| The Gun That Killed Billy The Kid |
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| A letter written by Pat Garrett in 1906, was donated to the Historical Museum of Lawmen at the Dona Ana County Sheriff's Department by two granddaughters of Pat Garrett. Written on an El Paso whiskey seller's letterhead, the typewritten letter is dated April 15, 1906, and actually is an affidavit by Pat Garrett, signed P. L. Garrett, stating that a Colt 44 pistol, Serial No. 55093, is the one he used to end the life of William Bonney. I used the Colt 44 to end his depredation in the County." Garrett states that the pistol and an 1873 Winchester, Serial No. 47629, were both taken from the Kid's gang at the battle of "Stinking Springs," near Portales. "It was a strange turn of events that the very gun that was taken from his gang was later used to end his life, Garrett wrote. "Both guns were new and my position as Sheriff of Lincoln County, allowed me to take and use any equipment that I so desired .... These guns are of the same calibre and were very handy, because only one kind of ammunition had to be carried. "It should be known that Billy the kid was killed that night and does not now live in Mexico as some people have stated". Despite Garrett's own statements, there are many who question whether Garrett really killed Billy the Kid. |
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| Territory of New Mexico County of San Miguel Precinct No.27 To the District Attorney of the First Judicial District of the Territory of New Mexico. Greetings: On this 15th day of July, A.D. 1881, I, the undersigned, Justice of the Peace of the above named precinct, received information that a murder had taken place a Fort Sumner, in said precinct, and immediately upon receiving said information I proceeded to the said place and named Milnor Rudulph, Jose Silva, Antonio Savedra, Pedro Antonio Lucero, Lorenzo Jaramillo and Sabal Gutierres a jury to investigate the case and the above jury convened at the home of Luz B. Maxwell and proceeded to a room in said in said house where they found the body of William Bonney alias "Kid" with a shot on the left breast and having examined the body they examined the evidence of Pedro Maxwell, which evidence is as follows: "I being in my bed in my room, at about midnight on the 14th day of July, Pat F. Garrett came into my room and sat at the end of my bed to converse with me. A short while after Garrett had sat down William Bonney came in and got close to my bed with a gun in his hand and asked me "Who is it? Who Is It?" and then Pat F. Garrett fired two shots at the said William Bonney and the said William Bonney fell near my fire place and I went out of the room and when I came in again in about three or four minutes after the shots the said William Bonney was dead." The jury has found the following verdict: We of the jury unanimously find that William Bonney has been killed by a shot on the left breast near the region of the heart, the same having been fired with a gun in the hand of Pat F. Garrett and our verdict is that the deed of said Garrett was justifiable homicide and we are unanimous in the opinion that the gratitude of all the community is due to the said Garrett for his deed and is worthy of being rewarded. M. Rudulph President Anto. Savedra Pedro Anto. Lucero Jose X Silba Sabal X Gutierrez Lorenzo X Jaramillo All said information I place to your knowledge. Alejandro Segura Justice of the Peace. |