October 13, 2017 ▸ People, True Crime

Episode 240: Billy The Kid: Wrong Side of the Law

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On this episode of The Sofa King Podcast, we go back to Cowboy Times and discuss the life of the notorious outlaw, Billy the Kid. He was known as Billy McCarty, Billy Antrim, The Antrim Kid, and Billy the Kid. He is an American icon, someone celebrated as a Robin Hood figure in movies and fiction, but the truth is hardly so romantic. He was a killer and a thief, and honestly, history sort of does on Epic Fail on details about his life.

He was born in New York City. Hell’s Kitchen. Maybe. Well, probably. That or Indianapolis. His real last name was McCarty. Probably. That was his mom’s name, though historians don’t know if that was her married or maiden name. He killed twenty-one people in his twenty-one years on earth. Sort of. It may have been closer to 8 or to 30. Sources don’t agree on much, as you can see.

But, what they do agree on is that he had an ill temper, a fast hand, and a steady aim. He moved to the West with his mom when he was a boy, and he ended up being orphaned at 14 (or 12 or 15?) and lived as a worker at a hotel. Eventually, he got fired for stealing food, and he then stole clothes, food, and guns, and his career as an outlaw began.

His main crime and trade was as a rustler. He’d steal horses and cattle and sell them illegally to people who would buy the merchandize no questions asked. The reason he gets a reputation as being a hero of the little people involves something called the Lincoln County War. It was a brutal political and financial battle between two ranching groups, and Billy the Kid sided with the little guy. It ended up leading to murder of one of his friends, him killing the sheriff, and one of many of his daring escapes from jail.

How many times did he escape from jail? What killings were definitely done by him? Which states did he run in? What other lawmen and outlaws were part of his story? Who finally killed him, and why do some conspiracy theorists claim he never really died? Who were the Regulators, and what parts did the old movie Young Guns get right (if any)? Did you see the size of that chicken? Listen, laugh, learn.

A couple of interesting links about Billy the Kid:

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/billythekid.htm