Billy the Kid
Western Folk Hero and Outlaw
Notorious Villan
William H. Bonney, also known as Billy the Kid, is best known for his immense skill with using and killing with firearms. According to legend, Billy killed more than 21 men, which is more than anybody in all of New Mexico. Billy is also known for the bounty of $5000 placed on his head by Lew Wallace, the governor of New Mexico.
Picture of Billy the Kid
Billy the Kid - Wanted Poster
Billy the Kid's Grave
Childhood Heros
While Billy the Kid was known for his escapades involving the wrong side of the law, Billy didn't start that way. As a young kid, whose mother had recently died of tuberculosis, Billy needed to provide for himself, and found a place to live. Billy worked and lived in a hotel, but despite his later "career" outside the law, his employer and schoolteacher agreed that he was one of the best behaved children they knew. It is reported that Billy fell into the wrong side of the law because of Dime Novels that made thieves and criminals seem like the heroes, and Billy wanted to become just like them. Billy's experiences show that all it takes is an outside influence to turn an apple sour.