!H
?
TtlEKI
thi; most famous or th
meh or the west
BY Ttf ?DCMY CO,
Frank J.
' -jii"ff
HOWLING mob of fortune
hunters crowded Into Sllvor
City, Now Mexico, In tho sev
enties. Tlio uncovering of
mineral wealth wna beset
with great dangor. Tho Apa
ches wore on tho war-path. It
was hazardous to travel In tho
country without an escort, but
tho magnet of wealth In tho
mines drew men to tho scene
notwithstanding. In tho citi
zenship of tho community
there were rough men, for tho
c.irly days were typical of tlioso of other mln-Ing-cnmps
Isolatfd In tho mountains and distant
from civilization,
Hi that community thcro lived n boy of seven
teen years of ago, respected nnd loved by all. Ho
was a favorlto among tho young men nnd consid
ered it model youth by tho old. Ho wna gentlo
ns a child. Ills face was dollcatoly molded, his
fikln as fair uu n girl's, his hnndH small nnd fin
Gers tapering. Lithe, graceful, solf-rcllant, ho
gave every promise of an honorablo career.
TI1I3 boy William II. Ilonnoy was employed
, In a local Ktore and wns considered a most ac
commodating clerk. Tho gruff community was
convulsed with horror and dumfounded with
nstonlshment ono nfternoon when tho newa
npread llko wlldflro that Ilonnoy had hacked a
man to death with n butchor-knlfo nnd was flee
ing for his llfo on the back of a stolen horse.
Tho minder wns particularly atrocious. It
wns the result of nn altercation In which young
Bonney was crossed. Prior to thlB tho boy had
never been questioned. In an Instant ho was
transformed Into n demon, within a fow minutes
lie lind added thoft to murdor, and In Booking a
place of safety left behind him a trail as broad
ns though he were following a macadam road.
At the point of n rovolvor ho compelled
Btrnngers to exchange horscH with him, seized
tho best mounts nt tho various ranchos along his
way nnd spread consternation whorover ho wont.
Ho followed tho Mltnbros rlvor toward Doming,
pursued by n posse from Silver City. Closoly
pressed, ho escnpod eastward over tho Oregon
mountnlns, when It wns thought ho wna headed
for Mexico.
The Start of a Bad Man's Trail.
A western town wns novor moro surprised.
The majority of tho pcoplo still dofonded him;
there was some reason, his friends declnrod. for
Ills strango net. nut as nown camo of tho way
( Tta.ho ws striking terror In tho Vnlloy of tho Pecos
Stwhero the roughest men In tho southwest lived,
the mind of tho public wns changed. From that
time on his murdormiB exploits filled tho hearts
of men with fear. Tho boy'n namo In western
history became forever aftor nilly tho Kid. Ills
namo of nonney Is all but forgotten. As tho Kid,
ho stands as ono of, the groat historical figures
of the cow country, ono of tho worst youtliB that
over lived, prlnco of bad mon, tho youngest bad
mnn of nil.
His nppcaranco nmong tho prospoctors nnd
nmld tho mining camps of tho Oregon mountains
was electrical. Hero ho concolvod tho Idea, that
to evade arrest ho must fight his way to tho front
nlngle-hnnded. Ilo boldly trndod horses, obtained
credit, bought supplies, bocauBo ho could shoot
Btrnlght with n rovolvor arid had threatened tho
lives of n mimbor of mon. Then with nil dis
patch he pushed on to tho Valley of tho Pccob.
This wns the scene of tho boy's oxplolta In tho
taking of human llfo.
T)ie Pecos Vnlloy wns filled with mon who had
been driven out of Texas by tho Hangers, and
Billy tho KId'B nssocintion with thoBo men do
voloped his mania for shedding blood. In his
first altercation ho realized that It was hla llfo
or tho other man's. Tho fact that ho was quick
with n gun mndo him feared. Ho bocamo embit
tered against ono of tho stockmon Immediately
upon hla arrival In tho vnlloy.
"I'll mnljo this valley too hot for film and dan
gorous to 'his punchers," said tho boy.
