Patrick Floyd Jarvis Garrett was born in Chambers County, Alabama, on June 5, 1850. When he was unable to make mortgage payments on his ranch, the county auctioned off his personal belongings, but that raised only $650. Maxwell lit a candle to illuminate the room and the body of Billy the Kid lay motionless, with Garretts bullet lodged in his heart. It was a game of two, Billy said, and I got there first.. Are Double-Sided Graves the Solution to London's Burial Crisis? He was buried in the old military cemetery at Fort Sumner next to two of his gang members. Hewas elected to the office of sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico, winning ahead ofincumbent Sheriff George Kimball. In 2015, Stahl filed a petition in New Mexico Supreme Court in pursuit of a death certificate for the Kid, also known as William Bonney, from the state's medical examiner. Pat Garrett was a man of the times. When Billy called Cahill a son of a bitch, the fight was on and soon the men were wrestling over Billys (stolen) revolver. He joined the wrong groups and wound up running from the law. Out on his own, McCarty slipped across the border into Arizona Territory, which technically made him a federal fugitive from justice though the federal government didnt have a huge presence in Arizona at the time and Henry was pretty much free to do as he liked. 'One day it may end up at an auction house somewhere. Meanwhile, Billy encountered Poe and McKinney and apparently said Quien es? which means who is it? in Spanish. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In New Mexico, Garrett worked as a cowboy for Pedro Pete Maxwell but quit to open a saloon. Now the law had yet another reason to be after Billy the Kid. Billy the Kid was a late 19th-century thief and gunfighter. WebBut he never did like to talk about it all that much. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. He also obtained a deputy U.S. Marshals commission to have jurisdiction in other counties. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. Does Billy the Kid Deserve the Pardon He was Promised? He came directly towards me. Amid controversy, Garrett was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on January 2, 1902. Garrett then supposedly shot McCarty dead. A stranger named Joe Grant came into the saloon and sidled up to near the spot where Billy was drinking. Brazels trial for the murder of Garrett lasted only one day, on May 4, 1909. Before I made the discoveries I made in my book, I did not have an opinion on Brushy Bill, says Edwards. WebIn the scene where Garrett gets a hot shave, he then leaves clean shaven, as Bob Dylan follows him out. Garrett, who had been tracking the Kid for Billy lights out for old Fort Sumner on the Pecos River, some 150 miles northeast of Lincoln. However, Poe and several other people say they moved the body quickly, dressed it and prepared it for a wake. The infamous Billy the Kid was no more. A few months later, Garrett married Apolinaria Gutierrez, his sister-in-law. The victim, Patrick Floyd Jarvis Pat Garrett, was the former sheriff of Lincoln County best known for having killed outlaw Billy the Kid on July 14, 1881. Garrett served as sheriff of Doa Ana County from 1896 to 1900. He was murdered at about 10:30 on the morning of Feb. 29, 1908, some 5 miles east of Las Cruces. He hoped that Morrison could help him claim the pardon that New Mexico Governor Lew Wallace supposedly promised Billy the Kid back in 1879. During the Kids time as an outlaw, Pat Garrett was elected Sheriff and sent after him. I've always been somebody who's interested in history and background.'. The picture is the only known photo of the Regulators gang all together. Garrett would encounter him again in July 1881, apparently killing him in a nighttime shootout. Portrait of American gunman Billy the Kid (18591881). He was buried, it is said, in Fort Sumner Cemetery, with his associates Tom OFolliard and Charlie Bowdre, and the epitaph Palsthough none of them are likely directly under the tombstone there today. It is only the fourth known photograph of Billy the Kid and is thought to be a trophy shot taken by Garrett and his posse after they arrested him. On July 12, 1898, Garrett and his men encountered Oliver M. Lee and James Gililland at Wildy Well near Orogrande, Texas. Mysteries of the Old West: Did Pat Garrett Kill Billy the Kid? ), correspondent Darren Gross has come across a watchable web encoding of a Peckinpah TV drama that seems to be more or less lost. Good star performances (Jean Simmons, Bradford Carl Adamson took Garrett to Las Cruces, New Mexico, and was soon joined by Brazel on horseback. Circa 1879-1880. One of the residents of Fort Sumner, Paco Anaya, wrote that after the shooting, Garrett handed a piece of paper to Alejandro Segura, the Justice of the