Billy's Ring Found?

[Wayne Land]

I just had to share this because I found it so intriguing. Steven Sederwall, former Deputy Sheriff of Lincoln County shared this on his Facebook page and with his permission I pass it on to members of this board. I've pasted it here exactly the way Steve posted it.

THE PREACHER'S KID STORY
May 10, 2013, at 3:20 p.m., I stepped out of the Capitan, post office and I was met by Harold Perry, a local preacher. Harold and I had never talked about history, this day was different. Harold passed away this past week and this morning I found this interview in my files and thought I would pass it on to you. You're grownups, you decide what to make of the story. I pass it on, with no comment, and no judgement. All I can testify to is this is what the man told me, nothing else.

HAROLD'S STORY - The first week of November 1948, I was fourteen years old and would turn fifteen on the 18th of November. I lived with my parents George Tolbert and Beulah Perry. Our house was where the Ruidoso Downs racetrack is today. My mother had asked me to take the clean laundry to Aunt Molly. Molly and Bill Copland lived close, mother did their laundry and many times I'd take the clean laundry to them.
It was 4:30 or 5 o’clock in the evening, when I came through their backdoor. I saw a small, old man sitting on the couch, in the living room talking to Bill Copland, who sat in his chair. The old man never looked in my direction, I only saw his profile. He wore a dark, small brimmed hat, dark pants and jacket.
I handed Aunt Molly the laundry and she placed it on the kitchen table. She pointed to the old man and asked me, “Do you know who that is?” I told her I didn’t. “That’s William Bonney,” she said, “Billy the Kid.” She said, Bonney was on his way to see his daughter in Fort Sumner. Molly said they use to hide him when he would come by their place; they had a bedroom he would stay in when he would ride through.
Molly said Bonney’s now had grandkids. I really didn’t care, and didn’t ask for Bonney’s daughter’s name, now I wish I had. Molly said Bonney would come through on the Gray Hound Bus and the driver would drop him off in front of Copland’s house, on the highway. He had told them this would be his last time he see them, he was getting to old to make the trip.
Bonney gave Molly the ring he wore. It was made of Mexican Silver, it had a man and woman doing a Mexican Hat Dance on the top and two dragons, one on each side. Mother had not been able to get me anything for my birthday that year and she made a deal with Molly. Mother would do $15 worth of laundry for Molly and in return, Molly would give mother the ring. I received the ring for his 15th birthday. I wore the ring so much it began to wear on the bottom. I took it in to have it repaired and they took the dragons off the side and used that silver to repair the bottom. Molly told me that Bonney had a place just across the border in Mexico. I never talked to the man, never shook his hand, I couldn't hear his voice, and never saw him straight on, but I kept the ring.

[MissyS]

Wow, that ring could very well be the one in the tintype, I wish there was a way to enlarge the tintype to see more detail of it, It would make sense for it to have dancers on it, I wonder why the dragons though?, too bad it was altered. They say Billy was very charitable, and liked to give things to friends. There is a photo of Paulita Maxwell wearing a ring, I always believed it was the same ring Billy was wearing in the tintype, and he had given it to her, but now I doubt Paulita's ring and Billy's are the same. Thanks for sharing the story.

[44colt]

Very, very cool!

[MissyS]

In the newly discovered De Aragon photo with Billy standing with his hand on a chair, you can clearly see that ring is silver looking, the person that did the comparison to authenticate that photo compared that ring to the ring in the famous tintype. it's believed the reason the ring in the famous tintype was shiny looking was due to lighting, the ring in the famous tintype to me close up looks like it has a wide band. very interesting.

ww4.hdnux.com/photos/32/15/05/6869339/5/622x350.jpg

[Wayne Land]

I think that photo shows many similarities to Billy, even including the right shoulder dropping just a bit lower than the left (as in Brushy's photos as well). But I'm not convinced. The eyebrows are not the same and the inner ears are quite different. The ring is on the right hand vs. the left (some people do move rings from one hand to the other).

[mckinley412]

It's a gambler's ring. You can see Pat Garrett wears one also. Big Casino and Little Casino.

[Omar]

I have that exact ring pictured but in much better shape. Mine is still pretty very clear and defined. Looks like she has a scarf in here left hand and she has long hair down to her waist.

