Hangman customers. Billy kid
To violate the law of William Henry McCarthy forced life. But his deal was completely arranged. Leading the ordinary, boring life of a farmer is not for him. Robberies, murders, escapes from prisons have become commonplace for McCarthy. Having led the gang, he launched a war with the whole city, but lost. And fame came to him after the death, and thanks to the efforts of his own killer.
Curve track
William Henry McCarthy was born in the fall (the exact month is not known for sure) 1859 of the year in New York. His family was completely ordinary and did not stand out. From morning till night, the father and mother disappeared at work, trying their best to provide a piece of bread for two sons - William and Joseph. Curiously, William didn’t like his own name, so he presented himself as Billy Kid (Billy the Kid). And from all demanded to call him that way. And the official name did not even respond.
When the McCarthy brothers were still small, grief came to the family - their father suddenly died. Mother left with two children had to work even more. But her hard work barely allowed to make ends meet. This test is not over. Suddenly it became clear that the mother is sick with consumption. And the disease, despite the efforts of doctors, quickly progressed. It was clear that Katherine’s death was just a matter of time. And then the doctors, to postpone the final, advised McCarthy to leave New York and settle in a place with a drier climate. Practice has shown that it can help a woman. She did not argue. I packed up and drove off to Indianapolis, taking, of course, with my sons.
At a new place, Katherine quickly arranged a personal life. So William and Joseph had a stepfather. Soon the whole family went on the road again, they decided to live in the state of New Mexico. For some time, life has improved, enough money. But then trouble came to their house again. Despite the dry climate and constant treatment, Catherine died. It happened in 1874 year in the town of Silver City. The stepfather did not want to burden himself with two other people's children, so he quickly got rid of them, putting them in foster families. From this point on, by the way, the brothers lost touch and, most likely, never saw each other again.
Billy Kid was sheltered by a certain Sarah Brown, the owner of the guesthouse. Kid worked for her, and for that he could live in one of the rooms. But the fourteen-year-old guy was sorely lacking money for food and clothes. Need and forced him to break the law for the first time. Billy was caught stealing in September 1875. He tried to steal food because he could no longer live from hand to mouth. The local sheriff, surprisingly, kindly reacted to the guy. He did not apply any harsh measures, but tried to explain to him that a violation of the law could lead to sad consequences. Billy Kid made an understanding person and nodded, but in fact, he had already decided on his future.
On whose side are you?
A few days later, Billy was caught again. This time, he and a friend, George Schaeffer, robbed the laundry. Kidded behind bars because of his gear and a pair of pistols. But he was not going to put up with what happened. And after a few days he managed to escape. It is clear that he could no longer stay in the city. Severe punishment threatened to escape from prison. Therefore, he decided to return to his stepfather, to try to establish relations with him. In fact, the young offender was hoping for his help. But the attempt failed. Stepfather did not even talk to Billy and chased him away. In response, Kid stole from his stepfather all his clothes and weapon. There was no way back. And Billy decided to go for a better life in Arizona. And at first everything was relatively successful with him. Billy managed to get a job as a cowboy on a ranch and began to receive quite good money for his work. But ... Kidd used all means in numerous saloons. Gambling, women and alcohol - the guy could not refuse. And, of course, he soon had serious financial problems. But he could not refuse entertainment, so he decided that he needed a “part-time job”. Simply put, Billy took up theft again. Only now he stole not clothes or food, but horses. More, I must say, profitable business. Soon, assistants appeared to him, and the business acquired an impressive scale. Young gangsters became so brazen that they once ventured to organize a raid on a herd of horses that belonged to cavalry soldiers. Naturally, animals were protected, but this did not embarrass criminals. In the ensuing firefight, Billy was injured. But he did not pay attention to this, because the goal was achieved! True, for some time Kidus had to retire. First, he needed to heal the wound. Secondly, the guards were looking for him, so it was necessary to lie down on the bottom.
