Laurel outlook., 1950-03-15
Billy The Kid
Still |ntrigues
Old West Fans

VIu WCyl Dill
DENVER, COLO.-With tales OF
western bandits enjoying a revival
because of a couple of claimants to
the identity of Jesse James, specu-
lation has widened concerning what
some of the d~esperadoes of the old
west would have been like had they
been born and reared in a modern
day western town.
Among those who have come
within the purview of such specula-
ton is William Bonney-a name
which would mean little to most
people; but tell them that William
Bonney was the real name of BILLY
the Kid" and ears will perk up and
interest quicken.
If he had grown up in a Midwest
town of today, in a family in fair
circumstances, most people agree
that he would have become an ex-
ceptional athlete in baseball or
track, rather than football. He had
amazing speed and coordination,
but he was slim and light, carrying
only 140 pounds on his S foot, 8-inch
frame.
He would have made a good SOL
der in wartime, because he had
plenty of nerve, laughed at discom-
fort and was quite a handy fellow
with a gun. If his thoughts had
turned to show business, he would
have become a fine hoofer. Even
without training, he had an easy
aptitude for dancing and it is re-
ported that the girls loved to be his
partners.
Name Still Thrills
The schools which hold to the
born criminal" theory would dis
agree with that, perhaps; but there
are multiple cases on record where
the worst environment has pro-
duced some of the best men.
Despite all his faults, the public I
still thrills at mention of Billy The
Kids" name and exploits. +
He is the hero of dozens of NOV :
les, all the way from 1.-THE Outlaw G
and a Robert Taylor epic to the ,
quickest of the quickie ventures. He -,
is even exalted in a ballet, 'Billy !
the Kid" which was designed by j.,
Eugene Loring, the former Milwau- f
zee dance leader, and which now
among the vivid examples of !
American dance. =
Yes, a fellow who is brave and :
handsome and cheerful and can kill .
more effectively than any of his =
competitors will always have a fas- y
,ination for a worshipful world of .
7outh. In his 81 years, Billy knocked =
'ff 81 men (and perhaps more). :,
He was probably the quickest and Il
urest man on the trigger anywhere a
outh or west of Wild Bill Hickok," U
avs that shrewd old Texas vaquero. &
i'm Young.
This restless youth, this symbol of - -
he widest west, this sagebrush D
'rince Charming was born in, of all p
laces, New York city-a Bowery az
tenement to be exact. The tf
me was just 80 years ago. OF
When William was 3 the obscure u
onney family moved to Coffey- III
lille, Kas., where the father died. III
[rs. Bonney and her two lads, Bill 81
nd Ed, moved on to Colorado, al
here she married a Mr.. Antrim II
rst name not recorded. The Ant m
ms opened a restaurant near Fort de
MON, on the Santa Fe trail, and OF
pushed on to Silver City, NM, IL
crude mining town. His mother Be
n a boarding house and Billy had &c
few years schooling. DO
Haunted Saloons 90
The boy learned much more hang e.
g around the gambling saloons.
: watched the men play cards at
ID caught on to their tricks. Be- -.
he was IL he knew how to deal r..
e games, principally three card ot
onte, a Mexican flimflam for the M
cker trade.
When Billy was IL, he and his ~
other were walking on a Silver q"
~ street when a young black III
nth tossed a slurring remark at 'ul
r. Billy sprang upon the fellow, n
t was pulled away by a good pr
tured passer-by, Moulton, who an
pped the blacksmith down. Later, III
a saloon, the enraged black
nth attacked Moulton with a
air. Billy pulled out his pocket
Ife and drove it into the assail- in
IS heart. ne
Billy scooted out of the saloon, aic
AIDED west and never saw his CA
nily again. No more is known of FIR
4 until he was 16. By that time in
vas a cowboy and monte dealer str
'und Tucson. He gained publicity eat
a few men in card games of