Talk:Pat Garrett

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[edit] Garrett at Sumner

According to the 2004 documentary "Gunfighters: Billy the Kid" on The Learning Channel, Garrett returned to Ft. Sumner specifically because he was told that the Kid had escaped execution, killing the two guards, and returned there. It suggests that Ft. Sumner was the place that the Kid regarded as home (having friends and a girlfriend) and that Garrett's approach to Sumner was slow and cautious (he travelled only at night), probably because he knew the Kid would kill him if he saw him. Thus, he managed to sneak in at night and shoot the Kid.

Eradicator (talk) 18:20, 18 February 2008 (UTC)


The story of Garrett shooting McCarty is a lot like the usual story about Garrett shooting Bonney. Bonney's death is missing from this article, and yet that's the main thing Pat Garrett was famous for. [unsigned]

McCarty IS Bonney. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Shootseven (talk • contribs) 20:34, 26 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Birthday and more

http://www.linecamp.com/museums/americanwest/western_names/garrett_pat/garrett_pat.html Many places say it was feb 28th he died, not 29th, so let's investigate, also... did he really shoot the kid, but was it in the back?

He dies on the 29th of February, the web page you site has it wrong. Secondary sources you can check on this include Pat Garrett, The Story of a Western Lawman by Leon Metz, The West of Billy the Kid by Frederick Nolan, and Murder on the White Sands, The Disappearance of Albert and Henry Fountain by Corey Recko, among many many others. comment added by Shootseven —Preceding comment was added at 03:06, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Debate over facts of death

Are there any serious historians today who doubt Brazel was the killer? I ask not to be contentious or snarky, but because I feel like the article as it is (I just tinkered a bit) presents the other "killers" almost as equally plausible alternative theories, especially since the part about most historians agreeing it was Brazel doesn't come until the very end of the section.

Really, I'm curious: does anyone know of a serious historian who holds on to one of the alternate theories? I mean, no historian that I have ever heard really thinks Jim Miller did the killing. If no one has any objections, when I get home tonight I'd like to make it clear in the first paragraph that almost everybody thinks Brazel did it, and then present the others as outdated theories, primarily of historical interest because of the Pat Garrett legend. Ford MF 00:11, 17 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Truth of killing the Kid

  • 1. He didn't know Billy's real name, Henry McCarty. He thought it was William Bonney.
  • 2. He shot the Kid in Fort Sumner, at the home of the Maxwells.
  • 3. The Kid fired one shot from a revolver, missed entirely.
  • 4. The kid was carrying a revolver and a kitchen knife.
  • 5. Garrett fired twice, second shot missing entirely.
  • 6. The shot from Garret's revolver ripped the Kid's ventricles.
  • 7. The kid was dying when he fired his shot.
  • 8. Garret used a revolver, not a Sharps rifle.

All of this was taken from Garrett's book, "The Authentic Life of Billy, the Kid"

Commander Anonymous 72.84.133.28 19:57, 14 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Relating to above on Garret's book

Can it be trusted to tell the true circumstances of Billy the Kid's death? He may have been trying to patch up his reputation. He wasn't well liked, from what it sounds, by any major politician, and he offended the one who did (specifically TR). He doesn't seem to be the most reputable person, from who his friends are. And there had always been controversy over the Kid's death.

So Garret had every reason to lie.

I don't really know though. Just suggesting maybe Garret's book isn't the most unbiased source.