden into town from his ranch, 50 miles. above on the Rio Picos. Bell supposed the horse had been ridden off by a common Mexican thief. He hired Barney Mason and a Mr. Curington to go with him to hunt the animal. They started down the stream, Bell keeping on one side of the river, while Mason and Curington headed for a sheep camp in the foothills. Riding up to the tent in the sheep camp, the kid stepped out with his Winchester rifle and hailed them.

Barney Mason was armed to the teeth and was on a swift horse. He had on a new pair of spurs and nearly wore them out making his getaway. Mr. Curington rode up to his friend, Billy the Kid, and had a friendly chat. The kid told Mr. Curington to tell Montgomery Bell that he would return his horse or pay for him. when curington reported the matter to mr bell he was satisfied and searched no more for the animal after the kids escape from lincoln sheriff pat garrett laid low and tried to find out the kid's whereabouts through his friends and associates in march eighteen eighty one a deputy united states marshal by the name of john w poe arrived in the booming mining camp of white oaks he had been sent to new mexico by the cattleman's association of the texas panhandle cattle king charley goodnight being the president of the association had selected mr poe as the proper man to put a stop to the stealing of panhandle cattle by billy the kid and the gang after the kid's escape pat garrett went to white oaks and deputized john w poe to assist him in rounding up the kid

From now on, Mr. Poe made trips out in the mountains trying to locate the young outlaw. The kid's best friends argued that he was nobody's fool and would not remain in the United States when the old Mexico border was so near. They didn't realize that little Cupid was shooting his tender young heart full of love darts, straight from the heart of pretty little Miss Dulcinea del Toboso of Fort Sumner. Early in July, Pat Garrett received a letter from an acquaintance by the name of Brazil in Fort Sumner, advising him that the kid was hanging around there. Garrett at once wrote Brazil to meet him about dark on the night of July 13th,

at the mouth of the Taibona Royo below Fort Sumner. Now the sheriff took his trusted deputy, John W. Poe, and rode to Roswell on. the Rio Pecos. There they were joined by one of Mr. Garrett's fearless cowboy deputies, Kip McKinney, who had been raised near Uvalde, Texas. Together, the three law officers rode up the river towards Fort Sumner, a distance of 80 miles. They arrived at the mouth of Taiban Arroyo, an hour after dark on July 13th, but Brazil was not there to meet them. The night was spent sleeping on their saddle blankets. The next morning, Garrett sent Mr. Poe, who was a stranger in the country,

and for that reason would not be suspicioned, into Fort Sumner, five miles north, to find out what he could on the sly about the kid's presence. From Fort Sumner he was to go to Sunnyside, six miles north, to interview a merchant by the name of Mr. Rudolph. then when the moon was rising to meet Garrett and McKinney at La Punta de la Glorietta about four miles north of Fort Sumner. Failing to find out anything of importance about the kid, John W. Poe met his two companions at the appointed place, and they rode into Fort Sumner. It was about eleven o'clock, and the moon was shining brightly when the officers rode into an old orchard

and concealed their horses. Now the three continued afoot to the home of Pete Maxwell, a wealthy stockman, who was a friend to both Garrett and the kid. He lived in a long, one-story adobe building, which had been the U.S. officer's quarters when the soldiers were stationed there.

The house fronted south and had a wide-covered porch in front. The grassy front yard was surrounded by a pincolns. picket fence. As Pat Garrett had courted his wife and married her in this town, he knew every foot of the ground, even to Pete Maxwell's private bedroom. On reaching the picket gate near the corner room, which Pete Maxwell always occupied, Garrett told his two deputies to wait there until after he had a talk with half-breed Pete Maxwell. The night being hot, Pete Maxwell's door stood wide open, and Garrett walked in.

