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history colors early and and free

0:17

imagine it's december eighteen seventy

0:19

seven in the town of lincoln in

0:21

new mexico territory it's , chilly

0:24

morning under a pale winter sun whoa

0:26

whoa whoa just arrived at the lincoln

0:28

jail for a meeting with a prisoner who stole

0:31

to have your prized your you

0:33

thought once they caught the young the that that

0:36

would be the end be it then he received an

0:38

urgent request from the prisoner to meet you

0:40

he said he could help you with some information

0:42

you're

0:47

not sure what to make the situation but

0:49

there's a lot it's new and unusual to you

0:52

in new mexico

0:53

you're a wealthy englishman who arrived you're barely

0:55

a year ago with plans to create a livestock

0:57

empire there are interested in gaining

0:59

any advantage you can the

1:02

maybe this young steve says something

1:04

you pass a guard armed with a shotgun and

1:07

walk up to the bars to get a good look at the

1:09

horse wrestler so you're

1:11

a kid answer yes sir i am and

1:14

i'm much obliged to you for taking the time see

1:16

me these polite surprise

1:18

in these parts the look him up and down

1:21

good certainly a fitting nickname these

1:23

rail thin with buck teeth they give him a permanently

1:26

childlike expression you

1:28

almost feel sorry for of languishing

1:30

in the still be prison cell well kid

1:33

what is it you want a know you got no

1:35

reason to look on me favorably after

1:37

all i did steal your horses what

1:39

i'd be grateful if you could let me off the

1:41

hook why would i wanted to that well

1:44

sir i fell in with some bad fellas

1:46

the me dolans outfit the boys they

1:49

just put me on the wrong path you might say i

1:51

know they're trying to drive you out of business

1:53

of business how they operate i could

1:55

fill you in on that if it might be helpful

1:58

you know all about it outlaw gang

2:00

that call themselves the boys and their

2:03

boss jimmy dolan the top cattle

2:05

baron in the county the ruthless

2:07

bastards and your arch rival

2:10

if you can really has information about them

2:12

maybe she could be abused to you what's

2:14

you're still not quite convinced but why

2:16

should i trust you if you stole

2:19

my horses because if you drop the charges

2:21

and let me walk free i'll be forever

2:23

in your debt that you have to admit

2:25

i took find care of your horses didn't

2:28

come back you good as new you

2:30

can't help but smile that there's

2:32

no denying that this kid has a certain sincere

2:34

charm the smart too

2:37

the party's good with a pistol i tell

2:39

you what i'm willing to do as request

2:42

on one condition the kid's

2:44

face brightens like it's christmas morning

2:47

anything you say sir you come

2:49

and worked for me i provide you

2:51

with a horse saddle in a gun it

2:54

breaks into a buck toothed ran a mile

2:56

wide interest his hand out between

2:58

the bars you've got yourself a new man

3:00

ser por su the

3:03

, of you shake hands hands can

3:05

sense the kid entrance gratitude is

3:07

sincere that you've made the right move

3:09

and for giving for you'll need boys like

3:11

him to stand any chance of challenging dolans

3:13

ruthless game and establishing

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your own empire and the smallest frontier

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i'm wondering i'm lindsey graham and desist

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american history tells hours

