Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-05-17


west and the southwest had their
sngT auaaa az bad men, many of
Vsicturesuue tyne, whose names VIII
iive as Icing as that Of Robin Hood
THE lives Of some, such as Siade
and Pfumuner, were 50 interviewer
vwffh events Of great historical IN
ferest during periods Of romance
IA the west that they win always
remain outstanding figures. Tine
southwest has developed many
more bad men than the NORTHWEST
due to q larger popuiasasosna u
mixed bI0Ods. OF these one figure
stands forth as the most prom
fneTYt In q peri0d Of 0utlawry along
fhe southwestern border which
found rs climax I'm the Lincoln
county war. known, first locally,
and then nationally, as Billy the
Killed by a sheriff at the age Of 81,
he had more than score OF klillngs
marked up against him, some 70 ms
credit. During the few years OF MS
careeT. on the border he lived IN an
afnosnhere of intense factional feel-
ing and bitter hatred, where an enemy
was to be shot down IN fair fight or
cold blood, and where a man was
expected always to risk his own me
to save a friend. Billy the KID lived
BY this creed.
Rg0ney Was True Name
THE true name Of this outlaw was
william H Bonney. He was porn IN
York IN November, 1859. In 1862 his
father removed to CoffeyVille, Kan, on
the border of the Indian nations, where
soon after he died. The mother tnen
moved to Colorado, where she TOOK a
second husband, and then the family
moved to New Mexico.
The Kid picked as his heroes men
who led as gl1nfighters, gamblers or
both. When IL, he became involved III
a saloon quarrel IN which 1rlend was
being badly beaten, and killed with a
rocket knife a man who had previ-
oa1sIv insulted him. With companion
onIv a wear or two older than himself,
he rode to the Fort Bowie reservation
in Arizona. There the youngsters Kilieo
three Apache Indians, stole a band OF
horses and drove them to Tucson,
where they sold them.
The Kid, despite his tender years.
was able to make comfortable Nv
ing as a monte dealer until, IN
gamblers quarrel, he killed announcer
man. He fled across the line into OLE
Mexico. where he had his first real
GIN duel. He accused a Mexican, Jose
MARITIME of cheating. The latter was
notoriomslv quick with gun. AS they
spranC to their feet, both the KID
and the Mexican drew. The Kid was
a second the quicker and the Mexican
fen with bullet through his heart.
Lincoln County War .
The Lincoln county war was III
reality a feud inspired by sef-intereSJ
ranged against seR-interest. Bad 1eel-
ing. which had smouldered Tor four
wears and had resulted in several series
Of killings. turned to actual boroer
warfare in 1874. At that time Lincoln
county. New Mexico, was as large as
Pennsylvania, extending eastward from
the Rio Grande river and embracing
a tract of plateau and rugged noun
tain land 200 miles square. the Two
dominant cattle owners of the district
were John Chisum, described as fear
less. shrewd and INSCRIPTIONS, Dut
genial and magnetic; and Mai. l.. q.
Murphy. a Union officer during the
civil war who had located as posi-
trader at Fort Stanton, who was also
q type OF intelligent, generous ana
shreWd frontiersman.
Chisum ran 10000 head Of cattle
and was a true type Of cattle parQn.
Murphy "staked" every coWman ~
Lincoln county, including scores VINO
hung on the flanks Of Chisums nero
and stole his cattle. These little caGsle
owners supported Murphy ana oullE
I'D his prestige. He became lnCeTeSteu
IN government beef contracts and soon
developed into a dangerous enemy Oh
Chisum. 80.
siderable followings, were on the verge