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Pat Garrett's Colt SAA That Killed Billy The Kid

8K views 32 replies 18 participants last post by  Chaffee 
#1 ·
From the Jan 24,1933 Lampasas (TX) Daily Leader. Some of us knew about this lawsuit event, but Pearl Grips?
 

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#7 · (Edited)
As far as I know, eventually all of Pat Garrett's guns, as loaned to the Coney Island Saloon in El Paso, were returned. Jarvis Garrett, son of Pat Garrett, apparently inherited these and made us aware of their existence in the 1970's. Jarvis attended a number of TGCA gun shows. Like Pat, Jarvis was about 6' 5" and weighed only about 140 pounds. He was interesting to talk with.

Other guns from the Garrett family included (1) a 1st Model Win 1873 SRC as taken from Billy the Kid at Stinking Springs, NM, (2) S&W New Model Russian 44 Russian, (3) Colt M1877DA engraved by M. Hartley & Co. with silver grips as presented to Pat Garrett in 1903 (when Pres. Roosevelt appointed him Customs Agent), (4) Some small cheap "hideaway" revolvers, (5) a couple of gold watches, with at least one being a presentation to Pat.
 
#28 · (Edited)
Looks like by oct 1934 it had went through the various courts and Mrs. Garrett got the six shooter.

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The truly odd thing, to me, is that Powers' estate wasn't probated until 1974; at that time the attorneys stated the Garrett revolver had been disposed of by returning it to the widow (but without saying when). ALL the other guns in his estate were sold at that time, and many ended up in Charlie III's own estate sold off early this century.

Also not generally known is that Powers was a suicide very shortly after buying Tom Threepersons' guns for fifty dollars in late 1929. Although his death was not from his gunshot wound; but rather from the cancer that likely caused him to shoot himself in despair, his wife having died two years prior. He left a complete inventory of the guns of the famous that he had in his collection; and I have a copy of that list.

Don't overlook the significance of 'late 1929' to the tale. There were lots of suicides in late 1929.

Tom Threepersons, in contrast, put that $50 (and more? who knows) from Powers towards buying acreage in New Mexico near Gila, to create his TV Bar Ranch in 1930. Our research for the book Holstory turned up the exact location of his ranch there; Google Earth showing it now as just scrubland.
 
#6 ·
"...and the gun remained in the Garrett family until Garrett’s son Jarvis sold it in 1976 to Texas-based collector Calvin Moerbe, who, in turn, sold it to Jim Earle in 1983."

https://www.historynet.com/jim-earles-priceless-historic-gun-collection-includes-items-garrett-ringo-hardin.htm

The question is...Since Earle passed away just recently...Where is the gun right now?
 
#22 · (Edited)
Guns like this one might show up in a high profile auction or it may remain in the family or it may have already been sold to a fellow collector before or after Mr. Earle's passing. Eventually it will surface I bet.

I talked with a friend of a friend and so far no one knows what has become of this gun. Interestingly enough I was told that the great baseball pitcher Jim Palmer is Mr. Earle's son in law.
 
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#11 · (Edited)
https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/n...-will-be-returned-to-garretts-widow/31521121/

Here is another El Paso newspaper article from 1934 with some more info on Pat Garrett's "Billy The Kid" Colt. The gun was returned to Mrs. Garrett.




***"One of the most famous weapons of the wild west, the gun that killed Billy the Kid, tomorrow will be returned to Mrs. Pat Garrett, widow of the pioneer sheriff who ended the young desperado's bloody career.
At a little ceremony in Las Cruces, N. M., Atty. U.S. Goen, who obtained possession of the gun for Mrs. Garrett after a legal battle that went to the Supreme court of Texas, will hand her the historic, single-action, .44 caliber revolver.
Mrs. Garrett is ill, but said she would be able to stand on the front porch of ,her Las Cruces home and receive the gun.
The weapon was left with Tom Powers for exhibition purposes in his old Coney Island saloon in 1904.
Sheriff Garrett was killed in 1908, and Mr. Powers kept the gun until he died a few years ago, when it was appraised as part of the Powers estate.


