History of 'Billy the Kid' Part 7

In the year 1879, rich gold ore had been struck on Baxter mountain, three miles from White Oaks Spring, about thirty miles north of Lincoln, and the new town of White Oaks was established, with a population of about one thousand souls.

The "Kid" had many friends in this hurrah mining camp. He had shot up the town, and was wanted by the law officers.

On the 23rd day of November, 1880, the "Kid" celebrated his birthday in White Oaks, under cover, among friends.

On riding out of town with his gang after dark, he took one friendly shot at Deputy Sheriff Jim Woodland, who was standing in front of the Pioneer Saloon. The chances are he had no intention of shooting Woodland, as he was a warm friend to his chum, Tom O'Phalliard, who was riding by his side. O'Phalliard and Jim Woodland had come to New Mexico from Texas together, a few years previous. Woodland is still a resident of Lincoln County, with a permanent home on the large Block cattle ranch.

This shot woke up Deputy Sheriffs Jim Carlyle and J. N. Bell, who fired parting shots at the gang, as they galloped out of town.

The next day a posse was made up of leading citizens of White Oaks with Deputy Sheriff Will Hudgens and Jim Carlyle in command. They followed the trail of the outlaw gang to Coyote Spring, where they came onto the gang in camp. Shots were exchanged. "Billy the Kid" had sprung onto his horse, which was shot from under him.

When the "Kid's" gang fired on the posse, Johnny Hudgens' mount fell over dead, shot in the head.

The weather was bitter cold and snow lay on the ground. Without overcoat or gloves, "Billy the Kid" rushed for the hills, afoot, after his horse fell. The rest of the gang had become separated, and each one looked out for himself.

In the outlaws' camp the posse found a good supply of grub and plunder.

Jim Carlyle appropriated the "Kid's" gloves and put them on his hands. No doubt they were the real cause of his death later.

With "Billy the Kid's" saddle, overcoat and the other plunder found in the outlaws' camp, the posse returned to White Oaks, arriving there about dark.

It would seem from all accounts that "Billy the Kid" trailed the posse into White Oaks, where he found shelter at the Dedrick and West Livery Stable. He was seen on the street during the night.

On November 27th, a posse of White Oaks citizens under command of Jim Carlyle and Will Hudgens, rode to the Jim Greathouse road-ranch, about forty miles north, arriving there before daylight. Their horses were secreted, and they made breastworks of logs and brush, so as to cover the ranch house, which was known to be a rendezvous of the "Kid's" gang.

After daylight the cook came out of the house with a nosebag and ropes to hunt the horses which had been hobbled the evening before.

This cook, Steck, was captured by the posse behind the breastworks. He confessed that the "Kid" and his gang were in the house.

Now Steck was sent to the house with a note to the "Kid" demanding his surrender. The reply he sent back by Steck read: "You can only take me a corpse."

The proprietor of the ranch, Jim Greathouse, accompanied Steck back to the posse behind the logs.

Jimmie Carlyle suggested that he go to the house unarmed and have a talk with the "Kid." Will Hudgens wouldn't agree to this until after Greathouse said he would remain to guarantee Carlyle's safe return. That if the "Kid"

should kill Carlyle, they could take his life.

A time limit was set for Carlyle's return, or Greathouse would be killed.

This was written on a note and sent by Steck to the "Kid."

When Carlyle entered the saloon, in the front part of the log building, the "Kid" greeted him in a friendly manner, but seeing his gloves sticking out of Carlyle's coat pocket, he grabbed them, saying: "What in the h--l are you doing with my gloves?" Of course this brought back the misery he had endured without gloves after the posse raided their camp at Coyote Spring.

Here he invited Carlyle up to the bar to take his last drink on earth--as he said he intended to kill him when the whiskey was down.

After Carlyle had drained his gla.s.s the "Kid" pulled his pistol and told him to say his prayers before he fired.

With a laugh the "Kid" put up his pistol, saying, "Why, Jimmie, I wouldn't kill you. Let's all take another friendly drink."

Now the time was spent singing and dancing. Every time the gang took a drink, Carlyle had to join them in a social gla.s.s.

The "Kid" afterwards told friends that he had no intention of killing Carlyle, that he just wanted to detain him till after dark, so they could make a dash for liberty.

