Billy the Kid and Lincoln New Mexico

Think you know all there is to know about Billy the Kid? If you're like us this idea could be completely altered by a trip to Lincoln, New Mexico.
William H. Bonney or as he was better known "Billy the Kid" had somewhat of a reputation before coming to Lincoln and into the employment of John Tunstall. That said, undoubtedly he not unlike so many other fast hands with a gun would not have reached such fame or infamy without the development of the Lincoln County War.

As children most of us became acquainted with outlaws of the old west from our history books. We learn from these writings and according to Billy the Kid own statements about the twenty-one men he supposedly killed, one for each of his twenty-one years on earth. Yet for all our studies, nothing gives one a clearer perspective into this era than a trip into the heart of Lincoln County.

Our first trip to Lincoln, New Mexico came some years ago, and since we have returned many times to reacquaint ourselves with this now quiet town. Lincoln has changed very little over the years and we don't mean just the years we have been coming. Oh,no! Lincoln, New Mexico is today not so terribly different from in the days Billy the Kid walked its street. Perhaps this is the very reason we return year after year.
There is only one way into Lincoln, other than by horse, a narrow winding road leading from Hondo on Hwy 70, toward the quaint little town of Capitan. Nestling between small canyon walls and along side the Bonito River, Lincoln's lone street can easily be navigated without hoards of sightseers overwhelming the feel of history behind each door and around each corner.

In 1875 L.G. Murphy was a big man in the Lincoln area, owning a cattle ranch, a flour mill, an hotel, and finally a store known as the "Big Store," in Lincoln along with partners John Riley and James Dolan. Along time , Alexander A. McSween a practicing lawyer, and his wife Susan arrive on the Lincoln scene. In the beginning not a soul in the town would have guessed the newcomers would be at the center of the Lincoln County Wars in only a few years time.
To be sure, at first, the McSween's and Murphy seem to have developed a good relationship with Murphy becoming Mr. McSween's most influential client. Only later when Mr. McSween refuses to defend Murphy's men in court on charges of stealing John Chisum's cattle did their relationship finally fall apart.
You see at the time it was well known and something of a joke that although Mr. Murphy sold cattle by the thousands each year, his own herds remained the same size. Naturally John Chisum, the most well known cattleman in the state and probably the entire country was not amused.
Later Mr. Murphy's "Big Store" would become the county courthouse and is today much as it was during these later days. This same building is also where Billy the Kid was held in custody while awaiting his death sentence.
From the upstairs window is where Billy will shoot and kill deputy Ollinger and at the bottom of the stairs leading to temporary jail upstairs will also kill Deputy Bell. At the bottom of these stairs the bullet hole in the wall marks the deadly trek of the bullet which first enters Deputy Bell's body then exits to strike the wall. However I have digressed with my story and my introduction to Lincoln.Soon after the falling out between Murphy and McSween, another key element arrives in the area. J.H. (John) Tunstall was an Englishman of some wealth and social prominence in England, but eager for the American west adventure.

Before long Tunstall and McSween were close friends and business partners. At Tunstall's proposal the pair open a general merchandise store in an adobe building just down the street from Murphy's "Big Store." Within a very short time the store was prospering and causing a slump in Murphy's business. Soon McSween and Tunstall, along with John Chisum opened a bank in the stores one end and fortune seem to be shining for those involved.

By now your wondering how in the world does Billy the Kid fit into this melodrama. In my round about way I'm getting to this point.When Murphy perceives matters are out of hand and McSween-Tunstall are the cause for these misfortunes, he falls back on an ace in the hole.
Sheriff Brady is that ace and in Murphy's pocket, so the speak. Swearing out an attachment to the McSween assets because of what he claims as unpaid debts from the court case. Somehow as to this day are unclear this attachment also included John Tunstall's. The sheriff and his pose ride out on February 13, 1878 to serve supposedly these papers on Tunstall. Instead the sheriff and his pose meet Tunstall on the road, and end up killing the Englishman.
Billy the Kid was a Tunstall employee and despite their obvious differences, a good friend of Tunstall. By all accounts the Tunstall murder set The Kid and others into an all out war against Murphy and his supporters.
Murphy is not the only person with legal pull as it turns out, when Justice of the Peace John Wilson appoints McSween man Dick Brewer as special constable. With the resemblance of a legal posse including the Kid, this group of loyal McSween-Tunstall men set out with arrest warranties for the folks involved in Tunstall's murder.

