The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-02-15

0D mines drew men TO the scene
- notwithstanding In the citi-
49, Kenship 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 a boy of seven
teen years Of age. respected and loved by all He
was favorite among the young men and consd-
cred a model youth by the old. He gentle
as a child His face decately nodded, his
skin fair as a girls his hands small and I'm
gers tapering 1.-the. graceful, selfreliant. he
gave every promise of an honorable career.
This boy-William H. Bonney-was employed
in local store and considered a most &C
conmodating clerk The grun community was
convulsed with horror and dumfounded with
astonishment one afternoon when the
spread like wildfre that Bonney had hacked a
man to death with a butcherknife and was fee
Ing for his life on the back OF stolen horse
The murder particularly atrocous. 1t
was the result of an alteration in which young
Bonney crossed. Prior to this the boy had
never been questioned. In instant he was
transformed into demon. within a few minutes
he had added theft to murder. and in seeking a
place OF safety left behind him trail as broad
as though he were following a macadam road.
At the point OF revolver he compelled
strangers to exchange horses with him, seized
the best mounts at the various ranches along his
way and spread CONSERVATION wherever he went.
He followed the Mimbres river toward Demng.
pursued by posse from Silver City. Closely
pressed. he escaped eastward over the Oregon
mountains. when 1t thought he was headed
for Mexico.
The start Of Bad Mans Trail.
western town surprised
The majority of the people still defended him;
there was some reason. his friends declared. for
his strange act But as news came of the way
he was striking terror in the Valley of the Pecos
where the toughest men in the southwest lived.
the mind Of the public changed. From that
time his murderous exploits filled the hearts
Of men with fear. The boys name in western
history became forever after Billy the Kid. His
name Of Bonney 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
electrical. Here he conceived the idea that
to evade arrest he must fight his way to the front
singlehanded. He boldly traded horses, obtained
credit bought supplies. because he could shoot
straight with revolver and had threatened the
lives of number of men. Then wi.h 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 Pecos Valley was flled with men who had
been driven out of Texas by the Rangers. and
Billy the Kids association with these men de.
veloped his mania for shedding blood In his
6rst alteration he realized that 1t was his life
or the other mans. The fact that he was quick
with gun made him feared. He became embit-
tered against 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 to use this mans cow
boys as targets to practice on. He began a cam
paign that drew upon him the enmity OF every
body. The murder of these innocent men. purely
to crafty spite against their employer, made
him a leader among the bands Of armed thugs
of the region. He had at a bound become a
celebrity. and every group Of bad 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 XIII?
The Kid killed more men. wantonly and for
sheer love of murder than any other Of
whom there Is a record In the west 1t will never
be known Just how many he assasinatetd. He
was butcher who took delight In Staying the
defenseless He knew no pangs Of conscience.
He had not single redeeming trait He
would murder friend quickly enemy.
He thought nothing OF appearing before a cook
in charge of a chuck wagon on a lonely desert
range ask for something to eat compliment the
man 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 ofhcer-or had been.
Then as though in doubt he would shoot him in
his tracks. This is no exaggeration. A man
whom he left for dead. and who survived long
enough to tel the story, authority for the
statement shortly after his arrival on the Pecos
liver.
The boy was a terror before whom everybody
ned. He rode the fastest horses. he helped him
self to the best there was in every community he
visited wiggled out Of any number Of tight
places, and shot his way to freedom q dozen
times.
Shortly after his arrival in the valley, he was
persuaded because Of his reputation 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 jailward. To the deputy sheriff. who
with him followed the prisoners across long,
dusty sand plain. he turned suddenly and said
Lets kill those fellows"
why? They haven't done anything to u.s."
They're guilty anyway. and we'll Just save
the county expense"
NO Billy they have not given US q chance to
.hoot nj fhem-fhey have not tried to esNape.r