Brushy Bill claimed he was Billy the Kid, who was shot and killed by Pat Garrett in 1881. any questions When all was said and done Governor Mabry bottom of this page). Upon entering the conference room, they were shocked at what they saw. If not, then when exactly did Brushy step into the life of Oliver and begin using his name (it would have had to have been sometime between the census reports)? cocky as ever, and lastly: He knew the history of Billy the Kid Dolan and Campbell killed her attorney, Huston Chapman and the most absurd death was mourned for years by his friends and one of his loyal admirers was Deluvina However, the life of the man known as Brushy Bill Roberts is documented by census, marriage, divorce and WWI registration records from his birth in Sebastian County, Arkansas in 1879, where he was born to parents, Henry Oliver Roberts and Sarah Elizabeth Ferguson, until his death in Hico, Hamilton County, Texas in December 1950. photos of Brushy Bill Roberts and Billy the Kid, one can clearly see the leave New Mexico after his jailbreak 2 1/2 months earlier, what makes people Billy the Kid had a terrible habit of left-handed and illiterate, but like Billy the Kid, he was literate and think that must be blind. Therefore, Oliver's birth date would have no bearing whatsoever on Brushy Bill's claims. couldn't depend on the entire population of Fort Sumner to go along with French that accompanied Billy to Brady's body so the Kid could reclaim his Throughout this early correspondence, Morrison was careful not to reveal what exactly Hines had told him about his true identity. County War and Billy the Kid and since he couldnt read about it, therefore still strongly believe that Brushy Bill Roberts was indeed Billy the Kid. Now is this the right attitude for a woman who knew Garrett The stories told byBrushy Bill seemed quite convincing to the intrigued investigator. Through census records, it is easy to track the life of this Oliver P. Roberts. been shot by Pat Garrett in 1881 and that would have made him two years During the meeting Brushy gave his weak and his death was the greatest hoax in Old West history. In addition, thereis evidence in the historical record that seems to support the claims of Brushy Bill Roberts that he took on his cousin's identity around 1910. Billy the Kid: Beyond the Gravetraces the life of this famous desperado through his role in the Lincoln County War, the alleged killing by Sheriff Pat Garrett, Billy's escape, and his life for the next sixty-nine years. Furthermore, if Brushy was as badly Did thefamed gunslinger Billy the Kidfake his owndeath? famous outlaw are divided and argue so bitterly about Brushy being Billy the Brushy Bill Roberts had numerous gun and knife scars on his body that indicated a life of combat fighting that were inconsistent with the life of a simple farmer. The men behind the scenes of power, known then as the "Santa Fe Ring", at the time used the newspapers to blast Angel and brand him an egotist and a fraud. After Brushy realized his name wasn't being called, he hurried away. Roberts grave site in Hamilton, Texas. not Lutcida, so therefore this Oliver P. Roberts is not Brushy. There is more evidence against it than supporting it. He is said to have rolled his eyes when he heard Brushy Bills story, saying that he would not take any actions concerning the application for Billy the Kids pardon as he didnt believe Brushy Bill was that man. heart attack and died, but his claim to fame did not go with him; today some Billy the Brushy repeatedly contradicted Read another story from us:Surplus of vintage weapons, including Tommy guns, on sale by the St. Louis Police Department. Edition, Kid was very bitter and angry towards the sheriff, not only for the for a farewell fling, but it wasnt with an Indian girl it was with Paulita Also, it would have been insanely foolish for Brushy to claim he was Billy, who still technically had a sentence of death hanging over him, and basically put himself at Mabrys mercy. unveiled that the Kid was actually ambidextrous, so now it's said lines of defense is: Brushy wasn't illiterate -but he wasnt literate Brady held the Kid and Fred Waite captive, so how could the Kid swear Hines told Morrison of his experiences in the Lincoln County Wars with 19th-century American frontier outlaw and gunman, Billy the Kid who was allegedly killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett on July 14, 1881, but he stunned Morrison by claiming that the Kid was still alive and living near Hamilton, Texas under the name Ollie L. "Brushy Bill" Roberts. In short, the private meeting had developed into a media circus. Brushy agreed, and the two parted company for the day. Just got on his horse and Brushy Bill Roberts simply assumed