Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1881-09-01
olace- After the death of his faith

ed Antum, who is now living in
Georgetown, New Mexico, and a
brother of Billy is now living in
that region. When he was about
fifteen years old he was jailed in
Silver City for robbing a store.
Being very small for his age, some
ladies took pity on him, and assist-
ed him to eacape, which he did by
crawling up through the chimney
Of the Jail. His feminine sympa
thizers then furnished him clothes
and money and he skipped over in
to Arizona. Here, when he was
sixteen or seventeen years old
he
KILLED HIS FIRST MAN
in the most deliberate, cold blooded
style. Pursuit was hot, and he fed
back to New Mexico and took Ief-
uge among tie cowboys Of Lincoln
county, gust about the time tkat
the ''Liucoln county war; broke
ont.
This war, according to Marion
Turner, who was conspicuous fig
ure in it, originated in the deter
mination of "Old John Chisum," "
and his partner, Alex McSwain, to
establish monopoly in the stock
growing business and make them>
selves what the claimed to be, 1.-The
cattle kings of the Pecos valley"
/ They drove in $4,000 head of cat
tie. The herds Of the smaller
ranches were swept away with the
rolling avalanche of hoofs and
horns. The losers attempted to re-
claim their animals. Collisions be-
tween the herders were. of constant
occurrence. Tue firm CT Murphy.
Dolan & Co., headed the ranch
men and herders opposed to CHS
um and McSwaln. Both sides en-
listed all the strength and influence
they could. Chisum q McSwain
hired billy, the Kid" and h;s
reckless dasedevilism, his deadly :
craftsmanship, his skill as a horse
man, and
HIS DELIGHT IN MURDER.
at once made him the leader of his
faction.
Early in 1873 Chisu.n had s'the
Kid" appointed deputy constable
and armed with warrant for the
arrest of some trivial charge Of Will
liam Morton and Frank Baker
herdsmen in the employ OF Tom
Catron, formerly Of Lafayette ceun.
ty, Mo-, and the partner Of Hon
Stephen B. Elkins, also a Missouri
: boy, but long the New Mexican
, delegate in Congress, and now one
: OF the "solid men, of Now York
After arresting Morton and Baker
the Kid declared his determination
to kill them. A man named Nc
J Cluskey. who had accompanied him
and assisted in making the arrest
, interfered to prevent the murder
} The Kid promptly shot him deac
in his tracks and then
KILLED THE TWO PRISONERS,
near Chisum's ranch.
Sheriff Brady and Deputy Sher-
if George Hli:dmaa, of Lincolr
county, went out to arrest him fol
this triple murder. The K-id way
laid them and firing upon then
from behind the adobe wall arouno
McSwain's house, killed them both
He now gathered around him {
band Of outlaws and desperadoes
and defied county, Territory ant
United States authorities. Ii
June, 1879, Marion Turner, deputy
sheriff Of Lincoln county, had {
warrant placed in his hands for the
arrest of the Kid for the murder o
Morton, Baker, McClusky, Brady
{ and Hinman. Turner organized {
posse Of thirty five men, principal
ly ranchmen and cowboys o
the anti-Chisun faction, and start
ed on
HIS DESPERATE ERRAND.
On the 18th of June he cam.
upon the Kid with sixty three
men, and instantly began a run
HfnS ugIlt WHICH laSLeO lIlIcc tdS
-, Lieut.. Col. Dudly, of the Nintl
cavalry (Gen. ,Hatch's famous col
3 cred regimenD, learning that re-en
forcemenfs were being sent to th'
3 Kid, took two companies of hi
regiment and went to, Turner's as
sistance. The Kid and, his gans
+ took shelter in McSwair's house, il
+. the town of Lincoln, sthe most Gle
gantiy furnished dwelling in th
= Territory, and it is said that durin!
;. the fight Mrs. McSwa;n encourag
ed her wild garrison by playln:
= inspiring airs on her piano an
singing rousing battle songs, unit
\ the beseiging posse getting tn
). range OF the piano from the sound
shot it to pieces with their heav.
> buffalo rifles. On the. third da
> : of the skirmish Turner had TIL
house fired by throwing bucket
full of blazing coal oil into it an
over If. and abOut dusk the despel