William H 'Billy The Kid' Bonney (YG2)

## William H 'Billy The Kid' Bonney

After the Lincoln County War, Billy hid out for a while, his outlaw status sticking and the price on his head rising as he took up rustling horses and cattle in New Mexico. Although his old friends Doc and Chavez had left to create new lives Billy had managed to form a new gang of pals in Pat Garrett and Dave Rudabaugh. As places to hide out and be safe became less and less Billy felt his options thinning and finally the Governor of New Mexico proposed a meeting which Billy accepted. Governor Lew Wallace asked Billy if he would testify in court against any Murphy men that had taken part in the Lincoln County War, in exchange he would grant Billy a full pardon. Billy kept his word and even allowed himself to be put under protective arrest but the Governor went back on his promise and Billy was forced to escape, returning back to Lincoln that night to rescue Doc and Chavez who had been found and the law planned to hang. Knowing his newly reunited gang had few options left Billy led his band of Pals on the Old Mexican Blackbird trail, recruiting a young boy called Tom and a farmer called Hendry along the way, Pat was the only former member who decided to stay behind and try his hand at a clean life.

Billy led them onward, killing two of John Chisum's men when the old rancher refused to pay Billy his dues. He was then betrayed by his closest friend Pat Garrett who took money and a Sheriff's badge to bring Billy in.

After a fight broke out between Chavez and Dave, Billy decided it was best to find a bit of company and rest. He went to White Oaks and met up with his old friend Jane Greathouse who welcomed them into her home with open arms. But the folks of White Oaks didn't want outlaws in their midst and after holding Jane hostage they sent their Deputy in to try and bargain for the Indian, Chavez. Billy twisted the situation to his own advantage and the posse waiting outside killed their Deputy by mistake before scattering.

Tom was the first to be gunned down by Pat's posse, the gang fled to Stinking Springs and the young boy's death prompted Billy to reveal that the Mexican Blackbird did not exist; he just wanted his old pals to stay with him. Before the gang could sort out their differences Pat laid an ambush and shot Doc and Chavez. Doc died at Stinking Springs giving his pals covering fire while everyone but Billy managed to escape. Pat captured him and Billy was taken back to Lincoln where he was sentenced to hang. But Billy still had friends and with the aid of Jane Greathouse he escaped his prison while Garrett was out of town, killing both his guards and returning to Fort Sumner where, after finding out that Dave had fled to Mexico, Hendry no longer wanted to be an outlaw and Chavez was dying from a gunshot he received at Stinking Springs, Billy began to lose hope.

After trying to console himself in the arms of a pretty senorita Billy decided to get himself some beef from the Maxwell's, he was ambushed in the dark by Garrett, shots rang out and the Kid was shot dead, or was he?

## The Truth

After the Lincoln County War was over, Billy went into hiding and began to make a living stealing cattle and horses and in his spare time he gambled.

Fearing that his options were running out as the price on his head grew, he contacted Governor Lew Wallace and met him in secret. They came up with a deal that if Billy testified against certain men of what he had witnessed in the Lincoln War, the Governor would grant him a full pardon. Billy kept his word and testified in court but the Governor's word was an empty promise and Billy escaped the jail he had been placed in under protective arrest.

He again went into hiding, returning to his old ways of rustling. The papers became very interested in him at this point and gave him the nickname 'Billy the Kid' one which he would forever be known as.

Billy was arrested at Stinking Springs along with other members of his gang on December 23rd 1880 by Sheriff Pat Garrett. Billy was eventually taken to Mesilla where he was put on trial for the killing of Buckshot Roberts, the case was thrown out. He was then tried for the murder of Sheriff Brady, the charge stuck and Billy was sentenced to be hanged in Lincoln.

While in prison Billy wrote to Lew Wallace asking him to make good on what he had promised, none of his letters were answered. Billy was taken back to Lincoln to await his death. He was shackled and his chains nailed to the floor and guarded at all times by at least one deputy. On April 1881 Billy would secure his place in the history books with his daring escape. After one of his guards, James Bell, had taken him to the outhouse, Billy walked in front of him back up the stairs of the courthouse, he somehow managed to get a hand free of his cuffs and turned upon the deputy hitting him over the head with the heavy handcuffs. What happened next is up for much debate, it is believed that Billy got hold of Bell's gun and told him to 'throw up his hands' but Bell ran and Billy was forced to shoot him. Others believe that Billy had help from a friend and got his gun from the outhouse.

Billy continued upstairs and picked up the other deputy's, Bob Ollinger (whom Billy disliked as Bob constantly teased him), shotgun. Bob was running across the street towards the courthouse after hearing the shot that had killed Bell. As he passed under the window where Billy was Billy leaned out and shouted "Hello Bob" before shooting Bob with his own gun. Billy escaped town with the aid of some of Lincoln's residents and again headed for his old haunts, this would be the biggest mistake Billy ever made.

On July 14th in Fort Sumner 1881 Billy the Kid made his way over to Pete Maxwell's, a butcher's knife in hand to cut himself some fresh meat. He saw Garrett's two deputies sitting upon the porch, Billy could not recognize them in the dark so backed into Pete's room and asked his friend who the two men were. Billy walked further into the room and feeling something was amiss asked "Qui en es?" - "Who's there?" Garrett was in the room and upon hearing Billy's voice he fired his gun twice, the first shot entered just above Billy's heart and killed him instantly. There are many stories as to what really happened that night, some believe it was an ambush by Pat Garrett, that Billy carried no gun and some rumors suggest Pat even tied up one of Billy's sweethearts in order to lure him into the dark room. Billy was buried quickly, and in what many think a suspicious way, the very next day. This fuels the rumors that Pat did not kill Billy that night.

Many of the Kid's friends later described him as a calm man not quick to temper, slight and handsome, his main feature being his prominent front teeth. He loved to dance, gamble, could speak fluent Spanish and had a fondness for the Hispanic community of New Mexico.

After Billy's death rumors flew wildly about his life and demise. It was said that he killed twenty one men, one for each year of his life. This has been widely discredited and the number is more truthfully less than half that. It has also been debated whether Billy was actually twenty one when he died, some believe that Garrett gave this age so that it would not appear he had killed a young boy of only nineteen.

As with everything surrounding Billy, the truth of most matters has become clouded by myth and legend.