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Alias Billy The Kid
In 1949 a childhood friend of Billy the Kid claimed Billy was still living and led investigators to a man in Texas known as William H. “Brushy Bill” Roberts. After intially denying it, Brushy finally agreed to confess his identity on the condition the investigator would help him obtain a pardon so he could die a free man. Over the course of several months Mr. Roberts provided many astounding proofs that he was the Kid of legend, including physical evidence and firsthand knowledge of many obscure aspects of the Kid’s life. In addition, the investigator assisted Roberts with finding living acquaintances of Billy the Kid who signed sworn affidavits stating Roberts was the man they knew.
Now after more than 50 years Brushy’s original story is available for the first time ever in paperback.
Now after more than 50 years Brushy’s original story is available for the first time ever in paperback.
136 pages, Hardcover
First published October 3, 2014
14 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
C.L. Sonnichsen
57 books3 followersCHARLES LELAND SONNICHSEN
Ph.D. (in English Literature, 1931) at Harvard University
Taught at University at Texas in El Paso for 41 years.
You may read more about this author at
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/on...
Ph.D. (in English Literature, 1931) at Harvard University
Taught at University at Texas in El Paso for 41 years.
You may read more about this author at
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/on...
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 23, 2021
“Men lie all the time. We lie so much it’s damn near a language…” – Chris Rock
In 1949, lawyer and probate investigator William Morrison is contacted and receives information that Henry McCarty a/k/a William H. Bonney a/k/a Billy the Kid (BtK) was not killed at Fort Sumner on July 14, 1881 by Pat Garrett, but was alive and well, living in Hico, Texas under the alias of Ollie P. “Bill” Roberts a/k/a William H. “Brushy Bill” Roberts (OPR).
Morrison was introduced to Ollie P. “Bill” Roberts a/k/a William H. “Brushy Bill” Roberts who claimed he was Billy the Kid.
Therefore, begins the tale of Alias Billy the Kid. Having read much about BtK I found the book entertaining, but far from factual. In fact, the more OPR’s tale evolved, the more frustrating it became.
There are many discrepancies from the book that do not align with fact.
OPR states that he was born in 1859 (same as BtK). OPR’s niece Geneva Pittman states that OPR’s birth is recorded in the family bible as August 26, 1879. BtK was shot and killed by Pat Garrett in 1881 so that would have made OPR two years old at the time of BtK’s death.
OPR is also found in several census records, which weren’t as widely accessible to the public as they are now. These records also supported Geneva Pittman’s birth claim:
1880 – Arkansas – age 1
1900 - Hopkins County, Texas – age 20
1910 - Van Zandt County, Texas – age 30
1920 - Van Zandt County, Texas – age 41
1930 - Van Zandt County, Texas – age 52
OPR states in his book he was three years old when his mother, Catherine Antrim, died. BtK was 15 years old when his mother Catherine (nee Devine) Antrim died at the age of 45 on September 16, 1874 of tuberculosis in Silver City, Grant County, New Mexico where she had moved to seek a more forgiving climate to her disease. BtK and his brother Joseph (Josey), born in 1863, were placed in separate foster families. This is a huge mistake on the part of OPR. Information that wasn’t widely known at the time.
OPR stated that he was left-handed. At the time it was believed that BtK was left-handed due to the famous Dedrick ferrotype photo. This perception was widely assumed throughout much of the 20th century. In the ferrotype BtK appears to be wearing a gun belt with a holster on his left side and holding a Winchester Model 1873 rifle, but further examination revealed that, as all Winchester Model 1873 rifles were made with the loading gate on the right side of the receiver, the “left-handed” photograph was in fact a mirror image. This error wasn’t discovered until 1954. Four years after OPR’s death and a year before OPR’s biography Alias Billy the Kid was published. I should note that BtK was widely reported (by teachers and friends) to be ambidextrous, but this doesn’t change the fact that the ferrotype is reversed.
There are many, many more discrepancies, from contradictions of fact to complete loss of recollection of notable, historical events. Much of OPR’s tale seems to be sourced from Pat Garrett’s The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid. Which also has it’s shares of errors.
OPR isn’t the only person to claim to be BtK…check out John Miller…another noted imposter. Claiming to be someone famous or infamous has been occurring since the beginning of reported history. William Morrison was actually investigating a court case involving a man named Joe Hines, whose brother had died in Minot, North Dakota. During the course of proving his identity to the court, Hines claimed that he was in fact the notorious outlaw Jesse Evans that had fought in the Lincoln County War. It was Hines, who told the story to Morrison that Billy the Kid was not killed by Pat Garrett in 1881, and led him to OPR.
I’ll leave the rest for you to investigate, there is much out there, although any one of the above discrepancies would be enough to discredit OPR’s tale.
In 1949, lawyer and probate investigator William Morrison is contacted and receives information that Henry McCarty a/k/a William H. Bonney a/k/a Billy the Kid (BtK) was not killed at Fort Sumner on July 14, 1881 by Pat Garrett, but was alive and well, living in Hico, Texas under the alias of Ollie P. “Bill” Roberts a/k/a William H. “Brushy Bill” Roberts (OPR).
