Brandon Lee
Billy the Kid, born Henry McCarty, was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West. His brief criminal career included theft and murder, and he is also noted for his involvement in New Mexico's Lincoln County War. Billy the Kid's notoriety towers over other train-robbing, pistol-twirling, posse-evading bandits of the Wild West. But did he rob any banks?
Explore related products
![Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (The Criterion Collection) [4K UHD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Dq++1Cv1L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
Billy the Kid's criminal career
Billy the Kid, born Henry McCarty, was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West. His brief but notorious criminal career included theft, horse rustling, and murder, leading to his death at the hands of Sheriff Pat Garrett.
Henry McCarty was orphaned at the age of 15 and had his first arrest at 16 for stealing food. Ten days later, he robbed a Chinese laundry, was arrested, and escaped shortly afterward. He fled to Arizona, becoming a federal fugitive. In August 1877, he killed a blacksmith during an altercation and became a wanted man in Arizona. He then returned to New Mexico, where he joined a gang of cattle rustlers.
Henry's involvement with the Tunstall ranch and his relationship with Alexander McSween and Dick Brewer led to his participation in the Lincoln County War. He joined a group called the Regulators, who were formed to avenge the murder of Tunstall. The Regulators killed Sheriff Brady, and Henry was shot in the thigh but escaped. The violence escalated, leading to the Five-Day Battle in Lincoln County, where 60 Regulators fought against the Sheriff and 40 of his men.
Henry was also present at the Battle of Lincoln, where the bookkeeper Morris Bernstein was murdered. Henry and three other survivors were indicted for the murder, but only Henry's indictment stood. He became a scapegoat and was actively pursued by Pat Garrett. Henry's life as an outlaw ended when he was killed by Garrett, although legends persist that he evaded death and several men later claimed to be Billy the Kid.
The Future of Banks: Will They All Collapse?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Billy the Kid's involvement in the Lincoln County War
Billy the Kid, born Henry McCarty, was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West. He is noted for his involvement in New Mexico's Lincoln County War, which took place between 1878 and 1881.
The Lincoln County War was a conflict between rival factions, sparked by a legal dispute over the disbursement of an insurance policy associated with one of Dolan's former business partners, Emil Fritz. Alexander McSween, the executor, refused to hand over the funds without reviewing Dolan's claim. Dolan accused McSween of embezzlement and seized his assets with the help of his judicial allies.
The war was also fuelled by competition for profits from dry goods and cattle interests in the county. The established faction was led by James Dolan, who had a monopoly on dry goods through his general store, "The House". In 1876, English immigrant John Tunstall and his business partner Alexander McSween opened a competing store with backing from cattleman John Chisum.
Billy the Kid was present at the murder of John Tunstall by members of the Evans Gang, which marked the beginning of the Lincoln County War. Tunstall's cowhands and other local citizens formed a group known as the Regulators to avenge his death, as the territorial criminal justice system was controlled by allies of Murphy and Dolan. Billy the Kid was a member of this group, and he participated in the revenge killing of Sheriff Brady and others.
The conflict was marked by revenge killings, which continued for several months until the five-day Battle of Lincoln in July 1878. The battle resulted in the death of McSween and the scattering of the Regulators. Billy the Kid emerged from the war as an outlaw with two arrest warrants for murder against him.
Central Banks: Fiscal Policy Architects or Bystanders?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Billy the Kid's murder of Morris Bernstein
Billy the Kid, born Henry McCarty, was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West. His brief criminal career included theft and murder, and he is known to have been linked to nine murders, four of which he was solely responsible for. Billy the Kid's notoriety has endured, and he is often portrayed as a train-robbing, pistol-twirling, posse-evading bandit of the Wild West.
One of the murders Billy the Kid was allegedly involved in was that of Morris Bernstein, the Mescalero Indian Agency bookkeeper. Bernstein was murdered on August 5, 1878, and Billy the Kid, along with three other survivors of the Battle of Lincoln, were indicted for the murder. However, there was conflicting evidence that suggested Bernstein had been killed by Constable Atanacio Martinez. Despite this, only the indictment against Billy the Kid stood, while the others were quashed.
The murder of Morris Bernstein took place during a violent and lawless period in New Mexico's history, known as the Lincoln County War. Billy the Kid was a central figure in this conflict, which was catalysed by a legal dispute over the disbursement of an insurance policy associated with Dolan, a former business partner of Emil Fritz. Alexander McSween, the executor of the estate, refused to turn over the funds without reviewing Dolan's claim. In response, Dolan accused McSween of embezzlement and seized his assets with the help of his judicial allies.