At once ho commenced to uso this mnn's cow
boys ns targets to prnctlco on. Ho began a cam
paign that drow upon him tho enmity of every
body Tho murder of these Innocent mon, purely
to gratify n aplto ugalust their omployor, made
him n lender among tho bands of nrmed thugs
of tho region. Ho had nt a bound bocomo n
colebrlty, nnd every group of bad mon wnntod
tb claim him. Hut tho Kid would havo none of
that. Hy degrees ho gathered a band of hla own.
How Many Men Did He Kill?
Tho Kid killed moro mon. yantonly nnd for
sheer lovo of murder, thnn any othor mnn of
xvhom thoro 1b n record In tho west. It will never
bo known Just how many ho nBaaalnatotd. Ho
wns a butcher who took dollght In slaying tho
defenseless. Ho know no pangs of conscience.
Ho had not ono slnglo redeeming trait. Ho
would murdor n friend us quickly as an enemy.
Ho thought nothing of appearing before a cook
In charge of a "chuck" wagon, on a lonoly desert
rango, nsk for something to oat. compllmont tho
man upon tho quality of tho food ho had pre
pared, with apparent grntltudo. Ilo would ask
him, as If tho Idea had suddonly popped Into his
head, whother ho wnB nu ofllcor or hnd been,
Thon, ns though In doubt, ho would shoot him In
his tracks. ThlB Is no oxnggorntlon A man
whom ho loft for dead, and who Burylvod long
enough to to! tho story, wns authority for tho
ntntemont, shortly nftor his arrival on tho Pecos
river.
Tho boy was a terror before whom ovorybody
fled. Ilo rode tho fastest horaos. ho holpod him
celf to tho host there wns In every community ho
visited, wiggled out of any number of tight,
places, nnd shot his way to freedom n dozon
times.
Shortly nftor his nrrlvul In tho vnlloy, ho wna
persuaded, becauso of his reputation ns n bnd
man, to assist In tho nrrest of throo men charged
with murdor. Thoy wore captured without tho
firing of a shot, plnccd on horsoa, Ironod and
otartod Jallwnrd. To tho deputy sheriff, who
with him followed tho prlsouors across n long,
dusty ennd plain, ho turned suddenly and said,
"Let's kill thoso follows."
"Why? They haven't dono anything to us."
'They're guilty nnywny, and we'll JuBt save
tho county oxponso."
"No, Billy, thoy hnvo not given ub a chnnco to
ehoot at thorn thoy havo not trlod to oacape."
The deputy trlod to arguo with him, for ho
i.
;
could seo the light of
murder dancing in tho
fellow's oyes.
Tho Kid rodo for
ward, compelling the
ofllcor to do likewise,
and, according to tho
story told, shot all
thrco men. Tho deputy
spurred his pony, tho
Kid aftor him. Thoy
exchanged shots, and
tho ofllccr escaped
with a fow wounds.
From that tlmo on It
wnu rlnnpnrntla fnr thik
Kid to enter a community. Ilo rnlded north
through Lincoln county, which as larger than
many onstorn states. Thoro was not a lino of
railway or tolegraph In It, and no telephones. It
wob easy to get away.
At that time there was rivalry between tho
different outfits. Tho country was filled with
bad men, and they were nbout evenly divided
among tho cowmen. Cattle Bteallng was a com
mon thing. Tho Kid bocamo Involved In a nuro
ber of rows, nnd he took sides. His reputation
as a "killer" grow.
' Undoubtedly a number of theso mon were
killed bb a result of troublo among themselves,
and tho killing laid to tho door or tho Kid. It
was onBy. Ho could not deny It. No ono would
havo bollovod him if ho had. Besides, the moro
murdors credited to him, tho greater tho fear In
which ho would be held.
Thus It wns that It finally became Impossible
to got any ono to accopt tho position of sheriff of
Lincoln county, for It was only a question of tlmo
when he would run ncrosB tho youthful demon.
Tho Kid know that ho had terrorized tho coun
try. Ho know that tho Instant ho let down his
guard ho would bo killed. Ills safety lay In con
tinuing. The Turn of the Tide.
Thon, ono day, oven thoso hard characters
who professed to be his friends were amazed by
tho report that for some trivial Incident ho had
killed a member of his own band. Tho outlaws
were now as anxious to end his career bb were
tho law-nblding pooplo of the village. HIb friends
commenced to murmur. Tho Kid was now re
ported In a dozon places at tho same time, and
thoso stories ho turned to his ndvantnge by ap
pearing nt Irregular, though frequent, intervals in
wldoly separated cow camps for more than a
hundred and fifty miles north and south of t,ho V
Pocob rlvor.