A short time previous, Billy the Kid had arrived from a sheep camp out in the hills. Back of the Maxwell home lived a Mexican servant, who was a warm friend to the kid. Here, Billy the Kid always found late newspapers, placed there by loving hands, for his special benefit. This old servant had gone to bed. The kid lit a lamp, then pulled off his coat and boots. Now he glanced over the papers to see if his name was mentioned. Finding nothing of interest in the newspapers, he asked the old servant to get up and cook him some supper,

as he was very hungry. Getting up, the servant told him there was no meat in the house. The kid remarked that he would go and get some from Pete Maxwell. Now he picked up a butcher knife from the table to cut the meat with and started bare-footed and bare-headed. The kid passed within a few feet of the end of the porch where sat John W. Poe and Kip McKinney. The latter had raised up when his spur rattled,

which attracted the kid's attention. At the same moment Mr. Poe stood up in the small open gateway leading from the street to the end of the porch. They supposed the man coming towards them, only partly dressed, was a servant, or possibly Pete Maxwell. The kid had pulled his pistol, and so had John Poe, who by that time was almost within arm's reach of the kid. With pistol pointing at Poe, at the same time asking in Spanish,

Kianess! Who is that? he backed into pete maxwell's room he had repeated the above question several times on entering the room billy the kid walked up to within a few feet of pat garrett who was sitting on maxwell's bed and asked who are they pete now discovering that a man sat on pete's bed the kid with raised pistol pointing towards the bed began backing across the room pete maxwell whispered to the sheriff that's him pat by this time the kid had backed to a streak of moonlight coming through the south window asking kean s who's that garrett raised his pistol and fired then cocked the pistol again and it went off accidentally putting a hole in the ceiling or wall now the sheriff sprang out of the door onto the porch where stood his two deputies with drawn pistols. Soon after, Pete Maxwell ran out and came very near getting a ball from Poe's pistol.

Garrett struck the pistol upward, saying, Don't shoot Maxwell! A lighted candle was secured from the mother of Pete Maxwell, who occupied a nearby room, and the dead body of Billy the Kid was found stretched out on his back with a bullet wound in his breast. just above the heart. At the right hand lay a Colts 41 caliber pistol, and at his left a butcher knife. Now the native people began to collect, many of them being warm friends of the kids.

Garrett allowed them to take the body across the street to a carpenter shop, where it was laid out on a bench. Then lighted candles were placed around the remains of what was once the bravest and coolest young outlaw who ever trod the face of the earth. The next day, this, once mother's darling, was buried by the side of his chum, Tom O'Falyard, in the old military cemetery. He was killed at midnight, July 14, 1881, being just 21 years seven months. months and 21 days of age, and had killed 21 men, not including Indians, which he said didn't count as human beings. A few months after killing of the kid, a man was coining money, showing Billy the kid's trigger finger, preserved in alcohol. Seeing sensational accounts of it in the newspapers, Sheriff Garrett had the body dug up,

but found his trigger finger was still attached to the right hand. During the following spring in the town of Lincoln, the sheriff auctioned off the kid's saddle and the blue barrel rubber-handled double-action Colts 41 caliber pistol, which the kid held in his hand when killed. There were only two bidders for the pistol, the writer and the deputy county clerk, Billy Burt, who got it for $13.50. Its actual value was about $12.

Since then, many pistols have been prized as keepsakes from the supposed idea that the kid had held each one of them in his hand when he fell. Many were presented to friends with a sincere thought that they were genuine. As an illustration, we will question. a few lines from a friendly letter dated May 10th, 1920, written by the present game warden, Mr. J. L. DeHart of the state of Montana. Later, in March 1895,

I was ushered into office as sheriff of Sweetgrass County, Montana, and a former resident of New Mexico, and an acquaintance of Billy the Kid, later a resident of Livingston, Montana, by the name of William Dawson, upon this momentous occasion, presented me with a splendid Colts six-shooter, 45-caliber, 7-inch barrel, and ivory handle, said to have been the property of the notorious Billy the Kid,

when killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett at the Maxwell Ranch House. I have always considered this piece of artillery a valuable relic, and with much trouble have retained it. most of my diligent watch however upon this gun was brought about as a result of being named as a state game warden in nineteen thirteen by his excellency governor s v stewart where ignorance is bliss it is folly to be wise is a true saying no doubt mr de hart has felt proud over the ownership of the pistol billy the kid was supposed to have in his hand at the time of his death. This is not the only Billy the Kid pistol in existence. It would be a safe gamble to bet that there are a wagon load of them scattered over the United States.

