Billy the Kid was a hired gun who fought in the Lincoln County, New Mexico, range wars during the 1880s. The true name of Billy the Kid remains unknown, although most historians believe it was Henry McCarthy. He was born to Catherine McCarthy in New York City in 1859, although 1860 has been given as birth year also. His mother remarried and the family moved to New Mexico. The Kid began his career as a petty thief stealing clothes from a Chinese laundry. His stepfather, William Antrim, had the local sheriff jail the 15-year-old boy to teach him a lesson. All the Kid learned was how to escape from jail.

In Arizona, Billy the Kid worked as a ranch hand while stealing horses. He used a string of aliases, including Henry Antrim, William Antrim, Kid Antrim. The Kid hung out in saloons but rarely drank. He killed his first man...