Revenge of the Kid

   Revenge of the Kid

Suzanne Marsh

“Revenge is not an answer William, it is a dish best-served cold.” Words of prophecy or words of doom? Billy Bonney would remember those words for the rest of his short life. William H. Bonney aka Billy the Kid once again sat in a jail cell, more like a cold damp dungeon under the jailhouse in Lincoln County, New Mexico. Billy did not intend to stay in jail for taking a small black mare and several other horses; he sent for the man who owned them John Henry Tunstall, a gentleman English rancher. The Kid and John Tunstall came to an understanding, John Tunstall had Billy released, and he gave him a job on his ranch Rio Feliz. Billy punched cows and managed to stay out of trouble for the most part. He did help “The Boys” break Jesse Evans and two others out of jail, only to have Evans turn on him. James (Jimmy) Dolan and L.J. Murphy controlled prices in Lincoln County, they had “the house” for several purposes including a bar and bank. Prices were way too high for most folks in Lincoln County so three men decided to challenge them: John S. Chisum, Alexander MacSween, and John Henry Tunstall. The three men knew they were asking for trouble but also knew the people in Lincoln County needed places where people could purchase goods and services for less money, and get loans for less than LJ Murphy.

18 February 1878 started off well enough, John Tunstall with the aid of Billy Bonny and several other riders was moving a small herd of horses when shots were fired. John Tunstall was murdered, and Billy was quick to seek revenge on the men who killed John Tunstall, the only person who treated Billy fairly, as a person. The herd of horses made it to where they were destined before they returned to move John Tunstall’s body. Billy led the horse with John’s body over the saddle. Billy knew who had killed John, two deputies named Baker and Morton, were going to die. Billy saw no reason to waste time or energy for a trial and hanging.

Riding along with Baker and Morton were John Chisum and Pat Garrett, Billy rode beside Pat for several moments. Morton and Baker were scared of Billy, he was quick on the draw. Billy wanted justice, his kind of justice. John Chisum was in favor of hangin' the pair but then thought about something that John had said:

“I once saw a hanging it was gristly.” Chisum continued glaring at Billy:

“Gristly is a good description.” Billy made his move, he spun his horse around, fired once hitting Morton, then spun the horse the other way and shot Baker but revenge did not end there. The Lincoln County War had begun. The following day John Tunstall was laid to rest behind his store, Billy was by no means finished with the men who killed John Tunstall, he was only just beginning.

The Regulators as they became known were a group of Lincoln County citizens who formed to avenge the death of John Tunstall. These men among them Billy Bonney viewed the New Mexico territorial justice system as corrupt due to the governor being in Dolan and Murphy’s pocket.

The man the regulators went to was Justice of the Peace John B. Wilson who issued the arrest warrant for Baker and Morton, he appointed Dick Brewer a Special Constable to execute the warrants.

He swore Brewer in, hoping to make a difference and make things more difficult for Dolan and Murphy. The regulators at least had some protection under the law.

Billy had one thought REVENGE, he was going to even the score for John Tunstall. The Regulators ambushed Baker and Morton, andthey were shot by Billy. No warrant was necessary, Dick Brewer knew justice had been done.

Jesse Evans and his gang still caused a great deal of consternation for Billy and Dick Brewer. Jesse was just as tough and as quick on the draw as Billy Bonney, they had once been friends, and Billy had even helped break Jesse out of jail. Billy’s sense of honor was threatened since they were one-time friends. Once Jesse became involved with Dolan and Murphy and they murdered John Tunstall, that was all Billy needed, he would settle the score with Jesse Evans one way or the other.

4^th April 1878 Blazer’s Mill, New Mexico

Andrew “Buckshot” Roberts was a grizzled old buffalo hunter who did not want to become embroiled in a gunfight with the Regulators or the Lincoln County range war. The Regulators led by Richard Brewer included Billy the Kid (aka Billy Bonney) Charlie Bowdre was still hunting down the murders of John Tunstall, and Buckshot was being implicated with the Murphy-Dolan faction, in reality, the poor old fool did not want to be involved with the Lincoln county range war. He had sold his ranch making plans to move away from Lincoln County. He rode his mule over to Blazer’s Mill, a small town on a hillside between Lincoln, New Mexico, and Tularosa, New Mexico, it was owned by Doctor Joseph H Blazer, a dentist. Three days earlier the Regulators had killed Sheriff William Brady and his deputy.

Buckshot had been waiting for a check from the buyer of his ranch, on April 4^th, the old man was surprised to find several of the Regulators including Billy the Kid, Richard Brewer, Charle Bowdre, Doc Scurlock, Frank McNab, George Coe, Frank Coe and John Middleton.

The old man wanted nothing to do with the Regulators, he simply wanted his check. Frank Coe, one of the Regulators attempted to talk Buckshot into surrendering:

“Look Buckshot, we ain’t gonna hurt you if you surrender.” The old man did not trust Frank Coe or anyone else involved with the Regulators, he was afraid they would murder him because he had been involved with Murphy and Dolan.

The head Regulator Dick Brewer grew impatient with the old man, and he decided to send a few of his men outside and arrest Roberts. When Roberts noted the men he jumped up from his cover and fired his Winchester. Buckshot was shot in the stomach by Charlie Bowdre: the gunshot wound to the stomach would prove fatal for Buckshot Roberts. Buckshot was not giving up, he wounded George Coe, and shot off his trigger finger. Billy, once he knew that Buckshot had run out of bullets made a mad dash only to be knocked senseless by the barrel of the Winchester.

Buckshot barricaded himself in the house, the belly wound causing him a great deal of pain, but he ignored the wound. The Regulators were frustrated by one old man who would not surrender. Dick Brewer in the meantime attempted to circle around a pile of logs, he opened fire on Roberts, Brewer was struck in the eye and died of his would. Roberts died the next day both were buried side by side near the house where the gunfight took part.

Billy got his revenge but at the cost of how many lives? Revenge really is a dish served up cold.