Don't buy into the Brushy being Bill though...not even a tiny bit!!!

[Omar]

Oh, and Im not sure what's on the sides of the ring but sure does not look like dragons to me, at all. Not sure how to describe them.

[mckinley412]

Jan 17, 2020 18:59:38 GMT -5 Omar said:

I have that exact ring pictured but in much better shape. Mine is still pretty very clear and defined. Looks like she has a scarf in here left hand and she has long hair down to her waist.

Don't buy into the Brushy being Bill though...not even a tiny bit!!!

Give me ten reasons why you think Brushy wasn't Billy and I will show you why you are wrong those ten times. I will give you ten different reasons why he was and you won't be able to say much about it. I'll go first. Brushy spelled his name as Billie and Billy spelled his name as Billie but nobody knew that until about 60 years after Brushy died. Your turn...

[gracie]

Mar 12, 2015 1:06:42 GMT -5 Wayne Land said:

I think that photo shows many similarities to Billy, even including the right shoulder dropping just a bit lower than the left (as in Brushy's photos as well). But I'm not convinced. The eyebrows are not the same and the inner ears are quite different. The ring is on the right hand vs. the left (some people do move rings from one hand to the other).

Tintypes are usually reverse images. Albumins are not. 

[Chris Sargent]

Mar 12, 2015 1:06:42 GMT -5 Wayne Land said:

I think that photo shows many similarities to Billy, even including the right shoulder dropping just a bit lower than the left (as in Brushy's photos as well). But I'm not convinced. The eyebrows are not the same and the inner ears are quite different. The ring is on the right hand vs. the left (some people do move rings from one hand to the other).

[br ten types are backwards like looking in the mirror so actually that ring is on his right hand!!

[Chris Sargent]

Mar 12, 2015 1:06:42 GMT -5 Wayne Land said:

I think that photo shows many similarities to Billy, even including the right shoulder dropping just a bit lower than the left (as in Brushy's photos as well). But I'm not convinced. The eyebrows are not the same and the inner ears are quite different. The ring is on the right hand vs. the left (some people do move rings from one hand to the other).

[Chris Sargent]

Ten types are backwards just like looking in the mirror so actually that ring is on his right hand!!

[Emily Swanner]

Mar 4, 2015 17:04:28 GMT -5 Wayne Land said:

I just had to share this because I found it so intriguing. Steven Sederwall, former Deputy Sheriff of Lincoln County shared this on his Facebook page and with his permission I pass it on to members of this board. I've pasted it here exactly the way Steve posted it.

THE PREACHER'S KID STORY
May 10, 2013, at 3:20 p.m., I stepped out of the Capitan, post office and I was met by Harold Perry, a local preacher. Harold and I had never talked about history, this day was different. Harold passed away this past week and this morning I found this interview in my files and thought I would pass it on to you. You're grownups, you decide what to make of the story. I pass it on, with no comment, and no judgement. All I can testify to is this is what the man told me, nothing else.

HAROLD'S STORY - The first week of November 1948, I was fourteen years old and would turn fifteen on the 18th of November. I lived with my parents George Tolbert and Beulah Perry. Our house was where the Ruidoso Downs racetrack is today. My mother had asked me to take the clean laundry to Aunt Molly. Molly and Bill Copland lived close, mother did their laundry and many times I'd take the clean laundry to them.
It was 4:30 or 5 o’clock in the evening, when I came through their backdoor. I saw a small, old man sitting on the couch, in the living room talking to Bill Copland, who sat in his chair. The old man never looked in my direction, I only saw his profile. He wore a dark, small brimmed hat, dark pants and jacket.
I handed Aunt Molly the laundry and she placed it on the kitchen table. She pointed to the old man and asked me, “Do you know who that is?” I told her I didn’t. “That’s William Bonney,” she said, “Billy the Kid.” She said, Bonney was on his way to see his daughter in Fort Sumner. Molly said they use to hide him when he would come by their place; they had a bedroom he would stay in when he would ride through.
Molly said Bonney’s now had grandkids. I really didn’t care, and didn’t ask for Bonney’s daughter’s name, now I wish I had. Molly said Bonney would come through on the Gray Hound Bus and the driver would drop him off in front of Copland’s house, on the highway. He had told them this would be his last time he see them, he was getting to old to make the trip.
Bonney gave Molly the ring he wore. It was made of Mexican Silver, it had a man and woman doing a Mexican Hat Dance on the top and two dragons, one on each side. Mother had not been able to get me anything for my birthday that year and she made a deal with Molly. Mother would do $15 worth of laundry for Molly and in return, Molly would give mother the ring. I received the ring for his 15th birthday. I wore the ring so much it began to wear on the bottom. I took it in to have it repaired and they took the dragons off the side and used that silver to repair the bottom. Molly told me that Bonney had a place just across the border in Mexico. I never talked to the man, never shook his hand, I couldn't hear his voice, and never saw him straight on, but I kept the ring.
View AttachmentView Attachment

