Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1903-01-08
sHEPHERDsTOWN, W. VA, THURSDAY, JANUARY s. 1908.

in New Mexico who did not fear Billy
the Kid. He was his match in every
respect-as calm, as desperate, as cer-
tain.
Perhaps Billy knew thie: at any
rate he must have considered himself
in desperate straits. He sent for Gen
eral Wallace. The General refused
to respond. Then the outlaw sent
him a note. The note read:
"Come to the Jail, l have some pa
pers you would not want to see dis
played"
81 knew what he meant, says Gen
eral Wallace. "He referred to the note
he received from me and in response
to which he appeared at the hut on
the mesa. He was threatening to pub
lish it if l refused to see him.
In the end the desperate was con-
victed and sentenced to be hanged
When the sentence was read he stood
before the trial judge and'said:
Judge, that doesn't worry me a
bit. Billy the Kid was not born to
be hung"
He was thorough fatalist. He be-
lieved he bore a charmed life. He
believed he would not die until his
"tims came" and then death was in
evitable.
From the courtroom Billy was led
back to the jail. Nine men were put
on guard, and he was never allowed
from the sight of one of them. On the
day before that set for the execution
one man sat in front of Billy while he
ate his dinner. During the meal the
guard forgot himself and suddenly
stopped. Billy's quick eye took in the
situation at glance. With leap he
sprang upon the bending man and
dashed his brains out with his hand
cuffs. He seized the dead mans re-
volver and his steel-gray eyes cleaned;
he walked forward deliberately and
routed all the other guards who ran
to the assistance of their comrade.
Once more Billy the Kid escaped in
the full light of day, through the doors
of the Jail. He forced a blacksmith
to break the manacle chains, seized a
good horse that stood near by and
rode away.
"Tell the Judge that I said Billy
the Kid was not born to be hung"
But Billy had forgotten one thing;
he had not reckoDed with the cbarac-
ter of the man who was sheriff Of the
county. Garrett shut his teeth hard
like a man who is determined to ac-
complish his purpose, no matter the
obstacles presenting themselves. de
set out to take Billy the Kid dead or
alive.
Garrett received information that
Billy had gone back to an old fort in
the mountains to see his sweetheart.
Garrett followed. lie lay in wait IN
the door yard of the house Of Billy's
love, and finally his vigil was reward
ed when he saw the door open and
man step out into the white light of
the moon.
Garrett crept to the door and passed
in. He covered the girls father with
his gun.
mot word" he said, and slid be-
hind the headboard of the bed.
The door opened again and Billy
the Kid entered. He seemed to scent
danger as the camel scents rain; IN
stinct taught him that something was
wrong. He cried to the covering old
man in Spanish
"Who's bere2" he asked. "Who's
here?"
Garrett raised his revolver, two
shots rang out on the quiet air. and
the room slled with smoke. A form
tottered, then crashed to the floor. In
the nerveless hand was a smoking re-
volver. For the first and last time
the notorious Mexican outlaw had
missed his aim. Garrett escaped un-
wounded. But there were.two bullet
wounds in the body of Billy the Kid,
and both pierced the heart. CARROTS
aim was unerring.
Today there is little lOwly heap
of earth located at Las Cruces, n. NJ,
and to the curious stranger some idle
native may, now and again, point out
this little grave and explain with
certain pride that Las Cruces possesses
the final resting place of the worst
man that ever infested the Southwes-
tern border.
Bald Teacher-Now, my boys, at
ter what I've told you, can any OF
you define nothing2
.1I1 Vii We ofr non