Baker and a man named Morton were captured and later killed on the trail under circumstances not at all clear even in those early days. During the posse's shoot with another Brady posse member by the name of Bill Roberts, special constable Brewer is also shot and killed. Roberts and Brewer were buried near each other in a private burial plot near the shoot out spot.
On Constable Brewer's death Billy the Kid becomes the head of McSween's forces. In an assassination of the streets of Lincoln, Billy would next take Sheriff Brady's life.Soon the governor appointed another Sheriff and with Brady's murder gave the Murphy side an air of legitimacy. Sheriff Peppin assemblies a posse and heads for Lincoln where the Kid and several McSween men were in the McSween residence and ready for what was to come.

The three day battle came to a peek when men within the Murphy faction set, fire to the McSween home. When the smoke clears four men including McSween were cut down while running from the flames while several others escape, among them Billy the Kid.
In August of 1878, Lew Wallace came to New Mexico as its governor with a determination to carry out President Hayes' orders to end the feud. At a meeting with the Kid at Ellis House the governor offers Billy a pardon to end the violence, should he be found guilty in a court of law. The Kid walks away from the deal that day and his belief that the offer would not be honored came to pass when two years alters he was sentenced to death for the murder of Sheriff Brady.

Sentenced in Sante Fe, the judge orders the gallows be erected in Lincoln where the murder took place. With Sheriff Pat Garrett, Deputy Bob Ollinger, and Deputy J.W. Bell the trip back to Lincoln takes place without incident.
From the upstairs of the Lincoln County Courthouse, Billy will watch the town residence going about their business and wait for his day of judgment. On April 28, 1881 by sheer luck or good planning the truth of which is not clear, Billy overpowers first Deputy Bell at the bottom of the stairs and then waits for Deputy Ollinger to cross the street below. From the window Billy calls out to Ollinger before ending his life. Sweet freedom is at hand and Billy takes full advantage of the opportunity.

When one visits the courthouse in our present day, they will see headstones on the sight of where Ollinger and Bell die. As I have already mentioned the most chilling evidence to the shoot out is the bullet hole in the wall at the bottom of the stairs. Here Deputy Bells was hit by a fatal shot which exits his body to lodge in the wall.
Take the walking tour of Lincoln using a free guide acquired at the tourist center. Don't overlook the museum located inside the tourist center, it is packed with historical items and information.

Billy the Kid escape from Lincoln leads to Fort Sumner some 50 miles to the northeast and ultimately to our tales violent finale. Most including Pat Garrett assumed The Kid will head directly for the Mexican border and out of law enforcement's reach. After numerous posses came back to Lincoln empty-handed and with the trail gone cold, Sheriff Garrett gave up the manhunt and settled into watch and wait. So it naturally came as a surprise when rumor got back to him of Billy the Kid possibly being in Fort Sumner. Considering the source to be reliable, Garrett figures the information is at least worth the ride to check it out.
Along with Deputy John Poe and Deputy Tip McKinney, Garret arrives in Fort Sumner to find folks unwilling to offer any information one way or the other as to sightings of Billy in the area. After a couple of fruitless visits to folks and acquaintances, Sheriff Garrett decides to stop in on Pete Maxwell before heading back to Lincoln.

In those days officers quarters from the former fort was the Maxwell home. The large two-story building consists of twenty rooms and a wide veranda running across its front and along both sides. To the south a row of adobe houses ran along the Maxwell side yard, where Billy is visiting friends at the moment Garrett and his deputies arrive.
In modern days, you will find no remains of the Old Fort Sumner or any of its buildings including the Maxwell home. In fact if someone doesn't point you in the right direction that a person would never guess the open field is the site for such a historical event.
On this particular evening Garrett enters the Maxwell residence to seek Pete in his bedroom. The sheriff leaves Deputy Poe to sit down on the porch edge, and McKinney squatting just outside the picket fence rolling a cigarette.

