Billy the Kid

Comment by Steve McCarty on April 21, 2012 at 5:06pm

This is the kid along with Deluvina Maxwell and Paulita Maxwell.  I think this was taken shortly before his death.  That rifle is probably Pete Maxwells and you can see it today, but cut down right where it turns from oct to round in the Ruidoso River Museum.

There is a better copy of this image, but it's never been made public.  This pic was found near Viroqua, Wis where Morgan lived who took other pics of the kid.

One can see that he was rather slim..quite slim and not too tall. 

This is Billy the Kid, and you can bet your life on it.

Comment by Polly Gulley on April 22, 2012 at 7:20am

I don't know. It's a neat photo but how can you be sure? If somehow that rifle could be matched to Billy's it would certainly be a step up.

Comment by Polly Gulley on April 22, 2012 at 8:09am

Steve, I have to say you have a collection of some pretty fantastic photos. Too bad they can't be authenticated. Being that they are obviously from Sallie Chism's own photo album that gives them a lot of status. Thanks for sharing them.

Comment by Steve McCarty on April 22, 2012 at 8:14am

My major reason that I am sure the trio pic is BTK, Del and Paulita is because the people look like them, but the location of the photo adds.  As for the rifle.   I've seen it.  It has been cut down just where it turns from oct to round, and a new front sight is afixed.  It had been Garrett's as I recall.  It was cut down to use as a toy.  It no longer functions, but since it was supposed to have been taken by Garrett from the kid it has to be this rifle.  Those were relatively rare rifles.  It just adds up that's all. Is it absolute? Oh, prolly not, but it's enough for me. 

Comment by Polly Gulley on April 22, 2012 at 8:23am

I don't think there is ever going to be a slam dunk but sounds good.

Comment by Steve McCarty on April 22, 2012 at 8:46am

Slam dunk? It's been 131 years.  I like my Sallie Chisum connection tho.  That one goes in at the buzzer.

Comment by Polly Gulley on April 22, 2012 at 9:50am

I think Sallie was a very popular girl. Probably very popular with all the young men in her area. Why wouldn't she have all their photographs. She may not have taken Billy's attention seriously but he apparently did. I bet he gave her photos of himself. Why not. Why do people find it so hard to believe???

Comment by Steve McCarty on April 22, 2012 at 10:39am

Hmmm; yeah, I follow your points.  If these are Billy, Deluvina and Paulita (as I believe them to be) then it looks like Paulita and the Kid were an "item".  Paulita is obviously not concerned about being seen with Billy the Kid, who may by this time, have carried that handle.  Deluvina was Paulita's servant.  She had been a slave and was kidnapped from her Navajo family in Canyon De Chelly. (pronounced "de Shay") 

As the story goes Billy and Paulita were scheming to elope to Old Mexico, probably soon after the time he was killed.  Newly found testimony says that Paulita ran into the bedroom right after the kid was killed and placed the knife and his pistol on a side table.  The pistol, which would have been a nice new Thunderer (or Lightening) was removed by someone and never seen again.

Paulita was probably pregnant with the Kid's baby.  Immediately after Billy's death she married another fellow and soon thereafter gave birth to a baby boy, when grown he looked a lot like the Kid. Nor was her marriage a long and happy one. 

Were the kid and Paulita planning to run off and get married?  I think probably. The Kid must have been sick and tired of being on the run.  

Comment by Polly Gulley on April 22, 2012 at 11:14am

Billy was absolutely in that house. It doesn't make any sense that he was walking around outside in the dark with no shoes on. I believe Billy and Paulita were romantically involved and that she may have been pregnant. The son Telesfor Jaramillo was said to be born in 1882 but there is some question as to his real birth date. I'm sure if he was Billy's son and he certainly looks more like Billy than Paulita's husband they would have covered up his real birth date. People usually tried to cover up a pregnancy out of wedlock. As for Deluvina she worshiped Billy literally and she would have done about anything for him. It is my impressions that if Pat Garrett had not killed Billy he and Paulita would have gone to Mexico. 

Comment by Steve McCarty on April 22, 2012 at 1:14pm

I agree.  You've read Paulita's statement about her relationship with the kid?  She hints to a lot of goings on, but is never definite. I think it likely that she was pregnant with Telesfor (interesting name) and we've all seen his picture.  Nice looking young fella. Looks kind of like the kid.

There's a story that after Billy's death that Deluvina pounded on Garrett's check calling him a "p" pot.  His chest was about as far ups she could reach.  D wasn't very tall. G was.  

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