Read Ebook: History of Billy the Kid by Siringo Charles A

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Ebook has 496 lines and 84277 words, and 10 pages

A FIERCE BATTLE WITH APACHE INDIANS. SINGLE HANDED BILLY BONNEY LIBERATES SEGURA FROM JAIL.

In the city of Chihuahua, the two desperadoes led a hurrah life among the sporting elements. Finally their money was gone and their luck at cards went against them. Then Billy and Segura held up and robbed several monte dealers, when on the way home after their games had closed for the night. One of these monte dealers had offended Billy, which caused his death.

One morning before the break of day, this monte dealer was on his way home; a peon was carrying his fat "bank roll" in a buckskin bag, finely decorated with gold and silver threads.

When nearing his residence in the outskirts of the city, Segura and young Bonney made a charge from behind a vacant adobe building. The one-sided battle was soon over. A popular Mexican gambler lay stretched dead on the ground. The peon willingly gave up the sack of gold and silver.

Now towards the Texas border, in a north-easterly direction, a distance of three hundred miles, as fast as their mounts could carry them.

When their horses began to grow tired, other mounts were secured. Their bills were paid enroute, with gold doubloons taken from the buckskin sack.

On reaching the Rio Grande river, which separates Texas from the Republic of Mexico, the young outlaws separated for the time being.

Billy Bonney finally met up with his Silver City chum, Jesse Evans, and they became partners in crime, in the bordering state of Texas, and the Territories of New Mexico and Arizona. Many robberies and some murders were committed by these smooth-faced boys, and they had many narrow escapes from death, or capture. Fresh horses were always at their command, as they were experts with the lasso, and the scattering ranchmen all had bands of ponies on the range.

On one occasion the boys ate dinner with a party of Texas emigrants, and were well treated. Leaving the emigrant camp, a band of renegade Apache Indians were seen skulking in the hills. The boys concealed themselves to await results, as they felt sure a raid was to be made on the emigrants, who were headed for the Territory of Arizona. There were only three men in the party, and several women and children.

Just at dusk, the boys, who were stealing along their trail in the low, flint covered hills, heard shooting.

Realizing that a battle was on, Billy Bonney and Jesse Evans put spurs to their mounts and reached the camp just in time.

At that moment the two young heroes charged among the Indians and sprang off their horses, with Winchester rifles in hand.

For a few moments the battle raged. One bullet shattered the stock of Billy's rifle, cripping his left hand slightly. He then dropped the rifle and used his pistol.

When the battle was over, eight dead Indians lay on the ground.

The emigrants had shielded themselves by getting behind the wagons. Two of the men were slightly wounded, and the other dangerously shot through the stomach. One little girl had a fractured skull from a blow on the head with a rifle. The mother of the child fainted on seeing her daughter fall.

In telling of this battle, Billy Bonney said the war-whoops shouted by himself and Jesse, as they charged into the band of Indians, helped to win the battle. He said a bullet knocked the heel off one of his boots, and that Jesse's hat was shot off his head. He felt sure that the man shot through the stomach died, though he never heard of the party after separating.

Soon after the Indian battle Billy Bonney and Jesse Evans landed in the Mexican village of La Mesilla, New Mexico, and there met up with some of Jesse's chums. Their names were Jim McDaniels, Bill Morton, and Frank Baker.

During their stay in Mesilla, Jim McDaniels christened Billy Bonney, "Billy the Kid," and that name stuck to him to the time of his death.

Finally these three tough cowboys started for the Pecos river with Jesse Evans. "Billy the Kid" promised to join them later, as he had received word that his Old Mexico chum, Segura, was in jail in San Elizario, Texas, below El Paso. This word had been brought by a Mexican boy, sent by Segura.

The "Kid" told the boy to wait in Mesilla till he and Segura got there.

It was the fall of 1876. Mounted on his favorite gray horse, "Billy the Kid" started at six o'clock in the evening for the eighty-one mile ride to San Elizario.

A swift ride brought him into El Paso, then called Franklin, a distance of fifty-six miles, before midnight. Here he dismounted in front of Peter Den's saloon to let his noble "Gray" rest. While waiting, he had a few drinks of whiskey, and fed "Gray" some crackers, there being no horse feed at the saloon.