The violence escalated with the formation of the Regulators, a lawful posse led by Dick Brewer, who was appointed as a "special constable". The Regulators were formed to take vengeance for the murder of John Tunstall, a local rancher and mentor figure to Billy the Kid. They were paid $4 a day and quickly captured and killed three members of the posse that had murdered Tunstall. The Regulators then killed Sheriff Brady, and the violence continued to worsen, leading to more deaths and the famous Five-Day Battle, where 60 Regulators fought against the Sheriff and 40 of his men.
During this tumultuous period, Morris Bernstein, the bookkeeper at the Mescalero Indian Agency, was murdered. Billy the Kid and three other survivors of the Battle of Lincoln were initially suspected and indicted for the murder. However, the indictments against all except Billy the Kid were later quashed, leaving him as the sole person accused of the murder.
The circumstances surrounding the murder of Morris Bernstein contribute to the complex and murky history of Billy the Kid and provide insight into the chaotic and violent nature of the Wild West during this time.
Banking Varieties: Understanding Diverse Financial Institutions
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Billy the Kid's life on the run
Billy the Kid, born Henry McCarty, was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West. His brief criminal career included theft and murder, and he was linked to nine murders. Billy the Kid's notoriety has endured, and he is remembered as perhaps the most notorious outlaw of the Wild West.
In August 1877, Bonney killed a blacksmith during an altercation and became a wanted man in Arizona. He fled back to New Mexico, where he joined a group of cattle rustlers. He was involved in the Lincoln County War, a violent dispute over an insurance policy, and was part of a posse called the Regulators, who were paid to take vengeance for the murder of Tunstall, a local businessman. The Regulators killed Sheriff Brady, and Billy the Kid was shot in the thigh but managed to escape.
The violence escalated, leading to the Five-Day Battle, where 60 Regulators fought against the Sheriff and 40 of their men. After this, the Army cavalry arrived, aiming their cannon only at the Regulators. In November 1878, newly appointed Territorial Governor Lew Wallace called for a halt to the violence and granted amnesty to everyone involved except Billy the Kid. This meant he spent the next three years on the run, with Pat Garrett in pursuit.
American Banks in England: How Many?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Billy the Kid's death
Billy the Kid, born Henry McCarty, was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West. He was linked to nine murders and was involved in New Mexico's Lincoln County War. His criminal career began at a young age, with his first arrest taking place when he was just 16 years old in 1875. He was charged with stealing food and, shortly after, robbing a Chinese laundry. McCarty's life of crime continued with horse and cattle rustling, and he was involved in numerous shootings and revenge killings.
The Lincoln County War was a violent dispute over the disbursement of an insurance policy associated with one of Dolan’s former business partners, Emil Fritz. Alexander McSween, the executor of the estate, refused to turn over the funds without reviewing Dolan’s claim. In response, Dolan seized McSween's and his partner Tunstall's assets. Tunstall's death at the hands of a posse led to the formation of the Regulators, a lawful posse that included Billy the Kid, who sought vengeance. The Regulators killed Sheriff Brady, and the violence escalated, leading to the Five-Day Battle in Lincoln County.
Billy the Kid spent three years on the run, with Sheriff Pat Garrett in pursuit. He became a scapegoat and was the only one convicted of his crimes, despite the involvement of other well-known criminals.
Billy the Kid met his end on July 14, 1881, when he was killed by Garrett, thus concluding his brief but notorious criminal career. Legends persist that Bonney staged his death, and over the years, several men have claimed to be Billy the Kid. However, the generally accepted story is that Garrett killed him, and while there is no conclusive evidence, DNA tests and forensic investigations have been conducted to shed light on this historical mystery.
Are Azealia Banks and Tyra Banks Related?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
No, there is no evidence that Billy the Kid robbed any banks. However, he was involved in train robberies and was linked to nine murders.
Billy the Kid's real name was Henry McCarty. He was also known as William H. Bonney, Kid Antrim, and simply "the Kid".
A famous photograph led some to believe that Billy the Kid was left-handed, but the image was flipped—a regular method used when taking photos at the time.
![Three Outlaw Samurai (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81y-sYp-8VL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