No more than fifty feet from the Maxwell house Billy the Kid is at Pat Garrett's brother-in-law, Saval Guiterrez home requesting a bite to eat from Saval's wife. Since she has only cold tortillas in the house, Celsa grabs her butcher knife to walk the short distance to the Maxwell house's north porch where a side of beef is hanging.
The night is damp and when she reaches for a scarf, Billy intervenes and tells Celsa he will go for the beef. Without a coat, hat and in his sock , Billy walks right pass McKinney right up to Poe on the porch. On alert to the stranger, Billy pulls the ever present forty-one caliber double action revolver from its holster and shoves it into Poe's stun face. Since the Kid is apparently unsure of who the men were and is certainly not will to drop a possible Maxwell employee where he stood the Kid enter Pete's bedroom and intent on asking about the men's identity.

Pat Garrett recognizes Billy's voice and as Billy the Kid enters he draws his own weapon. By all accounts, Billy had not seen Pat on entering and only catches a glimpse of him on leaning over Maxwell's bed. By then it was too late. He jumps back drawing his own gun but not quickly enough and flame lights the dark room for a brief moment. Garrett fires a second shot, bolts and ducks out the door. Pete Maxwell is right behind him.
For several moments the four men outside speculate on who had entered Maxwell's room. Garrett was certain the man was Billy the Kid while his deputies weren't so sure. The men hear several gasps inside and then silence. Yet not a soul would enter the room until Paulita Maxwell (perhaps Billy's girlfriend) aroused from her bed by the shooting comes out onto the porch.

Pete Maxwell hurries into the house and returns with a candle and noticeably wearing trousers. Lightning the candle he sits it on the window sill and peeks into the room to see Billy the Kid stretched out face down on the floor.
Billy the Kid had not been able to fire off a single shot. On examining Billy's body they found only one shot had entered his directly above the heart. Sheriff Garrett's other bullet could not be located until years later when it was found embedded in the underside of the top of the washstand standing across the room from Garrett.

Billy's body was lain for the remainder of the night in an abandoned carpenter's shop across the yard from the Maxwell home. Word of Billy the Kid's death spread like wildfire throughout the town. They came to see his body lain out for all to see, the women breaking into tears of hysteria and grief.
Billy the Kid's grave lies within view of the vacant field where the Maxwell house stood so long ago. The resting place for Billy the Kid's mortal remains is within a small cemetery where he lies beside Charlie's Bowdre and Tom O'Folliard members of his outlaw band.

On my first visit to the cemetery, The loneliness struck me of this lonely place. A north wind blows across the adjacent field and the only other vehicle parked nearby belongs to the attendant of the museum beside the cemetery. Long ago the plain wooden marker deteriorated and for a time the cemetery graves were unmarked. Over time memories fade but written in "The Saga of Billy the Kid" by Walter Noble Burns published in 1925, Old Man Foor a long time resident of Fort Sumner points out the spot of Billy's grave to the author.
The smaller present day stone over Billy the Kid's grave was erected in 1940 and in 1950 the stone was stolen and recovered 26 years later in Granbury, Texas. Stolen a second time on Feb. 8,1981 it was found Feb. 12 in Huntington Beach, California. Afterwards the stone will be placed in iron shackles and eventually a fence constructed around the graves of Billy and his buddies.

Even before you enter the cemetery the site stands out among the other graves. Also buried here is old man Maxwell, patron of the former vast Maxwell holdings, his son Peter "Pete" Maxwell.
William H. Bonney lived in a time of great change in New Mexico history. Gone are all the enormous cattle barons and the era in which they reigned supreme. Luckily for us there are still places like Lincoln which have changed little over time.

Lincoln, New Mexico is located about 10 miles north of U.S. 70 at Hondo on U.S. 380. RV's can navigate this two lane road without any problems, but if you plan to turn around inside Lincoln's city limits, larger motor homes could have some difficulty. Fort Sumner sits on U.S. Hwy. 60 approx. 70 miles west of Clovis. Billy the Kid's grave site and Fort Sumner State Monument is about 5 miles east of present day Fort Sumner on U.S. 60, turn right on 212 (watch for signs) and go approx. 4 miles to the site. RV's will have plenty of room to park either at the grave site museum or the large Fort Sumner Monument museum nearby.

Here is a great web-site with more information on Billy The Kid.

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