Now for the twenty-five mile dash down the Rio Grande river, over a level road to San Elizario. It was made in quick time. Daylight had not yet begun to break.

Dismounting in front of the jail, the "Kid" knocked on the front door. The Mexican jailer asked; "Quien es?"

The "Kid" replied in good Spanish: "Open up, we have two American prisoners here."

The heavy front door was opened, and the jailer found a cocked pistol pointed at him. Now the frightened guard gave up his pistol and the keys to the cell in which Segura was shackled and handcuffed.

In the rear of the jail building there was another guard asleep. He was relieved of his fire-arms and dagger.

When Segura was free of irons the two guards were gagged so they couldn't give an alarm, and chained to a post.

The two outlaws started out in the darkest part of the night, just before day, Segura on "Gray" and the "Kid" trotting by his side, afoot.

An hour later the two desperadoes were at a confederate's ranch across the Rio Grande river, in Old Mexico.

After filling up with a hot breakfast, the "Kid" was soon asleep, while Segura kept watch for officers. The "Kid's" noble "Gray" was fed and with a mustang, kept hidden out in the brush.

Now the ranchman rode into San Elizario to post himself on the jail break.

Hurrying back to the ranch, he advised his two guests to "hit the high places," as there was great excitement in San Elizario.

Reaching La Mesilla, New Mexico, the two young outlaws found the boy who had carried the message to "Billy the Kid," from Segura, and rewarded him with a handful of Mexican gold.

After a few daring raids into Old Mexico, with Segura, the "Kid" landed in La Mesilla, New Mexico.

Here he fell in with a wild young man by the name of Tom O'Keefe. Together, they started for the Pecos river to meet Jesse Evans and his companions.

Instead of taking the wagon road, the two venturesome boys cut across the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation, which took in most of the high Guadalupe range of mountains, which separates the Pecos and Rio Grande rivers.

First they rode into El Paso, Texas, and loaded a pack mule with provisions.

A few days out of El Paso, the boys ran out of water, and were puzzled as to which way to ride.

Finally a fresh Indian trail was found, evidently leading to water. It was followed to the mouth of a deep canyon. For fear of running into a trap, the "Kid" decided to take the canteen and go afoot, leaving his mount and the pack mule with O'Keefe, who was instructed to come to his rescue should he hear yelling and shooting.

A mile of cautious traveling brought the "Kid" to a cool spring of water. The ground was tramped hard with fresh pony and Indian tracks.

After filling the canteen, and drinking all the water he could hold, the "Kid" started down the canyon to join his companion.

He hadn't gone far when Indians, afoot, began pouring out of the cliff to the right, which cut off his retreat down the canyon. There was nothing to do but return towards the spring, as fast as his legs could carry him.

The twenty half-naked braves were gaining on him, and shouting blood-curdling war-whoops.

Like a pursued mountain lion, the "Kid" sprang into the jungles of a steep cliff. Foot by foot his way was made to a place of concealment.

The Indians seeing him leave the trail, scrambled up into the bushy cliff. Now the "Kid's" trusty pistol began to talk, and several young braves, who were leading the chase passed to the "happy hunting ground." The "Kid" said the body of one young buck went down the cliff and caught on the over-hanging limb of a dead tree, and there hung suspended in plain view.

Many shots were fired at the "Kid" when he sprang from one hiding place to another. One bullet struck a rock near his head, and the splinters gave him slight wounds on the face and neck.

Reaching the extreme top of a high peak, the young outlaw felt safe, as he could see no reds on his trail. Being exhausted he soon fell asleep. On hearing the yelling and shooting, Tom O'Keefe stampeded, leaving the "Kid's" mount and the pack mule where they stood.

Reaching a high bluff, which was impossible for a horse to climb, O'Keefe quit his mount and took it afoot. From cliff to cliff, he made his way towards the top of a peak. Finally his keen eyesight caught the figure of a man, far away across a deep canyon, trying to reach the top of a mountain peak. He surmised that the bold climber must be the "Kid."

At last young O'Keefe's strength gave out and he lay down to sleep. His hands and limbs were bleeding from the scratches received from sharp rocks, and he was craving water.

Being refreshed from his long night's sleep, the "Kid" headed for the big red sun, which was just creeping up out of the great "Llano Estacado," , over a hundred miles to the eastward, across the Pecos river.

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