In August 1877, the year Billy first killed a man. Moving around Arizona, Kid stopped in a small town to rest. And I decided to look to the local blacksmith, so that he replaced the horseshoe horse. What happened next is not known for sure. According to one version, a drunken blacksmith began to insult Billy, because he was too young. According to another, the criminal demanded the blacksmith to do the work for free, threatening with a pistol. One way or another, there was a conflict between men. And the blacksmith received a bullet wound incompatible with life. Local law enforcement officers worked quickly. Billy was tied up on the spot and put in jail. Kid did not wait until he was sentenced to death for murder and a few days later he fled. He decided it was time to return to New Mexico. But on the way Kid stumbled upon a detachment of Apaches. The Indians offered him a deal - he gave them the horse voluntarily, but they did not kill him. It was impossible to refuse such a “generous” offer of the redskins, and Billy agreed.
He looked at the clouds of dust escaping from under the hoofs of horses, and listened to the happy exclamations of the Indians. Soon everything was quiet. Billy was left alone in the desert. And to the nearest settlement of his was a few days journey. Since there was no choice, Kid went on foot. Perhaps then he did not particularly hope that he would be able to get to Fort Stanton alive. But Billy could. Being practically unconscious, the guy crawled to the gate of the village. But as soon as he came to his senses and healed a little, he went on the road again.
Holt found Billy in Lincoln County. Here he settled on the Englishman John Tanstell's ranch. The choice of employer was very strange, because those lands were controlled by other people - Lawrence Murphy and James Dolan. Kid realized that he somehow, but would have to get involved in the confrontation of businessmen.
Now it is necessary to make a small digression. In those days, the situation in Lincoln smoothly flowed from tense to aggressive. Irish Murphy and Dolan opened a large store and did not tolerate competitors. Fortunately, they had enough finance, so the sheriff, the judge, and the prosecutor were on their side. Those entrepreneurs who wanted to start a business in affluent Lincoln quickly went bankrupt. The Irish took care of their monopoly, without disdain for the sake of its preservation, to transgress the law.
And suddenly a competitor appeared in the person of the Englishman John Tanstell, who was not afraid to go into conflict with the local authorities. He opened his shop, made prices lower than those of the Irish, and gradually began to win a place under the sun. Of course, they conducted “educational conversations” with him, but they did not bring the desired result to the Irish. Then there were threats. And when it did not work, the war began. But Tanstell was ready for this turn of events. He hired dozens of cowboys who were guarding both the ranch, the shop, and the Englishman from assault. Thanks to the money, he managed to lure the lawyer Alexander Maksvin to his side. The lawyer repelled the attacks of the Lincoln authorities.
Very soon, the trading house "Murphy and Dolan" stopped bringing the profit to which the Irish are accustomed. And all their attempts "like men" to deal with the arrogant Englishman did not lead to anything. Cowboy guards served their master faithfully. They stopped all attempts to attack, and they could not bribe them. The Englishman managed to foresee everything. It was in the ranks of the defenders of Tanstella and Billy the Kid. For him, it was a good school of life. Although here he was not the leader, the experience bank was replenished every day.
The Englishman was not afraid of anything. Moreover, he even began to think about finally ruining the Irish and forcing them to leave the lands of Lincoln. And then Murphy and Dolan decided to declare Tanstell a real war, good, the resources allowed to do it. Their structure was listed and its own security service called "Guys." In fact, it was a real gang, which for money could do anything that the owners wish. At the head of the "guys" was a seasoned criminal Jesse Evans. It was he who received the order to eliminate the arrogant Englishman.
First of all, the bandits attacked the businessman's ranch, but were rebuffed. Then they tried to set fire to the trading house - unsuccessfully. Cowboys Tanstella repeatedly proved that their huge salaries were received for a reason. After these events, Murphy and Dolan decided to connect Sheriff William Brady. The choice of a representative of the law, in fact, was not. He got involved in the Anglo-Irish confrontation and officially made the “Guys” gang his assistants.
And soon there was an event that turned everything upside down. The sheriff made an appointment with Tanstell. Brady said they needed to "just talk." At the same time, he guaranteed that there would be one. Surprisingly, the Englishman believed it. He arrived at the meeting place where the "guys" were already waiting for him. Naturally, there was no conversation. The bandits shot Tanstella several times. And the sheriff didn't even try to stop them. As they say, no chance.
When the Irish learned about the death of a competitor, they made a real feast. Still, after all, they were confident that the war had ended successfully for them. But it turned out that Murphy and Dolan were rushing to conclusions. The cowboys of the deceased Englishman were not going to retreat. They wanted bloody revenge, because Thanstell was not only an employer for them, but also a true friend. The same Billy Kid recalled that the Englishman was the only person who offered him a helping hand in a difficult moment. Yes, and the rest of the cowboys, who had numerous troubles with the law, were able to get on their feet thanks to an enterprising English businessman.