The Winchester rifle taken from the kid at the time of his capture at Stinking Spring was raffled off in the spring of 1881, and the writer won it. He put it up again in a game of freeze-out poker. as one of my cowboys tom emery was an expert poker player i induced him to play my hand i then went to bed on going down to the pioneer saloon in white oaks early next morning the night barkeeper told me a secret under promised that i keep it to myself he said he was stretched out on the bar trying to take a nap The poker game was going on near him. When he lay down, all had been freeze out, but Tom Emery and Johnny Hudgens. Just before daylight, Emery won all the chips in a big showdown,

and I was the owner of Billy the Kid's rifle for the second time, but only for a moment, as Johnny Hudgens gave Tom Emery $20 for the gun under the pretense that Hudgens had won it. emery almost shed tears when he told me of losing the rifle in what he thought was a winning hand of course i didn't dispute it as i had given a promise to keep silent billy the kid came very near having a stone monument placed on his grave for the benefit of posterity so that the curious among the unborn generations would know the exact spot where this claude duval of the southwest was planted one day on the plaza in the city of santa fe in about the year nineteen sixteen the writer met mrs gertrude dills wife of lucius dills the surveyor-general of new mexico a daughter of judge frank lee of white-oaks and a niece to that whole-souled prince among men the father of the city of roswell captain j c lee she suggested that the writer get up a subscription to place a lasting monument on the grave of billy the kid so that future generations would know where he was buried

as a little girl mrs dills was once tempted to crawl under the bed when billy the kid and gang shot up the town of white oaks i at once went to the monument establishment of mr louis napoleon and selected a fine marble monument with the understanding that the inscription not be caught on it until after I had located the grave. Many years ago, Will E. Griffin, who is still a resident of Santa Fe, moved all the bodies of the soldiers buried in the old military cemetery at Fort Sumner to the National Cemetery at Santa Fe. He says when the work was finished, the only graves left in the graveyard were the those of Billy the Kid and his chum Tom O'Falyard. On these two graves, close together, still remained the badly rotted wooden headboards. Since then, the old cemetery has been turned

into an alfalfa field, and the chances are all signs of this noted young outlaws resting place have been obliterated. Soon after selecting the monument, I happen to be in the town of Tularosa. and brought up the subject to my old cowboy friend John P. Meadows. He at once subscribed five dollars towards the erection of the monument. He said Billy the Kid had befriended him in 1879 when he needed a friend, and for that reason he would like to perpetuate his memory. He thought it would be no trouble to raise the desired amount in Tula Rosa, but the first man he struck for a subscription,

Mr. Charlie Miller, former state engineer, discouraged him. Mr. Miller went straight up in the air with indignation at the idea of placing a monument at the grave of a bloodthirsty outlaw. Soon after this, Mr. Miller was murdered when Pancho Villa made his bloody raid on Columbus, New Mexico. This is as far as the grave of Biller,

Billy the Kid came to being marked, as the writer has been too busy on other matters to visit Fort Sumner and try to locate his last resting place. In closing, I wish to state that, with all his faults, Billy the Kid had many noble traits. In White Oaks, during the winter of 1881, the writer talked with a man who actually shed tears in telling of how he lay almost at the point of death with smallpox, in a little bit of the an old abandoned shack in Fort Sumner when the kid found him. A good supply of money was given by the kid, and a wagon and team hired to haul him to Las Vegas,

where medical attention could be secured. Since the killing of the kid, Kit McKinney has died with his boots off, while Pat Garrett died with them on, being shot and killed on the road between Tula Rosa and Las Crucese, New Mexico. Hence, the only man now living who saw the curtain go down on the last act of Billy the Kid's eventful life is John W. Poe, at the present writing, a wealthy banker in the beautiful city of Roswell, New Mexico. He has served one term as sheriff of Lincoln County, and has helped to change that blood-spattered county from an outlaw's paradise to a land of happy, peaceful homes.

peace to william h bonnie's ashes is the author's prayer the end end of history of billy the kidd by charles a syringo