Saturday, August 27, 2011

Las Cruces, NM - Pat Garrett R.I.P.

Today I am headed to Las Cruces, NM with Tim, Jenny and Nathan. We are going to do some shopping but while we are there I am going to try and find Pat Garrett's grave.
Pat Garrett is the man who killed Billy The Kid. Pat Garrett was born in Alabama in 1850. He was raised on a prosperous Pre Civil War Plantation in Louisianna. He left the Plantation and moved out west. He worked as a Cowboy, where he became friends with Henry McCarty (alias Billy the Kid) and was also a Hunter. Pat Garrett was a hot-tempered man. He moved around and eventually became a Texas Ranger. In 1880 he moved to Roswell, NM and became the Sheriff of Lincoln County. His mission was to find Billy the Kid and arrest him. He did track down Billy the Kid and arrested him in Stinking Springs, NM. Billy the Kid was put on trial and was sentenced to death by hanging. Billy the Kid escaped while being held for the hanging. Pat Garrett tracked him down again by using a mutual acquaintance. He waited for Billy in a dimmly light room and when Billy the Kid walked in the door Garrett shot and killed him. Garrett was considered a coward on the way he killed the Kid and eventually left his job as Sheriff of Lincoln County. He held other law enforcement positions before he was appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt to supervise the El Paso Customs Department. Garrett was a heavy drinking, inconsiderate, unfair and rude man. His unfair ways led to his dismissal of his appointed job. He then bought a ranch where he lived with his wife and nine children. He could not make his ranch prosperous and decided to lease it to a man named Wayne Brazel. After a while, Garrett did not like the way Brazel was running his ranch and wanted it back. He confronted Brazel in Las Cruces, NM stating he was going to get his ranch back "one way or another". Garrett left to use the bathroom and while he was urinating Brazel shot him twice killing Pat Garrett. Brazel was acquitted of the killing for self defense and a BBQ was held in town in celebrations of the verdict. Pat Garrett was not a likeable man.
His grave is in Las Cruces and now since I have all this interest in the Old West I will seek it out. Of course, I will have to make the sacrifice and do a little shopping while in Las Cruces too!

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