[88] Following two days of testimony, Bonney was found guilty of Sheriff Brady's murder; it was the only conviction secured against any of the combatants in the Lincoln County War. Billy the Kid often used the Thunderer, which is a Colt Single Action. Brady and Deputy Sheriff George W. Hindman were killed. Billy the Kid - Wikipedia Billy the Kid Henry McCarty (September 17 or November 23, 1859 - July 14, 1881), alias William H. Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid, was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West who is alleged to have killed 21 men before he was shot and killed at the age of 21. Be advised, there is a meat target involved. The Kid's First Kill - True West Magazine When it failed to fire, he drew his own weapon and shot Grant in the head. Dalia Faheid is an intern on NPR's News Desk. Bonney". How Did Billy the Kid Die? | HISTORY Introduced in 1965 with the .444 Marlin cartridge, the Model 444 was the most powerful lever action of its day. While they were preparing to leave on foot, they heard voices speaking Spanish. Jim Earle '54 was a longtime engineering professor at Texas A&M. This was even truer for Billy the Kid, an outlaw who lived life rustling cattle and getting into saloon fights. "[89] According to the historical record, he did not speak after the reading of his sentence. A revolver that killed one of the most famous wanted men in the Wild West 140 years ago is slated to be offered for millions of dollars next month. John Silk. [75][76], A few weeks after the Greathouse incident, Bonney, Rudabaugh, Wilson, O'Folliard, Charlie Bowdre, and Tom Pickett rode into Fort Sumner. The jury certified the body as Bonney's and, according to a local newspaper, the jury foreman said, "It was the Kid's body that we examined. [8][9][10][failed verification] While his birth year has been confirmed as 1859, the exact date of his birth has been disputed as either September 17 or November 23 of that year. In April 1881, Bonney was tried for and convicted of Brady's murder, and was sentenced to hang in May of that year. There are many movies and books about him: Billy the Kid was famous during his time. For years, this was the only photograph scholars and historians agreed showed Bonney. Billy the Kid, a gunslinger often said to have killed eight men, had been on the run for three months when Sheriff Pat Garrett hid in a dark bedroom and shot him in the chest on July 14, 1881, in Fort Sumner, N.M., according to Garrett's account. Additional information Auction information This auction is now finished. Although both markers are behind iron fencing, a group of vandals entered the enclosure at night in June 2012 and tipped the stone over.[146]. They have also driven interest in pieces of Wild West history, for which collectors are prepared to pay hefty prices. The two men were armed, but Sheriff Pat fired his gun first. Billy the Kid often used the Thunderer, which is a Colt Single Action. [141][142], In 1931, CharlesW.Foor, an unofficial tour guide at Fort Sumner Cemetery, campaigned to raise funds for a permanent marker for the graves of Bonney, O'Folliard, and Bowdre. Wallace refused to intervene,[87] and he went to trial in April 1881 in Mesilla, New Mexico. [48] At the McSween residence were Bonney, Florencio Chavez, Jose Chavez y Chavez, Jim French, Harvey Morris, Tom O'Folliard, and Yginio Salazar, among others. Western outlaw Billy the Kid met his demise at about 12:30 a.m. on July 14, 1881, . John Tusall did his business in Lincoln, New Mexico. One of the bullets lodged in the Kids heart, instantly killing him. Billy the Kid worked with Tusall until a rival cattle gang murdered him in 1878. Heres one more fact you might want to know about this particular gun. Bonhams described the gun as "the most iconic treasure of early Western history" in the United States. The firearm was the top lot in the single-owner sale The Early West: The Collection of Jim and Theresa Earle, which achieved a total . [136], In August 2015, Lincoln State Monument officials and the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs said that despite the new research, they could not confirm that the image showed Bonney or others from the Lincoln County War era, according to Monument manager Gary Cozzens. He fled from New Mexico Territory into neighboring Arizona Territory, making himself both an outlaw and a federal fugitive. There were stories of how he died at 21, a few minutes past midnight on the 14th of July 1881. Nobody knows for a fact why he had a name change. Cahill died the following day. [51][52], A