First, they wanted to achieve justice according to all the rules, that is, according to the letter of the law. The cowboys called themselves "regulators" and came to a meeting with Judge Wilson, who had not officially eaten from the "trough" Murphy and Dolan. He went to meet and even issued a warrant for the arrest of the murderers Tanstella. Curiously, Billy Kid got the position of assistant bailiff, becoming a full-fledged guardian of order. Why the choice fell on him story is silent.
Together with the cowboys Kid went to the lair of "Guys" - the sheriff Brady section. When he saw the warrant in the hands of Billy reacted unexpectedly - he just laughed, and then said that he did not obey the judge. After these words, Brady arrested Kidd and those “regulators” who came along with him. They were free a few days later, so Tanstell’s funeral was held without them.
It became clear that the law could not help. And then the “regulators” turned to lawyer Maxvin for help. After the death of an Englishman, he began to have serious problems with the power of Lincoln, so the cowboys hoped that he would not stand aside. So, in fact, happened. By some miracle, Alexander managed to knock out for all the cowboys the documents of assistant magistrates. This step was necessary in the confrontation. Since the “Guys” were the sheriff's assistants, the “regulators” also had to have a legal cover.
The conflict has moved to a new level. Now the two gangs did not fight head-on, but preferred to act sneaky. They still were the guardians of the law. Soon, the corpse of one of the "guys" who participated in the murder of Tanstell was found. The authorities closed their eyes to this. But Brady decided that it is impossible to forgive. And paid for this life. Who killed the sheriff is unknown. According to one version, the reprisal did not go without the participation of Billy Kidd.
News about the death of the sheriff had the effect of an exploding bomb. Therefore, this incident was no longer possible to brake. All the “regulators”, including the lawyer Maksvin, despite the documents of the assistants of the judge, were outlawed. There is a version that Murphy and Dolan insisted on this decision, having decided once and for all to get rid of the "ghosts of the Englishman."
But in fact, such a decision turned out to be in the hands of Maxwin and his cowboys. Now they could shoot the “guys” fearlessly, in fact, they had nothing to lose.
And again the war. Almost every day in Lincoln there were fierce firefights, and the number of dead on both sides was already counted in dozens.
The main battle took place on the fourteenth of July 1878. About a hundred "guys" drove several dozen "regulators" headed by Maksvin into the house of a lawyer. The siege began. Hearing the sounds of gunfire, the military pulled up to the house, they had a mountain howitzer and a machine gun in their arsenal. At the head of the soldiers was Colonel Dudley - a good friend and companion of the Irish. Just because he could not intervene in a shootout. He needed an official reason. For example, the injury or death of one of his soldiers. And Maxvin and his people understood this perfectly well. After all, a howitzer and a machine gun could level a lawyer's house to the ground in a matter of minutes. True, the case did not come up with artillery. The “regulators” were shot accurately, hitting the “guys” with their bullets.
On the fifth day, the patience of the minions Murphy and Dolan burst. Someone from the bandits managed to set fire to the house. By that time, there remained a little more than a dozen "regulators" in it. Some were killed, others escaped or chose to surrender. According to one version, the lawyer himself was among the dead. And exhausted and cornered "regulators" headed by Billy Kid.
Waiting for the onset of darkness, the survivors were able to break through the siege and escape. Thus ended one of the largest gang wars of the Wild West. Now the Irish could celebrate a victory a second time.
Surviving cowboys, of course, were outside the law. So, they organized a new gang, calling it "Traffickers". The main thing was Billy. Despite the fact that he was the youngest, his authority was indisputable. The “businessmen” were no longer thinking of revenge. The time is not right. Therefore, they went about their usual business - robbed people and stole horses.
But autumn 1878 of the year changed the rules of the game.
