Billy the Kid

Billy the Kid

Billy the Kid didn't start out mean. He was just wild like a lotta boys. Some say he came from New York but the only place for a wild young 'un is the wild west so that was where he headed - and trouble jest seemed to nat'rlly foller him around. Leastways thats what Texicali Rose always used to say about him.

Billy's first killing was in Silver City, New Mexico, in 1877 when he was set upon by a no good varmint named Windy Cahill. Not waiting to see if he was going to be invited to a necktie party, he ran away to Lincoln County. There he got work with John Tunstall, an English rancher. Billy's timing, as usual, was pretty near the mark 'cause in no time he was embroiled in the Lincoln County Range Wars. Tunstall had two enemies, landowners Murphy and Dolan who arranged his murder. Young Billy swore to avenge his death. There was violence on both sides but the war ended in a five day street battle. Billy the Kid and his men took refuge in McSween's Store. Murphy's men set fire to it. Mrs McSween escaped but her husband was gunned down.

After that Billy became an outlaw. Always a popular young rogue, despite his murderin' and takin' ways, Billy was often given shelter. Eventually he was arrested by his old drinking buddy Pat Garrett who had just turned sheriff and some say traitor as well. Billy had killed a lawman during the Lincoln County Wars and so the noose beckoned. He was locked in Lincoln County Courthouse. He was under constant guard by deputy Bell and deputy Olinger. His fate seemed sealed. Enough to loosen any man's guts - even Billy's. He asked to go to the privy. Bell took him. What the deputy didn't know was that one of his friends had hidden a pistol there. Billy took the pistol and shot Bell deader than a doornail, then ran into the sheriff's office and grabbed a shotgun.

Olinger was coming back from the restaurant when he looked up to hear a familiar voice call out "Hullo Bob". Then Billy let him have both barrels. Leaving the deputy dead in the dust, Billy shook hands with onlookers, stole a file and horse and galloped off out of town.

But the hand of fate was reaching down to call Billy home. Pat Garrett tracked him to Fort Sumner. One night, Billy was enjoying the delights of his young bride when he heard a noise outside. " Quien es?" (who's there) he cried, then Garrett shot him.

Billy had a grand funeral. In his short life he had bbeen rumoured to have shot and killed twenty men though that's jest other folks firing off of the mouth. In reality it was more like six.

Billy was the subject of numerous dime novels and moving pictures. William Burroughs even used the character in his novel "The Western Lands".