by Trent Rosser
William Morrison, a probate investigator was sent from St. Louis to Florida to investigate a case about an elderly man that was trying to claim his deceased brother’s property. The elderly mans name was Joe Hines and he claimed to be Jesse Evens. Jesse Evans was an outlaw that killed many men and had his own gang. They were employed by the Murphy-Dolan faction during the Lincoln County war with John Tunstall and the “Regulators” which included Billy the Kid. Jesse Evans was finally captured and sent to a Texas prison. He escaped but was recaptured shortly and sent to Huntsville prison. Jesse Evans was released in 1882 and disappeared. While Morrison was interviewing Joe Hines, he revealed that he was in fact Jesse Evans and he discussed in detail the Lincoln County war and his relationship with Billy the kid. Also, during the discussion, he revealed that those involved with the war that 3 were still alive; himself (Jesse Evans) a man named Jim McDaniels (another member of his gang) and William H. Bonney, alias, Billy the Kid.
William Morrison was skeptical, to say the least, for everyone knew that Billy the kid was killed by Pat Garrett at the house of Pete Maxwell in Fort Sumner, NM in July of 1881. But as an investigator does, he had to follow through and find out the details. So, after talking with Evans, he headed to Hico, TX and finally found Ollie Roberts, aka Brushy Bill Roberts. At first Ollie did not want to discuss his past. Finally, after relentless tries, William Morrison was able to sit down and talk with Ollie about his claim to be Billy the Kid. He first agreed to tell his story if William Morrison could help him get his pardon from the Governor of New Mexico like he was promised by Lew Wallace. So, Ollie started talking. He first showed how he had small hands and large wrist and even demonstrated how he was able to escape handcuffs. He also showed the scars that coincide with the scars that Billy the kid had. He also told of how he received the scars. During this time, Morrison became a believer. Morrison took him back to New Mexico and Ollie was able to tell things about the landscape that only Billy the Kid would know. Morrison also tracked down McDaniels and three others that knew Billy the Kid and they all signed affidavits confirming the Brushy Bill Roberts, Aka Ollie Roberts was indeed Billy the Kid. So, a meeting with Thomas J. Mabry, Governor of New Mexico, was set up. What was supposed to be a private meeting turned into a media circus. Not only was the press there to discredit Ollie, but Pat Garrets descendants as well. The scene was hectic, and Thomas J. Mabry made a spectacle of Ollie Roberts. During the escapade, Ollie started to fill ill. He had a small stroke. He was not granted the pardon that he was promised 70 years earlier.
Ollie Roberts and William Morrison went back to Texas, defeated. When asked “Who did Pat Garrett shoot and kill that night at Pete Maxwell’s home” Ollie explained, “Pat and I were friends once. I showed up at Jesus Silva place with Billy Barlow and we had heard that Pat was in town. Jesus said that I was not safe, and he was cooking beans. Billy was wanting meat with the beans, but I was just content with the beans. Jesus said that he did not have any meat, but Pete Maxwell had some hanging up. Billy grabbed a knife and started walking that way. Soon after we heard the shots. I ran out and exchanged gunfire with pat and his men. I was shot in the jaw, shoulder and top of the head. I was able to crawl to a Mexican woman’s home and she took me in and dressed my wounds. Later that day, Celsa Gutierrez enter the woman’s home and told me that Garret killed Billy and was passing the body off as me. Garrett knew that he killed the wrong person and could not admit to it since Barlow was not a wanted outlaw. Tom Folliard and Charlie Bowdre were both killed by mistaken identity, but they were wanted outlaws. Barlow was just a civilian that was new to the area that I met just the day before. With the authorities thinking I am dead, I head south and take many aliases.”
Some historians will say that Ollie Roberts was just an old man trying to gain a little fame. Or was he really wanting to clear his conscience and get the pardon that he was promised for testifying against participants in the Lincoln County war? Here is my theory. Doc Scurlock was the leader of the “regulators” before Billy became their leader. Doc moved to Amarillo, TX to start a new life and leave the Lincoln County war behind him. It is also a well-known fact that Billy and the gang used to go to Tascosa, TX to sell stolen horses and cattle. Tascosa is 42 miles northwest of Amarillo. Many people claimed to have met Billy the kid and many stories have come from residents there. One, in particular, is about a shooting contest between Billy, Bat Masterson, and Temple Houston (Lawyer and son of General Sam Houston). The story goes that Billy was bested by both but lost graciously. This was supposed have happened after he was killed. Bat Masterson was not there, But Temple Houston could have been. Ollie could have made his way back to Tascosa. Another resident of Tascosa was “Frenchy” McCormick. She was quoted as saying that, “He was the best natured kid and had the most pleasant smile I ever saw in a young man” But “Frenchy” did not arrive in Tascosa until 1880. So, if she did meet him before the incident with Pat Garrett, it was just briefly. So again, Ollie could have made his way back to Tascosa after his supposed death at Fort Sumner. This would also be the time that Pat Garrett came to Texas and became a Texas Ranger. Doc Scurlock was in Amarillo and Ollie was in Tascosa. I believe that Pat had a hidden agenda to be in the area. He wanted to either kill Ollie and finish the job, or to make sure no one would recognize that Billy the kid was still alive, and he would be made a public spectacle for killing the wrong man and passing it off as Billy the Kid. Shortly after his arrival, Doc Scurlock moved to Eastland, TX and Ollie disappeared once more.
Some would say that even if he wasn’t killed by Pat Garrett, that there is no way he would be able to hide that long. Again, I disagree. In this day and age, we have the internet and many ways to find someone. If it is that hard to disappear, then why do we have shows like “missing” and “Americas most wanted”? There are people and children who have been missing for decades and criminals who have gone into hiding that can not be found. With all the technology now, you can still commit identity theft and start a new life. So, it must have been much easier back in the late 1800s. Whether you believe that “Brushy Bill” Roberts aka Ollie Roberts was Billy the kid or not, you must agree that there are many discrepancies on both sides. For decades only 1 photograph of Billy the kid existed. A few years ago, a new one surfaced and it took years to confirm it was Billy the kid. This past October another one has surfaced. It has not been confirmed yet, but it shows him and 4 other cowboys. He is standing on one side of the picture and seated on the other side is his old friend… Pat Garrett
It is a very big possibility that Ollie Roberts was indeed Billy the kid. Unfortunately, a flood washed away the remains that was buried with the man in Fort Sumner, so a DNA test on him would not be possible. And, the courts can not allow to get DNA from Billy the kids mother Catharine McCarty Antrim. Whom Ollie claims was actually an aunt and not his real mother. Either way, in November of 1950 Ollie had the small stroke. On December 27, 1950 while back in Hico, TX he told his wife that he would walk the few blocks to the post office to retrieve a package for her. On his way, he had a massive heart attack. Ollie Roberts, aka William Henry Roberts, aka “Brushy Bill” Roberts, aka Henry McCarty, aka William Bonney and most popular known as Billy the Kid, finally fell dead in the street. This time, he had his boots on.