4:50

john constable was locked in a bitter

4:52

feud when he first met billy the kid in

4:54

a coal jail cell and lincoln county on

4:57

store saw potential and the young eager

4:59

horse thief and he thought the kids knowledge

5:01

of his rival jimmy dolan myself

5:03

and gain the upper hand and the corrupt livestock

5:05

business really the kid know

5:08

then as kid and from was seeking

5:10

to make a fresh start the explosive

5:12

events in new mexico territory would make him

5:14

an unwitting criminal celebrity and

5:16

ultimately a legend this

5:19

, episode two of our three part series

5:21

on billy the kid a lincoln

5:23

saudi war

5:27

jaune tom saw was

5:29

just twenty three years old when he arrived in new

5:31

mexico territory in november of eighteen

5:33

seventy six the was an ambitious

5:35

english dandy with a dream of fast profits

5:38

in the saddle and mercantile business on the western

5:40

frontier also was

5:42

raised in london and an upper middle class

5:44

family father was an established

5:46

merchant who reluctantly bankrolled

5:48

his sons pursuits in north america johnson

5:51

traveled from london to british columbia

5:54

and then to california before landing

5:56

in new mexico the settled in

5:58

lincoln county drawn it's loose regulations

6:01

and abundant lands in the

6:03

late eighties seventies lincoln county

6:05

was the largest in the nation covering

6:07

some thirty thousand square miles

6:10

two thirds the size of england it

6:12

was remote and sparsely populated

6:14

with only about two thousand inhabitants the

6:17

mix of apaches mexicans and

6:19

anglos the fertile region was half

6:21

mountainous and has planes and bally's

6:24

used mainly for farming and cattle the

6:26

turnstile quickly discovered that this pristine

6:29

landscape was written by corruption

6:31

the wrote to his father and april of eighteen

6:33

seventy seven everything in new mexico

6:36

is work by a ring there's the

6:38

indian ring be army ring a channel rank

6:40

a horse thieves ranks and a half dozen

6:42

other rooms is necessary to either

6:44

get into a ring or to make one for yourself

6:48

it was an astute an accurate reading of the

6:50

culture but tunstall underestimated

6:52

the challenges according his own business in

6:54

new mexico the could be as conniving

6:56

as the next ambitious local but his opponents

6:59

were more ruthless than he could have imagined

7:02

also joined forces with lincoln so

7:04

lawyer and irish canadian name's alexander

7:06

make sweet like can stop mcsweeney

7:09

was driven and ambitious he

7:11

was not a violent man which set him apart

7:13

and lincoln county where violence was the

7:15

main currency of almost every transaction

7:18

swinging was also well aware of who they

7:20

were up against the economic overlord

7:23

of the county's lawrence murphy murphy

7:25

was make swedes former employer and his

7:27

power and lincoln county was pervasive this

7:30

company known as the house controlled

7:32

local politics and economics the

7:35

house also maintained the biggest mercantile

7:37

store in the county as well as a saloon

7:39

a restaurant and brewery murphy's

7:42

right hand man was a fellow irishman jimmy

7:44

dolan the woman was fond of whiskey

7:47

guns and violence it was

7:49

also a shrewd and dishonest businessman

7:51

intent on expanding the reach the house

7:54

soon he will take over the whole operation

7:57

the late eighties seventies his boss murphy

7:59

slowly come to bowel cancer self

8:01

medicating himself into around the clock

8:04

alcoholic song dolenz role

8:06

grew substantially as murphy withered

8:08

away and under dolans

8:10

watch the houses monopoly blossom

8:13

the ones rang was behind virtually every

8:15

business deal in the county allowing

8:17

him to overcharge customers and keep

8:19

them and chronic death oh and

8:21

also pulled strings and territorial politics

8:24

maintaining strong and influential connections

8:26

in santa fe the house of our

8:29

was so ingrained in intimidating a

8:31

few dare to oppose

8:33

a local saying went if you liked breathing

8:35

you didn't get in dolan's way this

8:38

was the scenario the tunstall and mcsweeney

8:40

stepped into they are not small

8:42

time entrepreneurs to be ignored install

8:45

was determined to become a powerful channel

8:47

magnate he was confident and most

8:50

importantly well funded quickly

8:52

he drew the attention of dolan and the house

8:54

topping their list of enemies sweet

8:57

was a savvy attorney and thanks to his

8:59

tenure with murphy well versed in the machinations

9:02

of the house together they posed the

9:04

only real threat to dolans grip on

9:07

though one the bent on eradicating

9:09

any and all threat to his kingdom the

9:12

main law man of lincoln county was

9:14

sheriff william brady he was

9:16

supposed to keep the peace but he was on dolans

9:18

payroll and yet another member of the houses

9:20

iris brethren his

9:22

allegiance to dolan led him to be very

9:24

soft when dealing with infractions the house

9:26

was accused of but very hard when

9:29

beating out justice to dolans rivals the

9:31

mid eighteen seventy seven tunstall

9:34

opened up a general store and banking operations

9:36

just down the street from dolans mirth until business

