The small village of Mesilla in New Mexico was the site of archtypical American Old West cultural traditions: developing railroads, silver mines and cattle ranches, wars against the American Indians, and showdowns among ineffective government officials were commonplace in the Arizona and New Mexico territories of the late 19th century. Billy the Kid, ne Henry McCarty (1859-1881), was active in this region. Although his reputation has a glamorous veneer, no one who studies his life would be envious. He managed to escape from prison, evade lawmen, and even participate in organized combat against a nascent local government. On the other hand, he was orphaned at age 14, and only two years later he was arrested for stealing food. His life was spent evading a legal system that often provided little choice but for him to abrogate.