Promise price
It was in the fall that the power in New Mexico suddenly changed. The new governor was Lewis Wallace, who decided to pardon all the gangsters involved in the Lincoln confrontation. A document on amnesty was signed, only Billy Kid was not among the lucky ones. If, after losing the war with the “guys,” he would not have led a new gang, the governor would, of course, have mercy on him. But in a short time, Billy had already managed to do so many things that it was not worth even dreaming of an amnesty. This is not much like Kid. He decided that he was treated unfairly. But Billy had the sense not to vomit. Therefore, he began to send letters to the governor, in which he spoke about his heavy and unjust share, and at the same time, of course, he tried to achieve pardon. In the end, Wallace and Kidd agreed on a secret meeting. Surprisingly, the governor kept his word and appeared without protection, however, in one hand he clutched a gun, and in the other - a revolver.
Such an arsenal did not embarrass Billy. The meeting was a success. The governor made an offer to Kidu, which he could not refuse. Namely: the gangster had to defiantly surrender to the police, and testify against the Irish people at the trial. And after that, Wallace would have thanked him, and at the same time, a pardon.
Surely Billy realized that he started the game with fire. But he, in fact, had no choice. He perfectly understood that the century of the outlaw thug is not long. Therefore, he had to agree to the proposal of the governor and hope that he would keep his promise.
At the end of March 1879, Billy was arrested. For the sake of appearance, he, of course, depicted resistance so as not to arouse suspicion. And soon he was taken to a court hearing. Bandit fulfilled its part of the contract. He testified against the Irish, accusing them of involvement in the murder of Tanstell, as well as several of his guards. The kid, satisfied with himself, fell silent and waited for the announcement of a pardon. But instead, the judge and the district attorney stated that they did not obey the governor, so they could pass judgment in their own opinion. So they did. And Billy, instead of an amnesty, received the death sentence. It seemed Kidd fell into a trap from which he could not get out. But the criminal was distressed about Wallace’s treachery for long. He once again managed to escape from the camera.
For several months, the Kid disappeared from the radar. And then he appeared again, standing at the head of a new gang. The news of the return of Billy enraged the governor. And he appointed a reward for a gangster - five hundred dollars. For those times the amount is very decent. Of course, there were not a few willing to get rich at the expense of Kid. But Pat Garrett, the sheriff of Lincoln, who took the place of the murdered Brady, stood apart among the bounty hunters. By eliminating Kidd, he wanted to kill two birds with one stone: earn, and make a favorable impression on the governor. There were rumors among the residents of the state that Kidd and Garrett were either in the same gang or were just friends. But when Pat became the sheriff, the conversation broke.
Garrett was close to his cherished goal several times, but Kidd was lucky. So, of course, could not last long. And at the end of December 1880, Billy's luck limit was exhausted. Garrett was able to arrest a gangster and several of his accomplices. Sheriff did not kill his former friend. He decided that Kidd should be judged to the fullest extent of the law (one way or another, Billy’s death sentence could not have been avoided).
Kidd was placed in the prison of the city of Mesil. This time, the guards took into account the unsuccessful experience of their colleagues, so they took increased precautions and increased the number of guards. While behind bars, Billy sent the governor several letters reminding him of treachery and betrayal. But the head of state did not respond to the messages.
The trial of Kid took place in April 1881. All dogs were hanged on him, as they say, including the murder of Sheriff Brady. After Billy heard the accusations and sentences, he grinned and told the judge: “Go to hell, hell, hell.” Soon the offender was taken to Lincoln, where they were supposed to hang him. But despite the precautions, Billy and this time managed to escape. The gangster managed to get to the armory room, where he got hold of a revolver. The guards who tried to stop the criminal were shot. Then, with the help of an ax, Kidd managed to get rid of the shackles, stole a horse and left the city.
And again he began to hunt. For several months, Billy safely eluded bounty hunters. But still luck turned away from him.
At Fort Sumner, he met Pete Maxwell. Together they began to commit armed robberies. About this learned Pat Garrett. The sheriff unexpectedly returned to the fort and managed to grab Maxwell. Since the offender had no options, he agreed to cooperate. And a new trap was set up for Kidd. Garrett ambushed a criminal in Maxwell's house. At night, Billy appeared there and received two bullets. It happened on the fifteenth of July 1881.
* * *
The sheriff, of course, received a reward for killing a gangster, but the book “The True Life of Billy Kid” brought him much more money. She came out in 1882 year and became very popular, as, indeed, its main character. During his lifetime, Kidd was an ordinary criminal, whose name was widely known only in one state. But after his death, his fame spread throughout America.