Oliver's identity. questionable. the Kid knew Garrett was in or around Fort Sumner and sent his comrade to where Brushy recalled how Mrs. Maxwell asked if he could be unchained from time. Once again, the real Billy the Kid would have known that. Top $76,000-a-year New Jersey boarding school admits 'more should have been done' to stop bullying of boy, 17, who took his own life after being falsely accused of rape Brushy is literate! Despite my conclusion about Roberts on my Mary Roberts died in 1862 while James was off fighting with Quantrill in the Civil War. One day in 1945, Brushy was walking down a Hico street. meeting was set, it would've been a trap and Garrett would've arrested or Its said that he was buried in Fort Sumner Cemetery the following day alongside two other members of his gang. Lastly, after intensive research nothing at all In the late year of 1949 William Morrison of a law firm heard that Billy the Kid was not killed in Fort Sumner After some talking he admitted that he had been in hiding and was indeed the outlaw Jesse Evans. McDaniels, along with Severo Gallegos, Martile Able, Jose Montoya, and Bill and Sam Jones, all of whom had known Billy the Kid, signed affidavits claiming to verify that Roberts was in fact Billy the Kid. However, when Morrison took Brushy to visit with Severo Gallegos, Brushy spoke with Severo's Mexican neighbor, Josephine Sanchez, in perfect Spanish. THEN he got on his horse and rode off. In the words of the analysts, the study "irrefutably shows that Roberts and the Kid are a very close match" and that the similarity between the two is "amazing." There is some dispute over the claim thatPat Garrett is the man who killed the Kid or if in fact, he died that day. And, finally, to end on the same note that C. L. Sonnichsen did in Alias Billy the Kid, if Brushy Bill was not Billy the Kid, who was he? According to people who knew them, both Brushy and the Kid could write and shoot just as well with either hand. Maxwells bedroom and she also helped prepare his body for burial. left-hand theory, but ignore or beat around the bush on major issues. Fact vs. Jim Tully signed an affidavit that he could speak Spanish as well as a native. Two years later while confined in Santa Fe, the Kid wrote a Witnesses said that Brushy whirled around and reached for an imaginary pistol. Several of the things he knew were known to only a few people at the time, including historians. There were no unbiased websites that merely presented the facts as they were and left it up to the reader to decide for his/herself who Brushy really was. The Kid stuck Billy the Kid and/or his death was a hoax, then I shake my head, throw my hands up in the For example, Brushy said that John Selman fought on the McSween side in the Lincoln County War. beginning when Brushy first came forward with his claim, it was pointed out only one-quarter. According to a museum in Hico, Texas, there's one more name to add to the list of the Kid's aliases: "Brushy" Bill Roberts. On another point to ponder, let's not forget that the birth date November Why must a person looking for information on Billy the Kid via the internet have to visit two different sites, made by two different people with two very different opinions, just to get all the facts? Brushy acquiesced and in June 1949, Morrison visited the old man at his small shack in Hamilton, Texas. the Kid could be unchained from Rudabaugh to go in the next room with a girl his client. Also walking down the street was a five year old boy and his mother. The photo of Brushy at age 90 had a 93% match to the famous tintype. Roberts made it home to his home now in Hico, Texas, where he eventually passed away on December 27, 1950. When it came to the events of the night of July 14, 1881, Brushy said that a man named Billy Barlow was killed by Pat Garrett. For one, the actual grave site of the Kid has been lost to history and there is no body. Rather than face his own legal troubles, Garrett apparently put the body in the ground and called him the Kid. Myth page, Istill get emails from visitors who want more proof But up to the day of his death, Brushy Bill said that he was Billy the Kid. When he proclaimed to Hines that the Kid had met his death at the hands of Sheriff Pat Garrett in the house of one of his relatives, he was shocked to have Hines reply that the Kid was not killed by Garrett, or by anyone else for that matter and was still living. Sheriff Pat Garrett said he killed Billy the Kid, and Dep. Lew Wallace back in 1879. shoulder blown off as if it were a paper cut; gunshots wounds as Brushy He concluded, however, that the man in front of him, just as his contemporaries claimed, was actually Billy the Kid. Instead, even though he had every opportunity to reveal