McCarty

William McCarty; yep that was the handle his mom gave him when he was born in the tenements of New York City.

That was not too long ago; November 23, 1859.

Someone said that he was recently shot at Fort Sumner, New Mexico.

So sad; only 21 years old.

But many have said that the world may be better off without him.

He was given the name - - - by who I do not know - - - of "Billy the Kid."

This is the picture of him that the paper mongers are showing us.

Harper's finally got their licks in on the story.

OK - - - OK.  If Harper's says age twenty-two then I was probably wrong.

These are the Allen Street Tenements in New York City where he was born.

Joined a gang there also.

And picked people's pockets.

If that wasn't possible he conked them on the head.

He was very adept at it.

His father - - - was by some accounts - - - unknown. Others have said that the father was Patrick or Michael McCarty. Still others insist it was William Bonney.

That, plus other reasons, is why Billy ended up with so many names; William McCarty, Henry McCarty, William Bonney, Henry Antrim and Kid Antrim.

Where did the "Antrim" come from? That was his step-fathers name.

His mother, Catherine McCarty married Antrim and they headed out west by way of Indiana and New Mexico.

She died in Silver City, New Mexico of consumption.

So young Billy, not skilled in much of anything, tried his hand at being a cowboy.
 
The skills he learned were then put to good use as a rustler; or hornswaggler as others call it.

Moving up the ladder he tried lawman and gambler.

But his best skill was as a murderer.

And he died the same way.

 

©W. Tomosky♠