Comments on: Billy the Kid: The Great Escape http://www.historynet.com/billy-the-kid-the-great-escape.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=billy-the-kid-the-great-escape From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:24:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Steve McCarty http://www.historynet.com/billy-the-kid-the-great-escape.htm#comment-784694 Steve McCarty Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:23:50 +0000 #comment-784694 When one reads reports of the shooting of the two jailors one reads that Olinger took the other five prisoners to "dinner". In those days "dinner" was what we call lunch. The evening meal was called "supper". It still is in farm towns in the mid-west. I think therefore, that it was closer to one o'clock in the afternoon when the shooting occured. When one reads reports of the shooting of the two jailors one reads that Olinger took the other five prisoners to "dinner". In those days "dinner" was what we call lunch. The evening meal was called "supper". It still is in farm towns in the mid-west.

I think therefore, that it was closer to one o'clock in the afternoon when the shooting occured.

]]> By: Steve McCarty http://www.historynet.com/billy-the-kid-the-great-escape.htm#comment-784693 Steve McCarty Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:20:52 +0000 #comment-784693 I have never liked the "privy" story. How could Billy move so quickly with his legs shackled together? He could not. He would have fallen or tripped over his chains. I like the often told story that the kid was playing cards with Bell and clouted him over the head with his cuffs hard enough to stun him so Billy could grab his pistol from its holster. Bell then rushed down the hall toward the stairway. Billy shot him and they tussled at the head of the stairs. Bell half fell down the stairs and stumbled outside where he died in Gauss's arms. As Bell was struggling down the stairs, Billy knowing that the jailor was no longer a threat and figuring that Olinger would hear the shot, rushed as best he could to the arms room, broke open the door and grabbed Olinger's loaded shotgun from where he has left it. The kid had probably just made it over to the upstairs window when Olinger showed up. The window was open. The Kid called softly out to Olinger, who looked up and saw his shotgun in the kid's hands pointed directly at him. Gauss was standing next to him. He said to Olinger, "The Kid has killed Bell". Olinger said something like, "And me too", or "I'm killed". Then the shotgun blast. There is also a story that says the kid hit Olinger with only one barrel at first. Olinger stumbled to the corner of the building and fell on the north side. This took him from Billy's view as he stood in the east window. He ran around to the balcony on the north side so he could get a bead on the prostrate deputy and put another load into him. I have never liked the "privy" story. How could Billy move so quickly with his legs shackled together? He could not. He would have fallen or tripped over his chains.

I like the often told story that the kid was playing cards with Bell and clouted him over the head with his cuffs hard enough to stun him so Billy could grab his pistol from its holster. Bell then rushed down the hall toward the stairway. Billy shot him and they tussled at the head of the stairs. Bell half fell down the stairs and stumbled outside where he died in Gauss's arms. As Bell was struggling down the stairs, Billy knowing that the jailor was no longer a threat and figuring that Olinger would hear the shot, rushed as best he could to the arms room, broke open the door and grabbed Olinger's loaded shotgun from where he has left it.

The kid had probably just made it over to the upstairs window when Olinger showed up. The window was open. The Kid called softly out to Olinger, who looked up and saw his shotgun in the kid's hands pointed directly at him. Gauss was standing next to him. He said to Olinger, "The Kid has killed Bell". Olinger said something like, "And me too", or "I'm killed". Then the shotgun blast.

There is also a story that says the kid hit Olinger with only one barrel at first. Olinger stumbled to the corner of the building and fell on the north side. This took him from Billy's view as he stood in the east window. He ran around to the balcony on the north side so he could get a bead on the prostrate deputy and put another load into him.

]]> By: Steve McCarty http://www.historynet.com/billy-the-kid-the-great-escape.htm#comment-782461 Steve McCarty Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:49:53 +0000 #comment-782461 The Kid spent many hours sitting in a chair looking through the NE window of that courtroom. We have all seen, I'm sure; the famous picture of the empty chair sitting just where Billy would have sat. He yearned for his freedom. One of the reasons that the saga of Billy lives is because that building does too. Once can sense the Kid while peering throught that window. A quick look down and one sees where Olinger fell. There is a stone plaque there. The Kid must have felt that it was hard that only he stood trial for Brady's murder, others were shooting too. The Kid bore the brunt of the government's rancor because Billy represented the public's response to the crooked ring that ran lincoln. One cannot forget that the wrong side won the Lincoln County War. Our opinions of the Kid are colored by the fond memoires of him recorded by the Coe cousins, Frank and George. Sallie Chisum too, wrote that the kid was "always in the pink when he was with me." So, we think of the Kid as a charming young fellow who somehow was drawn, beyond his will, into a life of crime. That may or may not be true. To save his life, Billy was compelled to murder those two guards. We have to ask ourselves if we would too if put in the same situation. Would we calmly sit awaiting our execution, when we also thought our conviction was unjust? We hope that we would have the guts to do what the Kid did, and thus we warm to his memory. The Kid spent many hours sitting in a chair looking through the NE window of that courtroom. We have all seen, I'm sure; the famous picture of the empty chair sitting just where Billy would have sat. He yearned for his freedom.

One of the reasons that the saga of Billy lives is because that building does too. Once can sense the Kid while peering throught that window. A quick look down and one sees where Olinger fell. There is a stone plaque there.

The Kid must have felt that it was hard that only he stood trial for Brady's murder, others were shooting too. The Kid bore the brunt of the government's rancor because Billy represented the public's response to the crooked ring that ran lincoln. One cannot forget that the wrong side won the Lincoln County War.

Our opinions of the Kid are colored by the fond memoires of him recorded by the Coe cousins, Frank and George. Sallie Chisum too, wrote that the kid was "always in the pink when he was with me." So, we think of the Kid as a charming young fellow who somehow was drawn, beyond his will, into a life of crime. That may or may not be true.

To save his life, Billy was compelled to murder those two guards. We have to ask ourselves if we would too if put in the same situation. Would we calmly sit awaiting our execution, when we also thought our conviction was unjust? We hope that we would have the guts to do what the Kid did, and thus we warm to his memory.

]]> By: hannah Manning http://www.historynet.com/billy-the-kid-the-great-escape.htm#comment-290836 hannah Manning Sat, 05 Jun 2010 12:57:28 +0000 #comment-290836 this is just amazing! this is just amazing!

]]>