Mrs. Garrett sued Dr. J. B. Brady, administrator of the Powers estate, for the gun, and finally won her suit.
A notorious figure in the Lincoln county, N. M. cattle war, late in the last century, Billy the Kid achieved renown for his daring escape from officers and for other exploits."***

Real Western!
 
#13 · (Edited)
And they still don't know for sure- who killed Pat Garrett.

I would bet on Jim Miller- as the culprit.




https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/arti...-badge-nets-100-000-3280066.php#photo-2429531

Here is another article about Pat Garrett's badge and rifle.

***"The star was made of gold and given to the legendary lawman after he shot and killed the one of the mos"t famous outlaws in the old west: William H. Bonney. Better known as Billy the Kid.
Later, the man who gave the badge to Garrett disappeared and was presumed murdered along with his young son. Garrett, too, died from a bullet during a land dispute. Garrett's killer died at the hands of a lynch mob.
It's that history - that link to a storied past - that brings out the collectors, and their pocketbooks.
Garrett's badge was part of a large collection of peace officers' badges that went on the block Monday at Greg Martin Auctions. Another badge in the collection, one that used to belong to the Stockton police chief, went for $32,000.


Garrett's badge fetched $100,000."***

I think his 73 Winchester, hammered down at thirty thousand dollars.
 
#15 · (Edited)
I lived in Las Cruces across the road from the arroyo where Pat Garrett was killed, in the 90s. Southern New Mexico had a very violent past. That badge is engraved, "To Pat Garrett. With the best regards of A.J. Fountain. 1881.". We used to go to see music at the Fountain Theatre in Mesilla. Albert Fountain was a leading attorney who was prosecuting cattle rustlers in Lincoln county, when he and his son were ambushed and killed near White Sands. The bodies were never found. Oliver Lee was a prime suspect, and was tracked by Garrett. https://www.albertfountain.com/inde...6:albert-jennings-fountain-history&Itemid=105
https://truewestmagazine.com/who-killed-col-fountain/
Strangely, Fountain also represented Billy the Kid when he was tried for murder in Mesilla, but lost. The kid headed to Lincoln for the execution, but escaped as we know.

We used to arrowhead hunt near these places, and many abandoned old ranches and Indian sites that had checkered histories. My good friend James lived in Hillsboro, NM, an old mining town that was attacked by Apaches, had the trial for Oliver Lee (suspect in the Fountain murders, who had been tracked by Pat Garrett's posse), and more. Good times for a history lover.
 
#16 ·
When Billy the Kid and three others were caught at Stinking Springs (and one killed), Garrett confiscated and kept the brand new Winchester SRC .44 and matching Colt from "Billy Wilson". Quite a score! Said in one book to be Garrett's favorite guns after that. If "the Kid" ever checked out "Billy Wilson's" new gun, he held the very pistol that would be used against him about a year later.
 
#18 · (Edited)
https://www.historynet.com/the-real-killer-of-the-sheriff-who-shot-billy-the-kid.htm

Here's a article from "History Net" putting the theory up that Jim Miller was the assassin of Pat Garrett. Miller was one of the most deadly killers in the old west- been several books written on him but they are pricy and long out of print.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Miller_(outlaw)

Miller was a killer for hire whose cover was that of a church deacon, he wore a long frock coat at all times, under the coat was a steel plate hung around his neck by a leather thong. Miller took 5 rds in the chest in a gun fight- and much to the surprise of his opponent did not die. Later in another battle, Miller was shot and wounded, his friends put him in a bed and dressed his wounds. That's when they found out about his bullet proof chest plate.



Miller was hung by irate citizens after another murder in 1909.
 
#20 ·
FOUR MEN PAY PRICE OF BOBBITT'S DEATH
MILLER, ALLEN, WEST AND BURRELL ARE
LYNCHED BY MOB AT ADA THIS MORNING

Four Men Hanged in Ada, Oklahoma

Here is a link from "Oklahoma history" with a newspaper story right after the event-about the end of Jim Miller- Its from the; "The Daily Ardmoreite
Ardmore, Oklahoma
Monday, April 19, 1909"It has a lot of background on the end of Jim Miller, prime suspect in the Pat Garrett case.
 