And then the popularity of the criminal was supported by numerous films. Another interesting fact: a few years ago, the Kidd even tried to rehabilitate posthumously, but the idea failed.
Curve track
William Henry McCarthy was born in the fall (the exact month is not known for sure) 1859 of the year in New York. His family was completely ordinary and did not stand out. From morning till night, the father and mother disappeared at work, trying their best to provide a piece of bread for two sons - William and Joseph. Curiously, William didn’t like his own name, so he presented himself as Billy Kid (Billy the Kid). And from all demanded to call him that way. And the official name did not even respond.
When the McCarthy brothers were still small, grief came to the family - their father suddenly died. Mother left with two children had to work even more. But her hard work barely allowed to make ends meet. This test is not over. Suddenly it became clear that the mother is sick with consumption. And the disease, despite the efforts of doctors, quickly progressed. It was clear that Katherine’s death was just a matter of time. And then the doctors, to postpone the final, advised McCarthy to leave New York and settle in a place with a drier climate. Practice has shown that it can help a woman. She did not argue. I packed up and drove off to Indianapolis, taking, of course, with my sons.
At a new place, Katherine quickly arranged a personal life. So William and Joseph had a stepfather. Soon the whole family went on the road again, they decided to live in the state of New Mexico. For some time, life has improved, enough money. But then trouble came to their house again. Despite the dry climate and constant treatment, Catherine died. It happened in 1874 year in the town of Silver City. The stepfather did not want to burden himself with two other people's children, so he quickly got rid of them, putting them in foster families. From this point on, by the way, the brothers lost touch and, most likely, never saw each other again.
Billy Kid was sheltered by a certain Sarah Brown, the owner of the guesthouse. Kid worked for her, and for that he could live in one of the rooms. But the fourteen-year-old guy was sorely lacking money for food and clothes. Need and forced him to break the law for the first time. Billy was caught stealing in September 1875. He tried to steal food because he could no longer live from hand to mouth. The local sheriff, surprisingly, kindly reacted to the guy. He did not apply any harsh measures, but tried to explain to him that a violation of the law could lead to sad consequences. Billy Kid made an understanding person and nodded, but in fact, he had already decided on his future.
On whose side are you?
A few days later, Billy was caught again. This time, he and a friend, George Schaeffer, robbed the laundry. Kidded behind bars because of his gear and a pair of pistols. But he was not going to put up with what happened. And after a few days he managed to escape. It is clear that he could no longer stay in the city. Severe punishment threatened to escape from prison. Therefore, he decided to return to his stepfather, to try to establish relations with him. In fact, the young offender was hoping for his help. But the attempt failed. Stepfather did not even talk to Billy and chased him away. In response, Kid stole from his stepfather all his clothes and weapon. There was no way back. And Billy decided to go for a better life in Arizona. And at first everything was relatively successful with him. Billy managed to get a job as a cowboy on a ranch and began to receive quite good money for his work. But ... Kidd used all means in numerous saloons. Gambling, women and alcohol - the guy could not refuse. And, of course, he soon had serious financial problems. But he could not refuse entertainment, so he decided that he needed a “part-time job”. Simply put, Billy took up theft again. Only now he stole not clothes or food, but horses. More, I must say, profitable business. Soon, assistants appeared to him, and the business acquired an impressive scale. Young gangsters became so brazen that they once ventured to organize a raid on a herd of horses that belonged to cavalry soldiers. Naturally, animals were protected, but this did not embarrass criminals. In the ensuing firefight, Billy was injured. But he did not pay attention to this, because the goal was achieved! True, for some time Kidus had to retire. First, he needed to heal the wound. Secondly, the guards were looking for him, so it was necessary to lie down on the bottom.
In August 1877, the year Billy first killed a man. Moving around Arizona, Kid stopped in a small town to rest. And I decided to look to the local blacksmith, so that he replaced the horseshoe horse. What happened next is not known for sure. According to one version, a drunken blacksmith began to insult Billy, because he was too young. According to another, the criminal demanded the blacksmith to do the work for free, threatening with a pistol. One way or another, there was a conflict between men. And the blacksmith received a bullet wound incompatible with life. Local law enforcement officers worked quickly. Billy was tied up on the spot and put in jail. Kid did not wait until he was sentenced to death for murder and a few days later he fled. He decided it was time to return to New Mexico. But on the way Kid stumbled upon a detachment of Apaches. The Indians offered him a deal - he gave them the horse voluntarily, but they did not kill him. It was impossible to refuse such a “generous” offer of the redskins, and Billy agreed.