his claim, he continued to secretly work behind the scenes with Morrison to obtain a pardon from Governor Thomas Mabry and insisted that no one know. While Morrison and Hines talked, Hines admitted that he was Jessie Evans, who, after he had been released from prison in Texas in 1882, had by all accounts disappeared. rifle and Alex McSweens arrest warrant. Now if they knew it wasnt him, why would they waste their helping the Kid escape, but Lobato wasnt even at Fort Sumner at that Source: Fair use. Many years later Billy the Kids Fort Sumner After He also stated that any differences in the picture of Brushy and Billy the Kid is that Billy the Kid's face was altered when getting his photo was being touched up. turning up like a bad rash. The photo of 14 year old Brushy was close match to the tintype. The story of Brushy Bill Roberts begins in 1948 when an attorney named William Morrison heard that Sheriff Pat Garrett never actually managed to gun down Billy the Kid, who was safe and sound and living in the town of Hico, Texas, under his latest alias of Ollie Roberts, but most folks in the town knew him simply as Brushy Bill. (or legend) was common knowledge, especially for those who lived in the area Garrett. Are Come In Brushy's possessions, he had a very old scarf that he claimed to have gotten from Deluvina Maxwell after he was captured at Stinking Springs and brought to Fort Sumner. money buying a headstone? Now with modern photographic comparison software and more access to primary source documents than ever before, many people are beginning to believe that Brushy Bill Roberts truly was the Billy the Kid of legend. Therefore, I have retooled my particular website, in an attempt to accomplish the difficult feat of removing as much biasness as possible and simply providing the facts, which I believe is the true job of a historian. his death conveniently faked and leave the territory for once and for all. Pat Garrett and his deputies he retreated in a Mexicans house. Severo Gallegos, Jose Montoya, and Martile Able, all surviving friends of Billy the Kid, met with Brushy Bill separately. His Brushy then went on to say that he knew he didnt have many years left in him and wanted to die with the full pardon he had been promised by Gov. to question Roberts he replied, I do not wish to dignify this claim with Somewhat disappointed, Morrison decided to leave, but asked Brushy if it might be possible to take a trip to Mexico some day soon to interview his brother. and other crucial moments in his life, such as the fact that Dolan did not Five years later, in 1955, noted historian C. L. Sonnichsen, with information supplied by Morrison, wrote a book entitled Alias Billy the Kid, which fully detailed the case of Brushy Bill Roberts. Brushy Bill Roberts AKA Billy The Kid: Physical Similarities & Facial Recognition Study Brett Hall 2.81K subscribers Subscribe 1.2K Share Save 79K views 1 year ago In This video, I. In November of 1950 Morrison and Brushy went In Hico, Brushy was reexamined by Dr. W. F. Hafer and told to get as much rest as possible. Brushy supporters also say the Oliver the Kid was not illiterate, contrary to legendary belief, but could read and He is also known for his involvement in New Mexico's Lincoln County War, during which he allegedly committed three murders. Morrison believed for the rest of his life that Roberts was really Billy the Kid. Moses1986. I'm just as passionate that Billy the Kid IS NOT Brushy Bill Roberts as No contemporary account carries any mention of the gunfight that Brushy claimed transpired between himself and Garrett, Poe, and McKinney after Barlow was killed. If Brushy Bill's story is true, then it would mean that Pat Garrett had shot a different person and had allowed Billy the Kid to escape. In 1948, an old man named William Henry Roberts was confronted around the pupil. In the up again at the age of 52 with a wife named Lutcida. It also saddens me to Moments later he heard shots Brushy Bill lived out a peaceful life in the central Texas. They are as follows: Brushy Bills knowledge of the Lincoln County War and the life of Billy the Kid was too extensive to have all been read. Garrett was in the vicinity and not wanting to be seen he sent his partner Billy Brett Hall 2.71K subscribers Subscribe 53K views 1 year ago Episode 3 Of My Real Billy the Kid. Oliver P. Roberts and Brushy just happen to marry women with similar to Kid would not have been so foolish as Oliver was a real person that was born in 1879. Also during He spent most of his time chatting up the locals downtown and telling stories of his life on the frontier. Brushy went on to tell Young that when he found McDaniels, to simply tell him the Kid says hello. When Young returned to Round Rock, he met with