9:38

in the town of lincoln the county seat install

9:41

both move directly threatened the sauce

9:44

it wasn't just a brazen proximity hostile

9:47

store was a quick success siphoning

9:50

off a significant portion of dolans profits

9:53

the house counsel's new competition

9:55

could not be ignored the help

9:57

protect his business town style fire

10:00

a new gun the youngster known

10:02

as a kid answer was a former desperado

10:04

recently released from jail thanks to tonsils

10:06

benevolence the kid so deeply

10:09

indebted to the englishman and became one

10:11

of his most devoted henchmen to

10:13

mark his new beginning as turnstiles man

10:16

kid and from dropped his former name's henry

10:18

and took on the new one william h barney

10:21

or billy for sure then

10:23

hired on by town stolen dolan were expected

10:25

to use their guns when necessary they

10:28

were well paid the occasional killing

10:30

when along with the child oh he

10:32

had yet to perform such duties billy

10:34

was happy to do whatever was asking him it

10:37

was well liked among tonsils man made

10:39

friends among the rough crowd with ease off

10:42

duty bill he attended local dancers where

10:44

his reputation grew as a ladies man it

10:47

was fluent in spanish to became friendly with

10:49

many local hispanics to especially

10:51

in the small latino community of san patricio

10:55

or doing things finally seem to be turning

10:57

around eighteen gainfully

10:59

employed and treated with respect of

11:02

course there was trouble now and again at

11:04

in the wild west with with

11:06

the territory

11:11

in december of eighteen seventy seven

11:13

the incredible came to tunstall can the

11:16

on it and his allies has successfully press

11:18

for embezzlement case to be brought against mcsweeney

11:21

an arrest warrant was issued and mcsweeney

11:24

was picked up by sheriff brady but release

11:26

on bail months later

11:28

dolan took another shot this time

11:30

filing a drummed up civil suit against tunstall

11:33

and mcsweeney the rate of attachment

11:35

was issued allowing the seizure of the

11:37

belongings of both men sheriff

11:39

brady happily enforce the red confiscating

11:42

tunstall and mcsweeney livestock goods and

11:44

property the console managed

11:46

to hang onto a small heard of forces which

11:48

she and handful of men billy bonnie

11:51

among them trying to move from his

11:53

rants to a safer location into the village

11:55

of lincoln the party led by

11:57

jimmy dolan was close behind arriving

12:00

slavery and to confiscate the remaining forces

12:03

finding the time stolen his man has already left

12:05

for town dolan ordered his cattle

12:07

manager billy buck morton to hunt

12:10

them down morton was the man for

12:12

the job it was notoriously

12:14

tough the company by team assaults

12:16

for him killing was all in a day's work

12:23

it's dusk on february eighteenth eighteen

12:25

seventy eight you're , the hills near

12:27

the tunstall rants sent on an errand to

12:29

impose the will your boss jimmy dore

12:32

dore in a mood for violence which is exactly

12:34

what dolan was what it's all above

12:37

board chair brady has officially

12:39

deputized officially twenty men and new policy

12:42

that he crashed the hill you see a single

12:44

rider a few hundred yards ahead is

12:46

leading nine horses a hurry

12:48

up boys my nerves sharp the

12:50

like scalp and so the number where

12:52

lawman getting ,

12:55

you see if john some still himself

12:58

a man is dressed in the nines as usual

13:00

you realize that he's only allowed to

13:02

this man's land and your approach approach

13:05

see them climbing a craggy feel a few

13:07

hundred yards behind him yelling of their boss

13:09

to follow in here sphere

13:11

in their voices

13:15

right closer to council fun still

13:17

give yourself up and hand over those horses

13:20

hum saw looks confused the

13:22

not frightened by what right

13:25

you make such a demand

13:26

our for jimmy dolan i got legal

13:29

papers that say i can claim

13:31

consoles only response is to

13:33

ride closer to he looks

13:35

like he's about to ask questions before

13:38

he didn't say anything else level your shotgun

13:41

chest the

13:45

impact nice tunstall clean out of his saddle

13:48

he's , the ground riding and seen as your

13:50

man tom hill rides up to give

13:52

him a nod still leaps down

13:54

from his horse gun drawn to

13:57

strides quickly to tunstall in ames had his

13:59

head

14:02

then he'll turns fires again

14:05

the tunstall force thank

14:07

you town now round up those

14:09

horses we're done here the

14:12

, horse and ride would like another

14:14

a rising former former boys

14:16

whoop as they right behind right you

14:18

looking forward to a stiff drink at the local saloon

14:20

to celebrate another job well done

14:23

the name of the house

14:28

on february evening and eighteen seventy

14:30

eight billy bonnie was riding some five

14:32

hundred yards behind on stolen his heard of

14:35

forces when dolans men approached

14:37

and shot his boss and the chest

14:39

really heard the shots and spurred his horse

14:41

wildly forward when he arrived

14:43

at the bloody scene he was stunned even

