History of 'Billy the Kid' Part 9

The "Kid's" furniture consisted of a pair of steel hand-cuffs, steel shackles for his legs, a stool, and a cot.

Bob Ollinger, the chief guard, was a large, powerful middle-aged man, with a mean disposition. He and the "Kid" were bitter enemies on account of having killed warm friends of each other during the b.l.o.o.d.y Lincoln County war. It is said that Ollinger shot one of the "Kid's" friends to death while holding his right hand with his, Ollinger's, left hand. After this local war had ended, the fellow stepped up to Ollinger to shake hands and to bury the hatchet of former hatred. Ollinger extended his left hand, and grabbed the man's right, holding it fast until he had shot him to death. Of course this cowardly act left a scar on "Billy the Kid's" heart, which only death could heal.

J. W. Bell was a tall, slender man of middle age, with a large knife scar across one cheek. He had come from San Antonio, Texas. He held a grudge against the "Kid" for the killing of his friend, Jimmie Carlyle, otherwise there was no enmity between them.

In the latter part of April, Cowboy Charlie Wall had four Mexicans helping him irrigate an alfalfa field, above the Mexican village of Tularosa, on Tularosa river.

A large band of Tularosa Mexicans appeared on the scene one morning, to prevent young Wall from using water for his thirsty alfalfa.

When the smoke of battle cleared away, four Tularosa Mexicans lay dead on the ground and Charlie Wall had two bullet wounds in his body, though they were not dangerous wounds.

Now, to prevent being mobbed by the angry citizens of Tularosa, which was just over the line in Dona Ana County, Wall and his helpers made a run, on horseback, for Lincoln, to surrender to Sheriff Pat Garrett.

The Sheriff allowed them to wear their pistols and to sleep in the old jail. At meal times they accompanied either Bob Ollinger or J. W. Bell, to the Ellis Hotel across the main street, which ran east and west through town.

Charlie Wall did his loafing while recovering from his bullet wounds, in the room where the "Kid" was kept.

On the morning of April 28th, 1881, Sheriff Garrett prepared to leave for White Oaks, thirty-five miles north, to have a scaffold made to hang the "Kid" on. Before starting, he went into the room where the "Kid" sat on his stool, guarded by Ollinger, who was having a friendly chat with Charlie Wall--the man who gave the writer the full details of the affair.

J. W. Bell was also present in the room.

Garrett remarked to the two guards: "Say, boys, you must keep a close watch on the 'Kid,' as he has only a few more days to live, and might make a break for liberty."

Bob Ollinger answered: "Don't worry, Pat, we will watch him like a goat."

Now Ollinger stepped into the other room and got his double-barrel shot gun. With the gun in his hand, and looking towards the "Kid," he said: "There are eighteen buckshot in each barrel, and I reckon the man who gets them will feel it."

With a smile, "Billy the Kid" remarked: "You may be the one to get them yourself."

Now Ollinger put the gun back in the armory, locking the door, putting the key in his pocket. Then Garrett left for White Oaks.

About five o'clock in the evening, Bob Ollinger took Charlie Wall and the other four armed prisoners to the Ellis Hotel, across the street, for supper. Bell was left to guard the "Kid."

According to the story "Billy the Kid" told Mrs. Charlie Bowdre, and other friends, after his escape, he had been starving himself so that he could slip his left hand out of the steel cuff. The guards thought he had lost his appet.i.te from worry over his approaching death.

J. W. Bell sat on a chair, facing the "Kid," several paces away. He was reading a newspaper. The "Kid" slipped his left hand out of the cuff and made a spring for the guard, striking him over the head with the steel cuff. Bell threw up both hands to shield his head from another blow. Then the "Kid" jerked Bell's pistol out of its scabbard. Now Bell ran out of the door and received a bullet from his own pistol. The body of Bell tumbled down the back stairs, falling on the jailer, a German by the name of Geiss, who was sitting at the foot of the stairs.

Of course Geiss stampeded. He flew out of the gate towards the Ellis Hotel.

On hearing the shot, Bob Ollinger and the five armed prisoners, got up from the supper table and ran to the street. Charlie Wall and the four Mexicans stopped on the sidewalk, while Ollinger continued to run towards the court house.

After killing Bell, the "Kid" broke in the door to the armory and secured Ollinger's shot-gun. Then he hobbled to the open window facing the hotel.

When in the middle of the street, Ollinger met the stampeded jailer, and as he pa.s.sed, he said: "Bell has killed the "Kid." This caused Ollinger to quit running. He walked the balance of the way.

When directly under the window, the "Kid" stuck his head out, saying: "h.e.l.lo, Bob!"

