Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-02-14

through Lincoln county, which was larger tnan
many eastern states. There was not line of
railway or telegraph in 1t. and no telephones. IL
easy to get away.
At that time there was rivalry between the
different outfits The country was nlled with
bad men, and they were about evenly divided
among the cowmen. Cattle stealing was a COM
mon thing The Kid became involved in mum.
Der Of rows. and he took sides. His reputation
as . killer" grew.
Undoubtedly a number Of these men were
killed a result Of trouble among themselves.
and the killing laid to the door of the Kid. 1t
was easy. He could not deny It. No one would
have believed him II he had Besides. the more
murders credited to him, the greater the fear in
which he would be held.
Thus 1t was that It finally became impossible
to get one to accept the position of sheriff Of
Lincoln county. for It was only question of time
when he would run across the youthful demon.
The Kid knew that he had terrorixed the coun-
try. He knew that the instant he let down his
guard he would be killed. His safety lay in con-
tinuing.
The Turn Of the Tide.
Then. one day. even those hard characters
who professed to be his friends were amazed by
the report that for some trivial incident he had
killed member Of his own band. The outlaws
were now as anxious to end his career as were
the law-abiding people of the village. His friends
commenced to murmur. The Kid was now re-
ported in dozen places at the same time. and
these stories he turned to his advantage by ap-
pearing at irregular. though frequent intervals in
widely separated COW camps for more than a
hundred and fifty miles north and south OF the
Pecos river.
Pat Garrett. lanky Alabaman, who had help
ed organize the Texas Rangers and had assisted
in driving the bad men out of Texas to the first
water west Of the staked Plains. was invited by
the cattlemen to locate in New Mexico. They
wanted him to restore order. The only way
that could be done was either to arrest or to
kill the Kid.
CARROTS record in Texas as a man-hunter and
bad man tanner was known all the south.
WI Tn -, hof1 nj rrtNt Il. he
was absolutely without fear.
He was elected without opposition and took
hold with iron hand. He was an organizer.
and men hocked to his standard They felt. in.
stinctively. that at last a had arrived who
could cope with the situation.
The Capture Of the Kid.
In November. 1880. Garrett came upon the Kid
suddenly and captured him. with several others.
after killing one man.
Word had reached Garrett that the Kid and his
gang of three were located in old house a
short distance from Sumner.
I'VE had better make plans to get him." said
of the deputies.
"The plan is to get there before he gets away.
Ill tell you what to do on the way"
The way led down a sage-covered draw" with
several bends made by sand dunes around which
the road curved for distance of about five miles
Before he reached the last bend he pulled up his
horse. and waiting for his deputies to come up
to him. and then, in the even voice for which he
noted. said:
be centered me. That will give you a chance
to surround the house. I going to take my
time and walk my horse. They may get me-
but II they do / want you to make certain that
you get him."
The deputies withdrew to right and left ad
vancing under cover of the sand hills in an ever
widening circle until they had surrounded the
house. Then Garrett rode forward. From his
position he could see his deputies. who had dis
mounted. advancing cautiously through the sage
brush He permitted his horse to walk slowly.
as though utterly unconscious of the presence
Of the gang. At the door he called loudly.
Some one appeared at the window and. firing a
shot at the sheriff, lodged back. It was done
in instant but in that fraction of a second the
man who had fired dropped dead in his tracks!
Garrett had dsmounted. and with his deputies
poured fusillade of bullets through the sides of
the thinly boarded shack. white handker.
chief at the window indicated the surrender of
Billy the Kid and his gang.
'You Give Me a 'sIx-Gun,' PatI"
When Garrett reached the railroad with his
prisoner he was menaced by a crowd that sought
to lynch the Kid.
ut looks as though they going to get me,
Pat" the Kid remarked
1t was ugly crowd bent on dealing to the
boy the fate he was certain to meet sooner or
later.
Not II 1 can help It, Billy You are under nv
care. and intend to protect you"
You give me 'sixgun. Pat, and stand aside
a few moments. and will clean out the whole
crowd. You'll see them stampede the minute YOU
give gum"
You could help-if you played square"
I'D have to, old man. I'm in the tighte,t
place ever was in my life. They'll get us both
If you try 1t alone They may get me- anyway
But you are up against It. II you try to defend
me along"
"Ill trust you once, Billy; but understand, no
foolishness. I'll drop you II you try It."
The crowd grew more menacing. The demand
for the life of the Kid became more insistent