gunfight broke out on Friday, July 19. Bonney's notoriety grew in December 1880 when the Las Vegas Gazette, in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and The Sun, in New York City, carried stories about his crimes. A theory suggests that he was born on September 17, 1859, in New York City. 07/22/2021. Some of these films includeThe Outlaw,The Adventures of Billy,Young Guns,The Kid, and many more. Judging by the various advertisements in this magazine, it doesn't seem likely that True West's readers would object to a modest documentary on the guns associated with Henry McCarty a.k.a. He was detained once more for robbing a Chinese laundry but escaped shortly afterwards. [28][29], At some point in 1877, McCarty began to refer to himself by the name "William H. Billy the Kid was one of those infamous gunslinging-teenage outlaws from the old West. Billy the Kid raised his gun to fire when he realized that there was someone else in the room beside Pete, but it was too late. McSween's supporters gathered inside his house; when Buck Powell and Deputy Sheriff Jack Long set fire to the building, the occupants began shooting. He assisted a guy called Sombrero Jack to rob a Chinese-owned laundry business. Excitement rose in India on Tuesday on the eve of a much-anticipated moon landing, with prayers held for its success, schools marshalling students to watch a live telecast of the event and space enthusiasts organising parties to celebrate. The Guns of Billy the Kid - True West Magazine Check It Out, Billy The Kids Involvement In The Lincoln County War, What You Need To Know About Billy The Kid, Western Song: My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys, Chester on Gunsmoke: A Look into the Memorable Characters Role, Why Did Lorne Greene Leave Bonanza? Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Cynthia Osterman. In the Wild, Wild West of old, no real cowboy could survive without his guns. It had been expected to fetch between $2 million and $3 million. He was the topic of discussion in many homes and news outlets. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. During the meeting and in subsequent correspondence, Wallace promised Bonney protection from his enemies and clemency if he would offer his testimony to a grand jury. Bonney".[4]. . 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.. Wilson. Young Guns is a 1988 semi-historical Western that purports to tell the real story of Billy the Kid. At the time of the Kid's death, his location of birth was frequently given as New York City, so either everyone was jumping on one person's original lie, or he may very well have been born in the Big Apple. Their primary aim was to find and arrest Tusalls killers. LOS ANGELES, July 21 (Reuters) - One of the most iconic weapons of the American Wild West goes up for auction next month with the sale of the gun that killed 19th century outlaw Billy the Kid. [70] The Santa Fe Weekly New Mexican reported, "Billy Bonney, more extensively known as 'the Kid,' shot and killed Joe Grant. Garrett fired two shots. It was passed down through Dedrick's family, and was copied several times, appearing in numerous publications during the 20th century. He received a small sentence, but Billy the Kid chose to escape rather than serve his sentence. Because it was used by both parties, it soon gained the nickname peacemaker., If youre a fan of the famous (or infamous) Kid, and youve read books or history pieces about this well-known figure, youve probably heard of his legendary six shooter.. Billy the Kid was a wanted man in Arizona and New Mexico, killing eight men. Carlysle offered to exchange places with Greathouse, and Bonney accepted the offer. The gun came from the collection of Texas couple Jim and Theresa Earle, who amassed Western firearms and other artifacts for some 50 years. As one of the era's most notorious figures, the legend's life has frequently been dramatized in American popular culture. A reporter for the Las Vegas Optic quoted Bonney as saying the encounter "was a game of two and I got there first. If youve never heard of Billy the Kid, youve probably been living under a giant rock. Cornered at Greathouse's ranch, he told the posse they were holding Greathouse as a hostage. His first arrest was for stealing food at the age of 16 in 1875. The Whitney Double Barrel Hammer Shotgun, which belonged to Deputy Bob Olinger, is the the only firearm known to have been used by Billy the Kid, and is expected to fetch $200,000-$300,000,. The two men soon began stealing horses from local soldiers. Gun that killed