14:46

in a world of violence this was shocking

14:49

feelings for tunstall randy the

14:51

see him lying there in the dirt completely

14:53

unarmed riddled by buckshot with

14:56

a whole between his eyes was devastating

14:59

the we had not been so affected by deaths

15:01

since his mother's passing four years ago

15:04

remaining oil to tunstall

15:06

the only and the rest of the men under cover

15:08

of night finish the journey to lincoln

15:11

the brought with him a few horses and

15:13

a news of tonsils murder which quickly

15:15

sent shockwaves throughout the county conflict

15:18

you been brewing for months between dolan and tunstall

15:21

dress feelings channel theft happen

15:23

regularly but displays and

15:25

killing raised the stakes source

15:28

death mark the beginning of the lincoln

15:30

county war the next move

15:32

was anybody's guess that retaliation

15:34

seemed inevitable themselves

15:37

bonnie arrived in lincoln the following morning strapped

15:39

to the back of a horse

15:41

it was laid out in the parliament partner alexander

15:43

my sweet a , of stand

15:46

locals came to pay their respects filing

15:48

slowly past past bonnie

15:51

was part of the of gripping his

15:53

battered some rare of voting the remains

15:55

of a man who had changed his life on

15:57

her tonsils his life it still had been trying

15:59

to they have a more honest line for

16:01

now and the wake of this outrage that

16:04

has no longer seemed possible billy

16:07

, down a john tunstall corpse

16:09

outer devout he was

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18:21

the fate of newly by took a dramatic

18:23

turn after the death of his boss john tunstall

18:26

in february of eighteen seventy eight the

18:28

became fixated on revenge for the brutal

18:30

killing of the man who had treated him with more

18:32

kindness and respect than anyone

18:35

billy's mind vengeance for turnstiles murder

18:37

was a righteous mission the

18:39

we had murdered before or

18:41

council he could do it again this

18:44

was a far cry from the attitude of alexander

18:46

mcqueen now headed up the business

18:48

he had shared with is now dead partner between

18:51

never carried a weapon and he couldn't stand

18:54

violence the was more comfortable in the

18:56

realm of legal maneuvering and arena

18:58

in which he could be as formidable as any gunslinger

19:01

right now makes wean found himself leading fifty

19:03

armed men all prime for war

19:06

with jimmy dolan and his gang of desperadoes

19:09

there was this group the gathered at mcsweeney

19:11

home to decide on the right response to

19:13

their bosses violent death most

19:15

of the man had strong anti dolan feelings

19:17

and had no problem pulling a trigger many

19:20

were sick of the power that dawn and the house

19:22

exerted over their everyday lives through

19:25

their control of the district attorney and sheriff

19:27

grady there was no secret the

19:29

sheriff brady was on dolans payroll and

19:31

that he had deputized the man who killed tunstall

19:34

such a violent and to happen to a wealthy

19:36

powerful man like tunstall could

19:38

happen to anyone what makes we

19:40

managed to convince his crew to hold off

19:43

on can play that took

19:45

billy and two others to the county justice

19:47

of the peace squire john be wilson

19:50

wilson was an affable aging man not

19:52

known for his confidence it was easily

19:54

persuaded to do almost anything so

19:56

it makes wayne's behest wilson swore

19:58

out affidavits naming members of dolans

20:01

gang as the killers just

20:03

as also deputize billy and mcsweeney

20:05

other men the swings was able

20:07

to get arrest warrants including a warrant

20:10

for sarah brady himself on the charge of

20:12

larceny brady had taken control

20:14

of tunstall store based on our rid of attachments

20:17

when he was also giving away the store say

20:19

to dolans crew which he had no right

20:21

to do sweeney seem determined

20:23

to keep the fighting in the courts where he was

20:25

best on february twentieth

20:27

two days after tonsils murder the

20:29

alien to others road into don't store

20:31

with the warrants

20:33

the newly deputized by squire wilson

20:35

what that meant little to shares brady

20:38

he greeted them with guns drawn

20:40

the didn't take kindly to their attempt to arrest

20:42

him or anyone else and after

20:44

a heated exchange of words brady

20:46

arrested billy on a catch all charge

20:48

of resisting sarah there

20:51

we spent the next thirty hours doing

20:53

in the lincoln jail while he was

20:55

there tunstall was laid to rest and a well

20:57

attended funeral but rubles anglos and

20:59

hispanics i'm still hadn't considered

21:01

by many non white residents of lincoln county

21:04

to be a fair minded alternative to dolan

21:06

historian lincoln on my dolans did

21:08

not discriminate the sitting

21:11

alone in the day dark sell billy

21:13

could only make our snatches of the eulogy

21:15

delivered in both english and spanish as

21:17

, ceremony war on the mournful cord

21:19

from a small plump or interested into the jail

21:22

jail kept from paying his respects only

21:25

strengthened billy's resolve to avenge tonsils

21:27

death

21:32

