The Russellville Democrat., 1881-08-18
CLAIMING BILLY THE KID.
New York People Who Think He Was
 Born Among TEeni.

q
 Born Among Them.
 New York Sun.
 There ia general belief in the Fourth Ward that, notwithstanding statements to the contrary, Billy the Kid" who on Saturday last was shot dead by Sheriff Garrett a, Fort Sumner, New Mexico, was born and brought up in that ward. The dispatch announcing his death re- ported that his real name was Mccarthy, and that he was New Yorker by birth. The Fourth WardeYs name was Me Carthy. He is described as answer- ing in personal appearance to the de- scription of the Kid, and its said that he fled to the West Tn 1876 after com- hitting murder in this city. a ea Es,
 I'm convinced that Billy the Kid and Mccarthy are one and the same persons said Policeman Thomas Dwyer of the Oak street station last evening. "Mc Carthy was of the same height as the Kid, had hair and eyes of the same color, and the same projecting teeth. l re- naemebr Mccarthy well, and the mur- der he committed was the most brutal that ever came under my notice. It happened on the night of Sept. 9, 1878. He had been on pad terms with Tom Moor, brush maker, living at Vande> water street. Moore worked ina factory in Fulton street, and was the only sup port of hls mother. He was not 20 years old, and was fine. broad-shouldered fellow. On the night of the 9th he went to the grocery store of Matthew Dwyel at the corner of Pearl and Hague streets There Mccarthy met him, and they quar- relied, Mccarthy ran into the grocery store, and picking up beer glass with one hand and large knife, such is used to slice ham with, in the other, came out. He threw the glass at Moore, who lodged it, and attempted to. .clinch witE him. Mccarthy met him with the knife, sending it through Moore's chin, cutting into hls throat, and burying the blade ten ipche deep in his breast. One of Moore's thumbs was cut of as he held up his hand to ward of the blow. Me Carthy ran down Hague street and through passage to 84 Frankfort street where he threw away the knife. Moore staggered to the front of 357 Pearl street, and fell dead into the arms of friend. Mccarthy was traced to Brooklyn, where he was lost sight of. His father kept fruit stand at the corner of Nassau and John streets, and was thought to have money. Shortly after his sons disap- pSdTdfCC u0 tSlt tAc Cltyt hpu Wdp SouC for several months. It was said at the time that he had taken McCarthy to Ireland. When he returned I know that his son came with him, and afterward learned that son went West. In 1878 the old man died. and Dad' Mccarthy, his other son, and Mrs. Mccarthy died a few months later. There are two girls of the family still living. Mccarthy was bad from child, and had some Western experience before he fled West in 1878. When 13 or IA years old he was sent to the House of Refuge, and through the Children's Aid Society, think he was bound out to Western farmer. He stayed year or so, and then he escaped and came back to this city. He was born in Vandewater street and went to the Vandewater street school. His given name was Michael, but have heard that he changed it after the murder. He was little passed 17 when he killed Moore. and looked younger. His teeth were strong and white, but the two front upper teeth were longer than the rest and projected. He was then about five feet five inches tall, but may not then have got his growth. He had blue eyes and brown hair. His face was somewhat tanned. He learn ed to ride, l know, while on the farm out West"
 "As soon as I read the account of Billy the Kids death, and saw that his real name was Mccarthy" said the man into whose arms Moore had fallen after being stabbed, it occurred to me at once that he was Moore'5 murderer, The descrip. tions tallied, and Mccarthy was just the man to turn out desperado."
 A Sun reporter talked last night with twenty Fourth Warders, all of whom had known Mccarthy. They were all of the opinion that he and Billy the Kid" were identical "fhere is one way to make sure of it" said young man employed in grocery shop in Pearl street, near Hague. "McCarthy when 10 years old, was badly burned with acid, and was treated at the Chambers Street Hospital; but think he must have a scar on the upper part of one of his legs and on his body"
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