His father can't be proven, but theory says that his name could be William Harrison Bonney, Patrick Henry McCarty, Patrick McCarthy, and a few more. He ran toward the building and as the Kid saw him approaching he shot Olinger down with a shotgun (7). Did Billy the Kid Cheat Death and Live on as 'Brushy Bill'? The Kid then jerked Bell's pistol and told him to throw up his hands, but instead the deputy ran and the Kid had no choice but to shoot him. During a trip to the outhouse, the Kid slipped out of his handcuffs, ambushed a guard and shot the man to death with his own pistol. [19] Although she was fondly remembered by onetime boarders and neighbors as "a jolly Irish lady, full of life and mischief",[20] she was already in the final stages of tuberculosis when the family reached Silver City. He was an outlaw, of course he lied! It proved to be a wise move. The bullet pierced the Kid's heart and he fell to the floor. December 1, 2015 Examined It was the newspapers who had given him a name that he would forever be known as Billy the Kid.. McCarty (or Bonney, the name he used at the height of his notoriety) was 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) to 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall with blue eyes, a smooth complexion and prominent front teeth. He was said to be friendly and personable at times, and many recalled that he was as "lithe as a cat". As he pretended to admire it, he spun the cylinder so the hammer would fall on an empty chamber. [13] There, she met William Antrim, who was 12 years her junior. After a short standoff, Billy the Kid came out and surrendered. 14th July 1881: American outlaw Billy the Kid shot and killed - YouTube Billy the Kid is one of the most notorious Wild West outlaws, which is especially impressive because he had to fit all his outlawing into just 21 years of life. Sarah Brown, the owner of a boarding house, gave him room and board in exchange for work. [9][10] According to some accounts, McCarty was born as William Henry McCarty, Jr., but his mother preferred to call him "Henry" because she did not wish him to be known as "Junior". After taking several days to consider Wallace's offer, McCarty agreed to testify in return for amnesty.[83]. The young gunslinger stole the occasional horse, but he never once held up a bank, train or even a stagecoach. She resided at 199 North East Street and it was there she met and began a long term relationship with a man named William Antrim, a twenty-three year old labor and teamster who lived a few blocks away. Billy the Kid's Family Tree REVEALED!! - YouTube Ostensibly neutral, the column's actions worked to the clear advantage of the Dolan faction. The Boys started to steal Tunstalls livestock, so arrests were made and the Kid eventually was caught and placed in jail. It's not known McCarty greeted the governor with a revolver in one hand and a Winchester rifle in the other. Then on September 16, 1874, the Kids mother died. 1. Quin es?" [4] Contemporaries described him as a "neat" dresser who favored an "unadorned Mexican sombrero". HIS "REAL" NAME IS A TOPIC OF DEBATE. William H. Bonney, known as Billy the Kid, was the youngest and most famous example of a gun-fighter from the American West. John Tunstall was brutally murder by members of Sheriff Bradys posse and the Boys. [66] Roberts, however, refused to be taken alive, even after he suffered a severe bullet wound to the chest. [57] The incident had the effect of further alienating the public, given that many local residents "admired the way Roberts put up a gutsy fight against overwhelming odds". The Death Of Billy The Kid, 1881. Updated: April 8, 2020 | Original: July 14, 2016. Video Photo of Billy the Kid and His Killer Uncovered at Flea Market Abrana Garcia | BlazingYoungGuns Wiki | Fandom I hated those men and am glad that I lived long enough to see them all dead and buried". [9][10] Some genealogists argue, however, that the future outlaw was born William Henry Bonney, the son of William Harrison Bonney and wife Katherine Boujean, paternal grandson of Levi Bonney and wife Rhoda Pratt and great-grandson of Obadiah Pratt, who in turn were the Grandparents of Mormon leader Parley P. Pratt, making him and McCarty first cousins once removed. [7] "His many Hispanic friends did not view him as a ruthless killer but rather as a defender of the people who were forced to kill in self-defense," Wallis writes. His real name and date of birth are disputed. In July 1878, the feud reached its climax with a deadly, five-day firefight in the town of Lincoln, after which the Regulators disbanded and the two sides sealed