immediately following billy's arrest mcsweeney

21:34

fear for the safety of himself and his family

21:37

the try to use the law to punish

21:39

tunstall killers but it it backfired

21:41

leading to billy's imprisonment and emboldening

21:44

sheriff brady swain wrote

21:46

up a hasty will and left flank

21:48

and to hide out in a mountain cabin leaving

21:50

tunstall foreman sick brewer and charge

21:53

brewer could hold his own he

21:55

left his home state of wisconsin to heal

21:57

a broken heart and the solitary world of the

21:59

west and like to know mom self

22:01

with hard work from sunrise to sunset

22:04

council was one of his few friends and

22:07

while brewer was a slow man to anger

22:10

the was angry now soon

22:12

after tunstall steamroll brewer went

22:14

to the lincoln justice of the peace and had

22:16

himself commission special constable

22:18

with the ability to arrest tonsils murders

22:21

then he set out to recruit a posse one

22:24

of the first step up was billy buy

22:26

fresh out of his sword stanton the lincoln jail

22:29

the rough and ready contingent he joined would expand

22:32

to almost sixty they were local

22:34

ranchers cowboys and laborers all

22:36

fully capable of being as vicious as

22:38

anyone among dolans makes that

22:40

to a man they consider themselves be acting

22:43

on the side of justice they

22:45

call themselves the lincoln county regulators

22:48

in march eighteen seventy eight just one

22:50

month after dawn tonsils murder they

22:52

were making regular sweeps throughout the county

22:55

on a hunt for dolans men morton

22:57

the man who had emptied his shotgun and tonsils

23:00

chest was that the top of their wanted

23:02

list the marxist

23:04

regulators found him morton

23:07

into other dolan henchmen are writing near the

23:09

pesos river they were caught by

23:11

surprise and fled at full jail the

23:13

only bonnie where the pursuit to

23:16

size traded over a hundred rounds before

23:18

billy and his men arrested more than the

23:20

others i told the wounded prisoners

23:22

that they be delivered to share brady back

23:24

and lincoln the more new better the

23:27

and his men might make it back to town but

23:29

not alive he was right the

23:32

regulators performed a quick execution

23:34

by pistol morton lay

23:36

dead on the horn ground in a patch of scrub

23:39

oak really walked over to the bullet riddled

23:41

bonnie and adjusted morton said with

23:43

his boot

23:44

he leaned over looked into the man's face

23:46

for what seemed like a good long while and

23:49

he spat on the ground and walked away

23:51

where did the attack with spread like wildfire

23:54

prompting a visit from a powerful dolan our

23:57

the governor of new mexico samuel

23:59

axed

24:00

asda would act quickly to ensure

24:02

that the regulators were not seen as righteous

24:04

deputies of a law branded

24:06

as violent criminals

24:12

the national march ninth eighteen seventy

24:14

eight and a ton of lincoln new mexico you're

24:17

an older white hair gentleman who's been around

24:19

the territory for years currently

24:21

your the justice of the piece for lincoln county

24:23

which makes you the only legal authority

24:26

other than shares break that's not

24:28

an easy job

24:29

around these parts is often hard to tell who's on

24:31

the right side of the law if you've always

24:33

done your best a muddle through

24:35

governor samuel actual is paying you

24:37

a visit at your home today coming in from santa

24:39

fe you're dreading his a rival

24:42

these a staunch supporter of jimmy dolan

24:44

which means he won't look favorably on some of your

24:47

recent actions to a dolans rival

24:49

alexander mcqueen come

24:52

, act

24:54

still breezes into your study the dark

24:56

suit with a neatly not have more time barely

24:59

have time to shake his hand before he pulls out a pocket

25:02

watch and i said impatiently good

25:04

day sir i'm only here and lincoln for three

25:06

hours so no much time to clean up the mess you've

25:08

created i get right to the point you

25:11

nod and offer a tepid smile he

25:13

doesn't smile back

25:15

on february nineteenth alexander mcsweeney

25:17

as you to swear out affidavits charging james

25:19

dolan and his posse with the murder of jon

25:21

tester

25:22

as governor greg for in addition to that you

25:24

commission mcsweeney man richard brewer

25:26

as a special class be

25:28

, his posse that regulators

25:31

as regulators call themselves and then as if you

25:33

send caused enough trouble you wrote out an arrest

25:35

warrant for syrup yeah

25:37

it's all three hundred i can explain you

25:40

see mister mcsweeney said the sheriff had been taking

25:42

say from the tussle store mr

25:44

mcqueen said that said was larceny so i wrote

25:47

out a more don't players

25:50

the stern imperious man with a sharp

25:52

knows dark beady eyes both

25:54

of which were with contempt my to

25:56

believe the you do whatever makes wing commander

25:59

no i'm sorry go heard it

26:01

seem like the right thing to do at the time but

26:03

if there's anything i can do to rectify the situation

26:06

quite enough certs and you won't

26:08

be doing anything else

26:10

i'm issuing a proclamation relieving you of your

26:12

duty as justice of the peace