#21 ·
"A lynch mob, reported by The Daily Ardmoreite as numbering 200 and by Associated Press as "estimated from 30 to 40 in number", broke into the jail "between two and three o'clock" on the morning of April 19, 1909. They dragged the four suspects outside to an abandoned livery stable behind the jail. Miller remained stoic while the other three reportedly begged for their lives. Miller made two final requests: that his diamond ring be given to his wife and that he be permitted to wear his black hat while being hanged. Both requests were granted. He also asked to die in his black frock coat; this request was denied.[9] Miller is reported to have shouted, "Let 'er rip!" and stepped voluntarily off his box to hang.

The bodies of all four men were left hanging for several hours, until a photographer could be brought in to record the moment. These photos were sold to tourists in Ada for many years. "


Reading about this life seems he got away with "murder" several times. But in the end he ended up dancing a jig at the end of a rope.

Bovine Farm Stable
 
#24 · (Edited)
Miller was one of the more dastardly characters in the old west with a very strange M.O. For all the carnage he did he is little known, I had never heard of him until about 10 years ago. Never been portrayed in film but pretty sure he will be soon- his strange story is becoming better known.





This book by the late Glenn Shirley is one of the only books done on him- hard to find it and quite pricy, may spring for it later but I am trying to curtail my book addiction lol. Anyone have it if so how is it?

https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-jamesmiller/

I lived in New Mexico in the early 70's lot of old west history there, went to some of the Kid's hangouts but did not know enough to dig deep into the old west history of N.M.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aALKo6xS43Y

Here is the "Billy The Kid" tune done by the great Ry Cooder. Best one I have heard.

"When a man's only friend was his old .44"

Real Western...
 
#25 · (Edited)
Posted by Ugly: "And they still don't know for sure- who killed Pat Garrett.

I would bet on Jim Miller- as the culprit".

In reading the book "Mean As Hell" by lawman Dee Harkey printed late 1940's, in one of the last chapters is something pretty damning about Jim Miller. Harkey knew Jim Miller from his earliest days as a Texas lawman. Harkey and his brother stormed a house to make an arrest, and found Jim Miller inside saying "Don't shoot me kid"!! Within a day after Pat Garrett was murdered, Miller came racing onto Harkey's ranch house location on a worn-out horse. He begged Harkey for the loan of a fresh horse, and his parting words were "I just killed Pat Garrett".

Jim Miller was very reckless in making such statements, because he had never been convicted of any of his murders.
 
#26 ·
Totally by chance, I met Jim Miller's great grandson, Jim Miller in 1997. We had established a business relationship, and he saw on my office wall a picture of four Texas Rangers. Now knowing my interest in old west events, he told me about kids in grade school taunting him with comments like "I saw your G. Grandfather hanging in a barn". His parents confirmed that this was true.

A Small World is this one, sometimes.
 
#27 · (Edited)
Back to Billy The Kid, does everyone know that this "Elusive" outlaw appeared in the 1880 Census?

During June 17-19 this 1880 Census page represented some of the Fort Sumner, NM residents. On line 22 is Wm Bonny, a white male age 25, occupation: "Work In Cattle". Although we have been told that Billy was born in NYC, here he claims "Missouri". [History has recorded that Garrett killed Bonny July 14, 1881 right here in Fort Sumner].

On line 20 is Billy's friend Charles Bowdre, a white male age 32, occupation: "Work In Cattle", born in Mississippi. [On December 23, 1880 Bowdre will be killed by Garrett's posse at Stinking Springs].

Line 21 notes Bowdre's wife Manuella, a white female age 25, born in NM and "Keeping House".

On other pages I also found Pete Maxwell, who had "taken over" the abandoned Fort Sumner for use as his Home and Rental Housing.

Many will wonder about Billy's age, as we have been told that he would be 20 in 1880. But that "25" is very clear to read.
 

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#31 ·
Please, please, please tell me it's not on GunBroker in a numbered box!!! Oh, OK. Never mind.
 
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