a flimsy peace agreement. At that exact moment, the Kid with a knife in hand went to Maxwells house to get some fresh beef for a late steak dinner. Billy the Kid, 1941 remake of the 1930 film, starring Robert Taylor and Brian Donlevy. [82] McCarty, who had fled to Texas after his escape from McSween's house, was under indictment, but sent Wallace a letter requesting immunity in return for testifying in front of the Grand Jury. Footnote 7: Bob Olinger was a bully and an old enemy of Billy the Kid. The Kid was successful in getting a drop on the lone guard, Deputy James Bell, by slipping his hand out of the handcuffs and using the heavy restraints to hit the deputy over the head. On September 24, 1875, McCarty was again arrested when he was found in possession of clothing and firearms that a fellow boarder had stolen from a Chinese laundry owner. [97] Realizing that they had no hope of escape, the besieged and hungry outlaws finally surrendered later that day and were allowed to join in the meal. Gore Vidal's Billy the Kid,[125] Gore Vidal's 1989 film starring Val Kilmer as Billy and Duncan Regehr as Pat Garrett. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. [44] A conflict known today as the Lincoln County War had erupted between the established town merchants, Lawrence Murphy and James Dolan, and competing business interests headed by Tunstall and McSween. [84] After the trial, McCarty and O'Folliard slipped away on horses that were supplied by friends. Henry quickly adapted to life in the rugged territory and became fluent in Spanish, but his sickly mother died of tuberculosis in 1874, leaving him an orphan at the age of just 14. McCarty (or Bonney, the name he used at the height of his notoriety) was 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) to 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall with blue eyes, a smooth complexion and prominent front teeth. Story Behind the Song: Billy Dean's 'Billy The Kid' - The Tennessean Billy "The Kid" Emerson Death: What Happened To Billy "The Kid" Emerson? [47] "As a wry and macabre joke on Tunstall's great affection for horses, the dead bay's head was then pillowed on his hat", writes Frederick Nolan, Tunstall's biographer. A wanted poster for Billy the Kid, circa 1877. [65] According to a contemporary newspaper account, the Regulators disclaimed "all connection or sympathy with McSween and his affairs" and expressed their sole desire to track down Tunstall's murderers. So when Olinger ran to the courthouse, the Kid didnt hesitate to shoot him with his own shotgun. All alone in a strange desert, the Kid wandered from one ranch to another to find work. Michael takes a deep dive into the claims that Abrana Garcia of Fort Sumner was Billy the Kid's wife, and that Billy fathered her son Patrinocio Garcia who lived until 1964! [54][55][56] During their journey to Lincoln, the Regulators also killed one of their own members, a man named McCloskey, whom they suspected of being a traitor. All we know is that FOR SURE, according to Census, his mother married a man named Antrim. The Old Man Who Claimed to Be Billy the Kid - Atlas Obscura So Billy the Kid used his wit and courage to escape his date with the hangman which boosted his notoriety even more. No sooner had he woken Maxwell than the Kid also approached the house, having stopped nearby to get beef for a late dinner. He never pushed in his advice or opinions, but he had a wonderful presence of mind. and killed him. In those days people loaded their revolvers with only five rounds, with the hammer down on an empty chamber. The Kid was a celebrity in his own time, but his legend only grew after his death thanks to dime novels, television shows and Hollywood films. Some of those who witnessed the incident later claimed that McCarty acted in self-defense. To this day, genealogists are still stumped. Frequently Asked Questions - About Billy the Kid [59] Notably, Axtell refused to acknowledge the existence of the so-called "Santa Fe Ring", a group of corrupt Republican politicians and business leaders led by U.S. Attorney Thomas Benton Catron. [48] Although members of the Murphy-Dolan faction sought to frame Tunstall's death as a "justifiable homicide", evidence at the scene suggested that Tunstall attempted to avoid a confrontation before he was shot down. Since the end of the Lincoln County War, the Kid spent the next two years eluding the law and living in and around Fort Sumner (a former military fort transformed into a tiny Mexican village). The man went under the name of John Miller and lived in the country southeast of Ramah, around Cerro Alto. Henry