McDaniels and delivered Brushys message. that, and he couldn't count on the Kid seizing the opportunity of having This relative is Geneva Pittmon, who claims that Brushy was really named Oliver Pleasant Roberts, and that he was born on Aug. 26, 1879 in eastern Texas. to his end of the deal, but the governor didn't follow through on his. He laughed in the face of shot him in the jaw it would've left a very nasty disfiguring scar on his someone out there that Brushy Bill Roberts was not Billy the Kid here for more information. Badly frightened, Brushy apparently suffered a small stroke, and when the questioning began, he failed miserably. not a cold-blooded killer, because to me, that is whats most important. Brushy said that when he went to trial, his first indictment was for the murder of Buckshot Roberts and he was represented by Ira Leonard. Kid buffs The study used the most advanced photo comparison equipment around as well as the best scientists. All in all, In 1988, physicist and amateur photo expert Thomas Kyle underwent a photo comparison study between the tintype photo of Billy and a photo of Brushy taken at his meeting with Gov. Garrett and the Kid were not the good friends that legend claims. "Alias Billy the Kid," by C. L. Sonnichsen & W. V Morrison, 1955, "Billy the Kid & Me Were the Same," by Dr. William A. Tunstill, 1988, "The Trial of Billy the Kid," by Judge Bobby E. Hefner, 1990, "Billy the Kid: Killed in New Mexico---Died in Texas," by Dr. Jannay Valdez & Judge Bobby E. Hefner, 1995, "The Return of the Outlaw Billy the Kid," by W. C. Jameson & Frederick Bean, 1998, "The Real Billy the Kid AKA: Brushy Bill Roberts," by Brett L. Hall, 2004. By 1950, the story of Billy the Kid was well known and most facts Morrison immediately telephoned Mabry, who apologized for making the announcement, but reassured him that the meeting would still be kept private. recommend to visitors who wish to learn more, to click on the links at the notice and some convinced a few people, but were forgotten through the He completely forgot basic information about himself , and, when he was asked a serious question regarding the past of Billy the Kid, he forgot that as well. The Roberts family has denied there is any possibility that 'Brushy Bill' could have been Billy the Kid. He said that Catherine McCarty was not his mother, but his maternal half-aunt. courts would have dropped the charges, it would've been declared a So Brushy was The two men couldn't look in 1900 Hopkins County, Texas; age 30 in 1910 Van Zandt County, Texas; age Results: Unresolved. Shortly thereafter, Gov. Sumner or New Mexico for that manner. nowhasnt anyone else had their name spelled incorrectly? He obviously came to know the traditional history (one way or another) of the Kid, so what would be his motive for saying he was born in Texas and that Catherine McCarty was his half-aunt? He began by studying photos of Brushy Bill Roberts and conducting a facial comparison between the two, which is provided in his book. This research is ground breaking and adds significantly more light to the subject of Brushy Bill Roberts. Below, I have written a basic history of the case of Brushy Bill, and then listed the evidence for him as Billy the Kid, the evidence against him as Billy the Kid, the falsely used evidence against him, and a list of questions regarding Brushy that remain unanswered. the Kid swearing an oath to avenge Tunstall's murder at the funeral was made were not the same man. Still, Brushy asked Young to look up an old friend of his, Jimmy McDaniels (a former member of the Jessie Evans Gang and veteran of the Lincoln County War), who also lived in Round Rock. as Marcella or Marcel. Then historians/biographers However, there exists no contemporary evidence that the real Billy the Kid ever left the care of Catherine McCarty, especially for so long a time period. Brushy Bill was working as a law enforcement officer at the time and discovered his cousin's body. that he didn't kill Bob Olinger and James Bell during his escape from the Now lets talk about the Kid's friends. The truth about Brushy He then researched the more mundane aspects of Brushy Bill Roberts' story and found numerous corroborations to his account in the historical record. Billy the Kid was killed that night in Fort Sumner because all the facts, was he couldnt even remember Pat Garrett's name. birth date. But then it was learned the Kid was really again in Ft Sumner or New Mexico? accounts. Of course this story of This isnt a Hollywood Western where men walk around with half their The study compared the Dedrick-Upham tintype, the only authenticated image of Billy the Kid with a photograph of William Henry Roberts taken when Roberts was in his late eighties. or only saw Billy the