Billy the Kid's Writings, Words, and Wit

Billy the Kid's Writings, Words, and Wit is the definitive study of the written and spoken legacy of Old West icon, William H. Bonney aka Billy the Kid; and includes pertinent original period documents. All Billy Bonney's known communications are printed in full: deposition, court transcript, bill of sale, letters, and newspaper interviews. And originals of all his writings are reproduced in an appendix. In addition, presented is a new and historically important Billy the Kid letter, authenticated here by the author. Being revisionist history, the text - analyzing everything from Billy Bonney's Spencerian penmanship to his intellectual brilliance - places his words in the context of his times; and includes writings of his contemporaries: friends and foes. The reader is also transported into the virtual reality of his world by excerpts from the author's docufiction novel, Joy of the Birds, which provide psychological and historical insights into the people impacting Billy's writings and words. He is portrayed as a last surviving freedom fighter from the 1878, multi-cultural Lincoln County War uprising against the corrupt Santa Fe Ring political cabal, which his side lost. Analyzed also are Billy's failed pardon negotiations for his Lincoln County War murder indictments, sought from hypocritical Territorial Governor Lew Wallace, more interested in completing his future bestseller, Ben Hur, and getting an ambassadorship to Turkey, than in achieving justice for the Territory's beleaguered citizens. Furthering comprehension of Billy the Kids personality, is demonstration of his ironic wit in his writings and newspaper interviews. Revealed is not only his quick mind, but his cocky courage in the face of political injustice. About his impending hanging, he merely joked to a reporter that the laugh was on him. The historical matrix for Billy Bonney's writings, words, and wit is expanded by a section summarizing his entire history; which includes the drama of the two million acre Maxwell Land Grant sale; and Billy's star-crossed romance with the Territory's richest heiress, young Paulita Maxwell. In her family's Fort Sumner mansion, he was fatally shot by Sheriff Pat Garrett, who ambushed him in her traitorous brother's bedroom on July 14, 1881. Implications of Billy the Kid's writings and words, and their context of political freedom fight, are brought to the present with discussion of the modern Santa Fe Ring and its 2003 hijack attempt on his history by a law enforcement and forensic hoax meant to enrich its promulgators; but based on ignoring the literacy demonstrated in this book by claiming Billy the Kid was actually the illiterate, long discredited, 20th century pretender Oliver "Brushy Bill" Roberts. The book's long bibliography, roster of acknowledgments, and index provide access to the books multiple and varied foundation sources.