Garrett spent his childhood on a Louisiana plantation. In 1869, he moved to Texas and worked as a cowboy until 1875, when he took up buffalo hunting. In 1878, he shot a man in a gunfight over disputed buffalo hides and went to New Mexico where he again worked as a cowboy and as a saloon owner. In 1880, he became Lincoln County Sheriff and was given the task of bringing the outlaw Billy the Kid to justice. Only a month later, Garrett and his posse captured Billy and his gang and they were tried and convicted. In April, 1881, Billy escaped from jail and was again on the run. Garrett caught up with him at the home of Peter Maxwell and shot him dead. Garrett became an overnight legend and wrote a book about the life of Billy the Kid which was published in 1882, however other authors had already published similar works and Garrett's book was not very successful. After that, Garrett worked as a Texas Ranger, county commissioner, sherrif, rancher and horse-breeder. He was murdered over a land dispute in New Mexico in 1908. |
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