Kid as a child, so how can they identify Brushy as being wall to reclaim his revolver. On Dec. 27, 1950, Brushy left his bed and told his wife he was feeling better. After reading through many websites on Billy the Kid, I realized that they all either try to prove that Brushy Bill Roberts either was, or was not, the real Billy the Kid, my site included. Brushy also claimed that after he fled Silver City in 1875 up until fall 1877, he basically traveled over the entire West (Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Oregon), making a living as a bronc rider. When he went to return the man's belongings to his mother, she took him for her son and he claims he went along with the deception and kept the identity. Another false piece of evidence used against Brushy was that he was left-handed, and the Kid right-handed. accidentally kill the wrong man, he would have faced the music and the While in New Mexico, the pair stopped at sites such as Fort Sumner and Lincoln. The two became friends and Brushy informed Young that he would like to accompany him on his return to Round Rock. Billy the Kids headstone in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Untitled Billy the Kid/Brushy Bill Roberts: Examination of Billy the Kid's, the outlaw known from the Lincoln County Wars, life. Brushy Bill registered for the WWI draft and signed his original name as Oliver Pleasant Roberts. Oliver was a real person that was born in 1879. Maxwell. -then Hallelujah! Below Why didn't they mention that Billy had carried out an Brad Smithfield is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News, Join 1000s of subscribers and receive the best Vintage News in your mailbox for FREE, Wuzhen: The Ancient Chinese Water Town with a history of more than 7,000 years, Before establishing Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard claimed to be a decorated WWII hero, Police arrest a 72-year-old suburban grandfather suspected of being the Golden State Killer, Im not dead yet: some Buddhist monks followed self-mummification, Project Azorian: Howard Hughes secret mission, 1960s U.S. satellite that started transmitting again in 2013, The Walk of Shame in Game of Thrones historical inspiration, The only unsolved skyjacking case in U.S. history might have a break, Kurt Gdel became too paranoid to eat and died of starvation, Little Ease: One of the most feared torture devices in the Tower of London, The humble English girl who became Cora Pearl, Walt Disney softened the original Snow White story. The Kid also would have Prospector, also known as William Henry Roberts, Ollie Partridge William Roberts, Ollie N. Roberts, or Ollie L. Roberts, attracted . Boze, Bell Early in life, he adopted the nickname Billy the Kid. face, but yet when you look at photos of Brushy, there's no scar at all. His status as folk hero steadily grew with the help of countless books, films, and songs, which romanticize the life and death of the notorious outlaw. Are they so closed-minded to the evidence that they cant The Kid also had thicker and longer eyebrows than Brushy (and as one think he would've left and stay gone? 1930s. the governor reminding him of his promise and also talked openly about the An old lawman named Henry Anthony and his sons were also on the street and when Anthony saw Brushy, he jumped up and yelled at Brushy, calling him Billy Bonney, and told him to throw up his hands. He believes that 1990 photo recognition study proves Brushy is Billy. Till her So now An attempt to separate myth from fact. Walter Nobles Burns The Sage of Billy the Kid as a reference to coach Since Brushy was so young and Catherine moved around so much, everyone just assumed that Brushy was her son. evidence clearly speaks for its self. Lets look at this in another view: If the real Billy A letter written by his own sister confirms the date and place of his birth. This is only a handful of the most obvious of proof When Morrison first met Brushy, he was going by the name of Oliver L. Roberts. vengeance over his employers grave during the funeral if he wasnt even (Lucas- thanks for providing me with the Also, read the various discrepancies and questions surrounding all the accounts of the shooting by clicking here. Brushy Not only was she not Indian, but she wasnt even all Hispanic, but Morrison P. Roberts was dead and buried in 1939 at Alto, Texas, so again, he can't be Kid forever. Why did he change his middle initial from P. to L.? Some who have studied the case are scornful, saying that Brushy Bill was not old enough, and he was illiterate while Billy the Kid had beautiful handwriting. The photo purported to be a 12 year old Billy the Kid was determined to not be him. of people. Think about it. testimony was shaky because he was very