Billy the Kid sells for $6 million | Reuters Also, it wasnt surprising to discover young children who were outlaws and infamous gunslingers in their teenage years. He loves to read, write and review all things western, whether historical or fiction. The image shows Bonney wearing a vest under a sweater, a slouch hat and a bandana, while holding an 1873 Winchester rifle with its butt resting on the floor. Prior to his killing, a judge is said to have sentenced famed outlaw Billy the Kid to hang until "you are dead, dead, dead." Instead, they murdered two of the killers, and as expected, this act intensified the already brewing tension. Following the death of her husband Patrick, Catherine McCarty and her sons moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where she met William Henry Harrison Antrim. He found his way to Pete Maxwells bedroom, where Pete was in bed. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. [130][131][132][133], A 4-by-6-inch (100mm 150mm) ferrotype purchased at a memorabilia shop in Fresno, California, in 2010 has been claimed to show Bonney and members of the Regulators playing croquet. LOS ANGELES, Aug 27 (Reuters) - The gun that killed American Wild West outlaw Billy the Kid sold for more than $6 million at auction on Friday in Los Angeles, more than double the pre-sale. He was right-handed and carried his gun on his right hip. After a while, he got a job as a bodyguard to John Tusall, a businessman and rancher. hide caption. Bill Laskey. Billy the Kid | Biography, Death, & Facts | Britannica The film stars Emilio Estevez as William H. Bonney, aka "Billy the Kid", who was taken in under the wing of the rancher, John Tunstall ( Terence Stamp ), along with other 'wayward' young men. [30][31] Bonney fled but returned a few days later and was apprehended by Miles Wood, the local justice of the peace. He asked to be taken outside to use the outhouse behind the courthouse; on their return to the jail, Bonneywho was walking ahead of Bell up the stairs to his cellhid around a blind corner, slipped out of his handcuffs, and beat Bell with the loose end of the cuffs. Billy the Kid was a wanted man in Arizona and New Mexico, killing eight men. [114], John Miller, an Arizona man, also claimed he was Bonney. Bonhams, which described the gun as "the most iconic treasure of early Western history," said the $6.03 million price was a world record for any firearm. The story is this: in 1949, "Brushy Bill" Roberts, an old man living in Hico, Texas, began claiming that he was Billy the Kid. Billy was rumored to respond, "And you can go to hell, hell, hell.". A large gun collection once owned by a Texas A&M University professor - including the gun that killed Billy the Kid - recently sold for more than $12 million. But it has become one of the most iconic and reproduced photos in western history. The Gun Used to Kill Billy the Kid Achieves US$6 Million at Bonhams However, his popularity doubled and spread after his death when networks and individuals made movies and books about his life. [144] It was stolen on February 8, 1981, but recovered days later in Huntington Beach, California. If authentic, it is the only known photo of Billy the Kid and the Regulators together and the only image to feature their wives and female companions. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. On March 15, Governor Wallace replied, agreeing to a secret meeting to discuss the situation. Wild West outlaw Billy the Kid has been frequently . People who didnt know him from the Lincoln County War knew him after the jailbreak. On September 16, 1875, McCarty was caught stealing food. Their attempt was successful because the group waiting outside wasnt expecting them to shoot their way out boldly. Gun that killed Billy the Kid sells for $6 million | Reuters He was the sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico, as well as Doa Ana . What Gun Did Billy the Kid Use? Billy the Kid's 1873 - RifleShooter Youll find many legends and myths about this young man who died at 21, after leaving several people dead with his legendary guns. The following day, an armed mob gathered at the train depot before the prisoners, who were already on board the train with Garrett, departed for Santa Fe. Someone he had previously been cordial with, Lincoln Sheriff Pat Garrett, finally arrested him. [60][61] Bonney wrote to Governor Wallace on March 13, 1879, with an offer to provide information on the Chapman murder in exchange for amnesty. The Winchester Model 1873 was a repeating carbine with a 10-round capacity and 20-inch barrel. When