He looked at the clouds of dust escaping from under the hoofs of horses, and listened to the happy exclamations of the Indians. Soon everything was quiet. Billy was left alone in the desert. And to the nearest settlement of his was a few days journey. Since there was no choice, Kid went on foot. Perhaps then he did not particularly hope that he would be able to get to Fort Stanton alive. But Billy could. Being practically unconscious, the guy crawled to the gate of the village. But as soon as he came to his senses and healed a little, he went on the road again.
Holt found Billy in Lincoln County. Here he settled on the Englishman John Tanstell's ranch. The choice of employer was very strange, because those lands were controlled by other people - Lawrence Murphy and James Dolan. Kid realized that he somehow, but would have to get involved in the confrontation of businessmen.
Now it is necessary to make a small digression. In those days, the situation in Lincoln smoothly flowed from tense to aggressive. Irish Murphy and Dolan opened a large store and did not tolerate competitors. Fortunately, they had enough finance, so the sheriff, the judge, and the prosecutor were on their side. Those entrepreneurs who wanted to start a business in affluent Lincoln quickly went bankrupt. The Irish took care of their monopoly, without disdain for the sake of its preservation, to transgress the law.
And suddenly a competitor appeared in the person of the Englishman John Tanstell, who was not afraid to go into conflict with the local authorities. He opened his shop, made prices lower than those of the Irish, and gradually began to win a place under the sun. Of course, they conducted “educational conversations” with him, but they did not bring the desired result to the Irish. Then there were threats. And when it did not work, the war began. But Tanstell was ready for this turn of events. He hired dozens of cowboys who were guarding both the ranch, the shop, and the Englishman from assault. Thanks to the money, he managed to lure the lawyer Alexander Maksvin to his side. The lawyer repelled the attacks of the Lincoln authorities.
Very soon, the trading house "Murphy and Dolan" stopped bringing the profit to which the Irish are accustomed. And all their attempts "like men" to deal with the arrogant Englishman did not lead to anything. Cowboy guards served their master faithfully. They stopped all attempts to attack, and they could not bribe them. The Englishman managed to foresee everything. It was in the ranks of the defenders of Tanstella and Billy the Kid. For him, it was a good school of life. Although here he was not the leader, the experience bank was replenished every day.
The Englishman was not afraid of anything. Moreover, he even began to think about finally ruining the Irish and forcing them to leave the lands of Lincoln. And then Murphy and Dolan decided to declare Tanstell a real war, good, the resources allowed to do it. Their structure was listed and its own security service called "Guys." In fact, it was a real gang, which for money could do anything that the owners wish. At the head of the "guys" was a seasoned criminal Jesse Evans. It was he who received the order to eliminate the arrogant Englishman.
First of all, the bandits attacked the businessman's ranch, but were rebuffed. Then they tried to set fire to the trading house - unsuccessfully. Cowboys Tanstella repeatedly proved that their huge salaries were received for a reason. After these events, Murphy and Dolan decided to connect Sheriff William Brady. The choice of a representative of the law, in fact, was not. He got involved in the Anglo-Irish confrontation and officially made the “Guys” gang his assistants.
And soon there was an event that turned everything upside down. The sheriff made an appointment with Tanstell. Brady said they needed to "just talk." At the same time, he guaranteed that there would be one. Surprisingly, the Englishman believed it. He arrived at the meeting place where the "guys" were already waiting for him. Naturally, there was no conversation. The bandits shot Tanstella several times. And the sheriff didn't even try to stop them. As they say, no chance.
When the Irish learned about the death of a competitor, they made a real feast. Still, after all, they were confident that the war had ended successfully for them. But it turned out that Murphy and Dolan were rushing to conclusions. The cowboys of the deceased Englishman were not going to retreat. They wanted bloody revenge, because Thanstell was not only an employer for them, but also a true friend. The same Billy Kid recalled that the Englishman was the only person who offered him a helping hand in a difficult moment. Yes, and the rest of the cowboys, who had numerous troubles with the law, were able to get on their feet thanks to an enterprising English businessman.