The time had just expired when the posse were to kill Jim Greathouse, if Carlyle was not back. At that moment a man behind the breastworks fired a shot at the house. Carlyle supposed this shot had killed Greathouse, which would result in his own death. He leaped for the gla.s.s window, taking sash and all with him. The "Kid" fired a bullet into him. When he struck the ground he began crawling away on his hands and knees, as he was badly wounded. Now the "Kid" finished him with a well aimed shot from his pistol.

The men behind the logs were witnesses to this murder,--as they could see Carlyle crawling away from the window. Now they opened fire with a vengeance on the building. The gang had previously piled sacks of grain and flour against the doors, to keep out the bullets.

In the excitement, Jim Greathouse slipped away from the posse and ran through the woods. Finding one of his own hobbled ponies, he mounted him and rode away. He was later shot by desperado Joe Fowler, with a double-barrel shot gun, as he lay in bed asleep. This murder took place on Joe Fowler's cattle ranch west of Socorro, New Mexico.

After dark the posse concluded to return to White Oaks, as they were cold and hungry. They had brought no grub with them, and they dared not build a fire to keep warm, for fear of being shot by the gang.

A few hours later the "Kid" and gang made a break for liberty, intending to fight the posse to a finish, they not knowing that the officers had departed.

All night the gang waded through the deep snow, afoot. They arrived at Mr.

Spence's ranch at daylight, and ate a hearty breakfast. Then continued their journey towards Anton Chico on the Pecos river.

About daylight that morning, Will Hudgens, Johnny Hurley, and Jim Brent made up a large posse and started to the Greathouse road-ranch. Arriving there, they found the place vacated. The buildings were set afire, then the journey continued on the gang's trail, in the deep snow.

A highly respected citizen, by the name of Spence, had established a road-ranch on a cut-off road between White Oaks and Las Vegas. The gang's trail led up to this ranch, and Mr. Spence acknowledged cooking breakfast for them.

Now Mr. Spence was dragged to a tree with a rope around his neck to hang him. Many of the posse protested against the hanging of Spence, and his life was spared, but revenge was taken by burning up his buildings.

The "Kid's" trail was now followed into a rough, hilly country and there abandoned. Then the posse returned to White Oaks.

In Anton Chico, the "Kid" and his party stole horses and saddles, and rode down the Pecos river.

A few days later, Pat Garrett, the sheriff of Lincoln County, arrived in Anton Chico from Fort Sumner, to make up a posse to run down the "Kid" and his gang.

At this time the writer and Bob Roberson had arrived in Anton Chico from Tascosa, Texas, with a crew of fighting cowboys, to help run down the "Kid," and put a stop to the stealing of Panhandle, Texas, cattle.

The author had charge of five "warriors," Jas. H. East, Cal Polk, Lee Hall, Frank Clifford (Big-Foot Wallace), and Lon Chambers. We were armed to the teeth, and had four large mules to draw the mess-wagon, driven by the Mexican cook, Francisco.

Bob Roberson was in charge of five riders and a mess-wagon.

At our camp, west of Anton Chico, Pat Garrett met us, and we agreed to loan him a few of our "warriors." The writer turned over to him three men, Jim East, Lon Chambers and Lee Hall. Bob Roberson turned over to him three cowboys, Tom Emmory, Bob Williams, and Louis Bozeman.

We then continued our journey to White Oaks in a raging snow storm.

Pat Garrett started down the Pecos river with his crew, consisting of our six cowboys, his brother-in-law, Barney Mason, and Frank Stewart, who had been acting as detective for the Panhandle cattlemen's a.s.sociation.

At Fort Sumner, Pat Garrett deputized Charlie Rudolph and a few Mexican friends, to join the crowd which now numbered about thirteen men.

Finding that the "Kid" and party had been in Fort Sumner, and made the old abandoned United States Hospital building, where lived Charlie Bowdre and his half-breed Mexican wife, their headquarters, Pat Garrett concluded to camp there. He figured that the outlaws would return and visit Mrs.

Charlie Bowdre, whose husband was one of the outlaw band.

In order to get a true record of the capture of "Billy the Kid" and gang, the author wrote to James H. East, of Douglas, Arizona, for the facts. Jim East is the only known living partic.i.p.ant in that tragic event. His reputation for honesty and truthfulness is above par wherever he is known.

He served eight years as sheriff of Oldham County, Texas, at Tascosa, and was city marshal for several years in Douglas, Arizona.

Herewith his letter to the writer is printed in full:

"Douglas, Arizona, May 1st, 1920.