McCartys first run-in with the law came in 1875, when he assisted a local street tough known as Sombrero Jack in stealing clothing from a Chinese laundry. [1] The song was written by Dean and Paul Nelson. [7], A relative unknown during his own lifetime, he was catapulted into legend the year after his death when his killer, Sheriff Pat Garrett, along with co-author M.A. Victims of Billy the Kid, the Regulators, and the Rustlers, Billy's [117], Frank Coe, who rode as a Regulator, recalled years after the Kid's death: "I never enjoyed better company. #billythekid. Before the local newspapers reported Pat Garrett shot and killed Billy the Kid in Pete Maxwell's bedroom on July 14, 1881, there were already rumors that Garrett killed the wrong man. The next day Billy the Kid was buried at the Fort Sumner cemetery near his two fallen companions, Tom OFolliard and Charlie Bowdre. Billy The Kid - Teenage Outlaw of the Southwest All Rights Reserved. The Regulators began to panic, so the cool-headed Billy the Kid, only about seventeen years old, took over leadership of the men. There, he was regarded as a champion of the oppressed. Billy the Kid | Biography, Death, & Facts | Britannica The Kid felt betrayed when he learned that Governor Wallace didnt have the power to pardon him without Rynersons cooperation, nor was the governor pressuring the attorney to collaborate. Footnote 1: There's a mystery with the last name of McCarty; it's speculated that it may be his father's name, mother's maiden name, or the last name of his half brother's father. 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). [11] It is generally believed that McCarty's Mother was a survivor of the Great Irish Famine of the mid-19th century. The manager was impressed by the youth, contending that he was the only young man who ever worked for him that did not steal anything. Nashville Tennessean. "I miss Billy The Kid/ The times that he had/ The life that he lived." Before he became a country star and hit songwriter, Billy Dean grew up in . When asked about the incident later, he remarked, "It was a game for two, and I got there first". [108] Recognizing McCarty's voice, Garrett drew his own pistol and fired twice, the first bullet striking McCarty just above his heart, killing him. [111], The undeserved notoriety that McCarty gained during the Lincoln County War effectively doomed his appeals for amnesty. Some of the most famous actors to play the Kid include Roy Rogers, Paul Newman, Val Kilmer and Emilio Estevez. For the next 2 years the Kid tramped around as a ranch hand and gambler. Upon the Kid's release, however, the. The Green Mile, Wild Bill has a tattoo of Billy the Kid in the 1999 film. [49] Tunstall's murder enraged McCarty and the other ranch hands. Watch Billy Strings Tear Up Willie Nelson's "Whiskey River" For 90th [12] By 1868, Catherine McCarty had moved with her two young sons, Henry and Joseph, to Indianapolis, Indiana. Also known as: Brushy Bill, Henry McCarty, William H. Bonney, Jr. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. He spun around before Grant could reach a loaded chamber. 5 Fast Facts About Billy the Kid | Mental Floss He was a good boy, maybe a little too mischievous at times. " Billy the Kid " is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Billy Dean. He took pleasure in tormenting the helpless prisoner and used his shotgun to intimidate him. The pair's first collaboration is Billy the Kid Makes It Big, a book for children aged 4-7.Inspired by Billy, written by Parton and illustrated by Mackenzie Haley, the story follows a (lightly . We Communicated w/a Ghost Outlaw & Billy The Kid's Enemy - YouTube [16] Antrim found sporadic work as a bartender and carpenter but soon became more interested in prospecting and gambling for fortune than in his wife and stepsons. Legends grew over time that Billy the Kid had somehow cheated death, despite eyewitness accounts of his slaying. [2] Meanwhile, McCarty scooped up Ollinger's[103] 10-gauge double barrel shotgun and waited at the upstairs window for Ollinger, who had been across the street with some other prisoners, to come to Bell's aid. The Charlie Daniels Band recorded the song "Billy The Kid" (Daniels, Dean, Wilson) on their 1976 album High Lonesome (Charlie Daniels album). He became handy with a Winchester rifle and a Colt revolver, and in August 1877 he killed his first man during a dispute in an Arizona saloon. Antrim didnt want to be burden with two small boys, so he separated them and placed them in foster homes and left Silver City for Arizona. That same year, he adopted the alias William H. Bonney and became