Morrison was introduced to Ollie P. “Bill” Roberts a/k/a William H. “Brushy Bill” Roberts who claimed he was Billy the Kid.
Therefore, begins the tale of Alias Billy the Kid. Having read much about BtK I found the book entertaining, but far from factual. In fact, the more OPR’s tale evolved, the more frustrating it became.
There are many discrepancies from the book that do not align with fact.
OPR states that he was born in 1859 (same as BtK). OPR’s niece Geneva Pittman states that OPR’s birth is recorded in the family bible as August 26, 1879. BtK was shot and killed by Pat Garrett in 1881 so that would have made OPR two years old at the time of BtK’s death.
OPR is also found in several census records, which weren’t as widely accessible to the public as they are now. These records also supported Geneva Pittman’s birth claim:
1880 – Arkansas – age 1
1900 - Hopkins County, Texas – age 20
1910 - Van Zandt County, Texas – age 30
1920 - Van Zandt County, Texas – age 41
1930 - Van Zandt County, Texas – age 52
OPR states in his book he was three years old when his mother, Catherine Antrim, died. BtK was 15 years old when his mother Catherine (nee Devine) Antrim died at the age of 45 on September 16, 1874 of tuberculosis in Silver City, Grant County, New Mexico where she had moved to seek a more forgiving climate to her disease. BtK and his brother Joseph (Josey), born in 1863, were placed in separate foster families. This is a huge mistake on the part of OPR. Information that wasn’t widely known at the time.
OPR stated that he was left-handed. At the time it was believed that BtK was left-handed due to the famous Dedrick ferrotype photo. This perception was widely assumed throughout much of the 20th century. In the ferrotype BtK appears to be wearing a gun belt with a holster on his left side and holding a Winchester Model 1873 rifle, but further examination revealed that, as all Winchester Model 1873 rifles were made with the loading gate on the right side of the receiver, the “left-handed” photograph was in fact a mirror image. This error wasn’t discovered until 1954. Four years after OPR’s death and a year before OPR’s biography Alias Billy the Kid was published. I should note that BtK was widely reported (by teachers and friends) to be ambidextrous, but this doesn’t change the fact that the ferrotype is reversed.
There are many, many more discrepancies, from contradictions of fact to complete loss of recollection of notable, historical events. Much of OPR’s tale seems to be sourced from Pat Garrett’s The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid. Which also has it’s shares of errors.
OPR isn’t the only person to claim to be BtK…check out John Miller…another noted imposter. Claiming to be someone famous or infamous has been occurring since the beginning of reported history. William Morrison was actually investigating a court case involving a man named Joe Hines, whose brother had died in Minot, North Dakota. During the course of proving his identity to the court, Hines claimed that he was in fact the notorious outlaw Jesse Evans that had fought in the Lincoln County War. It was Hines, who told the story to Morrison that Billy the Kid was not killed by Pat Garrett in 1881, and led him to OPR.
I’ll leave the rest for you to investigate, there is much out there, although any one of the above discrepancies would be enough to discredit OPR’s tale.
January 14, 2019
A good book leaves you convinced of its argument. I now believe that Billy the Kid died an old man. This is an incredible book that teaches you about the details of Billy the kid and about the further adventures of the man Billy the Kid became.
December 20, 2023
The reason I'm recommending this book is because there are five different people who were close friends he knew who he rode with, talked with, ate meals with, worked with, lived with William "Brushy Bill" Roberts who signed their name to legal sworn affidavits. William "Brushy Bill" Roberts had see-able, physical wounds that matched where he had been shot in the shootouts he had been involved in. When he finally agreed to come forward and tell his story to William Morrison, he stated he would only do so if Morrison would get him in front of the present Governor of New Mexico so he could ask for a pardon. Clearing his name was more important than money or fame to him. The most interesting event was Pat Garrett claiming he shot "Billy the Kid". The most famous wanted outlaw at the time was shot to death at Fort Sumner, New Mexico on July 14, 1881. Pat Garrett would not let anyone look at the dead body. Why? Because it wasn't "Billy the Kid" it was a young man named "Billy Barlow". Pat Garrett had a carpenter hastily make a coffin in the early morning hours and buried the body instantly that same day. If you go to the New Mexico authorities and try to get a copy of " Billy the Kid's" death certificate, you'll be wasting your time. They don't have one! During that time period if someone shot a famous outlaw, the shooter would stand beside the dead outlaw and make sure to take a picture beside the corpse. NOT Pat Garrett! They didn't even take one picture of the supposedly dead body of the famous outlaw, "Billy the Kid"! Because he knew he didn't shoot "Billy the Kid". Yet, Garrett still wanted to collect that $500.00 reward that was on " Billy the Kid's" head. I believe the evidence William Morrison provided in this book. Remember, what started this all was Jesse Evans. An outlaw who personally knew and rode with "Billy the Kid".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2021
Interesting if you like the Old West. Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews