Was Billy the Kid spotted at Smiley’s Flea Market?

Frank A. Abrams [a lawyer, author and inventor in Skyland, N.C.] believes that a 3¼-by-3-inch tintype he bought at Smiley’s Flea Market in Fletcher, N.C., in 2011 might depict both Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett, the sheriff who killed the notorious outlaw in Fort Sumner on July 14, 1881.

“Abrams said he believes the photo of five seated cowboys was taken Jan. 14, 1880, at the dual wedding of Pat Garrett to Apolinaria Gutierrez and Barney Mason to Juana Madril….

“ ‘If I’m right, this will be the only known picture of Billy the Kid with Pat Garrett,’ Abrams said last month in Albuquerque.

“Though Abrams says he’s not ‘advocating a position’ on the authenticity of the photo, he spent 10 days traveling to historic New Mexico sites linked to the Kid and Pat Garrett, and meeting with people familiar with the duo’s history. He said he’s now searching out ‘experts’ in photo recognition in hopes of proving his theory.

“A trio of renowned Old West historians, however, say Abrams has a daunting task ahead….”

— From “Are Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett in tintype?” by Charles D. Brunt in the Albuquerque Journal (Dec. 6)

Meanwhile, UNC Professor Philip Gura‘s eBay-purchased daguerreotype of a woman he believes to be Emily Dickinson remains mired in skepticism

 

3 thoughts on “Was Billy the Kid spotted at Smiley’s Flea Market?”

  1. Tintype photographic specialist Will Dunniway has determined that the tintype was taken by the same photographer with the same camera that took the DU Billy Picture. Clearly in my picture is Pat Garrett on one side, Dave Rudabaugh on other, Billy next to Rudabaugh, Barney Mason in middle, and (most likely) Jose Chavez Y Chavez, behind Garrett.

    Five tintypes were purchased from the same lot, and one is clearly Ash Upson, the man who ghost wrote THE AUTHENTIC LIFE OF BILLY THE KID for his friend Pat Garrett. “ASH” is scratched onto the back of that particular tintype.

  2. People that sign affidavits :
    1.Overton -pat garrett wife Apolonaria Gutierrez Garrett told him and his friend that her husband did not shoot billy the kid and he signed affidavit .
    Apolonaria Gutierrez Garrett sister Celsa claimed that Paulita Maxwell was pregnant with Billy the kid and Celsa had Billy the kid in her room day that Pat garrett supposedly shot him july14,1881.
    2.Bobby Talbert Friend of Overton heard the story above and he signed affidavit as well.
    -Signed affidavits that Brushy Bill Roberts is BillytheKid is alive.
    3.Dewitt Weaver.4.Jose Montoya 5.JoeHines aka JesseEvans 6.Severo Gallegos 7.Jim McDaniels 8.Bill Jones 9.Sam Jones
    People that claim they were outlaws knew each other:
    J.Frank Dalton -Jesse James claim BrushyBill Roberts -BillyTheKid and Brushy claim Dalton is Jesse James jan1950.

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