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Post by MissyS on Jun 25, 2017 3:51:14 GMT -5
Alright I'v been wondering about which version is true ever since I read Paco Anaya's book "I Buried Billy". Both Jose Chavez and Billy the Kid told Anaya the same exact story at different times, first Jose Chavez tells Anaya that one day during the first week of Aug. 1878, Bob Beckwith came with about 49 well armed men, armed to the teeth to talk with McSween, Beckwith tells McSween he was sent with the authority of his bosses the Murphy's to settle the differences between them, McSween said that was real good, please come into my office to talk, Beckwith follows McSween into his office and Billy the Kid follows them both, so in the office McSween sits down and turns his back on Beckwith, then Beckwith drew his gun and shoots McSween in the back, at the same moment Billy shoots Beckwith in the head killing him, then the "Texans"Chavez called them but he meant "Murphy's" started a fire at several places at the house. Now some time later after Billy escaped jail in Lincoln he tells Anaya about the LCW and tells him the exact same story how McSween was shot in the back by Beckwith and he shoots him in the head and then the Murphy's started shooting at the house and set it on fire, he said he and Chavez escaped out a window, he tells Anaya that after the "Texans" or "Murphy's" ran away they got the wounded and removed the bodies of McSween and Beckwith from the house and also they were able to recover or remove alot from the house before it burned and that many came to help, afterwards Murphy's men went and got the Commander and Chief of Fort Stanton and he got 100 black soldiers to arrest the Chisum workers, a friend warned them of that so they left Lincoln to go to Fort Sumner running from the soldiers. Now the other version has McSween running from a blazing house and being shot and Billy shooting Beckwith while running for his life outside the burning house, one version had McSween putting his hands up. Im wondering if while removing McSween's body from the house Murphy men thought he was still alive and shot him again, and so thought that's how he died? I just wonder which version is the truth?
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Post by wildblue on Jun 25, 2017 11:12:03 GMT -5
MissyS, Have you ever heard of Ella Davidson? Apparently she lived in Lincoln, New Mexico during the war and she was interviewed about this. I read her account of what happened. She said Mr. McSween walked to the door as if surrendering and was shot.
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Post by nmjames on Jun 25, 2017 14:05:12 GMT -5
MissyS,
You need to get a good book on the LCW and read it. Poco Anaya's book has to many things wrong in it. If McSween and Robert Beckwith were both killed on July 19, 1878, how could Bob Beckwith come with 49 men the first week of August?
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Post by MissyS on Jun 25, 2017 19:06:55 GMT -5
Nmjames,
Thanks for pointing out that date, its puzzling, I can only figure Anaya had to have been confused about that date?, I believe the book was transcribed from his manuscripts. Jose Chavez was really Chavez Y Chavez , Anaya said the first time he met Billy was Aug 14,1878 and he was reflecting what was said to him by Chavez on that day, Chavez, Billy and others came to Anaya's camp very hungry, they had been on the run from the soldiers, I don't know how long they were on the run before they came to his camp?, they killed and ate some of his sheep and Jose Chavez or Chavez Y Chavez explained to him that they were running from the soldiers and told him at that time of what happened with Beckwith and McSween later Billy repeated the story to him. I have read other books about the LCW, and it seems all of them differ some, most say McSween was killed fleeing the house, some say he surrendered and was shot, it's puzzling because I don't know why Billy and Chavez would tell a different version to Paco Anaya? But he was I believe a teen at the time he met Billy, and also when the accounts were told to him, but your right the dates are wrong, and don't make much sense?
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Post by MissyS on Jun 25, 2017 19:45:49 GMT -5
MissyS, Have you ever heard of Ella Davidson? Apparently she lived in Lincoln, New Mexico during the war and she was interviewed about this. I read her account of what happened. She said Mr. McSween walked to the door as if surrendering and was shot.
Wildblue, Thanks for posting this, that account seems to be more likely the truer version, I have read that he surrendered or had his hands up from other sources. Do you recall if Ella Davidson said how Beckwith died? I believe Beckwith may have been the one that shot McSween? and Billy shot him as he fled? but there were others shooting? I plan on reading more about it, a good book, a good source book anyway. Thanks |
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Post by wildblue on Jun 25, 2017 20:34:07 GMT -5
MissyS Yes the information says Bob Beckwiths shot killed McSween and that he was killed by one flying bullet. |
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Post by mckinley412 on Jun 25, 2017 20:47:16 GMT -5
Rasch, Trailing Billy the Kid says Boyle testified that the kid escaped 15 minutes before Beckwith and Mcsween were killed. The kid did testify he saw Beckwith shooting as he escaped. He might have shot towards him. Beckwith died from two rifle shots according to coroner's report according to Rasch. The kid was also originally reported amongst the dead.
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Post by MissyS on Jun 26, 2017 1:20:23 GMT -5
Thain,
If Billy testified that he saw Beckwith shooting as he escaped, then he couldn't be right on both statements, for sure Beckwith couldn't have been shot in the head in McSween's office. Thanks
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Post by mckinley412 on Jun 26, 2017 17:33:26 GMT -5
www.rifleshootermag.com/rifles/billy-the-kids-1873/ Also whether or not the kid escaped long before Beckwith was killed or while he was being killed it would be nice to know how they decided he was killed by two rifle shots. The kids guns, both rifle and pistol are said to use ammo that is interchangeable.
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