I am Pastor Harolds Grand-daughter, and I am so happy this story lives on. I have the ring currently. I never took it to be officially looked at because I want to keep his story alive and let him have this story he used to love telling.

[cassandra jane]

Oct 7, 2021 14:56:07 GMT -5 Emily Swanner said:

Mar 4, 2015 17:04:28 GMT -5 Wayne Land said:

I just had to share this because I found it so intriguing. Steven Sederwall, former Deputy Sheriff of Lincoln County shared this on his Facebook page and with his permission I pass it on to members of this board. I've pasted it here exactly the way Steve posted it.

THE PREACHER'S KID STORY
May 10, 2013, at 3:20 p.m., I stepped out of the Capitan, post office and I was met by Harold Perry, a local preacher. Harold and I had never talked about history, this day was different. Harold passed away this past week and this morning I found this interview in my files and thought I would pass it on to you. You're grownups, you decide what to make of the story. I pass it on, with no comment, and no judgement. All I can testify to is this is what the man told me, nothing else.

HAROLD'S STORY - The first week of November 1948, I was fourteen years old and would turn fifteen on the 18th of November. I lived with my parents George Tolbert and Beulah Perry. Our house was where the Ruidoso Downs racetrack is today. My mother had asked me to take the clean laundry to Aunt Molly. Molly and Bill Copland lived close, mother did their laundry and many times I'd take the clean laundry to them.
It was 4:30 or 5 o’clock in the evening, when I came through their backdoor. I saw a small, old man sitting on the couch, in the living room talking to Bill Copland, who sat in his chair. The old man never looked in my direction, I only saw his profile. He wore a dark, small brimmed hat, dark pants and jacket.
I handed Aunt Molly the laundry and she placed it on the kitchen table. She pointed to the old man and asked me, “Do you know who that is?” I told her I didn’t. “That’s William Bonney,” she said, “Billy the Kid.” She said, Bonney was on his way to see his daughter in Fort Sumner. Molly said they use to hide him when he would come by their place; they had a bedroom he would stay in when he would ride through.
Molly said Bonney’s now had grandkids. I really didn’t care, and didn’t ask for Bonney’s daughter’s name, now I wish I had. Molly said Bonney would come through on the Gray Hound Bus and the driver would drop him off in front of Copland’s house, on the highway. He had told them this would be his last time he see them, he was getting to old to make the trip.
Bonney gave Molly the ring he wore. It was made of Mexican Silver, it had a man and woman doing a Mexican Hat Dance on the top and two dragons, one on each side. Mother had not been able to get me anything for my birthday that year and she made a deal with Molly. Mother would do $15 worth of laundry for Molly and in return, Molly would give mother the ring. I received the ring for his 15th birthday. I wore the ring so much it began to wear on the bottom. I took it in to have it repaired and they took the dragons off the side and used that silver to repair the bottom. Molly told me that Bonney had a place just across the border in Mexico. I never talked to the man, never shook his hand, I couldn't hear his voice, and never saw him straight on, but I kept the ring.
View AttachmentView Attachment

I am Pastor Harolds Grand-daughter, and I am so happy this story lives on. I have the ring currently. I never took it to be officially looked at because I want to keep his story alive and let him have this story he used to love telling.

Not to be a naysayer but can you provide pictures or more stories about it? I’m just a bit concerned by Kristin popping up yesterday and now another grandchild of someone involved in the overall tale. It seems like a possible “too good to be true” moment. If it is true though, that’s fantastic and I’m so glad you’ve finally come forward with such a personal story.