Polly Gulley's Comments

Hello to all, I am new to True West. I love researching the old west and I'm a huge fan of Billy the Kid. A friend of mine recently shared a photo of Billy the Kid with me. I'm not sure if there is any provenance as of yet for this photo. It is purported to be Billy and Mariano Ulibarri and belonged to a lady who lived in Anton Chico. I would appreciate comments and opinions about this photo.

In my opinion, you don't have an image of Billy the Kid.  -Mel

Hello Melvin, Thank you for your response. It may not be Billy. That is what I'm trying to determine. There are so many purported photos floating around out there these days and many of them have no resemblance to the authenticated one. But, that one in my opinion is so distorted that it's probably nothing like Billy really looked in life.   

Hi Polly, I don't see any similarity between your photograph and the one undisputed photograph of Billy the Kid. 

Hi Dolan, I don't know that this is Billy. A friend shared it with me a few days ago and I just wanted to see if anyone thought it might be.

Here is a link to a web site I found. This lady is supposed to be an expert in photography and being able to determine if a picture is a picture of a particular person. Anyway, if I understand her right she has determined that the de Aragon could not be Billy. I thought that photo had been tested and found to be a probable photo of William Bonney. She also looked at a photo belonging to Steve  McCarty and she has determined that picture also to not be Bonney. I would love opinions about this. Here is the link.  http://www.photorestorics.com/article-324.html

Joelle Steele's bottom line is that though she can rule out photos as being BTK, she will never be able to definitely rule a photo in, as the only known and accepted exemplar of a BTK photo is of such poor quality.

Polly,

It’s real rare that we have a photo expert and a preeminent internet research whiz like you all in one person on TW.   So far you have found and posted twelve photos you found on the internet that are claimed to be Billy.  Astounding; fantastic.  If it’s found on the internet, it has to be true.  Keep them coming because there can’t be enough.  You’re making that guy that bought the Fort Sumner tintype for a million bucks look like he was had.  Nice work!  Expect to be a consultant to BBB.

Dolan

Polly,

Thanks for posting that link!  I had never seen that website and there was one alleged Billy there I had never seen. I have no idea how solid that person's credentials are for facial comparison but it's interesting nonetheless. 

You're welcome Chris.

Dolan, Thank you for calling me an expert. That was so nice of you. I do lots of research. BBB hasn't requested my assistance with my expertise yet but if he does I just might help him out. Well thank you so much for saying that it was pretty astounding to have found so many photos. Really appreciate you saying that. Just shows what hard work and a lot of time spent researching can get ya. Can you tell I'm trying to be just as nice to you here as you were to me. I'm such a good girl aint I! My mama would be so proud of me.