Sensing an opportunity to be pardoned of all previous crimes, William Bonney - a man of many names, now best known as
Billy the Kid - approached Governor
Lew Wallace in 1878 and offered to stand as a prosecution witness. Bonney had recently observed the murder of a lawyer during the final stages of the
Lincoln County War and Wallace, newly appointed as governor, was keen to make an impression. He agreed to Bonney's plan, had him testify, and then reneged on his promise, refusing to pardon 'the Kid'. Below is a letter sent to Wallace by the clearly frustrated outlaw, in which he reminds the governor of their previous agreement. Less than a month later he killed two guards and escaped from jail, just weeks before he was to be hanged.
Interesting fact: Whilst serving as governor, Lew Wallace wrote and released
Ben-Hur.
Transcript follows. Other letters from Billy the Kid can be read
here.
Transcript
Santa Fe Jail New Mex.
March 29 1881
Gov. Lew Wallace
Dear Sir
I wish you would come down to the jail and see me. it will be to your interest to come and see me. I have some letters which date back two years, and there are Parties who are very anxious to get them but I shall not dispose of them until I see you. that is if you will come imediately.
Yours Respect-
Wm H Bonney
4 comments:
Haha! These letters are fabulous! Your blog is such a joy to read! I recently mentioned it in a post I did about letters and letter writing. If you are interested, please stop by. Will keep reading and commenting! Thank You.
Jeez, Billy the Kid makes Clyde Barrow look like William Strunk, Jr.
Funny, I just days ago read that Wallace wrote Ben-Hur while living in the Governors'Palace in Santa Fe. It's still standing and one of the oldest buildings in America.
i think billy the kid should be pardoned, he kept to his side of the deal and testified so the governor should stick to his and what harm could it possibly do hes been dead over 120 years!. and nice work on the blog!!
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