Gilpin observer., 1908-03-05
PAT GARRETT
SHOT IN TEXAS
NOTED GUN FIGHTER AND PEACE
OFFICER KILLED IN RANCH
QUARREL.
KILLED BILLY THE KID
WON DISTINCTION AS SHERIFF IN
EARLY FRONTIER
NJ DAYS.

FL Paso. Tex.-Pat Garrett, one OF
the most prominent of Western gun
men. and slayer of BILLY the Kid" a
celebrated desperate, was shot and
killed Saturday by John w. Brazel, a
young ranchman, near Las Cruces, N.
NJ, as the result Of dispute over a
ranch lease.
Garrett had been on visit to one OF
his ranches near the Las Cruces and
in a blackboard with a friend was re-
turning to Las Cruces, when they were
overtaken by Brazel.
A quarrel between the principals fol-
lowed, and Garrett is said to have
reached for a shotgun. Brazel fired
twice, both shots taking effect, and
Garrett fell dead.
BraZel then rode five miles to Las
Cruces, and surrendered to Sherin Luz
cero. He was locked in the county
jail after making statement to the
officer that he had shot in self-defense,
and that he had not drawn six
shooter until after Garrett had reached
for a shotgun in the bottom of the
blackboard.
Friends of Garrett in Las Cruces
claim that his death is the result OF
conspiracy They declare that he was
shot first in the back of the head, and
then in the breast after he fell, point
ing out that the wound in the breast
was made by bullet that ranged up
ward from the seventh rib and came
out between the shoulder blades.
The say that his shotgun was loaded
with bird shot, and that he was not
man who would turn his back to the
man he was preparing to kill, or to give
him an opportunity to shoot him in
the back of the head.
The quarrel between Garrett and
BraZel arose over ranch that had
been leased by Brazel, and on which
he had pastured herd Of goats. Gar
rett demonstrated with his lessee, and
declared that the goat pasturing was
in violation of the contract between
them. He threatened to resort to the
courts to prevent what he thought
breach of contract, and the men quar-
relied.
Since then both men went armed,
according to reports. and it was COM
mon talk in the territory that they
were looking for each other.
Pat Garrett was sheriff in Lincoln
county, New Mexico, in the early
eighties, and his campaign against cat
tie rustler3 was replete with dashing
arrests. pitched battles, and bloody
encounters with the cattle thieves.
The best known Of his experiences
was when as an officer Of the law he
killed BILLY the Kid" who. after the
killing, according to some reports, of
two score of men, was lodged in the
territorial penitentiary, only to escape.
Garrett took up the hunt anew as
soon as he learned of the escape, and
located the outlaw at Maxwell's ranch.
near Carrizoo, Lincoln county Garrett
went to the cabin where he knew the
outlaw was stopping and found the
door ajar. With revolver ready in one
hand he pushed the door open with the
other. expecting to face a man ready
to shoot. To his surprise he found the
kid asleep in bed.
Garrett slipped up to the foot of the
bed, but the outlaw slept on and Gar
ret, not wanting to kill him as he lay.
made a noise. which awoke him. The
kid sprang up, revolver in hand, but
Garrett had the drop on him and killed
him.
Garrett first appeared in New Mex
leo about 1878 and went to Lincoln
county, where he quietly engaged in
ranching and cattle raising. He soon
gained reputation as a cowboy and
in 1880 he was elected sheriff of Lin
coin county.
Later Garrett moved to Dona Ana
county, where he served two terms as
sheriff.
Garrett was afterward a captain Of
rangers in Texas and did much to help
make the reputation for fearlessness
which tho Texas rangers then had.
Garrett was a personal friend Of
President Roosevelt and Governor
Curry of New Mexico. President
Roosevelt appointed him collector of
customs at FL Paso, which position he
held a couple of years. He tired of the
monotony Of the life and went back
to ranching and mining in Dona Ana
county.
Pat" Garrett was known to nearly
every one in New Mexico. Though a
successful hunter Of criminals and out.
laws and dead shot with either pistol
or rifle. ho was ordinarily one OF the
most quiet and peaceful citizens.
Garrett fulfilled his own prophecy
that he would die with his hoota IN