First, they wanted to achieve justice according to all the rules, that is, according to the letter of the law. The cowboys called themselves "regulators" and came to a meeting with Judge Wilson, who had not officially eaten from the "trough" Murphy and Dolan. He went to meet and even issued a warrant for the arrest of the murderers Tanstella. Curiously, Billy Kid got the position of assistant bailiff, becoming a full-fledged guardian of order. Why the choice fell on him story is silent.
Together with the cowboys Kid went to the lair of "Guys" - the sheriff Brady section. When he saw the warrant in the hands of Billy reacted unexpectedly - he just laughed, and then said that he did not obey the judge. After these words, Brady arrested Kidd and those “regulators” who came along with him. They were free a few days later, so Tanstell’s funeral was held without them.
It became clear that the law could not help. And then the “regulators” turned to lawyer Maxvin for help. After the death of an Englishman, he began to have serious problems with the power of Lincoln, so the cowboys hoped that he would not stand aside. So, in fact, happened. By some miracle, Alexander managed to knock out for all the cowboys the documents of assistant magistrates. This step was necessary in the confrontation. Since the “Guys” were the sheriff's assistants, the “regulators” also had to have a legal cover.
The conflict has moved to a new level. Now the two gangs did not fight head-on, but preferred to act sneaky. They still were the guardians of the law. Soon, the corpse of one of the "guys" who participated in the murder of Tanstell was found. The authorities closed their eyes to this. But Brady decided that it is impossible to forgive. And paid for this life. Who killed the sheriff is unknown. According to one version, the reprisal did not go without the participation of Billy Kidd.
News about the death of the sheriff had the effect of an exploding bomb. Therefore, this incident was no longer possible to brake. All the “regulators”, including the lawyer Maksvin, despite the documents of the assistants of the judge, were outlawed. There is a version that Murphy and Dolan insisted on this decision, having decided once and for all to get rid of the "ghosts of the Englishman."
But in fact, such a decision turned out to be in the hands of Maxwin and his cowboys. Now they could shoot the “guys” fearlessly, in fact, they had nothing to lose.
And again the war. Almost every day in Lincoln there were fierce firefights, and the number of dead on both sides was already counted in dozens.
The main battle took place on the fourteenth of July 1878. About a hundred "guys" drove several dozen "regulators" headed by Maksvin into the house of a lawyer. The siege began. Hearing the sounds of gunfire, the military pulled up to the house, they had a mountain howitzer and a machine gun in their arsenal. At the head of the soldiers was Colonel Dudley - a good friend and companion of the Irish. Just because he could not intervene in a shootout. He needed an official reason. For example, the injury or death of one of his soldiers. And Maxvin and his people understood this perfectly well. After all, a howitzer and a machine gun could level a lawyer's house to the ground in a matter of minutes. True, the case did not come up with artillery. The “regulators” were shot accurately, hitting the “guys” with their bullets.
On the fifth day, the patience of the minions Murphy and Dolan burst. Someone from the bandits managed to set fire to the house. By that time, there remained a little more than a dozen "regulators" in it. Some were killed, others escaped or chose to surrender. According to one version, the lawyer himself was among the dead. And exhausted and cornered "regulators" headed by Billy Kid.
Waiting for the onset of darkness, the survivors were able to break through the siege and escape. Thus ended one of the largest gang wars of the Wild West. Now the Irish could celebrate a victory a second time.
Surviving cowboys, of course, were outside the law. So, they organized a new gang, calling it "Traffickers". The main thing was Billy. Despite the fact that he was the youngest, his authority was indisputable. The “businessmen” were no longer thinking of revenge. The time is not right. Therefore, they went about their usual business - robbed people and stole horses.
But autumn 1878 of the year changed the rules of the game.
Promise price
It was in the fall that the power in New Mexico suddenly changed. The new governor was Lewis Wallace, who decided to pardon all the gangsters involved in the Lincoln confrontation. A document on amnesty was signed, only Billy Kid was not among the lucky ones. If, after losing the war with the “guys,” he would not have led a new gang, the governor would, of course, have mercy on him. But in a short time, Billy had already managed to do so many things that it was not worth even dreaming of an amnesty. This is not much like Kid. He decided that he was treated unfairly. But Billy had the sense not to vomit. Therefore, he began to send letters to the governor, in which he spoke about his heavy and unjust share, and at the same time, of course, he tried to achieve pardon. In the end, Wallace and Kidd agreed on a secret meeting. Surprisingly, the governor kept his word and appeared without protection, however, in one hand he clutched a gun, and in the other - a revolver.