Peace. There were various men in the American Southwest who went by the moniker "Billy the Kid." Join us for a daily celebration of the worlds most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places. However, there is no other evidence of this; we are relying on Anayas word alone for the entire existence of the jury and its verdict. Frank Abrams, a North Carolina attorney, first spotted the tintype photo in Asheville in 2011. After his release, Billy the Kid joined up with a posse called the Lincoln County Regulators in order to avenge Tunstalls death. In the dark, Billy had gone to cut a slice of meat. A suspicion lingered that Brazel or someone else conspired to execute Garrett, a lawman with many enemies. Garrett invited Tom Powers to go along and introduced Powers to the President as a prominent Texas cattleman; they sat for photographs with Roosevelt. For starters, Billy the Kids name wasnt Billy and he wasnt born in the western United States. Following Billy the Kids death, the media turned him into a folk hero and made Garrett out to be the bad guy. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. While trying to verify the photo, Abrams approached Robert Stahl, a retired professor emeritus at Arizona State University who is no stranger to the history of Billy the Kid. At about age 21, Billy the Kid was gunned down by Sheriff Pat Garrett. Several said the tintype was likely taken between 1879 and 1880, which coincides with the August 2, 1880, date someone had written on the photo,Abrams said. Soldier in range wars, cattle rustler, horse thief, but also universally described as charming, funny, a good singer and good dancer, at least bilingual, and an avid reader. McNew and Carr were the first to be arrested. Either way, Billy sensed that trouble was coming and decided to head it off at the pass. Each landowner was supported by their own gang. McCartys new stepfather was a part-time prospector who frequently went off on extended trips. Related story from us: One of the men who killed Bonnie & Clyde was Bonnies secret admirer. As Currys inauguration was not for a few months, Garrett returned to El Paso to look for work. In December 1880, he had brought in the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid on charges of murdering a former county sheriff. Lets get the issue of imposters out of the way quickly. In July, Garrett caught wind that Billy might be staying with a friend in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. The Kid was known to be friendly and personable and a smart dresser, often wearing a Mexican sombrero. On April 15th, Judge Warren Bristol sentenced Billy the Kid to hang, but he escaped before the sentence was carried out. Maybe they lacked imagination, though "Willy Wet Behind the Ears" doesn't scan particularly well. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The image could be the last known picture of Billy the Kid, who was born Henry McCarty. The one that counted the one who still counts was variously known as Henry McCarty, Henry Antrim, Kid Antrim, William H. Bonney, Billy Bonney, and sometimes just The Kid. Garrett went on to be a rancher, customs collector, sheriff of another county, and terrible gambler. Thinking fast, Billy told Grant that he admired his revolver and asked if he could look at it. Despite these accusations, McGinn claims that her only link to the administration is that she offered to handle the case for free because of Richardsons lifelong interest in Billy the Kid. The two talked of this and that. Garrett had hoped to apprehend the men while they were asleep, but Lee and Gililland set themselves up as lookouts on the roof of the bunkhouse. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Billy Hathorn / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0), Carol M. Highsmith/Library of Congress/LC-DIG-highsm-29831. The extended dance of I wont put a price on it, quite frankly its priceless. Noticing it only had three rounds loaded, he subtly rotated the drum to an empty cylinder and handed it back. From his first robberies to his days as a frontier gunslinger to his epic death, Billy the Kid remains perhaps the definitive legend of the Wild West. What historians do know is that Garrett was elected sheriff of Lincoln County in November 1880, on a platform promising to end the violence between two groups of warring landowners feuding over dry goods and cattle interests in the county. In the aftermath of the apparent shooting, numerous people claimed to have met the Kid. Wikimedia CommonsThe full-length version of the sole completely authenticated photo of Billy the Kid. But when he unwisely returned to the area a few days later, he was locked up in the stockade pending the arrival of law enforcement. As one of the few Regulators whod made it out of the Battle of Lincoln, Billy the Kid Was now a prime target for local law enforcement. Some argue his book about Billy Bonney is the only reason why The Kid is remembered today. As is the case with so many mythologized historical figures, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. 