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Billy the Kid may have had local rootsSubmitted photoWilliam Henry McCarty used the alias William H. Bonney but is known in history as Billy The Kid. This is the only known photograph of the famous outlaw who. according to a reliable source,By Stephen T. JacksonMadison County HistorianFrom the time he was born until about 1870 Billy the Kid left no record of his life.He is remembered as one of the most notorious in a long list of Americas famed western outlaws of the 19th century. His early life is sketchy but is speculated to be as follows.He was born William Henry McCarty. His biological father was a man named Bonney who died or left his mother when he was very young. William’s mother, Catherine, then married a man named Michael McCarty with whom she went to, or met, in Indiana, and together they had a son, Joseph.Mr. McCarty died sometime before 1867 because it is around this time that the widow Catherine McCarty begins to appear in Indiana records, according to biographer Fred Nolan; an important piece of information as we shall later see.In 1870, Catherine and her two sons arrived in Wichita, Kan., accompanied by William Antrim, her long-time boyfriend. She supported her family by doing laundry and selling town lots. Diagnosed with tuberculosis she was told to move to a warmer, drier climate.South to New MexicoCatherine, her two sons, and Mr. Antrim went west to Colorado and then south to Santa Fe, N.M. It was there she married Antrim on March 1,1873. After the wedding, the family continued south to Silver City in Grant County, N.M.With two Williams in the family, Catherine called her son by his middle name, Henry. He was described as 5’-8”, 140 pounds, with clear blue eyes and sandy to light brown hair. Residents of Silver City remember Henry as slender, with small hands and rather girlish looking. His appearance made him a target for bullies and teasing. They also recall that what he lacked in size he made up in courage and a quick mind. He had a great sense of humor, always joking and laughing. He had a passion for music, singing and dancing and was well-behaved in school and liked to read. He was rather quiet and mild mannered and remembered as easygoing, lighthearted, loyal, courteous, and brave almost to the point of being reckless.Tuberculosis claimed Catherine’s life Sept. 16, 1874. It is thought that Henry was 13 or 14 years of age when she died. With her death his life was forever changed.Meeting Frank CahillMr. Antrim apparently didn’t want the burden of two smallwas born in Anderson.boys so he separated them and placed them in foster homes and left Silver City for Arizona.A year later Henry was living at Mrs. Brown’s boarding house. He earned money by washing dishes and waiting tables at the Star Hotel.Here he met and came under the influence of Sombrero Jack, a thief, gambler, and drunk.Sometime after they met, Sombrero Jack stole some clothing and gave it to Henry to hide in his room. Mrs. Brown discovered the stolen goods and reported it to Sheriff Harvey Whitehill who arrested Henry and locked him in jail.Sheriff Whitehill was sympathetic towards Henry and allowed him limited freedom in the jail. Henry took advantage of the sheriff’s kindness by escaping and heading to Arizona.Alone and homeless he wandered around living hand-to-mouth when he met another thief, John Mackie. The two began a career of stealing saddles and horses. They were eventually caught, but once again Henry escaped.It is speculated that after joining with Mackie, Henry developed his famous nickname, Billy the Kid. Not only was he a kid, but he looked like one. He then encountered a blacksmith named Frank Cahill who took pleasure in picking on The Kid every time he saw him. He would throw Billy to the floor, ruffle his hair,slap his face and humiliate him in public.On August 18, 1877, the two had a confrontation. Cahill had Billy pinned to the floor and was slapping his face when Billy worked his right arm free and managed to reach his .45 pistol. Cahill was mortally shot in the stomach.Charged with murder, Billy fled to New Mexico where he joined one of the most notorious gangs of rustlers in the southwest called “The Boys.” The gang made its way to Lincoln County where they joined forces with James Dolan who was feuding with John Tunstall over the dry goods trade in the county.At first the differences were fought out through legal channels but, when this failed, gunmen were hired which resulted in back-and-forth revenge killings. This feud is remembered in history as the Lincoln County War.When the war, was over Billy the Kid was now a fugitive accused of killing Sheriff Brady during a shootout. He made his living by gambling and rustling cattle. He killed a drunk at a saloon in Fort Sumner, but the killing got almost no attention. Bigger trouble lay ahead.Trapped by Pat GarrettA posse eventually found and surrounded The Kid and his gang members at a station house.During the standoff the posse accidentally killed their owndeputy. The death was attributed to The Kid.Billy continued to dodge the law when Pat Garrett was elected sheriff and was made US Marshall to hunt for him. Garrett was familiar with the Kid’s habits and hideouts. Finally on Dec. 23, 1880, Garrett trapped the Kid and three other gang members and Billy and the gang surrendered.He was tried and sentenced to hang for the death of Sheriff Brady. Awaiting hanging in the Iincoln County Courthouse, The Kid escaped on April 28, 1881, shooting both of his guards.Billy returned to the only place he could call home, New Mexico’s Fort Sumner. In July, Garrett caught up with Billy and on July 14 Garrett shot Billy piercing his heart.The next day Billy the Kid was buried at the Fort Sumner cemetery. Today, New Mexico has a strong tourism business as a steady flow come to visit the Billy the Kid sites.In death, he is popular and is known as the Old West’s most favorite outlaw.His tombstone reads “William H. Bonney, Alias Billy the Kid. The spot where he died is marked “Henry McCarty, Alias William H. Bonney, Alias Billy the Kid.”In 1902, interest in Billy the Kid was strong due to the appointment of Pat Garrett to the office of collector of the Port of El Paso. The Silver City Enterprise newspaper interviewed Sherriff Harvey Whitehill about his remembrances. The former sheriffs interview is important because the sheriff knew Billy, his mother, his brother, Joe. and his stepfather, William Antrim, intimately-In the article Sheriff Whitehill stated that Billy’s right name was Henry McCarty, and he was born in Anderson, Ind.Shortly afterward his family moved to Silver City and that’s where he was raised. Early in his career he changed his name to Billy Bonney in order to keep the stigma of disgrace from his family, and it was in this way he came to be known as Billy the Kid.Unfortunately, the Madison County Courthouse caught fire in 1880 and all the records were destroyed making it difficult, if not impossible, to prove The Kid’s connection to Anderson.Nonetheless, because of Sheriff Whitehill’s testimony the possibility exists and that provides another unique chapter in our county’s very colorful history.For more information visit the Madison County History Center, 15 W. 11th St., Anderson, on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays, from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. The phone is 683-0052.
Newspaper Details
Anderson Herald Bulletin
Anderson, Indiana, US
Sun, Jan 02, 2011
Page 21
Full Page
Clipped by
Rich R.
USA 09 Mar 2024
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