Daily Republican., 1881-08-01
billy Tho Kids Life and Death.

StHShtlOl Ill Din i fTdItlSCO. ne wa
probab, ythe most noted desperate on TIL
Pacific coast, and the fact that he is a
last out of the way will be receive,
with a sense of relief all over the coast
The real name of Billy the Kid was no
known, but the name under which h
was known at the county jail of Gran
County was William Antrim. In ap
pearance Billy was one of the mildes
persons imaginable. His soft blue eve.
were SO attractive that those who saw
him for the first time looked upon hin
as victuim Of circumstances. In spit,
OF his innocent appearance, however
Billy the Kid was reall y one Of the mos
dangerous characters which this c0un
try has produced. He had just turned
q years, ami it was known that in his
short life he had murdered 10 people.
Ii was his boast that he had killed ont
man for every year of his life, He had
not quite done that, but it is certain
that he killeu 10 men in the q years Of
his worse than worthless life.
Billy the Kid was a slim, blue-eyed,
quiet hammered youth, such as you will
find waiting in the restaurants of San
Francisco There was nothing in his
appearance which would stamp him Us
A desperate. He came into Silver City
at a very early period of his life, and
lived there with bis step-tather until
he reached the age Of 10 years, when on
account Of i'll treatment by Mr. Antrim,
he left his home and took a position as
head waiter in the principal hotel of Sill
yer City. His first step in the downward
career was of the sncaking character.
AS waiter he stole Some butter from
the hotel in which he was engaged and
sold it. He was forgiven for this, and
IA few weeks later he stole some clothes
from chinaman and sold them. He
was arrested Tor this and convicted of
the crime of petty larceny. While ser
wing out hi, sentence in the jai at
Silver City he managed to escape
through a chimney leading to the top Of
the building and the next morning the
Sheriff was astonishel to find that
Biliy's cell was empty. He said after
ward, in speaking Of the escape, 81
could hardly put my fist into the hole
through which Billy got away"
After escaping, the Kid wandered
through the country to a ranch on the
border Of Arizona, where he WAS en-
gagged by II blacksmith as helper in his
shop. The blacksmith, who was in
clined to drunkenness, and q bully by
nature, undertook to impose upon Billy.
The Kid shot him through the heart on
the first occasion when he attempted to
impose upon him. He then fled Lin
c1ln County, to the north CT Grant
County. 1t was at this time that the
Lincoln County war began. A short
time before man died leaving about
Sl2 900 for the benefit of his heirs. His
only sister came TO New Mexico for the
purpose Of obtaining the money. In the
the administrator was trying
TO obtain the money for his own benefit.
Billy the Kid arrived at this point in
the proceedings ,and Immediately deter
mined to 10. sess himSelf of this money.
Each leader gathered about him a large
OF the desperadocs, and the
of the county took part " ith the
Administrator. The trough" element of
the county was divided, and for several
weeks deadly encoun ers took place.
During these fights Billy the Kid j.
credited with killing thirteen men, and
Ine of these men was the sheriff Of the
county, who was shot by the kid while
making an attack ON u house in which
Billy and his friends IRE fortified.
A new Sheriff was elected, and soon
after this Billy was captured and con-
fined in the Lincoln County Jail, under
the care Of two desp"radoes who had
.ou hit ag inst him and his small retinuc.
These men were murLerers of note, and
considered fit persolages
to have charge Of prisoners. Billy was
tie be hanged and while
awaiting his execution againmade his cs-
cape from jail AS the day of execution
drew near he persuaded his guards to
loosen one'of his handouts, in order to
allow him to eat with more ease. He
took no immediate advantage of the
favor which had been granted him, but
waited his time. A day before the time
set for the execution one of the guards
went to town, leaving the other to at
end to the prisoner. Then for the first
lime Billy stirred himself. He managed
to get behind the guard and knocked
him down with the handouts. The
guard was stunned and Billy relieved
him of his pistols, and taking deliberate
lin shot him through the head. The
)ther guard hearing the shot aud suS-
Decting that something was wrong came
up the roa just as Billy open
ID the window Of the Jail 10 escape.
The Kid seized rifle and with the cE-
,lamation "iialloo Bill.' shot him
Trough the heart. lie then jumped
Trough the window and escaped. All
IttemptS to catch him We're failures,
nd he disappeared for time. Hi,
iilling is regarded by the citizens Cf
California and Arizona as one OF the
most fortunate events which has oc-
urred for ye,rs.