Pat Garrett, a lanky Alnbaman, who had help
ed organize tho Toxna Hangers and had assisted
In driving the bad men out of TexaB to tho first
water west of tho Stoked PlaliiB, wns Invited by
the cattlemen to locate In Now Mexico. Thoy
wnnted him to restoro order. Tho only wny
that could bo dono was cither to arrest or to
kill tho Kid.
Garrett's record In Texas as a man-hunter nnd
bad man tamer was known all over tho south
west. In addition to being qir.ck with a gun, ho
was absolutely without fear.
Ho wns olected without opposition and took
hold with nn iron hand. Ho was an organizer,
and men ffocked to hla standard. They felt, in
stinctively, that at last a man had arrived who
could copo with tho situation.
The Capture of the Kid.
In Nbvombor, 18S0, Garrett camo upon tho Kid
suddonly nnd enptured him, with, several others,
after killing ono man.
Word had renched Garrett that tho Kid and his
gnng of throo were located In nu old house a
Bhort distnnco from Sumnor.
"Wo had bettor make plans to get him," said
ono of tho doputlos.
"Tho plan Is to got there before ho gets nway.
I'll toll you what to do on tho way."
Tho way led down a sagocovorod "draw," with
sovoral bonds mndo by aa'nd dunes around which
tho road curved for a distance of about llvo miles.
Before ho renched tho Inst bond he pulled up hlB
horse, nnd wnltlng for his deputies to como up
to him, nnd then, In tho oven voice for which ho
was noted, said:
"I am going to rido ahead. AH attention will
bo centered on mo. That will glvo you a chance
to surround tho house. I nm going to take my
tlmo nnd walk my horse. They may got mo,
but If thoy do I wnnt you to ninko certain thnt
you get him."
Tho doputlos withdrew to right nnd left, ad
vanclng under cover or tho sand hills In nn over
widening circle until thoy had surrounded tho
hoimo. Thon Garrett rodo forward. From hla
poHltlonho could soo his deputies, who had dls
mounted, nd vanclng cautiously through tho sage
brush. Ho permitted his horso to wnlk slowly,
ns though utterly unconscious of tho presence
of tho gnng. At tho door ho cnlled loudly.
Somo ono nppoarod nt tho window nnd. firing n
Bhot at tho sheriff, dodged back. It was rrbno
In nn tnatnut, but In thnt fraction of n Bccond tho
man who had fired dropped dead In litis tracks!
Garrett hnd dismounted, nnd with his deputies
poured a fuslllado or bullets through tho sides. of
tho thinly boarded shack. A whlto handker
chief ut the window lndlcatod tho surrender of
nilly tho Kid and his gang.
"You Give Me n 'Six-Gun,' Pa'tl"
When Gnrrott reached tho rnllroad with ( his
prisoner ho was menaced by a crowd that sought
to lynch tho Kid '
"It lookH bb though thoy nro going to got me.
Pnt," tho Kid remarked.
It wiib nn ugly crowd, bont on dealing to tho
boy tho fnto ho was eortnln to meet sooner or
later.
"Not U I can holp It. Billy. You nro undor my
care, nnd I Intend to protect you."
"You glvo mo a 'slx-guu.' Pat. and stand aside
a fow moments, and I will clean out tho whole
crowd. You'll boo thum stampodo tho minute you
glvo mo n gun."
"You could holp If you played square."
"I'd havo to, old man. I'm In tho tighten
plnco I over was In my life. They'll 'get' us both
If you try It nlono. They may get mo. anyway!
Hut you are up against It, If you try to defend
mo along."
"I'll trust you once, nilly; but understand, no
foolishness. I'll 'drop' you If you try It."
Tho crowd grew more menacing. Tho domand
for tho life ri tho Kid became more ilnalsX.
wMmmSmSSBMKKi
Hi
11111111 II lirr jSBk
11 ma lR iSPB
vi fete t." jr?i,' mmcwA
"Listen!" shouted tho tall sheriff during a
sngnt lull. "The man Is my prisoner. You told
mo to arrest him. I have. Ho must havo a fair
trial. 1 know ho is guilty. Hut It Is for a Jury
to pronounco him so. You can not tako him
while I havo n breath of Jlfo loft, or whllo Billy
tho Kid has, either!"
