Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-03-07


~ Notwithstanding. In the citi-
49, 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 favorite among the young and consid-
cred a model youth by the old. He was gentle
As a child His face was delicately nodded his
akin as fair as a girls, his hands small and fin
gers tapering. 1.-the, graceful, selfreliant he
gave every promise Of an honorable career.
This boy-William H. Bonney-was employed
m a local store and was considered a most &C
commodating clerk The gruf community was
convulsed with horror and dumfOunded with
establishment one afternoon when the news
spread like wildfre that Bonney had hacked
man TO death with butcher-knife and was fee
ing for his life the back of a stolen horse
The murder was particularly atrocious It
was the result of an alteration in which young
Bonney crossed. Prior to this the boy had
never been questioned. In an 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 a trail as broad
as though he we're following a macadam road.
At the point OF a revolver he compelled
strangers to exchange horses with him. seized
L
way and spread CONSERVATION wherever he went
He followed the Mimbres river toward Deming
pursued by posse from Silver City. Closely
pressed. he escaped eastward over the Oregon
mountains. when it thought he was headed
for Mexico
The Start of Bad Mans Trail.
A western town was never more 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 was changed From tina,
time on his murderous exploits filed 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
was electrical Here he conceived the idea that
to evade arrest he must fight his way to the front
single-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 on to the Valley of the Pecos
This was the scene of the boys exploits in the
taking Of human life
The Pecos Valley was filed with men who had
been driven out of Texas by the Rangers, and
Billy the Kids association with these men de-
veoped his mania for shedding blood In his
hrst alteration he realized that II 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
serous 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
70 crafty spite against their employer, made
MIN 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
70 claim him. But the Kid would have none of
mat BY degrees he gathered band of his own.
How Many Men Did He XIII?
The Kid killed more men. wantonly and for
sneer love of murder, than any other man OF
whom there is a record in the west. It will never
be known just how many he assasinatetd He
was butcher who took delight in Staying the
oeienseless He knew no pangs of conscience
ne mad not one single redeeming trait. He
would murder a friend as quickly as an enemy
he thought nothing of appearing before a cook
charge OF a chuck wagon on a lonely desert
'enee ask Tor something to eat, compliment the
man upon the quality of the food he had pre-
pared with apparent gratitude. He would ask
nm as II the idea had suddenly popped into his
aead whether he was an offcer-or had been
men, as though in doubt he would shoot him in
ms tracks This is exaggeration A man
saom ne 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
Inc boy was terror before whom everybody
neu he rode the fastest horses, he helped him
ssil 70 the best there was in every community he
Visited, wiggled out of any number OF tight
tines
shortly after his arrival in the valley he was
pefsuaded, because Of his reputation as a bad
nan 70 assist in the arrest of three men charged
.ln murder. They were captured without the
a.'ns OF a shot, placed on horses. ironed and
started jailward. To the deputy sheriff, who
I'm I'm MIN followed the prisoners across long.
SusV sand plain, he turned suddenly and said.
let's kill those fellows"
WY They haven't done anything TO us"
a. iOeyre guilty anyway. and well Just save
'ne county expense"
no Billy. they have not given us a chance to
- ~ al them-they have not tried to escape"
ne deputy tried TO argue with him for he