26:14

stare at the governor slack jawed of

26:16

, don't i don't understand what

26:18

grounds you were appointed by the county

26:20

commissioners according to the territorial

26:23

constitution a justice of the peace must be

26:25

elected therefore you've never had

26:27

any legal authority to do the things you done what

26:30

all my decisions were in good faith even

26:32

if they didn't have a story behind a dumpster

26:34

where the right things to do right around

26:36

us murder much they were illegal

26:39

the didn't have the authority to charge james dolan

26:41

he didn't have the authority to charge sheriff brady

26:44

and he didn't have the authority to deputize

26:46

the regulators

26:48

it's illegal for them to represent themselves

26:50

as officers of the law they

26:52

should be prosecuted if they do so

26:55

gov glances again at his pocket watch

26:57

and spins on his heels

26:59

i must be off to my next appointment good

27:01

day to you sir

27:08

in a daze you poor tall shot of whiskey

27:10

and don't put down your uncertain

27:12

about the governor's legal right to revoke your title

27:15

and your actions with mcsweeney men but

27:17

you don't have the stomach to find him over

27:20

you do know one thing for certain actions

27:22

proclamation will place mcsweeney and his

27:24

regulators firmly outside the law

27:27

that will hardly stop the

27:29

poor another trick shake your head slowly

27:32

as bad as things are in lincoln county

27:35

to get worse

27:40

in march of eighteen seventy eight governor

27:42

samuel as still revoked the authority

27:44

of lincoln counties justice of the peace squire

27:46

jaunty wilson that man dig

27:48

brewer status as a special constable

27:50

was no longer an effect and billy bonnie

27:53

and the other regulators were no longer deputized

27:56

forced to operate outside the bounds of the law

27:58

they went into hiding and they're violent

28:00

exchanges with dolans men drew more

28:02

sporadic share of william

28:05

brady act else intervention was

28:07

a major victory so on the morning

28:09

of april fool's day eighteen seventy eight

28:11

he was and a good mood enjoying a for

28:13

breakfast at berkeley so tell and lincoln

28:15

just across from his office in

28:17

his pocket he carries an arrest warrant for

28:20

alexander mcqueen on a months old

28:22

embezzlement chart sweeney

28:24

was to and hiding brady was

28:26

willing to bide his time as far

28:28

as brady was concerned mcsweeney

28:30

billy bonnie and the rest of the gang were no longer

28:33

a threat he had received reports

28:35

that bonnie was hunker down in a small hispanic

28:37

community of san patricio some seven

28:39

miles from lincoln the town constable

28:41

there was a shot as he saw this

28:44

was a fear supporter of the regulators and

28:46

billy was known to london place the

28:48

sheriff brady was wrong ileana

28:51

regulators were not in san patricio

28:54

they were in lincoln setting up an ambush

28:57

brady left the hotel and met up with for

28:59

his deputies and walk east down

29:01

main street past hostile store suddenly

29:04

the quiet morning exploded with guns

29:07

from behind a wall and tunstall corral the

29:10

wing and six regulators fired into

29:12

the lawman were either bleeding on the ground or

29:14

scattered for cover brady

29:16

didn't have a chance to run land

29:18

the dirt taken down by several bullets it

29:21

was uncertain who fired to kill shot the

29:23

bill he was the first to approach the by the

29:26

ran out to grab make swings arrest warrant

29:28

from brady's jacket the volley from

29:30

a deputy see them in the leg

29:32

the only link to his horse and then he

29:34

on the other regulators gals out of town

29:36

the brady for the hundred far

29:39

as billy and his crew were concerned they

29:41

done a good thing it was revenge

29:44

against the sheriff who had sanctioned the killing

29:46

of tunstall the fact that the governor

29:48

had declared their hunting legal was of no

29:50

consequence to them

29:52

the ambush and slaying of a veteran

29:54

lawman and broad daylight was hard

29:56

for the public the swallow the even those

29:58

with no allegiance to dolan

30:00

them the body attack many people

30:02

felt the event was no different than tonsils

30:04

murder they began to question

30:06

the regulators righteous underdog status

30:09

billy's reputation took the biggest

30:11

said newspaper singled out him

30:13

as a man responsible for brady's killing

30:16

really , world was starting to close enough

30:19

enough man would no doubt take out there

30:21

out billy would not be forgiven

30:24

not by the house of by the summer and

30:26

not by the law

30:37

the days after the sheriff brady ambush

30:39

billy bonnie became one of the nation's most notorious

30:42

outlaws

30:43

the heated worn lincoln town he was getting coverage

30:45

and newspapers as far away as europe

30:48

readers became engrossed in the outrageous

30:50

titillating accounts of the american wild

30:52

west closer to home and washington

30:54

d c the conflict even drew the attention

30:57

of president rutherford behave alexander

31:00

mcsweeney had connections on capitol hill

31:02

and he had flooded them with letters detail and

31:04