Saying which ho passed a revolver to the boy
who had struck terror Into the Pecos Valloy,
"You must get two of us now."
Hack to back tho sheriff of Lincoln county and
tho most noted murderer In tho southwest stood.
"Now, nilly," cautioned Garret, "don't shoot
unless I tell you to. Hemember that without mo
your llfo 1b not worth two bits today."
It was impossible to tell what was working In
tho mind concealed bohlnd the childish face of
the Kid. It waa equally aa Impossible to read
tho thoughts of tho determined sheriff who wait
ed with apparent unconcern. Tho crowd knew
and feared tho Kid. With only Garrett to fight,
tho members might havo risked it. With a re
volver In tho Kid's hand, they hesitated.
Garrett waa quick to see tho advantago ho had
gained.
"Now you will all movo quietly away." ho an
nounced decisively.
Sullenly tho crowd obeyed.
Held at bny, Garrett placed the Kid aboard
tho train which arrived a few moments later.
The Keeper and the "Makings."
The Kid was trlod In nnothor county. Ho had
no friends and no defense. There were plenty
of witnesses against htm now that ho was a
prisoner. Ho was defended by an attorney who
made n bravo fight. Hut ho was sentenced to be
hanged at Lincoln In July, 18S1. He was brought
back nnd confined In a Jail built after tho man
ner of Mexican houses, of adobe brick, with thick
walls around a court or pa.tIo.
Tho day before ho was to bo hangod, half a
dozen horses stood In tho street, lines thrown
over their heads all that Is necessary to mako
a cow pony remain in ono place.
The Kid called from the gallery to tho warden:
"III, there, Hell! I'm going to Bwlng tomorrow.
Give mo the 'maklngB,' will you?"
"Seguro, Miguel," shouted tho warden, laugh
ing. (Translated Into English, tho answer meant
"Sure. MIko.")
The Kid stopped to tho stairs. His hands
were manaclod In auch manner that ho had lit
tle uso of them. Tho warden reached In his vest
pocket for tho cigarette paper, which ho placed
In his loft hand, and with hla right felt In his hip
pocket for a sack of tobacco.
Llko a flash the Kid raised his manacled
llnnds and struck Bell square In tho temple. Tho
warden staggered. As he did so tho Kid Jerked
Boll's revolver from Its holster, and dealt the
Jailor a blow on tho head that crushed hla skull.
"Unfasten tho Jewelry, and we'll both get
away!"
Ho shouted these words to nnothcr prisoner
standing lnsldo n cell. Tho Kid had boeh allow
ed tho freodom of tho galleries. Ho passod tho
koyB taken from tho prostrate warden to tho man
In tho cell, who unlocked his handcuffs. Thon,
leveling tho warden's rovolvor nt tho prlaomir ho
hissed: '
"Glvo mo back the keys!"
It was the work of but n moment to reach tho
barred gato that led Into tho street whore tho
horses Btood. A glanco. nnd ho took It all In.
I-rem whoro ho stood ho could seo tho form of
tho warden. Lovollng his revolver, ho fired a
Bhot that ended his llfo. and then shot tho man
who blocked tho door.
Onco outsldo, ho started a fuslllado of bullets
up and down the atroot to keep everybody In the
houses. In another Instant ho was or: the bost
horso and hnd stampeded the othora so that pur
suit would bo delayed. In a few moments ho was
out of sight
Gnrrott was about twenty miles away at tho
tlmo after somo rustlora. Word waB sont to him
and ho returned post hasto, heard tho story from
excited lips, and stopped only long enough to
snddlo a fresh horso Accompanied by a few
friends ho took tho Kid's trail.
At tho end of forty-eight hours of flight, when
tlrod out. Hilly tho Kid stopped nt the houso of
ft man named Maxwoll, near Sumner. Retiring
ho figured, doubtless, that Garrott would havo to
pauso for rest also.