known as Billy the Kid or simply The Kid.. Tunstall noticed something different about this rustler, he wasnt rough like the other men, but just a boy who got a bad start in life and was looking for place to belong. Instead he was a gunfighter in a feud between two factions in which both sides stole from each other and killed. Following Tunstalls death, the Kid and several other former employees organized themselves into a vigilante group called The Regulators and swore revenge. Most recently explored in the Discovery Channel documentary, Billy the Kid: Unmasked, this theory contends that Garrett went to the bedroom of Pedro Maxwell's sister, Paulita, and bound and gagged her in her bed. [97] As the lawmen began to cook breakfast over an open fire, Garrett and McCarty engaged in a friendly exchange, with Garrett inviting McCarty outside to eat, and McCarty inviting Garrett to "go to hell". Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Miller was buried at the state-owned Pioneers' Home Cemetery in Prescott, Arizona. Brother of Joseph McCarty, Miguel Otero is one of my cousins, another Otero cousin helped make the coffin and buried Billy. While the evidence shows that Billy lived on, it does not appear that Brushy Bill Roberts was Billy the Kid. Billy the Kid - Jesse James Photo Album Director: Oliver Drake | Stars: Anthony Dexter, Sonny Tufts, Marie Windsor, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers Votes: 147 15. When Grant fired, nothing happened, and McCarty then shot him. Later that evening, Grant pulled the same pistol on the Kid and tried to shoot him in the back. [34] Years later, Louis Abraham, who had known McCarty in Silver City but was not a witness, denied that anyone was killed in this altercation. During the pursuit for Billy the Kid, Garrett ended up killing two of the Kids closest comrades, Tom OFolliard and Charlie Bowdre. [108] There are at least two versions of what happened next. So they took the law in their own hands. [40] The Jones family developed a strong attachment to McCarty and gave him one of their horses. Edit. [78] After a five-day siege, McSween's house was set on fire by the sheriff's posse. Although the popularity of the first story persists, and portrays Garrett in a better light, many historians contend that the second version is probably the accurate one. Quin es? Quin es?": Revisiting the Racial Context of the Billy the When the men began to run out of the burning house the Dolan side opened fire and all hell broke loose. When the boy was placed in jail and escaped, he was not bad, just scared. The conflict centered on a business rivalry between British-born rancher John Tunstall and a pair of Irish tycoons named James Dolan and Lawrence Murphy. Of course the death was credited to the Kid and destroyed any ounce of sympathy the public had for him, not to mention, any chance for him to get things squared up with the governor to get his pardon. The Kid from Texas (1950, Universal International) film starring Audie Murphy--location of title character's place of origin changed to appeal to Texans and capitalize on Murphy association with that state. So Tunstall gave him an ultimatum: if he testified against the other rustlers, Tunstall would hire him as an employee. The Antrim Family - About Billy the Kid Connect to the World Family Tree to find out, William Henry Harrison (Antrim), Catherine Devine Zirkle, Sep 17 1859 - New York City, New York, United States, July 14 1881 - Fort Sumner, DeBaca County, New Mexico Territory, July 14 1881 - Fort Sumner, De Baca, New Mexico, Usa, William Henry Harrison ANTRIM, Catherine DEVINE, Sep 17 1859 - New York, New York County (Manhattan), New York, USA, July 14 1881 - Fort Sumner, DeBaca County, New Mexico, USA, William Harrison Bonney, Catherine Mccarty Antrim, Patrick Mccarty, Catherine Devine Mccarty (born Antrim), July 14 1881 - Fort Sumner, DeBaca, New Mexico, United States, Bonney, Bonney (born Mccarty), Nov 23 1859 - New York, New York, New York, USA, July 14 1881 - Fort Sumner, De Baca, New Mexico, USA, William Harrison Bonney, Catherine Bonney (born Devine), William Harrison Bonney, Katherine Bonney (born Boujean), Harrison (Antrim), Catherine Devine Zirkle, Mccarty (Antrim), Mccarty, Fort Sumner, De Baca County, New Mexico, United States, We're Related to Royalty and Famous People, Juana Montoya "La Tullida" Patron, alleged girlfriend of BTK, Paulita Jaramillo, alleged girlfriend of Billy the Kid, Maria Manuelita Martinez Herrera, alleged girlfriend of BTK, Jose Patrocinio Garcia, alleged son of BTK, Florentina Yerby, alleged daughter of BTK, [speculation] Henry "billy