Omaha daily bee., 1881-07-26
KILLING THE KID.
Pat Garrett's Nervy Feat He
Catches and Shoots
Billy Bonny.
Full Details of How Billy the
Kid Met His Fate.


HAS Deel Jne TERROR OF peaceaDle peO-
pie in this territory for years, who
killed Brady and Hindman, and
Roberts and Otlinger and Bell, with a
dozen more, had met the fate that he
had meted out to Others with such
fiendish pleasure, frequently without
cause and generally i'll the most brutal
manner. No report could have Great
ed more general feeling of gratitica-
tion than this, and when it was fur
ther announced that the faithful and
brave Pat Garrett, he who has been
the mainstay of law and order in Lin
coin county, the chief reliance of the
people in dark days, when danger
lurked on every hand, had accomplish
ed the crowning feat of his life by
bringing down his fierce and implac-
able foe single-handed, the sense of
satisfaction was heightened to one of
delight. The first announcement of
the event was by means of a telegram
received here from Las Vegas by
Mr.. Chisum, the stock owner, and
one of the Kids greatest enemies,
simply stating: "Pat Garret killed
Billy Kid near Sumner Friday night. "
This dispatch was sent By Mr.. nj.
Brunswick, reliable man and a
friend of Mr. Chisum. Mr. Bruins
wick was in Santa Fe few days ago
and stated to a gentleman that he had
learned accidentally that the Kid was
at or near Fort Sumner; consequently
when the dispatch was received, peo-
pie, notwithstanding the news was
almost too good to be true, were led
TO believe that there must be truth in
the news. A short time later the
special came to The New Mexican,
detailing the particulars. From them
it will appear that the news was
brought to Las Vegas by Mail Con-
tractor Cosgrove, who arrived at that
place yesterday. A New Mexican re-
porter was enabled to secure the ac-
count from man who was at Sum.
ner at the time, and who helped to
put Billy in his little bed the day
after Garrett got through his task.
This man is George Miller, a dis
charged soldier, who is on his way to
Santa Fe. Miller says that Garrett
was informed of the Kids whereabouts
while in Lincoln county, and arrived
at Sumner in search of the outlaw on
Friday last At about midnight he
went to the house of Pete Maxwell,
accompanied by two men named John
w. Poe and 7 M. Mckinney, whom
he had brought from home with him.
The two men were told to stand on
guard at the gate, while Garrett went
on and entered the room of Mr. Max
well. The latter was in bed at the
time and Garrett quickly informed
him of the object of his visit. He
had scarcely done so when in walked
''Billy the Kid"
ARMED WITH KNIFE AND REVOLVER.
Garrett dropped behind the head of
the bed and remained there in a
crouching position. Kid was in his
stocking feet, and was apparently
alarmed at having seen the two men
outside, for he asked hurriedly of
Maxwell, "Who are they?" and repeat
ed the question quickly. Maxwell
made no reply, and Kid then caught
sight of Garrett He did not appa-
rently recognize the man, but pointed
his revolver at him and asked, "Who
is it?' Garrett had not had time to
draw his revolver, and finding it had
reached point at which caution or
delay would prove fatal, reached
around and got it. Kid started back,
but for some reason or other did not
fire. Perhaps this was because he
had no idea that Garrett was in that
part of the country, and
SUSPECTED NO HARM.
Whatever his reason was his delay
proved fatal. With his desperate
enemy's weapon aimed full at his
breast at a distance of few feet, Pat
Garrett, with the quickness and pre-
cislon for which he is famed, pulled
down on the Kid and fired That shot
was the last the Kid was ever to hear
on this earth. He fell back upon the
floor pierced through the heart, and
IN moment was as dead as any of the
men whom he had served in the same
way, with less justice and simply to
wreak petty spite or satisfy his thirst
for blood. Garrett and Maxwell
jumped into the middle of the room,
which was lighted only by the beams
of the moon, and Garrett had the
satisfaction of knowing that he had
fulfilled duty from which most men
would have shrunk in terror, and ac-
complished the task which had occu-
pied his thoughts and energies for
months.
man who secured his information at
the scene of the killing. 1t is correct
in all essential points, as will be seen
from Garrett's own story, as detailed
in accordance with his duty to the gov
ernor Of the territory.
PAT GARRETT'S $ REPORT
to the chief executive of New Mexico,
was received by Acting Governor
Ritch last evening. 1t is concise and
simple, i'll keeping with the character
of the writer, and will be found of in
terest from the fact that it is the ac-
count which is absolutely correct, and
because of the characteristics it be-
trays. 1t is as follows:
FoRT SUMNER, N. NJ, July 10.
To His Excellency, the Governor of
New Mexico:
81 have the honor to inform your
excellency that i had received several
communications from persons in and
about Fort Sumner, that William
Bonny, alias the Kid, had been there
or in that vicinity, for some time.
I'm view of these reports deemed
it my duty to go there, and ascertain
If there was any truth in them or not
all the time doubling their accuracy;
but on Monday, July IL, left home,
taking with me John w. Poe ana Il.
l.. Mckinny, men in whose courage
and sagacity i relied implicitly and |