A FIERCE BATTLE WITH APACHE INDIANS. SINGLE HANDED BILLY BONNEY LIBERATES
SEGURA FROM JAIL.
In the city of Chihuahua, the two desperadoes led a hurrah life among the
sporting elements. Finally their money was gone and their luck at cards
went against them. Then Billy and Segura held up and robbed several monte
dealers, when on the way home after their games had closed for the night.
One of these monte dealers had offended Billy, which caused his death.
One morning before the break of day, this monte dealer was on his way
home; a peon was carrying his fat "bank roll" in a buckskin bag, finely
decorated with gold and silver threads.
When nearing his residence in the outskirts of the city, Segura and young
Bonney made a charge from behind a vacant adobe building. The one-sided
battle was soon over. A popular Mexican gambler lay stretched dead on the
ground. The peon willingly gave up the sack of gold and silver.
Now towards the Texas border, in a north-easterly direction, a distance of
three hundred miles, as fast as their mounts could carry them.
When their horses began to grow tired, other mounts were secured. Their
bills were paid enroute, with gold doubloons taken from the buckskin sack.
On reaching the Rio Grande river, which separates Texas from the Republic
of Mexico, the young outlaws separated for the time being.
Billy Bonney finally met up with his Silver City chum, Jesse Evans, and
they became partners in crime, in the bordering state of Texas, and the
Territories of New Mexico and Arizona. Many robberies and some murders
were committed by these smooth-faced boys, and they had many narrow
escapes from death, or capture. Fresh horses were always at their command,
as they were experts with the lasso, and the scattering ranchmen all had
bands of ponies on the range.
On one occasion the boys ate dinner with a party of Texas emigrants, and
were well treated. Leaving the emigrant camp, a band of renegade Apache
Indians were seen skulking in the hills. The boys concealed themselves to
await results, as they felt sure a raid was to be made on the emigrants,
who were headed for the Territory of Arizona. There were only three men in
the party, and several women and children.
Just at dusk, the boys, who were stealing along their trail in the low,
flint covered hills, heard shooting.
Realizing that a battle was on, Billy Bonney and Jesse Evans put spurs to
their mounts and reached the camp just in time.
By this time it was dark. The three men had succeeded in standing off the
Indians for awhile, but finally a rush was made on the camp, by the reds,
with blood curdling war whoops.
At that moment the two young heroes charged among the Indians and sprang
off their horses, with Winchester rifles in hand.
For a few moments the battle raged. One bullet shattered the stock of
Billy's rifle, cripping his left hand slightly. He then dropped the rifle
and used his pistol.
When the battle was over, eight dead Indians lay on the ground.
The emigrants had shielded themselves by getting behind the wagons. Two of
the men were slightly wounded, and the other dangerously shot through the
stomach. One little girl had a fractured skull from a blow on the head
with a rifle. The mother of the child fainted on seeing her daughter fall.
In telling of this battle, Billy Bonney said the war-whoops shouted by
himself and Jesse, as they charged into the band of Indians, helped to win
the battle. He said a bullet knocked the heel off one of his boots, and
that Jesse's hat was shot off his head. He felt sure that the man shot
through the stomach died, though he never heard of the party after
separating.
Soon after the Indian battle Billy Bonney and Jesse Evans landed in the
Mexican village of La Mesilla, New Mexico, and there met up with some of
Jesse's chums. Their names were Jim McDaniels, Bill Morton, and Frank
Baker.
During their stay in Mesilla, Jim McDaniels christened Billy Bonney,
"Billy the Kid," and that name stuck to him to the time of his death.
Finally these three tough cowboys started for the Pecos river with Jesse
Evans. "Billy the Kid" promised to join them later, as he had received
word that his Old Mexico chum, Segura, was in jail in San Elizario, Texas,
below El Paso. This word had been brought by a Mexican boy, sent by
Segura.
The "Kid" told the boy to wait in Mesilla till he and Segura got there.
It was the fall of 1876. Mounted on his favorite gray horse, "Billy the
Kid" started at six o'clock in the evening for the eighty-one mile ride to
San Elizario.
A swift ride brought him into El Paso, then called Franklin, a distance of
fifty-six miles, before midnight. Here he dismounted in front of Peter
Den's saloon to let his noble "Gray" rest. While waiting, he had a few
drinks of whiskey, and fed "Gray" some crackers, there being no horse feed
at the saloon.
Now for the twenty-five mile dash down the Rio Grande river, over a level
road to San Elizario. It was made in quick time. Daylight had not yet
begun to break.
Dismounting in front of the jail, the "Kid" knocked on the front door. The
Mexican jailer asked; "Quien es?" (Who's that?)
The "Kid" replied in good Spanish: "Open up, we have two American
prisoners here."
The heavy front door was opened, and the jailer found a cocked pistol
pointed at him. Now the frightened guard gave up his pistol and the keys
to the cell in which Segura was shackled and handcuffed.
In the rear of the jail building there was another guard asleep. He was
relieved of his fire-arms and dagger.
When Segura was free of irons the two guards were gagged so they couldn't
give an alarm, and chained to a post.
The two outlaws started out in the darkest part of the night, just before
day, Segura on "Gray" and the "Kid" trotting by his side, afoot.
An hour later the two desperadoes were at a confederate's ranch across the
Rio Grande river, in Old Mexico.
After filling up with a hot breakfast, the "Kid" was soon asleep, while
Segura kept watch for officers. The "Kid's" noble "Gray" was fed and with
a mustang, kept hidden out in the brush.
Now the ranchman rode into San Elizario to post himself on the jail break.
Hurrying back to the ranch, he advised his two guests to "hit the high
places," as there was great excitement in San Elizario.
Reaching La Mesilla, New Mexico, the two young outlaws found the boy who
had carried the message to "Billy the Kid," from Segura, and rewarded him
with a handful of Mexican gold.