Such an arsenal did not embarrass Billy. The meeting was a success. The governor made an offer to Kidu, which he could not refuse. Namely: the gangster had to defiantly surrender to the police, and testify against the Irish people at the trial. And after that, Wallace would have thanked him, and at the same time, a pardon.
Surely Billy realized that he started the game with fire. But he, in fact, had no choice. He perfectly understood that the century of the outlaw thug is not long. Therefore, he had to agree to the proposal of the governor and hope that he would keep his promise.
At the end of March 1879, Billy was arrested. For the sake of appearance, he, of course, depicted resistance so as not to arouse suspicion. And soon he was taken to a court hearing. Bandit fulfilled its part of the contract. He testified against the Irish, accusing them of involvement in the murder of Tanstell, as well as several of his guards. The kid, satisfied with himself, fell silent and waited for the announcement of a pardon. But instead, the judge and the district attorney stated that they did not obey the governor, so they could pass judgment in their own opinion. So they did. And Billy, instead of an amnesty, received the death sentence. It seemed Kidd fell into a trap from which he could not get out. But the criminal was distressed about Wallace’s treachery for long. He once again managed to escape from the camera.
For several months, the Kid disappeared from the radar. And then he appeared again, standing at the head of a new gang. The news of the return of Billy enraged the governor. And he appointed a reward for a gangster - five hundred dollars. For those times the amount is very decent. Of course, there were not a few willing to get rich at the expense of Kid. But Pat Garrett, the sheriff of Lincoln, who took the place of the murdered Brady, stood apart among the bounty hunters. By eliminating Kidd, he wanted to kill two birds with one stone: earn, and make a favorable impression on the governor. There were rumors among the residents of the state that Kidd and Garrett were either in the same gang or were just friends. But when Pat became the sheriff, the conversation broke.
Garrett was close to his cherished goal several times, but Kidd was lucky. So, of course, could not last long. And at the end of December 1880, Billy's luck limit was exhausted. Garrett was able to arrest a gangster and several of his accomplices. Sheriff did not kill his former friend. He decided that Kidd should be judged to the fullest extent of the law (one way or another, Billy’s death sentence could not have been avoided).
Kidd was placed in the prison of the city of Mesil. This time, the guards took into account the unsuccessful experience of their colleagues, so they took increased precautions and increased the number of guards. While behind bars, Billy sent the governor several letters reminding him of treachery and betrayal. But the head of state did not respond to the messages.
The trial of Kid took place in April 1881. All dogs were hanged on him, as they say, including the murder of Sheriff Brady. After Billy heard the accusations and sentences, he grinned and told the judge: “Go to hell, hell, hell.” Soon the offender was taken to Lincoln, where they were supposed to hang him. But despite the precautions, Billy and this time managed to escape. The gangster managed to get to the armory room, where he got hold of a revolver. The guards who tried to stop the criminal were shot. Then, with the help of an ax, Kidd managed to get rid of the shackles, stole a horse and left the city.
And again he began to hunt. For several months, Billy safely eluded bounty hunters. But still luck turned away from him.
At Fort Sumner, he met Pete Maxwell. Together they began to commit armed robberies. About this learned Pat Garrett. The sheriff unexpectedly returned to the fort and managed to grab Maxwell. Since the offender had no options, he agreed to cooperate. And a new trap was set up for Kidd. Garrett ambushed a criminal in Maxwell's house. At night, Billy appeared there and received two bullets. It happened on the fifteenth of July 1881.
* * *
The sheriff, of course, received a reward for killing a gangster, but the book “The True Life of Billy Kid” brought him much more money. She came out in 1882 year and became very popular, as, indeed, its main character. During his lifetime, Kidd was an ordinary criminal, whose name was widely known only in one state. But after his death, his fame spread throughout America.
And then the popularity of the criminal was supported by numerous films. Another interesting fact: a few years ago, the Kidd even tried to rehabilitate posthumously, but the idea failed.
Information