Billy the Kid was 21, he was arrested in Lincoln County and sentenced to death by hanging. [69], Bonney avoided further violence until January 10, 1880, when he shot and killed Joe Grant, a newcomer to the area, at Hargrove's Saloon in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. There is hardly any verified information about the early stages of Billy the Kids life. Thats because almost everyone has heard of the famous daredevil outlaw who ruled the American West in the 1800s. It specifically excluded persons who had been convicted of or indicted for a crime, and therefore excluded Bonney. Young Guns - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and The jury members interviewed Maxwell and Garrett, and Bonney's body and the location of the shooting were examined. [107] Over the next few weeks, the residents of Las Vegas, Mesilla, Santa Fe, White Oaks, and other New Mexico cities raised over $7,000 in reward money for Garrett. After more than two months on the run, Billy the Kid was eventually shot and killed by Garrett. The most popular guns of the era, they were often chambered for the same cartridge in this case, judging from the bullets in Bonney's belt, the .44-40. It was the source of livelihood for many outlaws. J. Conron. Doc Scurlock - Wikipedia On August 27, Bonhams will auction off the gun in Los Angeles, part of Texas couple Jim and Theresa Earle's collection of Western firearms amassed over 50 years. His life story inspiredsongs, films and books,casting himas both villainous outlaw and unsung hero fighting for justice. The new Sako Finnlight II sports an innovative stock and Cerakote metal paired with the terrific 85 action. The sponsors being Thomas Cooney and Mary Clark, as appears from the Baptismal Register of this Church. [38][40], After Tunstall was killed, Bonney and Dick Brewer swore affidavits against Brady and those in his posse, and obtained murder warrants from Lincoln County justice of the peace John B. Beth Shimanski of Savage introduces their all new straight-pull rifle. The Sheriff had recognized his voice. And to think, Bonney only paid 25 cents to have the picture taken. In todays blog, well answer these intriguing questions. During a career that included a purported 21 killings (some say it was only four), outlaw folk-hero William H. Bonney aka Billy the Kid had only one photograph taken before being shot down by Pat Garrett in 1881. Tunstall and his business partner and lawyer Alexander McSween were opponents of an alliance formed by Irish-American businessmen Lawrence Murphy, James Dolan, and John Riley. [95] He obtained a horse and rode out of town; according to some stories he was singing as he left Lincoln. It was a whole affair, with a squadron of the United States Army stationed outside the house. A photograph curator at the Palace of the Governors archives, Daniel Kosharek, said the image is "problematic on a lot of fronts," including the small size of the figures and the lack of resemblance of the background landscape to Lincoln County or the state in general. On July 14, 1881, Sheriff Pat Garrett, an old friend of Billys, encountered him in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); How would you like to ride hell-bent for leather into a world full of adventure and heroismthe world made vividly real by Zane Grey? He supposedly used both guns interchangeably. "That kind of character is really compelling to people.". The biography of Billy the Kid written by Pat Garrett, Billys killer, gave one of the most credible and detailed accounts of what happened the night Billy got shot. Bonney, March 20, 1879. Gun That Killed Notorious Wild West Outlaw Auctioned For $6 Million All RifleShooter subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. J. Scott Rupp takes a first look at the Springfield M1A Loaded rifle chambered in the popular 6.5 Creedmoor. Winchester loading gates are on the right side. Another posse member took Tunstall's gun and killed him with a shot to the back of his head. And like many, youve likely been wondering, What guns did Billy the Kid use?, Now, after reading what they were, maybe you shrugged and thought, Ahhh, nothing remarkable. [67][68] Still in custody several weeks later, Bonney began to suspect Wallace had used subterfuge and would never grant him amnesty. [43], Bonney then joined the Lincoln County Regulators; on March 9 they captured Frank Baker and William Morton, both of whom were accused of killing Tunstall. [120], In February 2015, historian Robert Stahl petitioned a district court in Fort Sumner asking the state of New