Billy the Kid's Still Got It

Can you recognize Billy the Kid?

Yes, Billy the Kid still has the power to capture the public imagination.  Folk hero, bandit, ladies' man, cold-blooded murderer, unruly teenager, defender of a lost way of life, Billy continues to be, well, intriguing.

And I happen to have a soft spot in my heart for Billy.  Sappy, unrealistic, uninformed you may call me, but having raised a son of my own, I would have given Billy shelter for the night and cooked him a good hot meal.  Besides, reports are that Billy was a fluent Spanish speaker.  As a fan of languages, I admire that.

Last Sunday my husband and I took a leisurely drive to San Elizario, Texas to participate in the monthly Mission Trail Art Market.  We timed the visit to see a re-enactment by the Pistoleros of San Elizario of an historic event involving Billy the Kid. 

Pistoleros of San Elizario

San Elizario boasts an historic jail, which in 1876 was the county jail.  Billy broke into (note into not out of) the jail to rescue a friend and gambling companion, Melquiades Segura.  Melquiades had been arrested for killing Margarito Mendoza ,who had accused him of cheating at the gambling table. Billy rode on horseback six hours from Mesilla, New Mexico to San Elizario, arriving at about 3:00 am. ( Today the same trip would take approximately two hours by car.)  

Billy knocked on the door and identified himself in Spanish as a Texas Ranger delivering prisoners to the jail. When a jailer opened the door, Billy used his .44 revolver to convince the jailer to give up his own gun.  Billy found the jail key, freed Melquiades, locked the two jailers in the cell, and escaped across the nearby Mexico border. The Pistoleros gave an admirable performance, re-enacting an historical version and then a Hollywood version, with guns blazing to entertain the public.  .

Pistolero Re-enactors

I can picture in my mind what the town of San Elizario must have looked and felt like on a  cool November morning in 1876. San Eli, as the locals call it,  is still a quiet refuge from city life,  with one main street, a plaza with a gazebo and an historic church. 

What I particularly like about this story is that there was no bloodshed during the escape.  One can admire the ingenuity of Billy and his loyalty to a friend without addressing the more violent aspects of his personality. 

One last thought.  I read that in the 20th century, when the jail was no longer in use as the county jail, that unruly school boys were sometimes housed in the jail for a few hours until they changed their ways! Goodness!