corruption and mayhem taking place and

31:06

lincoln county the queen frequently

31:08

mentioned governor acts don't buy name's

31:11

accusing him of favoritism unethical deals

31:13

and shady practices the

31:15

murder of tunstall a british citizen made

31:18

the violence in new mexico and international

31:20

issue the british ambassador expressed

31:22

outrage to president hazel meanwhile

31:25

curious travelers we're starting to flood

31:28

lincoln county hoping to catch a glimpse

31:30

of it's notorious gunslingers first hand

31:33

the already knew something had to be done to restore

31:35

the communities reputation the

31:37

lincoln county commissioner set a bounty of

31:39

two hundred dollars on the head of any regulator

31:42

dead or alive everybody knew

31:44

that dad was a considerably easier

31:46

way to earn that rewards ilya

31:49

his crew fled to san patricio to

31:51

recover

31:52

they're the regulators leader dick brewer

31:54

recruited a handful of loyal hispanics to

31:56

join their ranks the young latinos

31:58

were happy to fight against don't in the house and

32:01

the tourists be prejudiced outset

32:03

the with fresh recruits and increased numbers

32:05

the regulators continued their quest to

32:07

kill anyone involved with john tunstall shooting

32:10

verdict brewer the manhunt

32:12

was about to take a decisive turn andrew

32:15

buckshot roberts was high on the regulator

32:18

hit list he was part of the crew

32:20

that had ambush tunstall the on

32:22

the afternoon of april fourth eighteen seventy

32:24

eight the regulators caught up with him

32:26

and a small outpost on the mescalero a classroom

32:28

as mason known as blazers mill the

32:31

encounter surprised all parties and

32:33

a fierce gun battle ensued brewer

32:36

was shooting from behind a long time

32:38

robbers drew a bead on brewer said

32:40

and pulled the trigger which , the end

32:42

of dick brewer billy than

32:45

shot and killed roberts

32:47

brewer and robbers were buried their side

32:49

by side

32:53

billy was enraged over brewers

32:55

death yet even more bad news coming

32:59

on april fourteenth eighteen seventy eight

33:01

lincoln county grand jury indicted him

33:03

and to other regulators for the murder of sheriff

33:06

william break

33:07

the jury also indicted summer dolans man

33:09

for the tunstall shoot

33:10

the legal moves did nothing to damp and

33:12

both sides enthusiasm for bloody

33:15

vengeance

33:16

skirmishes and shooting battles continued

33:18

and the citizens of lincoln county found themselves

33:20

caught in crossfire dolan was

33:22

known to force locals to provide food and

33:25

shelter and also demanded they joined

33:27

his ranks at gunpoint county

33:29

residents were sick of the extortion and nails

33:32

but no one in power seemed willing or able to

33:34

stop kill a powerful

33:36

new mexico businessman step thomas

33:39

boss catherine was the most feared

33:41

man in the territory the was the us

33:44

attorney for new mexico and the financial

33:46

backer of dolan and the house trump

33:48

had two thousand head of cattle roaming the

33:50

county planes which we're now in golf

33:53

and random unpredictable violence he

33:55

demanded the governor acts don't call in

33:57

the us cavalry to be led locally

34:00

i lieutenant colonel nathan am dudley

34:02

and arrogant liquor loving dolan sympathizer

34:06

don't comply the federal

34:08

forces now involve president he's

34:10

sent a special agent from the justice department

34:12

to assess the lincoln county debacle the

34:15

eight it was given little support locally but

34:17

managed to take deposition from most of the leaders

34:19

of both sides including mcsweeney

34:22

billy and don't the findings

34:24

revealed the lawless conditions overwhelming

34:26

the county and gov as so highly

34:28

questionable allegiances the eight

34:30

and accused acts tells administration of being

34:32

marked by corruption fraud

34:35

mismanagement plots and murder the

34:37

justice department report led to the removal

34:40

of those governor act still and the pro dolan

34:42

district attorney colonel dudley

34:44

and is cavalry were ordered to stand down to

34:47

the war continued with lootings

34:50

raids and shootings by both sides what

34:53

as raged on really was growing

34:55

weary of life as a fugitive mcqueen

34:58

never a violent man was reaching the end

35:00

of his abilities cope with the unbridled

35:02

warfare both were ready for

35:04

a final showdown with dolan to

35:07

end it all the regulators

35:09

established heavily fortified defense posts

35:11

route lincoln stolen forces

35:13

followed suit they can locals

35:15

made themselves scarce

35:17

really mcsweeney and fourteen other men

35:19

barricaded themselves and mix wiens home science

35:23

waited then at nightfall on

35:25

july fourteenth eighteen seventy eight shooting

35:28

began

35:29

molly's abd and raged for the next four days

35:31

and and grinding standoff food

35:34

and water were in short supply on both sides

35:36

that a truce wanna thank you something

35:45

imagine the sun is setting on july nineteenth

35:47

eighteen seventy eight in lincoln

35:49

you're a forty one year old attorney one

35:52

of the leaders of the regulators oh

35:54

