The pearl handled revolver

[montanas]

I finally purchased Burns' book, Saga of BTK, and have been comparing it to Jamesons book on Brushy. On the day of sheriff Brady's death, Burns says the kid went after the revolver Brady was wearing. Of Course Brushy says he was trying to retrieve a pearl handled revolver from the body of sheriff Brady that brady had confiscated from him. He also said he had purchased it for $25 in San Antone. My question is, can the sell of a pearl handled revolver in San Antone between the years 1877 and 1880 be verified by Colt records. Surely it being pearl handled would narrow it down. Of course I know that it could have been used rather than knew and come from some other region. It could also have started life with wood grips but Brushy had pearl one's installed. 

[montanas]

Just read in Saga on pg 156 where Billy tells Wallace the second reason the Murphy men didn't kill him coming into town was his pistol; which Burns says was ivory handled. Just curious as to when the posed billy photo was taken, as the pistol he is wearing clearly has wood handles

[nmjames]

Montanas

It is said that Billy was going out to get the rifle from Brady, not a pistol. Brady had arrested Billy in February and still had his rifle. Brady had a pistol on him but it was not a Ivory or pearl handle pistol.

Here is part of what a newspaper article had to say. When Brady fell, he dropped his rifle. Antrim, ran out to get it.

[mckinley412]

Didn't Steve Sederwall find a document that was basically an inventory of what was found on Brady's body and there was no rifle which means it was unlikely the kid was trying to get a rifle. Also some believe he was trying to get warrants off Brady's corpse, or maybe he was trying to get a special pearl handled pistol that was hard to replace. Also why would Brushy who was so familiar with the tiniest of details change something like that from rifle to pearl handled pistol?

[Wayne Land]

I don't always remember every detail the way I'd like to so forgive me if I'm remembering this incorrectly, but I think according to Sederwall there was a record of the items found on Brady after he was killed and it included both a rifle "and" a pistol. Some would say this proves Billy wasn't looking for either one since they were both still with the body afterwards. I say, it is more likely Brady had two pistols with him than two rifles. If he did have his own pistol "and" Billy's pearl handled it is logical that Billy went to get his own pistol back and left Brady's pistol and rifle with the body.

[montanas]

I'll have to look at both Saga and Beyond the grave when I get back home later today, but i'm pretty sure in saga burns says someone other than billy grabbed the rifle and that billy undid brady's holster for the pistol. I also think Brushy said much the same as per the rifle and that whoever it was got hit by the same bullet that went through his own thigh. Burns says the same. Anyhow, Brushy certainly said he went for his own revolver that had been confiscated by Brady. As for my question concerning the date of the photo, i just read where it was 1880. This would mean that Billy had since lost, or had somewhere else placed the pearl handled revolver ( if in fact he ever really owned one ).

[wildblue]

In the book, SHERIFF, William Brady, Tragic Hero of the Lincoln County War by Donald R . Lavish, the author tells of Billy The Kid and Fred Waite searching Brady's pockets for warrants. One was a writ of attachment and the second one a warrant for McSween. Billy was not successful in retrieving the writ of attachment, but did get the warrant. He was shot at and did take Brady's new rifle that he had just purchased a few weeks prior. The book has very impressive footnotes.

[MissyS]

Montanas,
According to "More Tales of the Tularosa" and (George Coe had told?) that Billy did have a pearl handled gun, I don't know if its an accurate account?

lincolncountycousins.org/5people/05coe-george.htm