Dear kenm0re-ga;
The legend you referred to in your question is but one of the claims
about Billy the Kid?s name.
The first recorded killing committed by Billy the Kid was on August
17, 1877. This is also believed to have been where he got his nickname
?Kid?, but probably not ?Billy the Kid?. The story has it that he got
in a fight with Frank Cahill, an army blacksmith, in a saloon where
the blacksmith slapped him (rather than hit him with his fist
presumably because he looked like a wispy teenager) and threw him to
the floor. Knowing that he couldn?t beat the considerably larger and
more experienced blacksmith Billy drew his gun and shot the
blacksmith, resulting his is death a day later. Billy was arrested for
the murder he escaped and began his life of running from the law. It
was here that he was commonly referred to as ?the kid?, or probably
more realistically, ?that kid who killed the blacksmith?.
Interestingly enough ?Billy the Kid? was not the outlaw?s only alias
during his short, fateful life and it was certainly not his first.
Sheriff Pat Garret, a one-time friend of Billy?s, was known to have
affectionately refer to Billy as ?Little Casino? and Billy called him
?Big Casino? in like manner. There is however much more to the story
about the names acquired by the man we now know as ?Billy the Kid?:
?At that time, he was known as William Bonney, and it may surprise
some readers to learn that was neither his birth name nor his first
nickname. He was born Henry McCarty in New York City in 1859. He moved
several times with his mother Catherine and his older brother Joe
before ending up in Silver City with his mother's new husband, William
Antrim. After his mother died, Henry was placed in a series of foster
homes. He held several menial positions such dishwasher and waiter,
but eventually ran afoul of the law for petty theft. Henry escaped
from jail and wandered for a while in Arizona. He returned to New
Mexico in the 1870s, having already killed his first man and sporting
the alias Kid Antrim. Soon after, Henry, now known as William Bonney,
became involved in the Lincoln County War.?
GORE VIDAL?S BILLY THE KID
http://www.vkn.com/movies/misc/legend.html
Billy must have gotten word, probably from wanted posters and hearsay,
that he was being called ?the Kid?, and this may have spawned his
self-imposed title ?Kid Antrim?. I found no authoritative evidence to
confirm the version you offered us but neither can I confirm the ones
I am offering here. In fact, the true origin of his nickname appears
to be shrouded in mystery.
I realize this does prove or disprove the origin as you had hoped but
if it is acceptable as an answer under the circumstances I would
appreciate it if you?d let me know.
Regards;
Tutuzdad-ga |