Ollinger looked up and saw his own shotgun pointed at him. He said, in a voice loud enough to be heard by Wall and the other prisoners across the street: "Yes, he has killed me, too!"

These words were hardly out of the guard's mouth when the "Kid" fired a charge of buckshot into his heart.

Now "Billy the Kid" hobbled back to the armory and buckled around his waist two belts of cartridges and two Colt's pistols. Then taking a Winchester rifle in his hand, he hobbled back to the shot gun, which he picked up. He then went out on the small porch in front of the building.

Reaching over the ballisters with the shotgun, he fired the other charge into Ollinger's body. Then breaking the shotgun in two, across the ballisters, he threw the pieces at the corpse, saying: "Take that, you s-- of a b--, you will never follow me with that gun again."

Now the "Kid" hailed the jailer, old man Geiss, and told him to throw up a file, which he did. Then the chain holding his feet close together was filed in two.

When his legs were free, the "Kid" danced a jig on the little front porch, where many people, who had run out to the sidewalk across the street, on hearing the shots, were witnesses to this free show, which couldn't be beat for money.

Geiss was hailed again and told to saddle up Billy Burt's, the Deputy County Clerk's, black pony and bring him out on the street. This black pony had formerly belonged to the "Kid."

When the pony stood on the street, ready for the last act, the "Kid" went down the back stairs, stepping over the dead body of Bell, and started to mount. Being enc.u.mbered with the weight of two pistols, two belts full of ammunition, and the rifle, the "Kid" was thrown to the ground, when the pony began bucking, before he had got into the saddle.

Now the "Kid" faced the crowd across the street, holding the rifle ready for action.

Charlie Wall told the writer that he could have killed him with his pistol, but that he wanted to see him escape. Many other men in the crowd felt the same way, no doubt.

When the pony was brought back the "Kid" gave Geiss his rifle to hold, while he mounted. The rifle being handed back to him when he was securely seated in the saddle, then he dug the pony in the sides with his heels, and galloped west. At the edge of town he waved his hat over his head, yelling: "Three cheers for Billy the Kid!" Now the curtain went down, for the time being.

CHAPTER X.

"BILLY THE KID" GOES BACK TO HIS SWEETHEART IN FORT SUMNER. SHOT THROUGH THE HEART BY SHERIFF PAT GARRET, AND BURIED BY THE SIDE OF HIS CHUM, TOM O'PHALLIARD.

A few days after the "Kid's" escape, Billy Burt's black pony returned to Lincoln dragging a rope. He had either escaped or been turned loose by the "Kid."

The next we hear of the "Kid" he visited friends in Las Tablas, and stole a horse from Andy Richardson. From there he headed for Fort Sumner to see his sweetheart, Miss Dulcinea del Toboso. It was said he tried to persuade her to run away with him, and go to old Mexico to live in happiness ever afterward. But that sweet little Dulce refused to leave mamma.

The "Kid" found shelter and concealment in the home of Mrs. Charlie Bowdre and her mother. One night a few weeks after his escape, the writer was within whispering distance of "Billy the Kid."

Myself and a crowd of cowboys had attended a Mexican dance. Mrs. Charlie Bowdre was there, dressed like a young princess. She captured the heart of the author, so that he danced with her often, and escorted her to the midnight supper.

About three o'clock in the morning the dance broke up and the writer escorted the pretty young widow, Mrs. Charlie Bowdre, to her adobe home.

At the front door, I almost got down on my knees pleading for her to let me go into the house and talk awhile, but no use, she insisted that her mother would object.

Now a wine-soaked young cowboy with jingling spurs on his high-heel boots, staggered into camp and "piled" into bed, spread on the ground under a cottonwood tree, to dream of Mexican "Fandangos," where the girls have no choice of partners. Without an introduction the man walks up to the girl of his choice and leads her out on the floor to dance to his heart's content.

About six months later, in the fall of 1881, after the "Kid" had been killed, the writer was in Fort Sumner again, and attended a dance with Mrs. Charlie Bowdre. Now she explained the reason for not letting me enter the house. She said at that time, "Billy the Kid," who was in hiding at her home, was on the inside of the door listening to our conversation.

That he recognized my voice.

Here Mrs. Bowdre told me the facts in the case, of how "Billy the Kid" met his death, bare-headed and bare-footed, with a butcher knife in his hand.

While in hiding in Fort Sumner the "Kid" stole a saddle horse from Mr.

Montgomery Bell, who had ridden into town from his ranch fifty miles above, on the Rio Pecos.

Bell supposed the horse had been ridden off by a common Mexican thief. He hired Barney Mason and a Mr. Curington to go with him to hunt the animal.

They started down the stream, Bell keeping on one side of the river, while Mason and Curington headed for a sheep camp in the foot hills.