Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01
PAT" GARRETT KILLED
Noted Sheriff of the Southwest
"Snuffed Out"
SHOT BY A YOUNG RANCHER
Made His Reputation in the Lincoln
County War.
SLAYER OF BILLY THE XII
Had Been Friend of President
Roosevelt, But Was Afterward
Turned Down.

Ell PASO. Texas. February 29.-Patrick
F. Garrett. known the continent over as the
gunf1ghter who killed, in 1880. the no.
tor1ous outlaw and gun artist, Billy the
Kid. today was shot and killed by J..
Wayne Brazle, youthful ranchman, near
Las Cruces, N. NJ, in dispute over a
ranch lease.
At an inquest this afternoon coroner's
jury at Las Cruces returned verdict that
Patrick Garrett had come to his death
as the result of wounds inflicted by a re-
volver in the hands of j. Wayne Brazle.
The sole witness to the killing, Carl
Adamson. told the story of the shooting,
saying that Brazle threatened Garrett
Brazle declared that the shooting was in
self-defense, but made no further state
ment.
Was a Cattleman's Row,
Garrett had been on visit to one of
his ranches near Las Cruces. and. in a
blackboard with friend, was returning
10 Las Cruces when they were overtaken
oy Brazle. A quarrel followed. Garrett is
said to have reached for his shotgun.
Brazle fired twice, both shots taking ef-
feet, and Garrett fell dead.
Brazil then rode five miles to Las
cruces and surrendered to Sheriff Lucero
he was locked in the city tail after
making statement to the officer that he
had shot in self-defense and that he had
not drawn gun until after Garrett had
reached for his shotgun
The quarrel between Garrett and Brazil
had been leased by Brazil and on which
he had pastured herd of goats Car
rett demonstrated with his lessee and
declared that goat pasturing was in viola
ton OF the contract between them. He
threatened to resort to the courts to pre-
vent what he thought a breach of con-
tract. and the men quarreled. The story
OF the trouble became public and it was
common talk In the territory that the
men were likely to fight
Killed Billy the Kid.
Garrett was sheriff in Lincoln county.
New Mexico. thirty years ago, and his
campaign against cattle rustlers. known
as the Lincoln county war" was re-
plete with dashing arrests and bloody
encounters with the cattle thieves
The best known of his exploits was the
killing while an officer of the law of
BILLY the Kid" who. after killing.
according to some reports, two score of
men, was lodged in the territorial peni-
sOHtioiy, oIIS ~ cSCdpc 1dfTetl LOOK
up the hunt for the outlaw and found
him in Lincoln county. Garrett man.
aged to secrete himself in house where
the kid was to rendezvous, and as the
outlaw stepped into the place with his
gun drawn Garrett proved to be the
quicker on the trigger
Garrett used to say, after passing
through a perilous experience, that he
would die with his boots on.
Garrett first appeared in New Mexico in
1878. and went to Lincoln county, where
he engaged in ranchng and cattle raising
He soon gained a reputation as a cowboy.
and in 1880 he was elected sheriff of Lin
coin county. 1t was only a year later, in
1881. after having been the principal in
dozen exciting fights and adventures, that
he killed Billy the Kid.
Later Garrett moved to Dona Ana
county, where he served two terms as
sheriff