Comments on: The Hunting of Billy the Kid http://www.historynet.com/the-hunting-of-billy-the-kid.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-hunting-of-billy-the-kid 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: isabel norden http://www.historynet.com/the-hunting-of-billy-the-kid.htm#comment-786953 isabel norden Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:29:24 +0000 #comment-786953 Garret shot billy when he didn't have the chance to defend himself whilst having paulita tied up. If that doesn't make him a coward then what does. Yes billy shot lawmen which he probably shouldn't have done but you have to understand he was scared and when he shot brady whichhe probably shouldn't have done either it was justified by his boss's murder. billy coorperated with the law when asked but they threw it in his face. Yes if you called garret a coward to his face you probably would be spitting out teeth but you know what? It would be worth it. Billy wasn't really a dangerous man, he's just misunderstood by those philistines who don't like him because they don't understand he was only standing up for his rights. Plus he danced with women and kids so how could that ever have made him dangerous? Like I said before leave the boy be. Also to call billy a murderer is wrong. Garret shot billy when he didn't have the chance to defend himself whilst having paulita tied up. If that doesn't make him a coward then what does. Yes billy shot lawmen which he probably shouldn't have done but you have to understand he was scared and when he shot brady whichhe probably shouldn't have done either it was justified by his boss's murder. billy coorperated with the law when asked but they threw it in his face. Yes if you called garret a coward to his face you probably would be spitting out teeth but you know what? It would be worth it. Billy wasn't really a dangerous man, he's just misunderstood by those philistines who don't like him because they don't understand he was only standing up for his rights. Plus he danced with women and kids so how could that ever have made him dangerous? Like I said before leave the boy be. Also to call billy a murderer is wrong.

]]> By: Steve McCarty http://www.historynet.com/the-hunting-of-billy-the-kid.htm#comment-786088 Steve McCarty Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:42:37 +0000 #comment-786088 If one met Garrett, and called him a coward to his face, you would be spitting out teeth and that is a fact. If one met Garrett, and called him a coward to his face, you would be spitting out teeth and that is a fact.

]]> By: Steve McCarty http://www.historynet.com/the-hunting-of-billy-the-kid.htm#comment-786087 Steve McCarty Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:39:29 +0000 #comment-786087 Yes, I liked the book and have refered back to it from time to time. Gardner started out to write a book on the Kid but someone suggested he include a bio of Garrett too. He did and the story is a nice te ta te. I had several conversations with Gardner (and I did misname the guy). I think it hard to go back 125 years and pull up new facts. There are very, very few who are living who know something new. I have met several relatives of LCW people. Frank Coe, for instance. Sallie Chisum. The gap in time has not been filled with clear data, but with vague recollections. I do believe that we have a pretty good idea what the kid was like and what happened to him and why. But anything new? Well, I have to admit that I've found new pictures and I have found new parentage.....maybe. Yes, I liked the book and have refered back to it from time to time. Gardner started out to write a book on the Kid but someone suggested he include a bio of Garrett too. He did and the story is a nice te ta te.

I had several conversations with Gardner (and I did misname the guy).

I think it hard to go back 125 years and pull up new facts. There are very, very few who are living who know something new. I have met several relatives of LCW people. Frank Coe, for instance. Sallie Chisum. The gap in time has not been filled with clear data, but with vague recollections.

I do believe that we have a pretty good idea what the kid was like and what happened to him and why. But anything new? Well, I have to admit that I've found new pictures and I have found new parentage…..maybe.

]]> By: Gene http://www.historynet.com/the-hunting-of-billy-the-kid.htm#comment-785740 Gene Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:57:05 +0000 #comment-785740 Would that be Mark Gardner's "To Hell on a Fast Horse" I've odered that last week. Couldn't seem to find anything from Mark Graham when I did a search. Would that be Mark Gardner's "To Hell on a Fast Horse" I've odered that last week. Couldn't seem to find anything from Mark Graham when I did a search.

]]> By: Steve McCarty http://www.historynet.com/the-hunting-of-billy-the-kid.htm#comment-785723 Steve McCarty Mon, 02 Jan 2012 01:32:18 +0000 #comment-785723 I do not think the kid was armed that night in July 1881. I think he had a butcher knife. I think he dropped his pistol along with his belt and holster when he kicked off his boots and exclaimed that he was hungrey. I'm not exactly where he was that evening. Celest's place? Bowdre's widow's? I do not think the kid was armed that night in July 1881. I think he had a butcher knife. I think he dropped his pistol along with his belt and holster when he kicked off his boots and exclaimed that he was hungrey. I'm not exactly where he was that evening. Celest's place? Bowdre's widow's?

]]> By: Steve McCarty http://www.historynet.com/the-hunting-of-billy-the-kid.htm#comment-785721 Steve McCarty Mon, 02 Jan 2012 01:27:47 +0000 #comment-785721 Concerning Garrett, I like Mark Graham's new book about the Kid and Garrett. Garrett was no coward. He was a hard nosed guy and he drove his posse hard that winter of 1880. I don't think he was as much scared of the Kid as he was careful. He knew what the Kid was capable of and he knew that given a chance the kid would shoot first and ask questions later. I do think he thought he'd shot the kid that night, but he was not positive. While not a friend of the kid he knew him pretty well and had been around him several times and for several hours on end. I don't think Pat Garrett was afraid of much. Was he crooked? I don't see why. Nor did he have a history of criminal activity. Was he in on the counterfeiting ring? Some think so, but I doubt it. Garrett wanted to collect the $500 reward for capturing the Kid...or killing him. Same money. He even confirmed that dead or alive applied. If I knew that Garrett was after me I'd be very concerned. He almost always got his man. Billy wasn't scared, but he was very confident and figured he'd be able to get out of about any scrape. Concerning Garrett, I like Mark Graham's new book about the Kid and Garrett.

