Below is an artist’s vision of the photographer snapping this only known photo of the Kid. Corrections? Born on New York City’s 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. Billy the Kid first earned his reputation as a gunslinger … Billy was just 18 at that time. When he noticed the silhouette of one of Garrett’s deputies on the porch, the Kid drew his pistol and backed toward the door, shouting, “Who’s that?” in Spanish. He was shot dead in New Mexico by Sheriff Pat Garrett. The Wild West lore of gunfights, horses, outlaws, Buffalo Soldiers and Smokey the Bear comes to life along the Billy the Kid Byway, where legends play against a spectacular backdrop of snowy peaks, rolling rivers, orchards and ranchlands. Henry McCarty (1859 – July 14, 1881) was also known as William H. Bonney, and known popularly as Billy the Kid.He was an American gunman who took part in the Lincoln County War.. The outlaw was found guilty of the murder of Sheriff William Brady and confined to the Lincoln courthouse. In the late 1940s, an elderly Texas man known as “Brushy Bill” Roberts even claimed to be Billy the Kid in the flesh, but his story was largely discredited after family records revealed his birthdate to be 1879. From bandana-wearing pirates to suit-and-tie bank robbers, can you identify the infamous criminals in this lineup? Henry McCarty, aka, William Henry Bonney, aka, Billy the Kid, was born on November 23, 1859, most likely in New York City. Contains scenes of moderate violence. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. As a child, Billy the Kid went under the name of Henry McCarty. 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. Billy the Kid is believed to have been born Henry McCarty in the Irish slums of New York City in September or November of 1859 - though his birth place, date of birth and even birth name is … Deputies Poe and Rudolph say the body was moved the night of the shooting. YOUNG GUNS (1985) - Emilio Estevez (who portrays 'Billy the Kid') poses with the only known photo of the New Mexico outlaw - Directed by Christopher Cain - 20th Century-Fox - Publicity Still. The crime only carried a minor sentence, but rather than face punishment, the wiry youth escaped the jailhouse by shimmying up a chimney. He was 21 years old when he died. After his escape from death row, the Kid spent several months hiding out on the frontier and taking refuge with sympathetic locals in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. He was scheduled for a date with the hangman, but on the evening of April 28, 1881, he engineered the most daring getaway of his criminal career. Despite the controversy, historical records show that the Kid’s body was positively identified by several different people the day after his shooting, leading most historians to conclude that Sheriff Garrett got the right man. Billy was a likable young man. Cahill was a known bully who had picked on the Kid numerous times. He went by the name William Henry Roberts, but most folks just called him Brushy Bill. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Billy the Kid, byname of William H. Bonney, Jr., original name Henry McCarty?, (born November 23, 1859/60, New York, New York, U.S.—died July 14, 1881, Fort Sumner, New Mexico), one of the most notorious gunfighters of the American West, reputed to have killed at least 27 men before being gunned down at about age 21. Born Henry McCarty, Billy the Kid also used the alias William Bonney. Left in the care of an absentee stepfather, the future gunslinger spent the next year living in foster homes and boardinghouses. After the death of his father, he traveled west with his mother ending up in Silver City, New Mexico Territory in 1873. Updates? While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. On the fateful day, the argument got out of control resulting in Billy the Kid killing Cahill. News of the brazen escape was soon reprinted in newspapers across the country, making the Kid the most wanted man in the West. Was he a victim of circumstance, or a ruthless outlaw? 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. There is no solid evidence to support the theory that Billy the Kid faked his death, until now. By the time William Bonney died at the age of 21, he had killed six men including a county sheriff. Billy the Kid first earned his reputation as a gunslinger in 1878, when he participated in a bloody frontier war in Lincoln County, New Mexico. Beginning with the 1911 silent film “Billy the Kid,” the gun-toting outlaw’s story has appeared on the big screen more than 50 times. Here’s a quick summary. The Kid left the war with a reputation as one of the West’s most skilled gunmen, but he remained wanted for the murder of Sheriff Brady. Gore Vidal's historical novel is brought to life in this television production of Turner Network Television's Billy the Kid. He spoke Spanish fluently, was loyal to his friends, liked music and loved attending the bailes and dancing with the pretty girls.. On the other hand, he was a … Sensing trouble, the Kid casually approached Grant and remarked, “That’s a mighty nice looking six-shooter you got.” He then slipped Grant’s gun out of its holster, spun its cylinder so that its next shot would be an empty chamber, and handed it back. A wanted poster for Billy the Kid, circa 1877. 