It was early tho socond morning, probably
nbout 3 a. m.. when the sllont sheriff saw In
front of him tho cabin In which tho Kid slept
Ho nnd his mon dismounted and approached the
houso. Garrett reached tho porch with his dopu
ties and quietly stoppod Into Maxwell's room
There are several accounts of what took place
Ono Is to tho effect that Garrett left his depu
ties Btatlonod outside beyond tho houso. Ho wna
whlsprlng to Mnxwoll. when tho Kid, who waa a
light slooper, awoke, and tlptoolng ncroaB tho
porch, entered, rovolvor In hand, and asked'
"Who was that who Just camo? Where la ho"
From his position Garrott could seo hint dls
tlnctly, nnd hnd tho Kid been looking, ho mlaht
havo distinguished tho form of tho aherlff. stand
Ing by the bedaldo of Maxwell. The Kid had his
revolver In hand, prepared to uso It. Garrott
know thnt. and fired tho single ahot that killed
HONOR DAY OF
MARTYRED SAINT
Tho martyred saint whoso namo re
fines nnd beautlfios tho merry customs
of tho nnclent Roman festival of tho
Lupercalla know naught of thoso suf
ferings of hla death seem to assort HI
with tho season of the mating birds
and tho Jolly forma of love-making
with which that season haB been cele
brated from tlmo Immemorial.
It In not known whether his placo In
tho calendar waa assigned to the mid
dle of February with tho purpose of
lending a more serious tone to the gid
diness of Roman youthB and maidens
In drawing their sweethearts by lot,
but certain It Is that, though tho lot
tery of drawing ono'B valentine con
tinued until a late Dorlod of Encllsh
history, It changed to a form moro
worthy of approval by tho serious and
saintly man whoso namo commends It
Thouglt In this country nnd this gen
eration the proper observance of St.
Valontino's day Is limited to tho anon
ymous sending of tender or senti
mental mlssIveB, leaving tho re
cipient to solve tho mystery of tho
sender In his or her own Imaglnntlon,
there have been In tho past many
pretty or fanciful notlonB nssoclated
with tho day.
One was that the first person of the
opposite box ono mot on St. Valen
tino's morning was to tyo his or her
companion for lire, nnd wo may Im
agine the care with which tho votaries
of this little super8ltIon nvolded meet
ing the wrong person. Sometimes
young women Bought to decide the per
sonality of their valentines by dream
ing, and even resorted to Indigestible
food at going to bed on St. Valentino's
evo in order to Induce the dreamB.
A sport of tho young folks In Eng
land was to celebrate a little festival
on St. Valentine's evo, In which tho
company was divided Into couples by
lot and the young man was expected
to bo attentive for somo days to tho
lady who was drawn as his valentine
taking her to partleB, and so forth.
In theso days the fortunate or unfor
tunate young man who had drawn a
valentlno In thlB way would bo expect
ed to pay something for carriage hire
and theater tickets. It cost the cour
tiers of Charles II. something to bo
chosen as a valentine, for Popys, In his
diary, Informs us of a certain belle
of tho court who received a Jewel of
800 value from her valentlno of ono
year and a ring worth 300 from her
valentlno of another year.
No true disciple of St. Valentine will
indulge In tho license of the carica
tures and libels that are nowadays
sent through the malls under cover of
tho secrecy that Is sacred to his day.
They" are altogether alien to the spirit
of tho season.
A Is
ILERnTORJIg
f- "I !! Ml I I II
p!-rzm$TfmWr&
S W
Old-Time Valentine.
Tho earnest and most popular St.
Valentine's day Jingle that has been
handed down to tho present tlmo:
The roso Is rod, 1
Tho violet blue.
Sugar Is sweet,
And so are you."
In many of the European countries
tho St. Valentino day kiss was ex
changed botween young people as a
token of good will. The exact nature
of such an oscillatory performance is
Bomewhat vague. Though tho same
conscientious chronicler does not men
tion tho relationship, it suggosted that
tho St. Valentino day kiss Is a third
pousln at least, deceased, of tho fa
mous "soul" kiss. There is somo doubt
on this point, however, for In no way
'can an exegesis of tho word "affinity"
lead tho investigator back to that
time. On tho other hand, tho fact that
this custom is now in vogue uni
versallynot on St. Valentino's day,
but on other days, and far Into tho
night as well Is significant. Tho only
difference is that tho so-called St.