'Right now, that is not the first thing on my mind. What is far more relevant to the case is the issue of discrepancy in the testimonies of Garrett, Poe, the coroner and several other people. Sheriff Pat Garrett shoots Henry McCarty, popularly known as Billy the Kid, to death at the Maxwell Ranch in New Mexico. These absences got longer and more common as McCartys mother got sick with tuberculosis and became more dependent on the men in her family to look after her. In November 1950, Morrison filed a petition on behalf of Brushy Bill. The months-long war came to a climax with the July 19, 1878, Battle of Lincoln, also called 'The Five-Day Battle'. The Kid remained and Garrett was true to his word and arrested his former friend. Outlaws have a romantic air about them and I think the people in Hamilton County really enjoy having this as part of the history.. Pat Garrett, the sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory, had been on the trail for months.In December 1880, he had brought in the infamous outlaw Billy the You can read all about Billys last night from the point of view of the man who shot him. Billy supposedly aimed his gun at Poe while backing into the nearest door, which happened to be Maxwells bedroom. On ABCs, Good Morning America Friday, Richardson explained that the evidence of the case simply did not warrant a pardon. But before that could happen, Billy snuck out of jail yet again and stole another horse which he rode hard for New Mexico Territory where he was still wanted for robbery. He was appointed deputy sheriff for the last two months of 1880 before taking office January 1, 1881. Wikimedia CommonsThe disputed photo bought by Randy Guijarro, allegedly showing Billy the Kid (center). Born in Alabama and reared in Louisiana, Garrett left home at about the age of 17 and headed for Texas and the life of a cowboy and buffalo hunter. Brazel surrendered to Deputy Sheriff Felipe Lucero in Las Cruces, shouting, Lock me up. Were not trying to deceive anyone. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Pat Garrett, byname of Patrick Floyd Garrett, (born June 5, 1850, Chambers County, Ala., U.S.died Feb. 29, 1908, near Las Cruces, N.M.), Western U.S. lawman known as the man who killed Billy the Kid (q.v.). Corrections? At almost precisely the same time, Garrett woke Maxwell up; his friend was understandably annoyed at being disturbed. Mblitch CC BY-SA 3.0. Lee and Gililland stayed on the run for another eight months and finally surrendered. Billy the Kid then stayed off the radar until January 1880, when he was drinking in a bar near Santa Fe. The sheriff and two deputies, John Poe and Thomas McKinney, saddle up and set out in search of their quarry. He wore a broad-brimmed hat, a dark vest and pants, and was in his shirtsleeves. He never spoke. Billy then managed to cut through his leg irons and steal a horse to make his escape. But before Garrett could get his prisoners to jail, he had to defend them from a lynch mob that formed around the train on the route to Santa Fe. Thereafter, Garrett was a rancher near Roswell, N.M. (188296), deputy sheriff and then sheriff of Dona Ana County, N.M. (18961902), and collector of customs at El Paso, Texas (190206). When you listen to his real story, he talks about how he wasnt an outlaw, how he never robbed banks or stagecoaches, how he resented the fact that Governor Lew Wallace reneged on his promise of a pardon in 1879 and left him to die, Edwards says. In November 1880, he and three of his gang were captured, and the Kid was tried and convicted for the murder of Brady. He would tell people around here, You know, I have a secret and one of these days youre going to find out what it is. He didnt want to tell his story at first. An experienced outlaw (even at a tender age) would surely have recognized two deputies standing on the porch. Pat Garrett, the sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory, had been on the trail for months. Sure enough, after the two men antagonized each other some more, Grant did soon point his gun at Billy and pull the trigger but all it produced was a click. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. He moved to Texas, where Governor John Ireland appointed him to the Texas Rangers. While Garrett was there, he was forced to defend himself from a local bully, Mariano Leiva, by shooting him in the shoulder. Born on New York Citys East Side, Billy as a child migrated with his parents to Kansas; his father died there, and the mother and her two boys moved to Colorado, where she remarried. We unsaddled here, got some coffee, and, on foot, entered an orchard which runs from this point down to a row of old buildings, some of them occupied by Mexicans, not more than sixty yards from Maxwells house. