Jesse James and Billy the Kid
On Sunday, July 26, 1879, Jesse James stayed at the Old Adobe Hotel in Hot Springs, near Las Vegas, New Mexico. Also there that day was none other than the infamous New Mexican outlaw, William H. Bonney, AKA Billy the Kid. Around dinner time, a friend of Billy, Dr. Henry F. Hoyt entered the dining room. There, he saw his friend Billy eating dinner with a man who was going by the name of Mr. Howard. Billy invited Hoyt to join them, and Hoyt did. On July 29, Jesse James left the hotel. After James left, Billy told Hoyt that Mr. Howard was Jesse James. Billy also said that James asked him to come back with him to Missouri to join James's new gang. Billy turned him down, saying he wasn't that interested in robbing banks, trains, and stagecoaches. Many doubt that this event really happened, but there is much evidence that it did. First of all, there is Hoyt's word. There would be no point in him lying about it and everyone that knew him said he was always honest. Future New Mexico Governor Miguel Otero also said he saw the two outlaws eat together in the dining room. Second, there is proof that Jesse was at least staying at the Old Adobe Hotel from July 26 through July 29, as it was announced in the newspaper. Third, Jesse's most used alias was Mr. Thomas Howard. Fourth, at this time, Jesse was prospecting many different places for his family to move to, and New Mexico as one of the places he prospected. Fifth, the Old Adobe Hotel was owned and operated by W. Scott Moore, who was born and raised in Kearney, Missouri and was a known boyhood friend of Jesse, so Jesse might have also been there visiting his friend Moore. If anyone has any thoughts about this, please e-mail me. The photo on this page is the only definite photo of Billy the Kid.
Email: ofolliard@aol.com