Valentino day kiss of tho present Is a
token ot good will and other things.
Sought Their Sweethearts.
In England the schoolgirl or a half
a century ago plucked at tho buttons
on their gowns and uttered in a
sing-song monotono on St. Valentino's
day tho verso:
"Tinker, tailor,
SoMler, snllor,
Apothecary,
Ploughboy, thief."
If, after singsonging theso words
for a stated number of time3 thoy
should first meet other than tho ono
on whom of nil mentioned in their
roundelay their hearts wore sot they
scattered In great fright,
Scott's Tribute to the Day.
Love rulea tho court, tho camp, tho
grovo.
And men below, and saints nbove;
For lovo Is heaven, and -heaven Is lovo.
Sir Walter Scott.
I long had loved a winsome maid,
But when my timid tonguo assayed,
Without avail, to tell tho talo,
I then resolved, though lips might fall.
That pen should speak and so I wroto
My lady an Impassioned note.
In every phrase to lovers sweet,
1 laid my homage at her feet;
Extolled her face and form In fine,
I humbly begged that she'd be mine.
Thon wreathed It round with bloom and
vino.
And signed It thus: "Thy Valentine."
That eve we mot I'll ne'er forgot
Its pain pervades my being yet.
Her cheeks wero flushed, her eyes wero
bright
With young affection's tender light.
"Dear Jack," suld sho, "you ought to
see
The valentine that camo to me.
'' 'Twos twined In roses all ablow.
And arrows sped from Cupid's bow;
And In the midst a rhythmic line
That breathed such burning lovo dlvlno
It mado my heart with rapture thrill
I knew at once that 'twas from Will."
"To you, dear Jack, I may confo.is,"
She said, unheeding my distress,
"That lovo Is blind, or Will would seo
I'm quite as much In lovo as ho;
But ho Is, such a bashful beau
f wish you'd kindly tell him so."
Moral
When next I pen a lovelorn lino,
l'l sign It "Jack," not "Valentlno."
Harriet Bunker Austin, In .National
Magatine.
Valentine Day In Ireland.
In Ireland the great feature of St.
Valentine's day Ib tho breakdown
dance. All tho boys and all tlio glrla
engaged in It, the couple dancing tho
longest winning tho coveted applause.
The victorious couplo is looked upon
as well mated, and not Infrequently a
wedding follows during Eastertide.
Tho danco Itself Is Indeed a spec
tacle. With much ceremony the door
of the barn Is lifted from Ub hinges
and the dance commenced as soon as
the fiddler or tho player of the bagplpo
orders tho couples out. Tho floor of
the barn Is of mud; hence tho door
Is laid on the ground to form a suit
able surface for tho dancers. Gold
smith describes tho dancors In his
"Deserted Village:"
V
"Tho dancing pair that simply sought re
nown, j
By holding out to tiro each other down."
Tho absolute whole-heartedness of
the danco and tho fierceness of theso
tests of endurance must be seen to
be appreciated. Though the occa
sion is one of the utmost Jollity and
good will, tho contestants are In dead
earnest In thel rendeavors to win.
ffj
Dean Swift's Gentle Protest.
Tho gentlo Dean Swift, In writing to
a friend, describes his first reception
of a comic valentlno:
"I was seated in my library when
tho postmaster arrived and I opened
tho bng. What was my surprise to
find my first greeting on St. Valen
tino's morning to bo a representation
of a fat person, with a body llko a
pig and a head Hko a dolt. Of course.
It grieved me, for I always considered
tho day ono dovoted to everything
beautiful In life. But I folt far moro
compassion for tho unfortunate mental
condition of tho sender than I did
for tho feellngB of the recipient, which
wero, I nssuro you, quite healed be
fore I finished breakfast."
Tho simplicity of this gentle pro
test, scarcely a rebuke, is pathetic.
Much more kindly and considerate Is
the tender missive, even though it bo.
sentimental, llko tho following;
"If you'll bo mlno
I will bo thyne,
And so Good
Morrow, Valentine"
For St. Valentino's day is a da pj
Joy, of lovo, of happiness.'
1
K
..V
1r
V
. 4Wvrr.