nervous. that. Fearing that Brushy's father might try to take him back, she covered her tracks and gave the name Henry McCarty to Brushy as an alias. Brushy supporters that gullible and blind to the truth? He gave Billys current name as Ollie L. Brushy Bill Roberts and his address as Hamilton, Texas. They say its because Brushy wifes name was Louticia, It has been claimed that Brushy Bill was illiterate, and therefore could not have been Billy the Kid. Mabry, to which Brushy couldn't respond. In 1948, William V. Morrison, a probate investigator working in St. Louis, Missouri, was sent to Florida to work on the case of an elderly man named Joe Hines. Sheriff Pat Garrett is a legendary lawman who served his community well. of Oklahoma Press: Norma, 1973, Bell how many girlfriends he had, did he enjoy stealing livestock, etc.). stated that Brushy was almost entirely illiterate and had terrible chicken the two met and went on a road trip to New Mexico. the same man, but yet his name is not listed in the cemetery records. gun down Tunstall, because Dolan wasnt even there. write and had beautiful, readable penmanship. Present in the room were several photographers and reporters, armed policemen, Oscar and Jarvis Garrett (Pats sons), Cliff McKinney (Kip McKinneys son), Arcadio Brady (William Bradys grandson), and historians William Keleher, E. B. Mann, and Will Robinson. Brushy was born in 1859, which would make him the same age as Billy the Morrison believed for the rest of his life that Roberts was really Billy the Kid. The missing seven percent can be explained due to age and dental work, so said Dr. Bovik and Dr. Acton. is found in several census records: age one in 1880, Arkansas; age twenty Blindsided by its unexpected fame, Hico tried to forget Brushy Bill -- but couldn't. Decades passed. Regardless, when Brushy came out as Billy the Kid in 1950, no close family members came forward to contradict his claim. The 2014 book, "Billy the Kid: An Autobiography" by Daniel A. Edwards, tells the story of how former Hico resident William H. "Brushy Bill" Roberts came to have his picture taken. All the while, the pair were careful to make sure that Mrs. Roberts was kept in the dark over the entire proceedings, as Brushy didnt want her to learn his true identity and be disgusted with him for his reputation. Morrison wasted no time and asked Brushy whether he truly was Billy the Kid, to which Brushy denied, saying that his half-brother, living in Mexico, was the real Billy the Kid. Im sorry but people who Not only were Brushy and Billy the Kid's photos compared and analyzed Yes, Mrs. Maxwell asked if A few hours later, Brushy and Morrison arrived at Mabrys mansion. Giving up on the McDaniels angle, Morrison wrote to Brushy and told him that he would like to meet him. need a little nudge in the right direction. If his testimony was correct then Olinger and Bell were never Although I prefer not to give any attention to this controversial topic, I'm forced to discuss Brushy Bill Roberts who keeps Brushy Bill Roberts. wounded as mentioned, he would not have been in any condition for immediate traveling. Brushy supporters disregard this evidence and their popular before Governor Thomas Mabry to request a pardon for Brushy Bill Roberts The University of Texas photo-comparison study, the only valid one commissioned to date, adds another layer of evidence in support of the notion that Roberts and the Kid are the same person. so. Bob Young, Alton Thorton, W. F. Hafer, Jimmy Ramage, Ablo Norman, Tom Turner, and L. L. Gamble also said Brushy was fluent in Spanish. Furthermore, Roberts wanted Morrison's help in acquiring the full pardon he was promised by Governor Lew Wallace in 1879 but refused. face, a narrow chin, small mouth, round ears and very narrow slopped shoulders. it was Billy the Kid who was killed on July 14, 1881. the 'billy the . 23, 1859 (the date that Ash Upson gave for the Kid's birth) is now highly and I just skimmed the surface, there is After Brushy Bill stated that Jesse James was in Lincoln county and for years and years historians claimed bullshit but it was until fairly recently that they have found documents proving Jesse James was in Lincoln County and had been operating a counterfeit money system there with Billy. Case:Unknown Identity As he walked down the street, Brushy suffered a sudden heart attack. Brushy was Author Daniel A. Edwards does not call Garrett a liar, but believes that, like many in his day, Garrett was a pragmatist. It is my hope that by doing this, other website operators will also change their approach to this topic and try to provide an equal platform for both sides of this debate.
Refinery29 Unbothered Editor, Schuylkill County Drug Sweep, What Happened To Samantha Elkassouf, Articles B