Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-18
AN ODD INSPIRATION.
"Billy the Kid's'' Influence on the Story of
Ben Hur,


Ben Hur.
From the Chicago Tribune.
The author of Ben Hur' will not have the
warlike inspiration in writing his new book
that he had when he wrote his Tale of the
Christ, said an ardent admirer of Gen. Lew
Wallace while conversing with some friends
upon the forthcoming war book the soldier
author is now preparing.
"HOws that" was asked by a gentleman
present 81 never heard that there was any
especial warlike inspiration connected with his
other work. 1t was just good story well told.
If l remember correctly. Gen. Wallace wrote
most of in Turkey when he was our minister
at Constantinople. What do you mean by war
like inspiration in this case. anyway?
We'll, my remark was not wholly meaning
less" the reply. Il mean that when
Gen. Lew Wallace wrote Ben Hur.' or at
least part of it, he had reason to be in a state
of great nervous excitement. Whether he was
or not of course l cannot say. as l can only
judge from circumstances And l may add
that your assumption that Ben Hur' was
written in Turkey is not correct Many of
the pages and proof sheets OF the work were
written and read by the general in Santa Fe
n. VI. He was governor of that territory be-
fore being sent to Turkey. and it was in the
historic old palace, the former home of the
captains general, that the author of Ben
Hur reveled in visions of the Holy Land and
evolved his popular story. A misty old place.
that palace, and well fitted for day dreams
Col. Ingersoll once said that Santa Fe reminded
him OF some town OF the orient which had
worked itself up through the center of the
earth and had only succeeded in getting one
story above ground"
But the warlike inspiration, how about
that?''
I'm coming to that When Ben Hur was at
fba ,f,Yi t-
Gen. Lew Wallace were related. The work had
not been expected of him and the squibbers
never wearied of telling stories of the author
But they missed theone am about to tell you
Can you imagine the sedate author
soldier and statesman preparing for a
mortal combat with so unworthy vet
formidable an antagonist as Billy the
Kid! Picture Gov Wallace in a corral in the
rear of the palace firing at the figure OF Billy
the Kid chalhed on the adobe wall True as
am Hive every morning the governor took his
pistol and started for the corral to practice. A
few shots at the chalked figure of the outlaw
and then struggle with Ben Hur. That
was the routine of Gov Wallace s
life, the duties of his Office were
lighter. Why was he shooting at tine kid?'
Not only Gov Wallace, but many other we'll
posted men in New Mexico, expected that
within a short time the governor would be
called upon to protect himself from the little
desperate When Billy the Kid broke Jail in Lin
cola county, after killing two guards, he set out
on mission of blood. He said he expected to
be killed or hanged. but that before he passed
in his checks he would kill Gov. Wallace and
seyera! Others. He swore that he would ride
into Santa Fe, hitch his horse to the plaza fence
and walk into Gov. Wallaces Office and
fill him full of bullets. This was the original
Lilly the Kid The west has teemed with
would-be bad men of that name since. but this
was the little Boston lad who boosted that he
had killed man tor every year of his life.
| Everybody who knew The Kid believed that
| he would carry out his threat. Gen. Wallace
| certainly did, and from the time the Kid Sc
cured his freedom the generals revolver was
always within reach. While he was at work in
| his Office it on the table at his side, and
no doubt many a yell-rounded sentence OF
| Ben Hur' was interrupted by a nervous glance
| at The door as some one approached. While
| the book being written Billy the Kid
occupied large share OF the attention of the
author, and 1t is not unlikely that the tile
demon may have had an influence upon the
| trend OF the novel. Gov. Wallace made no
| secret of his apprehensiveness. Like q brave
man he said: 'Forewarned forearmed' and he
set about rerfec,ing himself in pistol prac-
| tice SO that he would be able to cope with his
enemy. So expert did he become that il
| would have been hazardous thing for the
| Kid 10 have ventured into the palace. When
| Sheriff Pat Garrett OF Lincoln county, the
! Kids arch enemy, set out in pursuit of him,
| Gen. Wallace said to me: 1t is un even chance
| which one of those two men will be killed. II
! they ever meet it is my firm belief that one oil
| them will bite the dust. The kid" is a dead
shot. and filled with the courrge OF desperation,
while the sheriff is a man of great determine.
zion, an expert with pistol and rifle, and fired
/ by revenge for the death Of his two best
| friends, Bob Oilinger and John Bell, whom
| Billy killed when he broke Jail. l shall watch
| this pursuit with the deepest interest Its
result may have some effect on my own
| future Gen. Wallace laughed as he made
this last remark, but the Kid and his threats
that either Garrett or the OUTLAW would be
killed was verified. pistol in the hands Of
| Garrett sent bullet through the Kids heart
| in little house near Fort Sumner, N. IL.
When this happened Gov Wallace had gone to
Constan tinople. but have no doubt that even
there he was rejoiced at the news Of the Kids
DEATH"