Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-03-06
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
- DAYS.

Fl Paso, Tex.-Pat Garrett, one OF
the most prominent of Western gun
men. and slayer Of "Billy the Kid"
celebrated desperate. was shot ana
killed Saturday by John W. Brazei.
young ranchman. near Las Cruces. y.
NJ, as the result Of dispute over
ranch lease.
Garrett had been on visit TO one OF
his ranches near the Las Cruces ana
| In u blackboard with u friend was re-
turning to Las Cruces. when they were
oycrtakcn by Brazel.
| A quarrel between the principals fol-
lowed. and Garrett Is said To have
reached for n shotgun. Brazel hred
twice. both shots taking effect. anu
Garrett fell dead.
Brazci then rode fiyc miles TO Las
Cruces. and surrendered TO Sheriff lu.
c.ro. He was locked In the county
iaIl after making u statement TO the
officer that he had sho, In self.dcfense.
and that he had not drawn six.
shooter until after Garrett had reached
for u shotgun In the bottom Of the
blackboard.
/ Friends Of Garrett In Las Cruces
claim that his death In the result OF u
conspiracy. They declare that he was
shot first In the back OF the head. and
then In tho breast after he fell. point
ing out that the wound In the breast
WIS made By n bullet that ranged up.
ward from the seventh rib and came
out between the shoulder blades.
The say that his shotgun was loaded
~i.h bird shot, and that he was not
man who would turn his back to the
t... la tn ~
ham IN opportunity TO shoot MIN III
the back OF the head.
The quarrel between Garrett and
Brazci arose oven ranch that had
be, n leased by Br.'-'i. and on which
he had pasturcd u herd OF goats. Gar.
rcit demonstrated with hin lessee. and
declared that the goat pns:rFinS was
In violation Of the contract between
them. He threatened to resort to the
courts TO prevent what he thought n
breach of contract. and the men quar-
relied.
Since then both men went armed.
according to reports. and II 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 ngniast cat
tie rusticr5 was rcplcte with dashins
arrests. pitched battles. and bloody
encounters with the cattle thicv'.-.
The bcst known Of his experiences
was when as an osilccr Of the law he
killed "Biily the Kid" who. after the
killing. according to some reports, OF
two score OF men, was lodged In the
territorial rcnitentinry. only to escape.
Garrett took up the hunt anew ms
soon as he learned Of the escape. and
located the outlaw Mt Maxwclfs 5anch.
near Carrizoo. Lincoln county. Garrett
went TO the cabin where he knew tn,
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 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 n noife, 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 n reputation as cowboy and
Ill lSSV hc WAS tleCteu Shti III VI Jam
coin county.
Later Garrett moved to Dona Ana
county. where he served two terms rs
sheriff.
| Garrett was afterward n captain OF
rangers In Texas and did much to help
make the reputation for fearlessness
which the Texas rangers then had.
Garrett was n personal friend OF
President Roosevelt and Governor
Curry of New Mexico. President
Roosevelt appointed him collector OF
customs at Ell Paso. which position he
held 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. he was ordinarily one Of the
most quiet and peaceful citizens.
Garrett fulfilled his own prophecy
that hc would die with his hoota on.