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. That same year, he adopted the alias “William H. Bonney” and became known as “Billy the Kid” or simply “The Kid.”. Other investigators have since theorized that the Kid lived to be an old man under the alias “John Miller.” Miller’s alleged remains were exhumed in 2005, but a plan to compare his DNA to the Kid’s never materialized. Billy the Kid became a murderer for the first time when he killed Frank P. Cahill on August 17, 1877. He played a prominent role in a frontier feud. Outside of his gunfighting days with the Regulators, his main criminal enterprise was rustling cattle on the New Mexico plains. The young gunslinger stole the occasional horse, but he never once held up a bank, train or even a stagecoach. William Bonney) is without a doubt the most famous outlaw that has ever lived. When it didn’t fire, the Kid drew his own gun and shot Grant dead. 銃の名手として知られる西部開拓時代を代表する英雄のひとり。 Following Tunstall’s death, the Kid and several other former employees organized themselves into a vigilante group called “The Regulators” and swore revenge. History tells us that the outlaw known as Billy the Kid (aka Henry McCarty, aka William Bonney) was gunned down—at the ripe old age of 21—by Sheriff Pat Garrett on … But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Later that evening, Grant pulled the same pistol on the Kid and tried to shoot him in the back. Billy the Kid is popular and used for many local brands in Lincoln County, New Mexico. B illy The Kid was born in the slums of New York City in 1859. Billy the Kid’s body was turned over to friendly Mexican women, moved to the carpenter shop and buried as soon as possible next day. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. He neglected to keep a low profile, however, and it wasn’t long before Sheriff Pat Garrett and two deputies rode into town. In December 1880 he was captured by Sheriff Patrick Floyd Garrett and stood trial for murder in Mesilla, New Mexico, in April 1881; he was found guilty and was sentenced to hang. The tensions finally boiled over in February 1878, when Tunstall was murdered by a posse organized by Sheriff William Brady, a supporter of The House. Don’t Forget the Fabric Softener! As the story goes, a drunk named Joe Grant was terrorizing the bar’s patrons and threatening to kill someone before the night was out. ―Fritz Thompson, Albuquerque Journal In this revisionist biography, award-winning historian Michael Wallis re-creates the rich anecdotal saga of Billy the Kid (1859–1881), a young man who became a legend in his time and remains an enigma to this day. At just 5-foot 7-inches and 135 pounds, he could look like a good-natured young kid who loved to dance and drink, played the violin, and always had a wide grin. Director: Oliver Drake | Stars: Anthony Dexter, Sonny Tufts, Marie Windsor, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers Votes: 108 15. Little is known about Billy the Kid’s early days, but he was most likely born Henry McCarty in the Irish slums of New York City sometime in late 1859. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. With what country is the outlaw Ned Kelly associated? When they tried to intimidate Tunstall’s upstart operation, the Englishman enlisted the Kid and several other gunmen to protect his property. There may be no more infamous symbol of the American West in the 19th century than Billy the Kid. Another hypothesis is that Billy the Kid was in fact Ollie L. (“Brushy Bill”) Roberts, who escaped, lived in Mexico and the U.S. Southwest, rode in Wild West shows, and died in 1950 in Hico, Texas. Omissions? Billy the Kid has long been one of the many names associated with the Wild West, alongside the Bob Dalton Gang, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Cole Younger, Jesse James, and more. Photo by Rich Grant. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Billy the Kid’s grave is in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. In what became known as the “Lincoln County War,” the Regulators assassinated Sheriff Brady and spent the next several months shooting it out with The House’s forces. In late 1880, Lincoln County Sheriff Pat Garrett tracked the Kid to a cabin in Stinking Springs, New Mexico, and forced his surrender. Once in control of the courthouse, the Kid collected a small arsenal of weapons, cut his leg shackles with a pickaxe and fled town on a stolen horse. Movie poster for a 1925 “Billy the Kid” film. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. No sooner had he woken Maxwell than the Kid also approached the house, having stopped nearby to get beef for a late dinner. Billy the Kid Lyrics: I'll sing you a true song of Billy the Kid / I'll sing of some desperate deeds that he did / 'Way out in New Mexico long long ago / … In a four-year span between 1877 and 1881, the baby-faced outlaw was involved in the shooting deaths of some nine men, at least four of whom he killed singlehandedly. 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