you up for violence you've gone to

35:56

war with jimmy dolan and his ruthless

35:58

dance now

36:00

months of bloodshed your barricaded

36:02

in your small home with one of your most loyal

36:04

regulators billy bonnie you

36:06

glance out glance window trying to get a read on

36:08

your attackers cavalry

36:11

out there you can see soldiers

36:13

and uniform lining up heavy

36:15

artillery outside you know

36:18

it's lieutenant colonel donnelly a close ally

36:20

of dawns just as you feared

36:22

he's ignoring orders from washington to

36:24

stay out of contract

36:26

he's now got a deadly solace or cannon

36:28

trained on your house really catches

36:30

you gaze frowns the

36:32

smell smoke thought they

36:34

flip they place on fire

36:36

sure enough fire is fast engulfing

36:39

the place room by room work his

36:41

way toward where you and billy like huddled

36:43

on the floor

36:44

you're at your wits end ability must

36:46

have ice in his veins calmly

36:48

, for you to follow it i come

36:50

on we gotta move to the kitchen it's the only

36:52

roomed us out on fire fire

36:54

try crawl into the kitchen but it's no it's

36:57

blames block use path the only

36:59

way left out of this room is the front door

37:02

you the that suicide almost

37:04

mental gun you down as soon gun you step outside

37:07

billy i don't you we can make it was

37:09

really grabs you by the shoulders and shapes you snapping

37:12

you out of your panic listen to me we

37:14

still got a chance you're just gonna make gonna run

37:16

for what the cut us down like

37:19

rats were done for know we can

37:21

make it

37:21

i'll go out first and draw their fire wow

37:24

, trying to hit me you get outta here stark

37:26

enough now they'll never see see ,

37:29

maybe we should just surrendered if we've come

37:31

out with her hands up they'll kill us for sure

37:33

you for that come on this

37:35

the only on we got only getting

37:38

roasted death nodded

37:40

him why not fire blazing

37:42

only blazing few feet away it's not a hard decision

37:44

to make really

37:48

dashes out the door silhouette about a flame

37:51

there's , hail of gunfire gunfire

37:53

possible south philly made it that

37:56

doesn't have his drawing or far away

37:58

from the don't know yet ricky

38:00

to have any chance which has then

38:03

, get a final deep breath force

38:05

yourself to sort out the door door

38:08

have no idea if you're running for your life

38:10

towards your death

38:15

the night of july nineteenth eighteen

38:17

seventy eight swain escaped

38:20

is burning house i'll need to be shot

38:22

dead by dudley strips billy

38:24

made it out safely and disappeared into the woods

38:27

seeded mcsweeney house with part of a larger

38:29

battle that became known by two names and the press

38:32

the five day war the big killing

38:35

it marked the end of the lincoln county war

38:38

the admits the carnage and destruction there

38:40

was no clear victor the

38:42

early september president he's officially

38:45

removed governor samuel astral from

38:47

office and appointed a replacement the

38:49

new governor wanted the war for done and

38:51

wasted no time training amnesty to

38:53

all participants

38:55

amnesty to not cover though still wanted

38:57

for past crimes that included

38:59

billy by

39:01

the only emerged from the lincoln county war

39:03

as a full fledged outlaw conflict

39:06

made him famous around the country even the globe

39:09

once again he was on the run hunted

39:11

fugitive carrying multiple murder charges

39:14

is , allies were dead dead

39:16

was alone and alone in

39:19

that state of mind he decided to seek a truce

39:21

with the man he hated most jimmy

39:23

don't have billy would soon face

39:26

have billy betrayal that would lead

39:28

to one final decisive so

39:31

from wondering

39:33

this is f so to a billy the kid

39:35

for american history tell us all the next

39:37

episode billy the kid enters the

39:39

last chapter of his short pilot license

39:42

as he tries everything he can to avoid the

39:44

news with relentless long and ten

39:46

garrett on his trail kid make

39:48

the transition from haunted desperado darth

39:51

lesson that the wild

39:54

if you

39:56

like are so please give us five star rating

39:59

interview

40:00

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way you can the show is by filling out small

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survey you can also find us and me

40:28

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40:30

at h tellers and i at lindsey

40:33

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40:35

and

40:41

if you'd like to learn more about billy the kid

40:43

we recommend violence and lincoln county

40:46

eighteen sixty nine to eighteen eighty one by

40:48

willie mae killers and billy the kid

40:50

a short and violent life by robert em

40:52

us merrick and his resources hostess

40:55

edited to produce by need lindsey graham for

40:57

ehrsson audio editing by mali both sounds

40:59

i'm by their parents music by lindsey graham

41:02

this episode has written a peter thiel edited

41:04

by joined marina of senior producer

41:06

his candy some are assessing the producers

41:09

and similar our beckman marshall look for

41:11

one