Miles Wood, The Man Who Despised the Kid

Miles L. Wood was a Justice of the Peace in Grant County, Arizona, and owned the local Exchange Hotel there. He was the one responsible for arresting Billy several times while he was in Arizona for stealing horses and later for the murder of Windy Cahill. It was obvious for various sources that he despised him, and this is the handwritten account from Miles L. Wood, of when he knew Billy back in Arizona. Followed by one of the indictments he set against the kid. When I locate the Windy Cahill murder indictment again, I will update this post.

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There has been several accounts telling of Billy the Kid during the so called Lincoln County War but none has told of the kids life before going to New Mexico and as I knew him well here in Arizona before he went to the war. I will explain, his name was William Antrim, his step father Antrim and his mother lived in Globe. Billy came to Bonita about April 19– he worked a few days for M. L. Wood but he got to being with a gang of rustlers. This place was the headquarters of the gang—soldiers would come from Fort Grant to visit the saloons and dance houses here. Billy and his chum Macky would steal the saddles and saddle blankets from the horses and occasionally they would take the horses and hide them out until they get a chance to dispose of them. A lt. and a doctor from the Fort came down they said they would see that no one took their horses, so they had a long piclt rope the carried the end of the rope in their hands and went to the bar inside. Macky talked to the officers while Billy cut the ropes from the horses and run off with the horses leaving the officers holding the pieces of rope. The G M came to me and issued warrants for the two of them but they had gone to Globe so I sent the warrants to Globe. The constable arrested Billy but he gave the slip to the constable and got away. He arrested Billy again and started down to Grant with them when he arrived at Cedar Springs Billy escaped again. I being the J. P. Heard that Billy was at Bonita. I sent the old constable down from Fort Grant to get him and bring Billy and Macky before me. He came back and said he could not find the men. The next morning I saw the two men come in for breakfast, so I told the waiter I would wait on them myself. I had the breakfast for the two places on a large waiter and I carried it in to them. I shoved the platter on the table in front of them and pulled a six gun from under it and told them to put up their hands and that to go straight out the door. I took them to the Guard house and explained to the sergt. That I would see the Col and have these men kept until I could notify the Sheriff. About an hour after this Billy made some excuse and the guard took him out and right in front of several men Billy turned and threw a hand full of salt in the guards eyes and at the same time grabbed the guards gun. The guard yelled for the Segt of the guard and several of them ran out and got him and put him back. I then told the blacksmith to make a pair of shackles and revet them on Billys ankles. That night my wife and myself were at a reception to the Col house while there the Segt of the guard called the Col out. The Col came in and told me that Billy was gone. In a few days Billy was back in Bonita again. One of his friends Cahill , known as Windy Cahill a blacksmith was in a small saloon here drinking beer and got in an argument about wrestling. Windy being much bigger and stronger threw Billy three different times which made Billy mad and he stuck his pistol in the stomach and shot Cahill. Billy then skipped out to New Mexico and went to work as a fighter for John Chisim in the Lincoln County War.

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February 16, 1877 Lewis Hartman's Complaint Against Billy In the Justices court of Camp Grant Precinct in the County of Pinio Territory of Arizona.

Personally appeared before me this day Louis C. Hartman of Camp Grant at in the county of Pino, who being first duly sworn complains and says: That one Henry Antrim alias Kid, on the 17th day of November 1876 at said Precinct of Camp Grant in the county of Pino near the store of one M. McDowell did with force steal one horse, saddle, bridle and blanket of the value of one hundred and fifty dollars of goods and chattles of the United States. The said Louis C. Hartman then states that on the 25th day of November 1876 he found said horse etc in the possession of said Henry Antrim alias Kid being found feloniously did steal, take , lead and drive away all of which is contrary to the form of the statue in such case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the People of the Territory of Arizona. Said complainant therefore prays that a warrant may be issued for the arrest of the said Henry Antrim alias Kid and that he may be dealt with according to law.

Louis C. Hartman

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 16th day of February AD 1877

Miles L Wood

Justice of the Peace

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