Billy the Kid’s fast hand and cleverness led him to fame in Mexico, while having a negative effect on society and the law. “From the tales you hear of him everywhere, you might be tempted to fancy him the best loved hero in the state’s history. His crimes are forgotten or condoned, while his loyalty, his gay courage, his superman adventures are treasured in affectionate memory. Men speak of him with admiration; women extol his gallantry and lament his fate.” (1) Many songs have been written about this famous desperado. He was also well-liked, even when he was alive. He was known to be kind, generous and of quick sympathies. He was also a great favorite of women. However, he was also merciless. He placed no value on human life. If one did not give him the things he wanted, he would kill him instantly. This great outlaw affected law and order negatively. At desperate times, law enforcers let criminals try to find and kill him in exchange for their freedom.
To most people, he was known as Billy the Kid. However, he used many other names including William H. Bonney, Henry McCarthy, and Kid Antrim (2).
Billy was born in New York, New York, on November 23, 1859, to Catherine and William Bonney. When Billy turned three, his mother gave birth to his brother named Edward and soon afterwards his dad died in the Civil War. Catherine then married a man named William Antrim and moved out west to Kansas where she opened a boarding house. His stepfather made a living by working in the mines (3).
No one really knows what makes a person turn out bad like Billy did. Many say parents play a large part in the way a child turns out as they can influence children. Billy’s real dad has very little influence on his life for he has been away at war and then d died when Billy was only three years old. His stepfather, Antrim, was most likely a very permissive parent for Billy was said to have roamed the streets freely and to have hung out at the saloons (when not in school) even at the young age of eight years old. While a young boy, Billy developed the talent for card playing and the adults enjoyed playing with him. His mother must have shared the same feelings of permissiveness for she did not mind that her son visited “...the devil’s own school for any boy, and [her son was learning] its lessons well” (4).
As a child he was said to have had a violent temper; one who could not control himself. Upon having an uncontrollable temper fit, his stepfather would sometimes pick him up and lock him in a room. That was the only way he could calm him down. Billy, however, also had a sunny disposition and sense of humor, and was very often heard singing songs to himself. While young, he had very little friends his own age. He considered the outlaws at the saloons his friends and visited them often.
Billy’s first killing occurred at the young age of 12. He and his mom were walking him from doing local shopping, when a man made a joke about his mom. Billy picked up a rock and threw the rock at the man as hard as he could and barely knocked off his hat. The man charged at Billy, but four men held him back. A week later Billy saw the man in the saloon. The man was accused of cheating at cards. He and another man got into a fight and Billy seized the opportunity and pulled out his pocket knife and reportedly stabbed him in the back until he dropped dead. He ran home and told his mom what had happened. Upon hearing of the incident, she gave him the few dollars in her purse, hugged him and kissed him for the last time. He left never to return again. He was headed for Silver City (which would take him four years to reach). He was now on his own, and it was the beginning of his crime-filled life (5).
Over the years it took him to get to Silver City he had killed several men, some over something simple like gambling games. He had claimed to have shot and killed twenty-one men, not including Mexicans and Indians (6). His last killing was a guard who was escorting him to hang on the gallows. He shot the guard , jumped on a horse and rode to Old Mexico. Billy used Old Mexico as a refuge for in that area he was supposedly well known and thought of as a hero. People would welcome him in and even hide him when the sheriff and posse came around. The people cared little that he was breaking the law continually. While hiding out one time, he got the news that Pat Garret, his former comrade, had been hired to hunt him down and kill him. Billy thought to himself that he would never find him down there. Billy had forgotten that Pat Garret knew Billy’s favorite hiding spots.
One night Billy went into one of the town’s local stores without his guns for he hadn’t had to use them for a week. Sure enough, pat Garret was there. Billy grabbed a knife, but it was too late for Pat Garret had already shot at him. Billy died. He was only 21 (7). There has been rumor that some people do not believe that his kissing occurred; but there were two eye witnesses.
Although, Billy the Kid was a famous desperado and regarded as a hero, he did little to deserve it, for he really was a criminal. In trying for his capture, the law was even bent in order to catch him.
