Charles A. Siringo - History of Billy the Kid

A cowboy outlaw whose youthful
daring has never been equalled in
the annals of criminal history.

When a bullet pierced his heart
he was less than twenty-two years
of age, and had killed twenty-one
men, Indians not included.

BY CHAS. A. SIRINGO

The true life of the most daring young outlaw of the age.

He was the leading spirit in the bloody Lincoln County, New Mexico, war.When a bullet from Sheriff Pat Garett's pistol pierced his breast he wasonly twenty-one years of age, and had killed twenty-one men, not countingIndians. His six years of daring outlawry has never been equalled in theannals of criminal history.

To my friend, George S. Tweedyan honest, easy-going, second AbrahamLincoln; this little volume is affectionately dedicated by the author,

CHAS. A. SIRINGO.

The author feels that he is capable of writing a true and unvarnishedhistory of "Billy the Kid," as he was personally acquainted with him, andassisted in his capture, by furnishing Sheriff Pat Garrett with three ofhis fighting cowboysJas. H. East, Lee Hall and Lon Chambers.

The facts set down in this narrative were gotten from the lips of "Billythe Kid," himself, and from such men as Pat Garrett, John W. Poe, KipMcKinnie, Charlie Wall, the Coe brothers, Tom O'Phalliard, Henry Brown,John Middleton, Martin Chavez, and Ash Upson. All these men took an activepart, for or against, the "Kid." Ash Upson had known him from childhood,and was considered one of the family, for several years, in his mother'shome.

Other facts were gained from the lips of Mrs. Charlie Bowdre, who kept"Billy the Kid," hid out at her home in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, after hehad killed his two guards and escaped.

CHAS. A. SIRINGO.

In the slum district of the great city of New York, on the 23rd day ofNovember, 1859, a blue-eyed baby boy was born to William H. Bonney and hisgood looking, auburn haired young wife, Kathleen. Being their first childhe was naturally the joy of their hearts. Later, another baby boyfollowed.

In 1862 William H. Bonney shook the dust of New York City from his shoesand emigrated to Coffeeville, Kansas, on the northern border of the IndianTerritory, with his little family.

Soon after settling down in Coffeeville, Mr. Bonney died. Then the youngwidow moved to the Territory of Colorado, where she married a Mr. Antrim.

Shortly after this marriage, the little family of four moved to Santa Fe,New Mexico, at the end of the old Santa Fe trail.

Here they opened a restaurant, and one of their first boarders was AshUpson, then doing work on the Daily New Mexican.

Little, blue-eyed, Billy Bonney, was then about five years of age, andbecame greatly attached to good natured, jovial, Ash Upson, who spent muchof his leisure time playing with the bright boy.

Three years later, when the hero of our story was about eight years old,Ash Upson and the Antrim family pulled up stakes and moved to the boomingsilver mining camp of Silver City, in the southwestern part of theTerritory of New Mexico.

Here Mr. and Mrs. Antrim established a new restaurant, and had Ash Upsonas the star boarder.

Naturally their boarders were made up of all classes, both women andmen,some being gamblers and toughs of the lowest order.

Amidst these surroundings, Billy Bonney grew up. He went to school and wasa bright scholar. When not at school, Billy was associating with tough menand boys, and learning the art of gambling and shooting.

This didn't suit Mr. Antrim, who became a cruel step-father, according toBilly Bonney's way of thinking.

Jesse Evans, a little older than Billy, was a young tough who was a heroin Billy's estimation. They became fast friends, and bosom companions. Inthe years to come they were to fight bloody battles side by side, asfriends, and again as bitter enemies.

As a boy, Mr. Upson says Billy had a sunny disposition, but when arousedhad an uncontrollable temper.

At the tender age of twelve, young Bonney made a trip to Fort Union, NewMexico, and there gambled with the negro soldiers. One "black nigger"cheated Billy, who shot him dead. This story I got from the lips of "Billythe Kid" in 1878.

Making his way back to Silver City he kept the secret from his fondmother, who was the idol of his heart.

One day Billy's mother was passing a crowd of toughs on the street. One ofthem made an insulting remark about her. Billy, who was in the crowd,heard it. He struck the fellow in the face with his fist, then picked upa rock from the street. The "tough" made a rush at Billy, and as he passedEd. Moulton he planted a blow back of his ear, and laid him sprawling onthe ground.

This act cemented a friendship between Ed. Moulton and the future youngoutlaw.

About three weeks later Ed. Moulton got into a fight with two toughs inJoe Dyer's saloon. He was getting the best of the fight. The youngblacksmith who had insulted Mrs. Antrim and who had been knocked down byEd. Moulton, saw a chance for revenge. He rushed at Moulton with anuplifted chair. Billy Bonney was standing near by, on nettles, ready torender assistance to his benefactor, at a moment's notice. The time hadnow arrived. He sprang at the blacksmith and stabbed him with a knifethree times. He fell over dead.

Billy ran out of the saloon, his right hand dripping with human blood.

Now to his dear mother's arms, where he showered her pale cheeks withkisses for the last time.

Realizing the result of his crime, he was soon lost in the pitchy darknessof the night, headed towards the southwest, afoot. For three days andnights Billy wandered through the cactus covered hills, without seeing ahuman being.

Luck finally brought him to a sheep camp, where the Mexican herder gavehim food.

From the sheep camp he went to McKnight's ranch and stole a horse, ridingaway without a saddle.

Three weeks later a boy and a grown man rode into Camp Bowie, a governmentpost. Both were on a skinny, sore-back pony. This new found companion hada name and history of his own, which he was nursing in secret. He gave hisname to Billy as "Alias," and that was the name he was known by aroundCamp Bowie.

Finally Billy, having disposed of his sore-back pony, started out for theApache Indian Reservation, with "Alias," afoot. They were armed with anold army rifle and a six-shooter, which they had borrowed from soldiers.

About ten miles southwest of Camp Bowie these two young desperados cameonto three Indians, who had twelve ponies, a lot of pelts and severalsaddles, besides good fire-arms, and blankets. In telling of the affairafterwards, Billy said: "It was a ground-hog case. Here were twelve goodponies, a supply of blankets, and five heavy loads of pelts. Here werethree blood-thirsty savages revelling in luxury and refusing help to twofree-born, white, American citizens, foot-sore and hungry. The plunder hadto change hands. As one live Indian could place a hundred United Statessoldiers on our trail, the decision was made.