Finally these three tough cowboys started for the Pecos river with Jesse Evans. “Billy the Kid” promised to join them later, as he had received word that his Old Mexico chum, Segura, was in jail in San Elizario, Texas, below El Paso. This word had been brought by a Mexican boy, sent by Segura.
The “Kid” told the boy to wait in Mesilla till he and Segura got there.
It was the fall of 1876. Mounted on his favorite gray horse, “Billy the Kid” started at six o’clock in the evening for the eighty-one mile ride to San Elizario.
A swift ride brought him into El Paso, then called Franklin, a distance of fifty-six miles, before midnight. Here he dismounted in front of Peter Den’s saloon to let his noble “Gray” rest. While waiting, he had a few drinks of whiskey, and fed “Gray” some crackers, there being no horse feed at the saloon.
Now for the twenty-five mile dash down the Rio Grande river, over a level road to San Elizario. It was made in quick time. Daylight had not yet begun to break.
Dismounting in front of the jail, the “Kid” knocked on the front door. The Mexican jailer asked; “Quien es?” (Who’s that?)
The “Kid” replied in good Spanish: “Open up, we have two American prisoners here.”
The heavy front door was opened, and the jailer found a cocked pistol pointed at him. Now the frightened guard gave up his pistol and the keys to the cell in which Segura was shackled and handcuffed.
In the rear of the jail building there was another guard asleep. He was relieved of his fire-arms and dagger.
When Segura was free of irons the two guards were gagged so they couldn’t give an alarm, and chained to a post.