When the Mexican called out that they would surrender, Robert W. Beckwith, a cattleman of Seven Rivers, and John Jones, stepped around the corner of the building in full view of the kitchen door.
A shot was fired at Beckwith and wounded him on the hand. Then Beckwith opened fire and shot Lawyer McSween, though this was not a death shot. Another shot from Beckwith’s gun killed Vicente Romero. Now the “Kid” planted a bullet in Beckwith’s head, and he fell over dead. Leaping over Beckwith’s body, the band made a run for the river. The “Kid” was in the lead yelling: “Come on, boys!” Tom O’Phalliard was in the rear. He made his escape amidst flying bullets, without a scratch, although he had stopped to pick up his friend Harvey Morris. Finding him dead he dropped the body.
McSween fell dead in the back yard with nine bullets in his body, which was badly scorched by the fire, before he left the building.
It was 10 P. M. when the fight had ended. Seven men had been killed and many wounded. Only two of Turner’s posse were killed, while the “Kid” lost five,—McSween, Morris and three Mexicans.
CHAPTER VII.
“BILLY THE KID” KILLS TWO MORE MEN. AT THE HEAD OF A RECKLESS BAND, HE STEALS HORSES BY THE WHOLESALE. HE BECOMES DESPERATELY IN LOVE WITH MISS DULCUIEA DEL TOBOSO.
After their escape from Lincoln, “Billy the Kid” got his little band together, and made a business of stealing stock and gambling. Their headquarters were made in the hills near Fort Stanton—only a few miles above Lincoln. The soldiers at the Fort paid no attention to them.
Now Governor Lew Wallace, the famous author of “Ben Hur,” of Santa Fe, the capital of the Territory of New Mexico, issued a proclamation granting a pardon to “Billy the Kid” and his followers, if they would quit their lawlessness, but the “Kid” laughed it off as a joke.