Charles A. Siringo
Billy the Kid
The True Story
Published by
Books
- Advanced Digital Solutions & High-Quality eBook Formatting -
2018 OK Publishing
ISBN 978-80-272-4781-3
Table of Contents
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 was only twenty-one years of age, and had killed twenty-one men, not counting Indians. His six years of daring outlawry has never been equalled in the annals of criminal history.
To my friend, George S. Tweedy—an honest, easy-going, second Abraham Lincoln; this little volume is affectionately dedicated by the author,
CHAS. A. SIRINGO.
Introduction
The author feels that he is capable of writing a true and unvarnished history of “Billy the Kid,” as he was personally acquainted with him, and assisted in his capture, by furnishing Sheriff Pat Garrett with three of his fighting cowboys—Jas. H. East, Lee Hall and Lon Chambers.
The facts set down in this narrative were gotten from the lips of “Billy the Kid,” himself, and from such men as Pat Garrett, John W. Poe, Kip McKinnie, Charlie Wall, the Coe brothers, Tom O’Phalliard, Henry Brown, John Middleton, Martin Chavez, and Ash Upson. All these men took an active part, 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’s home.
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 he had killed his two guards and escaped.
CHAS. A. SIRINGO.
Chapter I.
Billy Bonney Kills His First Two Men, and Becomes a Daring Outlaw in the Republic of Mexico.
In the slum district of the great city of New York, on the 23rd day of November, 1859, a blue-eyed baby boy was born to William H. Bonney and his good looking, auburn haired young wife, Kathleen. Being their first child he was naturally the joy of their hearts. Later, another baby boy followed.
In 1862 William H. Bonney shook the dust of New York City from his shoes and emigrated to Coffeeville, Kansas, on the northern border of the Indian Territory, with his little family.
Soon after settling down in Coffeeville, Mr. Bonney died. Then the young widow 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 Ash Upson, then doing work on the Daily New Mexican.
Little, blue-eyed, Billy Bonney, was then about five years of age, and became greatly attached to good natured, jovial, Ash Upson, who spent much of 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 booming silver mining camp of Silver City, in the southwestern part of the Territory of New Mexico.
Here Mr. and Mrs. Antrim established a new restaurant, and had Ash Upson as the star boarder.
Naturally their boarders were made up of all classes, both women and men,—some being gamblers and toughs of the lowest order.
Amidst these surroundings, Billy Bonney grew up. He went to school and was a bright scholar. When not at school, Billy was associating with tough men and boys, and learning the art of gambling and shooting.
This didn’t suit Mr. Antrim, who became a cruel step-father, according to Billy Bonney’s way of thinking.
Jesse Evans, a little older than Billy, was a young tough who was a hero in Billy’s estimation. They became fast friends, and bosom companions. In the years to come they were to fight bloody battles side by side, as friends, and again as bitter enemies.
As a boy, Mr. Upson says Billy had a sunny disposition, but when aroused had an uncontrollable temper.
At the tender age of twelve, young Bonney made a trip to Fort Union, New Mexico, and there gambled with the negro soldiers. One “black nigger” cheated Billy, who shot him dead. This story I got from the lips of “Billy the Kid” in 1878.
Making his way back to Silver City he kept the secret from his fond mother, who was the idol of his heart.
One day Billy’s mother was passing a crowd of toughs on the street. One of them made an insulting remark about her. Billy, who was in the crowd, heard it. He struck