Notes
1. Burns, Walter, The Saga of Billy the Kid
NY: Grosser and Dunlap Pub. 1926, p. 53
2. Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia, Vol. 3
MCMLXXI, Funk and Wagnalls, Inc, p. 423
3. Horan, James D., The Gunfighters
NY: Crown Pub., Inc., 1976, p. 13
4. Burns, Walter, The Saga of Billy the Kid
NY: Grosser and Dunlap Pub. 1926, p. 72
5. Burns, Walter, The Saga of Billy the Kid
NY: Grosser and Dunlap Pub. 1926, p. 75
6. Encyclopedia America, p. 749
7. Nash, Jay R., Bloodletters and Badmen
NY: M. Evans and Co., 1973, p. 71
To most people, he was known as Billy the Kid. However, he used many other names including William H. Bonney, Henry McCarthy, and Kid Antrim (2).
Billy was born in New York, New York, on November 23, 1859, to Catherine and William Bonney. When Billy turned three, his mother gave birth to his brother named Edward and soon afterwards his dad died in the Civil War. Catherine then married a man named William Antrim and moved out west to Kansas where she opened a boarding house. His stepfather made a living by working in the mines (3).
No one really knows what makes a person turn out bad like Billy did. Many say parents play a large part in the way a child turns out as they can influence children. Billy’s real dad has very little influence on his life for he has been away at war and then d died when Billy was only three years old. His stepfather, Antrim, was most likely a very permissive parent for Billy was said to have roamed the streets freely and to have hung out at the saloons (when not in school) even at the young age of eight years old. While a young boy, Billy developed the talent for card playing and the adults enjoyed playing with him. His mother must have shared the same feelings of permissiveness for she did not mind that her son visited “...the devil’s own school for any boy, and [her son was learning] its lessons well” (4).
As a child he was said to have had a violent temper; one who could not control himself. Upon having an uncontrollable temper fit, his stepfather would sometimes pick him up and lock him in a room. That was the only way he could calm him down. Billy, however, also had a sunny disposition and sense of humor, and was very often heard singing songs to himself. While young, he had very little friends his own age. He considered the outlaws at the saloons his friends and visited them often.
Billy’s first killing occurred at the young age of 12. He and his mom were walking him from doing local shopping, when a man made a joke about his mom. Billy picked up a rock and threw the rock at the man as hard as he could and barely knocked off his hat. The man charged at Billy, but four men held him back. A week later Billy saw the man in the saloon. The man was accused of cheating at cards. He and another man got into a fight and Billy seized the opportunity and pulled out his pocket knife and reportedly stabbed him in the back until he dropped dead. He ran home and told his mom what had happened. Upon hearing of the incident, she gave him the few dollars in her purse, hugged him and kissed him for the last time. He left never to return again. He was headed for Silver City (which would take him four years to reach). He was now on his own, and it was the beginning of his crime-filled life (5).
Over the years it took him to get to Silver City he had killed several men, some over something simple like gambling games. He had claimed to have shot and killed twenty-one men, not including Mexicans and Indians (6). His last killing was a guard who was escorting him to hang on the gallows. He shot the guard , jumped on a horse and rode to Old Mexico. Billy used Old Mexico as a refuge for in that area he was supposedly well known and thought of as a hero. People would welcome him in and even hide him when the sheriff and posse came around. The people cared little that he was breaking the law continually. While hiding out one time, he got the news that Pat Garret, his former comrade, had been hired to hunt him down and kill him. Billy thought to himself that he would never find him down there. Billy had forgotten that Pat Garret knew Billy’s favorite hiding spots.
One night Billy went into one of the town’s local stores without his guns for he hadn’t had to use them for a week. Sure enough, pat Garret was there. Billy grabbed a knife, but it was too late for Pat Garret had already shot at him. Billy died. He was only 21 (7). There has been rumor that some people do not believe that his kissing occurred; but there were two eye witnesses.
Although, Billy the Kid was a famous desperado and regarded as a hero, he did little to deserve it, for he really was a criminal. In trying for his capture, the law was even bent in order to catch him.
Notes
1. Burns, Walter, The Saga of Billy the Kid
NY: Grosser and Dunlap Pub. 1926, p. 53
2. Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia, Vol. 3
MCMLXXI, Funk and Wagnalls, Inc, p. 423
3. Horan, James D., The Gunfighters
NY: Crown Pub., Inc., 1976, p. 13
4. Burns, Walter, The Saga of Billy the Kid
NY: Grosser and Dunlap Pub. 1926, p. 72
5. Burns, Walter, The Saga of Billy the Kid
NY: Grosser and Dunlap Pub. 1926, p. 75
6. Encyclopedia America, p. 749
7. Nash, Jay R., Bloodletters and Badmen
NY: M. Evans and Co., 1973, p. 71
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