Garrett was no coward. He was a hard nosed guy and he drove his posse hard that winter of 1880. I don't think he was as much scared of the Kid as he was careful. He knew what the Kid was capable of and he knew that given a chance the kid would shoot first and ask questions later.

I do think he thought he'd shot the kid that night, but he was not positive. While not a friend of the kid he knew him pretty well and had been around him several times and for several hours on end.

I don't think Pat Garrett was afraid of much. Was he crooked? I don't see why. Nor did he have a history of criminal activity. Was he in on the counterfeiting ring? Some think so, but I doubt it. Garrett wanted to collect the $500 reward for capturing the Kid…or killing him. Same money. He even confirmed that dead or alive applied.

If I knew that Garrett was after me I'd be very concerned. He almost always got his man. Billy wasn't scared, but he was very confident and figured he'd be able to get out of about any scrape.

]]> By: Gene http://www.historynet.com/the-hunting-of-billy-the-kid.htm#comment-785629 Gene Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:18:21 +0000 #comment-785629 Should I say murderer? Should I say murderer?

]]> By: Gene http://www.historynet.com/the-hunting-of-billy-the-kid.htm#comment-785628 Gene Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:07:41 +0000 #comment-785628 I agree with what you have written in all your post. You don't seem to be critical to one side or the other. I just don't agree with what some have said or are saying about Pat Garrett. He was far from being a coward. I believe he wasn't taking chances when he killed Billy. He may have been reckless when he fired his shot. I have read that he recognized his voice and also that he wasn't sure who he had fired upon. I have also read that Billy was armed and he was not. As for Brady I guess I haven't read much about him, I percieve him as very corrupt Lawman. Pat Garrett had his own problems and or vices, but to call him a coward is just plain wrong. I agree with what you have written in all your post. You don't seem to be critical to one side or the other. I just don't agree with what some have said or are saying about Pat Garrett. He was far from being a coward. I believe he wasn't taking chances when he killed Billy. He may have been reckless when he fired his shot. I have read that he recognized his voice and also that he wasn't sure who he had fired upon. I have also read that Billy was armed and he was not. As for Brady I guess I haven't read much about him, I percieve him as very corrupt Lawman. Pat Garrett had his own problems and or vices, but to call him a coward is just plain wrong.

]]> By: Steve McCarty http://www.historynet.com/the-hunting-of-billy-the-kid.htm#comment-785597 Steve McCarty Sat, 31 Dec 2011 19:27:01 +0000 #comment-785597 Olinger and Bell did not deserve to be killed. But did the kid deserve to be on death row? If you read about his trial the jury was pretty much railroaded to conviction. To convict the judge said, all they had to prove that Billy was there. Also, it was hard that the kid was the only person on trial for the murders. Six other guys were there too. The Kid was not going to stand by and let himself be hanged. It was not his way. Frankly I don't blame the kid for his escape, but then again he should not have killed Brady and Hindman. Those guys were innocent too. If the law had worked as it should have, Brady would have arrested the men who killed Tunstall and had a just trial. Then there would not have been a Lincoln County War, but the law was crooked, and Brady was a reason. Maybe he did need to be killed. The Kid thought so, and he was there. Olinger and Bell did not deserve to be killed. But did the kid deserve to be on death row? If you read about his trial the jury was pretty much railroaded to conviction. To convict the judge said, all they had to prove that Billy was there. Also, it was hard that the kid was the only person on trial for the murders. Six other guys were there too.

The Kid was not going to stand by and let himself be hanged. It was not his way. Frankly I don't blame the kid for his escape, but then again he should not have killed Brady and Hindman. Those guys were innocent too.

If the law had worked as it should have, Brady would have arrested the men who killed Tunstall and had a just trial. Then there would not have been a Lincoln County War, but the law was crooked, and Brady was a reason. Maybe he did need to be killed. The Kid thought so, and he was there.

]]> By: Gene http://www.historynet.com/the-hunting-of-billy-the-kid.htm#comment-785594 Gene Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:22:08 +0000 #comment-785594 He killed two lawmen in his jail escape, and whether he was armed or unarmed when he was killed is up to debate. Garrett didn't have to give Billy a chance to fight back. He was an escaped prisoner and he had murdered Bell and Olinger. Did Olinger or Bell deserve to die? No, and I'm sure they both had good mothers. I can say the same leave Garrett in peace. He killed two lawmen in his jail escape, and whether he was armed or unarmed when he was killed is up to debate. Garrett didn't have to give Billy a chance to fight back. He was an escaped prisoner and he had murdered Bell and Olinger. Did Olinger or Bell deserve to die? No, and I'm sure they both had good mothers. I can say the same leave Garrett in peace.

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