The Kid" Mccarty, William Henry Billy, the Kid McCarty Bonney, Antrim, William Henry (Billy The Kid) Bonney McCarty, William Henry (Billy The Kid) Mccarty Bonney, Birth of Jose Patrocinio Garcia, alleged son of BTK, "Henry McCarty", "William H. Bonney", "Henry Antrim", "Kid Antrim", Cattle rustler, cowboy and ranch hand, gambler horse thief, outlaw, September 17 or November 23, 1859 (disputed) - New York City, United States, Died July 14, 1881 (aged 21) - Fort Sumner, New Mexico Territory, Cause of death Gunshot wound - Resting place Old Fort Sumner Cemetery - 342413N 1041137W, Other names William H. Bonney, Henry Antrim, Kid Antrim, Occupation: Cattle rustler, cowboy and ranch hand, gambler, horse thief, outlaw, Martin Garcia, alias he used when he allegedly married Abrana S. Garcia. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The Kid got caught with it and was arrested. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. [80] McSween was shot down while fleeing the blaze, and his death essentially marked the end of the Lincoln County Cattle War. [92], During this time, McCarty became acquainted with an ambitious local bartender and former buffalo hunter named Pat Garrett. [2] Some historians speculate that his image was created deliberately to distract the public's attention from the nefarious activities of the Dolan faction and their influential supporters in Santa Fe, notably regional political leader Thomas Benton Catron. He would spend the rest of his life on the run from the authorities. Footnote 4: James Dolan was the protg of LG Murphy and when Murphy became ill of cancer and hospitalized in Santa Fe, Dolan stepped up to take his place. We strive for accuracy and fairness. [50], McSween, who abhorred violence, took steps to punish Tunstall's murderers through legal means; he obtained warrants for their arrests from the local justice of the peace John B. Billy used to lie about his identity often, including his age and birth to Census intakers. [108] In a second version, McCarty entered carrying a knife, evidently headed to a kitchen area. On May 15, the Regulators tracked down Seven Rivers gang member Manuel Segovia, the suspected murderer of Frank McNab, and shot him to death. [2] The horse returned two days later.[106]. He escaped jail on April 28, however, killing two deputies, and remained at large until tracked down and ambushed by Garrett, who shot him dead on the evening of July 14 at the ranch home of Pete Maxwell. The Regulators revenge only made things worse. The outlaw was found guilty of the murder of Sheriff William Brady and confined to the Lincoln courthouse. There is an interesting tale of a mysterious stranger who came to the Ramah country to live shortly after Billy the Kid was "killed". Billy the Kid's DNA sparks legal showdown - NBC News [88], In November 1880, a posse pursued and trapped McCarty's gang inside a ranch house owned by one of the Kid's friends, James Greathouse, at Anton Chico in the White Oaks area. Until the death of his mother in 1874, Billy led a fairly normal life . He said he had lived incognito for decades but. [54][57][58] On the very day that McCloskey, Morton, and Baker were slain, Governor Samuel Beach Axtell arrived in Lincoln County to investigate the ongoing violence. The Kid was in unfriendly territory and one of his threats was prosecutor attorney William Rynerson, who was part of the Ring and wanted to put the Kid on trial for the murder of Sheriff Brady. Though his life was short, he left a lasting impression on the American West. As a child, Billy the Kid went under the name of Henry McCarty. Even in death Billy the Kid is likeable and he has a large following with people all over the word. 4K views 3 years ago #BillyTheKid #Travel The Spirits of the Lincoln County War | Haunted Travels - In the heart of the state of New Mexico, lies the historic ghost town of Lincoln. [24] In April, 1875, McCarty was arrested by Grant County Sheriff Harvey Whitehill, after McCarty stole some cheese. The posse led by Garrett fared well, and his men closed in quickly. After a short stint working on the ranch of Henry Hooker, McCarty began working on the Coe-Saunders ranch. Late Queen's dresser has 'unequalled' knowledge of the royal household Billy the Kid knew he didnt stand a chance in court and he had lost faith in the governor, so he escaped. The Kid was shackled and imprisoned in a room in the Lincoln courthouse as two deputies took turns guarding over him. If indeed, his birthplace was New York, no records that can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he ever lived there have ever been uncovered".