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. It was a good racket, but he couldnt stay out of trouble long enough to enjoy it. It is believed to benow worth millions of dollars. For horse theft, of course. Carl Adamson never appeared at the trial as a witness, and Brazel was acquitted. Updates? At some point, due to the debate, there had been a movement to have the supposed bodies of the Kid and his mother exhumed for DNA testing. When the governors office refused to give Garrett his $500 reward (for reasons that remain unclear), local citizens chipped in and raised $7,000 for him instead. The pardon was on behalf of the killing of Sherriff William Brady in 1878. Billy the Kid didnt make it all the way to New Mexico. One of his first acts was to capture Billy the Kid, sending him to trial for the murder of the Lincoln sheriff and his deputy. After this look at Billy the Kid, read up on other legendary Wild West figures like legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley and Bass Reeves, the bullet-dodging black lone ranger. Once again, Billy the Kid was now on the run. Garrett tried to break the lease when he learned his creditor, W.W. Bill Cox, was financing Brazel. Morrison approached Roberts who, perhaps sensing the end of his life was near (if he had been Billy, hed have been 90 at the time), made a confession. Billy the Kid, byname of William H. Bonney, Jr., original name Henry McCarty?, (born November 23, 1859?, New York, New York, U.S.died July 14, 1881, Fort Sumner, New Mexico), American outlaw who was one of the most notorious gunfighters of the American West. Billy then drew fast and shot Grant in the head before making his escape. Furthermore, several of Billys friends say he only had a knife and not a gun. Garrett wouldn't find McCarty until two years later, a month after he was appointed sheriff. These qualities contributed to his image as both a notorious outlaw and a folk hero. Abrams, who lives in Arden, told Albuquerque's KRQE-TV that he spent the next several months consulting various forensic experts. Garrett gets word that the Kid is hiding out near Maxwells place. El Paso Times 1934: Pistol That Killed Billy the Kid Will Be Returned to Garretts Widow. The report said: We, the jury, find that Billy the Kid (met) his death by a bullet which was fired from a gun in the hands of Pat F. Garrett . Garrett apparently lost the verdict by the next morning. However, there is no other evidence of this; we are relying on Anayas word alone for the entire existence of the jury and its verdict. Now these are strange things for someone that is a fraud to focus on. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Billy-the-Kid-American-outlaw, American Heritage - Billy the Kid: From Outlaw to Legend, PBS - American Experience - The Life and Legend of Billy the Kid, Billy the Kid - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). But That Was Just the Beginning. Historians say that this photo shows outlaw Billy the Kid, circled second from left, and Pat Garrett, circled far right, taken in 1880. Quickly as possible I drew my revolver and fired, threw my body aside, and fired again. One of Garretts deputies went to check the roof and was fatally shot. I think people really like being associated with it now. On the evening of July 14, Garrett waited inside Maxwell's bedroom. Garrett and his men had received information that the outlaws were coming and set up an ambush. See. Billy the Kid was also still stealing. They mistook OFolliard for Bonney, however,and fatally shot him. He continues to look into whether the Kid rightfully deserves a posthumous pardon as promised by Governor Wallace. Richardsons deputy chief of staff Eric Witt wants to clarify that they are not offering a general pardon for all of Kids crimes, but rather a pardon for the individual case of killing a sheriff. Before he reached the bed, I whispered: Who is it, Pete? but received no reply for a moment. Here's how Sheriff Pat Garrett related his side of the story. These qualities contributed to his image as both a notorious outlaw and a folk hero. Its the last day of Richardsons term. Word reached him of the death, but he didnt cut his trip short and missed the funeral. Garrett was away from Lincoln on county business when the Kid made his escape. Pat Garrett, byname of Patrick Floyd Garrett, (born June 5, 1850, Chambers County, Ala., U.S.died Feb. 29, 1908, near Las Cruces, N.M.), Western U.S. lawman Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Billy the Kid: A Short and Violent Life at the best online prices at eBay!