The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1913-02-14

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$3.50 was hazardous TO travel in the
! country without an escort but
| ~ the magnet OF wealth in the
mines drew men to the scene
notwithstanding. In the citi-
&- zenship of the community
there were rough men. for the
early days were typical Of those Of other min
ing-camps isolated in the mountains and distant
from civilization.
In that community there lived boy OF seven
teen years Of age respected and loved by all He
was fayorite among the young men and consd-
cred a model youth by the old. He was gentle
as a child. His face was delicately nodded, his
skin as fair as 2 girls his hands small and fin
gers tapering. 1.-the, graceful selfrelant, he
gave every promise OF an honorable career.
This boy-William H. Bonney-was employed
n & local store and was considered most &C
commodat!ng clerk. The gruf community was
conyulsed with horror and dumfounded with
establishment one afternoon when the news
spread like widfre that Bonney had hacked a
man 20 death with butcherknife and was fee
ing for his life on the back OF stolen horse
The murder was particularly a.rocious. It
was the result OF an alteration in which young
Bonney was crossed. Prior 10 this the boy had
never been questioned In an instant ne
transformed into demon, within few minutes
be had added theft to murder. and in seeking
place OF safety left behind him z trail as broad
as though he we're following a macadam read.
At the point Of a revolver he compelled
strangers to exchange horses with him. seized
the best mounts al the various ranches along his
way and spread CONSERVATION wherever he went
He followed the Ninbres river toward Deming
pursued b. 4 posse from Silver City. Closely
pressed. he escaped eastward over the Oregon
mountains when it was thought he was headed
for Mexico
The Start Of a Bad Mans Trail.
4 western town was never more surprised.
The majority Of the people still defended him:
there was some reason. his friends declared. for
his strange oct. Put as news came Of the way
he was striking terror il the Valley Of the Pecos
where the toughest men in the southwest lived,
the mind OF the public was changed. From that
time on his murderous exploits filed the hearts
OF men with fear. The bOr's name in western
history became forever after Billy the Kid His
name Of Bonrey IS all but forgotten. AS the Kid.
he stands as one OF the great historical figures
Of the COW country. one Of the worst youths that
ever lived. prince OF bad men, the youngest bad
man OF all
His appearance among the prospectors and
amid the mining camps of the Oregon mountains
was electrical Here he conceived the idea that
to evade arrest he must fight his way TO the front
sngle-handed. He boldly traded horses. obtained
credit. bought supplies. because he could shoot
straight with revolver and had threatened the
lives of a number Of men. Then with all dis
patch he pushed to the Valley Of the Pecos
This was the scene OF the boys exploits in the
taking Of human life.
The Peoos Valley was filed with men who had
been driven out Of Texas by the Rangers, and
Billy the Kids association with these men de-
yeloped his mania for shedding blood In his
first alteration he realized that ii was his life
or the other mans. The fact that he quick
with a gun made him feared He became embit-
tered against one OF the stockmen Immediately
upon his arrival in the valley
I'll make this valley too hot for him and dan
gerous to his punchers." said the boy
At once he commenced 10 use this mans cow
boys as targets 70 practice on. He began a cam
pagn that drew upon him the enmity of every
body The murder Of these innocent men. purely
TO CRAFTY spite against their employer, made
him leader among the bands Of armed thugs
Of the region. He had at a bound become a
celebrity and every group Of bad men wanted
TO claim him. But the Kid would have none of
that. By degrees he gathered band Of his own.
How Many Men Did He Kill?
THE Kid killed more men, wantonly and for
sheer love OF murder than any other man Of
whom there is record in the west. 1t will never
be known just how many he assasinatetd. He
was a butcher who took delight in Staying the
defenseless He knew no pangs of conscience.
He had not one single redeeming trait. He
would murder a friend quickly as an enemy.
He thought nothing Of appearing before cook
In charge of a chuck" wagon on a lonely desert
range, ask for something 10 eat, compliment the
upon the quality Of the food he had pre-
pared, with apparent gratitude. He would ask
him as if the idea had suddenly popped into his
head. whether he was an offcer-or had been
Then though in doubt he would shoot him in
his tracks. This is no exaggeration. man
whom he left for dead and who survived long
enough TO tel the story. was authority for the
statement shortly after his arrival on the Pecos
river
The boy was terror before whor, everybody
fed. He rode the fastest horses he helped him
self TO the best there vas in every community he
visited, wiggled out Of any number of tight
places. and shot his way freedom dozen
times.
Shortly after his arrival in the valley he was
persuaded. because of his reputation as q bad
man, to assist in the arrest Of three men charged
with murder They were captured without the
firing Of a shot placed on horses ironed and
started iailward. To the deputy sheriff, who
with him followed the prisoners across long
dusty sand plain he turned suddeniy and said
Lets kill those fellows"
why? They haven't done anything 10 US"
They're guilty anyway. and wsl Just save
the county expense"
No Billy. they have not given ~ chance to
shoot at them-they have not tried to escape"
The deputy tried 10 argue With him. Cor he
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