Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1913-02-14


k4J mines drew men to the scene
~ Notwithstanding In the cit
zenship OF the community
there were rough men, for the
carry days were typical of those OF other min
lngcamps isolated in the mountains and distant
from civilization
IN that community there lived bow of seven
teen years Of age, respected and loved nv All Ha
was Iavorite among the young men and consid
eFeo model youth by the old. He was gentle
as child His face was delicatey nodded his
SKIN as fair as girls, his hands small and fin.
gers eaperlng. 1.-the. graceful, selfreant he
gave every promise Of honorable career
This boy-William H. Bonney-was employed
IN local store and was considered most ac
commodating clerk. The gruff community was
CONFUSED with horror and dumfounded with
astonishment one afternoon when the news
spread like wildfire that Bonney had hacked
man 10 death with butcher-knife and was fee
ing for his life on the back of stolen horse
Inc murder was particularly atrocious 1t
was the result OF an alteration in which young
Bonney was crossed Prior to this the boy had
never been questioned. In an instant he was
transformed into demon, within few minutes
ne had added theft to murder and in seeking
place OF safety left behind him trail as broad
as though ne were following a macadam road.
At the point of a 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 was thought he was headed
for Mexico.
The Start OF BAD Mans Trail
A western town never more surprised
The majority of the people still defended him;
there some reason, his friends declared, for
his strange act But 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 that
time on 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 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 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 filled 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
first alteration he realized that 1t was his life
or the other mans. The fact that he was quick
with a gun made him feared He became embit-
tered against of the stockmen Immediately
upon his arrival in the valley.
'I1l 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 CAM
hfvN1k hn nTnIfU
body The murder Of these innocent men, purely
to crafty spite against theiE employer made
him a leader among the bands OF armed thugs
of the region. He had at bound become
celebrity, and every group of bad men wanted
to claim him. But the Kid would have none OF
that. BY degrees he gathered oand OF MS owl
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
no 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 one single redeeming tralt. He
would murder friend quickly as an enemy
He thought nothing of appearing before COOK
in charge of a "chuck" wagon on lonely desert
range ask for something to eat compliment the
man upon the quality of the food ne had pre-
pared. with apparent gratitude He wouio ask
him as if the idea had suddenly popped into MS
Then as though in doubt. he would shoot MN IN
his tr.cks.e This is no exaggeration man
whom he left for dead, and who survived long
enough to tel the story. was authority LOT 'ne
statement shortly after HIS arrival on the Pecos
river. Aoa,,
The boy was terror before whom everybody
ead nc rode the fastest horses. he helped nim-
.olf tn the hest there was in every community ne
y,s,ted, wiggled out of any number OF tgnt
rIaces and shot his way to freedom dozen
times ,, L. woo
,arsnaded because OF his reputation as Dad
man, to assist in the arrest of three men charged
with murder They were captured wltnou' .ns
erirp Of shot placed on horses 'roneo ano
started tailward To the deputy sherin VINO
With him followed the prisoners across a lons'
dusty sand plain he turned suddenly ana saiu'
Let's kill those fellows
.wbv9 they haven't done anything TO US.
4rhay.ra entity anyway. and Wen just save
the county expense" .h.nc. -
~ p;lIv they have not given US cnance 70
.Aar,-tbav have not tried to escape