The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-02-15

4 country without an escort, but
the magnet of wealth in the
=" mines drew men to the scene
Notwithstanding In the citi-
80 zenship of the community
there were rough men, for the
sary days typical of those of other min
.ncomns isolated in the mountains and distant
from civilization
+, that community there lived boy OF seven
,een wears of age. respected and loved by all He
vas favorte among the young men and consid
.red model youth by the old He was gentle
A A child His face delicately nodded, his
akin as fair a girls, his hands small and fin
GERS tapering. 1.-the, graceful selfreiant he
cave every promise Of an honorable career.
This boy-Wiam H. Bonney-was employed
IN a local store and was considered most &C
oommodating clerk The gruff community was
conyulsed with horror and dumfounded with
establishment afternoon when the news
spread like wildfre that Bonney had hacked
man to death with a butcher-knife and was fee
ing for his life on the back OF stolen horse.
The murder particularly atrocious. 1t
was the result of alteration in which young
Bonney was crossed Prior to this the boy had
never been questioned. In instant he was
transformed into a demon, within few minutes
he had added theft to murder. and in seeking
Mace of safety left behind him a trail as broad
"A though he we're 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 Deming
pursued by a posse from Silver City. Closely
pressed he escaped eastward over the Oregon
mountains when it was thought he headed
for Mexico.
The Start Of a Bad Mans Trail.
A western town was never more surprised
Of fha cfil loft inn
there was some reason. his friends declared, for
his strange act But as news came of the way
be 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 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
sngehanded. He boldly traded horses. obtained
credit bought supplies, because he could shoe,
straieht with a 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 sof human life.
The Pecos Valley was filled with men who hat
been driven out of Texas by the Rangers. ant
Billy the Kids association with these men de
veoped his mania for shedding blood. In hi
hrst alteration he realized that 1t was his life
or the other mans. The fact that he was quicl
with gun made him feared. He became embit
tered against one of the stockmen immediatel,
upon his arrival in the valley.
TN make this valley too hot for him and dan
gerous to his punchers" said the boy.
At once he commenced to this mans COW
D boys as targets to practice on. He began can
paign that drew upon him the enmity OF ever,
body The murder of these innocent men. purei
TO crafty spite against their employer mad
him = leader among the bands of armed thug
Of the region. He had at a bound become
celebrity. and every group Of bad men wante
to claim him. But the Kid would have none G
that BY degrees he gathered band of his owl
How Many Men Did He XIII?
The Kid killed more men, wantonly and fo
sheer love of murder than any other man
whom there is a record in the west. II Will nevt
be known just how many he assasinatetd. II
was a butcher who took delight In Staying tn
defenseess. He knew no pangs of conscience
He had not one single redeeming trait Il
would murder friend quickly as an enem
He thought nothing of appearing before coo
IN charge of chuck" wagon, on lonely desc
range ask for something to eat, compliment u
man upon the quality of the food he had pr
pared. with apparent gratitude. He would as
him, as IL the idea had suddenly popped into b
head whether he was an oficer-or had bee
Then. as though In doubt, he would shoot him
s his tracks This is no exaggeration. me
whom he left for dead. and who survived lor
enough to tel the story was authority for Il
Statement shortly after his arrival on the Pee
river
The boy was terror before whom everybot
ned He rode the fastest horses he helped hiI
self to the best there was in every community
visited, wiggled out Of any number Of tig
places, and shot his way to freedom doz'
4 times
Shortly after his arrival in the valley, he w
Persuaded because of his reputation b
man. to assist in the arrest of three men charg
with murder. They captured without d
nring OF shot, placed on horses. roned al
started jaward. To the deputy sheriff. W
with him followed the prisoners across Ion
dusty sand plain, he turned suddenly and sa
Let's kill those fellows"
why? They haven't done anything to u.s. -
They're guilty anyway, and we'll Just sa
the county expense"
No. Billy. they have not given us a chance
shoot at them-they have not tried to escape"
The deputy tried to argue with him. for
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