Newspaper article shortly before kids death

[redreb04]

Shortly before his death I believe it was a Las Vegas paper printed the kid rode into a chisum cow camp and shot 3 Cowboys saying chisum owed him money and would continue to kill until payed. Whether this is true or not it must have inspired the scene in young guns 2 where they visit the ranch and billy makes the vaquero famous.

[mckinley412]

It appeared as early as Aug. 10 1881 in Laredo Times, and was quoted in 1943 in the Frontier Times July, pg. 217-218 according to Alias Billy the Kid, Sonnichsen. They put it as a footnote because Brushy had also mentioned that Chisum owed him 500 dollars. Whether it actually happened or actually appeared in the Frontier Times or Laredo Times I have no idea. Has anyone ever seen the actual-physical newspaper that reported the Kid having a beard and stained skin at his funeral?

[redreb04]

The paper I speak of was the las Vegas optic June 10 1881. I haven't seen the paper itself it's In a book I have called goodbye billy the kid

[mckinley412]

Hey that sounds like a cool book. I just looked it up. Please post anything else from it that you think might be Brushy related, etc.

[MissyS]

That article basically said Billy rode up to a Chisum cow camp and there were four cowboys three around a fire and one at a distance working, he rode up to the one working and asked him if he worked for Chisum, after he said "yes", Billy said "Here's your pay" and shot and killed him, the other three went for their guns but before they could Billy shot and killed two and drew up on the last man and told him to raise his hands and then he told him his life was spared so he could take a message, he told the man he fought for Chisum all through the Lincoln County War and that he agreed to pay him $5.00 a day but never recieved one cent, he told him to tell Chisum that he will kill his men wherever he finds them and credit $5.00 for each one, and then he will kill him whenever he sees him(Chisum) and call the account square. But In the Las Vegas Morning Gazette June 16,1881 in an article about Billy The Kid it said that the report of The Kid killing three herders for Chisum was false and has no foundation, so it may not be true

[wildblue]

Just read MissyS's post dated June 20 2016, describing an article about Billy and some of John Chisums cattle hearders who worked for him.  Read an article on Chroniclling America called "A Desperado Triple Murder", in The Elk County Advocate July 2, 1881, Image 2.  What is interesting is, there's a man named Bennett Howell who survived, and you will find his name on the 1880 census.   He is listed as a cattle hearder in John Chisum's household.  Born 1861 I believe.  It looks like there are quite a few other men listed in the Chisum household,  cattlehearders I presume.  Billy is quoted saying "All I'm living for now is to get even with my enemies and I expect to be in this country until I do that." 

[nmjames]

wildblue,

Thanks for posting missys's post again. The newspaper articles I have state that Billy shot Bennett through the head. However, I have a John Bennett Howell that was born in 1859 and died in Las Vegas, NM. in 1895. You can find him on Find A Grave, Masonic Cemetery, Las Vegas, NM.

nmjames