Mexico to issue a death certificate for Bonney. Garrett used the firearm to gun down Billy the Kid in 1881. [105][106], Five days after Bonney's killing, Garrett traveled to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to collect the $500 reward offered by Governor Lew Wallace for his capture, dead or alive. Sarah Brown, the owner of a boarding house, gave him room and board in exchange for work. Taken by an unknown photographer outside Beaver Smith's Saloon in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, the 2x3-inch tintype shows a cocky Billy the Kid wearing a Colt Single Action Army on his left side and leaning on a Winchester Model 1873 carbine. Germany's Karl May museum has agreed to "re-humanize" a Native American scalp from its collection, six years after initial pleas by the Chippewa tribe. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. [55][56], On October 5, 1878, U.S. The Lone Writer is an American frontier and Old West journalist and historian. Billy was hiding there after his escape from Lincoln County. Gun Collection Once Owned By Texas A&M Professor Nets $12 Million To show viewers how to succeed at long range, J. Guthrie gears up for a challenging shot while chasing Colorado pronghorn at long range with DPMS' Panther 6.5 Creedmoor. He died at a young age but will forever be remembered. Wild West outlaw Billy the Kid was gunned down by Sheriff Pat Garrett with a single action revolver at his ranch hideout in Fort Summer, New Mexico, on July 14, 1881.Now, Garrett's gun is for sale. Mabry dismissed Roberts' claims, and Roberts died shortly afterward. The three men had wielded an economic and political hold over Lincoln County since the early 1870s, due in part to their ownership of a beef contract with nearby Fort Stanton and a well-patronized dry goods store in the town of Lincoln. [139][140], In 2010, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson turned down a request for a posthumous pardon of Bonney for the murder of Sheriff William Brady. All four were indicted for the murder, despite conflicting evidence that Bernstein had been killed by Constable Atanacio Martinez. [93], While Bonney was on the run, Governor Wallace placed a new $500 bounty on the fugitive's head. Much Obliged., After he left his family, he went into New Mexico and started working as a ranch hand. Subscriber Services. While a good shot, he said, Billy "was no better than the majority of men who are constantly handling and using six-shooters. Just by looking at it, youll know youre in the presence of something awesome. Pre-sale estimates for the Colt . Garrett used the .44-caliber gun to shoot Billy the Kid - who was born Henry McCarty but also went by William Bonney - in the chest on July 14, 1881 in New Mexico. The pardon considered was to fulfill Governor Lew Wallace's 1879 promise to Bonney. This is a persistent legend, perpetuated by the "Young Guns" movies so popular in the late 1980s. [134] Collector RobertG. McCubbin and outlaw historian John Boessenecker concluded in 2013 that the photograph does not show Bonney. He played a prominent role in a frontier feud. All Rights Reserved. Although he claimed to have killed 21 men, the actual number is likely less than 10. "Now part of the American mythology, Garrett's friendship with the Kid, their mutual respect, and his subsequent hunt, capture, escape and death have become the stuff of legend," Bonhams' website says. The Remington Model Seven is ready, willing and able to handle just about any task. One hit Billy squarely on his chest. Billy the Kid - Wikipedia Youve heard stories, some true and some not quite so true, of the outrageous, daring, exciting adventures he had in his day. We can see him in the war, fighting fearlessly with his firearms in his hands. Baker and Morton were killed while allegedly trying to escape. The Colt Thunderer was a double action in .41 caliber. Ten days later, he robbed a Chinese laundry and was arrested again but escaped shortly afterwards. [15] Shortly before McCarty's mother, Catherine, died of tuberculosis, then called "consumption", on September 16, 1874,[19] William Antrim abandoned the McCarty boys, leaving them orphans. The lawman then pulled out his gun and fired at him twice. [47], On the night of Sunday, July 14, McSween and the Regulatorsnow a group of fifty or sixty menwent to Lincoln and stationed themselves in the town among several buildings.

Zillow Royal Highlands, Leesburg, Fl, Fernwood Forest Campground, 837 Harvard Los Angeles, Ambleside Fredericksburg, Ascension Saint Agnes Maryland Surgeons, Articles W