The name of the newspaperman was J.H. Koogler. Koogler was the editor
and publisher of the Las Vegas Gazette.
" On December 3, 1880, William Bonney is mentioned for the first time
as 'Billy the Kid' in Koogler's article: 'There's a powerful gang of
outlaws harassing the stockmen of the Pecos and Panhandle country, and
terrorizing the people of Fort Sumner and vicinity. The gang includes
forty or fifty men, all hard characters, the offscourings of society,
fugitives from justice, and desperadoes by profession....the gang is
under the leadership of 'Billy the Kid,' a desperate cuss, who is
eligible for the post of captain of any crowd, no matter how mean or
lawless.' "
About Billy the Kid: Frequently Asked Questions
http://www.aboutbillythekid.com/frequently_asked_questions.htm#How%20did%20William%20H.%20Bonney%20get%20the%20title%20of%20Billy%20the%20Kid
A wealth of interesting information and speculation about Billy the
Kid may be found on the website linked above, which calls itself "the
most informative Billy the Kid website on the Net. Here's its
homepage:
About Billy the Kid
http://www.aboutbillythekid.com/index.html
Going far afield from verifiable fact, here is an apocryphal (but
entertaining) tale of the nickname's origin:
On August 17, 1877, he is supposed to have, according to legend, first
heard himself called 'Billy the Kid,' a name that would forever brand
him and unite him with the zenith players in the saga of the Old West.
The anecdote goes unproven ? it is tongue-in-cheek -- but it is
colorful and bears relating here.
Billy had drifted into the quiet plains town of Camp Grant, Arizona,
that day. Burning from a hot desert sun, he sought refuge in the
town's saloon. Inside, as he tried to order a beer, anvil-fisted
blacksmith Frank P. Cahill, who had had a few shots of whiskey too
many, began picking on the skinny visitor filmed by trail dust and
wearing the whisp of a dirty goatee. Cahill, whose braggadocio
reputation had earned him the nickname 'Windy,' wouldn't let up: 'Look
at this guy, he looks like a little scared billy goat ? Neeeigh!
Bleeeeeeeat! I'm gunna call you Billy the Kid Goat!' he guffawed. The
other, who remained silent due to the blacksmith's overbearing size,
retaliated however when Windy shoved. Slaps turned to punches and
suddenly Billy found himself overcome and on the barroom floor, being
kicked face-- and chest-ward -- until Billy drew his six-shooter and
blew the wind forever out of Windy.
Managing to keep ahead of the vigilantes who gathered from within the
tavern, Billy during his exit heard one of them shout, 'Stop him! Stop
him! String up that Billy the Kid!'
Did it really happen this way? Probably not. But, in the annals of the
American West, where legend outdoes fact ? but usually generates from
fact ? it's best to go with the legend."
Court TV's Crime Library: Sound of the Guns
http://www.crimelibrary.com/americana/kid/2.htm
Google search strategy:
Google Web Search: "title OR name" + "billy the kid"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=title+OR+name+%22billy+the+kid%22
I hope this is precisely the kind of information you were seeking. If
it is not, please request clarification; I'll be glad to offer further
assistance before you rate my answer.
Best regards,
pinkfreud |
