Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-07

Fourteen men rode up to the agency at
Blazers Mill one day and found Roberts there.
Four Of them-the two Goes, Frank and George:
Bowdre and DOC" Skurlock-were neighbors OF
his on Ruidoso Greek. But there was no neigh.
borliness in the call they made that day. The
newspapers charged that these regulators" had
come to get Judge Bristol but, not finding him
there, contented themselves with Roberts.
Brewer was at the head Of the party. which in-
cluded Billy the Kid, McNab OFolliard, Waite,
French, Brown and others.
The killers closed on "Buckshot." He fought
back, coolly, steadily, with an amazing valance.
Standing there in the open, shot through the
stomach at the first FIRE, he wounded George
Coe and Middleton, then struck Bowde on the
buckle Of his belt with bullet that just missed
killing the man. So steady was the blaze OF
his rifle that the regulators broke and fed for
cover.
The ex-ranger retreated into cabin bolted
the back door, and dragged q mattress to the
front door. Behind this he lay with his rife
and stood of the gunner for hours. Exas-
perated at so stubborn defense, Brewer ordered
DIR. Blazer to force the defender to leave the
house. Maj. Godfrey, the Indian agent, was
present. Neither Blazer nor Godfrey would
assist the killers.
"Ill get him myself" Brewer cried out, with
an oath.
He crept by q roundabout way to q pile of
saw logs nearly 200 yards from the cabin. His
first shot at Roberts missed. Again he raised
his head from behind log to take aim He
fell back dead, struck by a bullet between the
eyes. The besieged man, wounded to death,
burning up with fever, still indomitably game,
focused his whole strength and mind on that
shot.
The killers quit-quit cold Billy the Kid and
his desperadoes rode away and left the field to
the dying man. "Buckshot" Roberts had been
too much for them. The little Texan passed
away next day.
THE war continued until pitched battle was
fought at Lincoln. 1t lasted two or three
days and during it half a dozen men were
killed. including McSween himself.
Echoes of the cattle war reached Washing
ton. Gen. Lew wallace was made Governor OF
New Mexico, with instructions to stop the feud.
Murphy had died. McSween had been killed.
Most of the other leaders were temporarily
bankrupt. For lack Of fuel the war died down.
Gen. wallace declared an amnesty for those
who would surrender and give guarantees of
good conduct. Billy the Kid had a personal
talk with the Governor, half accepted his offer
but was too much the outlaw to make good as
law-abiding citizen. He turned his back ON
society," stepped definitely outside the pale
About himself he gathered a gang of dan.
gerous riffraf, such men as Shurlock O'Folliard,
Bowdre, Middleton, Billy Wilson, Tom Pickett
and Dave Rudabaugh. They rounded up cattle
in the Panhandle and ran them across the line
into New Mexico. They picked up horses at
White Oaks at Aqua Azul, at a dozen other
places, and either sold or rebranded them.
From Apaches and whites they stole indiscrimi-
nately. Occasionally they had brushes with
hastily organized posses. Twice Billy the Kid
had horses shot under him, and twice during
the next few months he kept his hand in by
snufdng out the lives of men who offended him.
One of these unfortunates Jim Carlyle,