Billy the Kid Faces The Law... Again

Jason Raddin writes "MSNBC.com has an interesting story about a new showdown in the Old West. It seems as if Billy the Kid can still cause problems for the law-men of New Mexico, even as he rests in his grave. Several small New Mexico towns claim to possess the "true" grave of Billy the Kid (a.k.a. William H. Bonney, Henry McCarty, Kid Antrim). Two sheriffs in Capitan, New Mexico have proposed that this mystery be solved using modern DNA testing. The proposal was made in June to exhume the remains of Bonney's mother and the two reported graves of Bonney. This has spurred a hot legal debate raising an interesting question: which is more important, tourist dollars or the truth?"

Comments

What about...

[Stile 65]

...the rights of the dead buried people that they're digging up?

Who owns those plots of land? Do dead bodies automatically become the property of the state?

Possible problem with the truth...

[gloth]

What if they do the DNA tests and it turns out that Billy the Kid isn't in either of those graves?

I think Shakespeare said it best...

[NWRefund]

Epitaph from the grave of William Shakespeare: Good friend for Iesus sake forbeare to digg the dvst encloased heare. Blese be ye man yt spares thes stones and cvrst be he yt moves my bones.

Not only could it tell who was the right Billy:

[rsidd]

It could decide whether Pat Garrett was a hero or a "liar who covered up a murder to save his reputation."

Re:How about respect?

[Epistax]

I too don't buy into that respect-leftover-biomass business. After someone is dead, their body is as good as their last shit really, except for the numerous scientific and medical uses. Now that I think about it, it could be kind of nice to keep a DNA record of people after they die so extensive biological histories could be kept (think of people in the year 3000 looking up their heritage). Of course this will incite that whole privacy debate and everyone is out to get everyone.

This probably isn't a smart thing to post as it isn't popular. Oh well doesn't make it wrong.

Theres

[AnonymousCowheart]

there no need for diggin up bodies, dna tests and the like.
there is a simple way to solve this exact problem

Obligatory Simpsons quote...

[MacDork]

Homer Jay Simpson: Dig him up! Dig up that corpse! If you really love Jebediah Springfield, you'll haul his bones out of the ground to prove my daughter wrong! Dig up his grave! Pull out his tongue!

Mayor 'Diamond' Joe Quimby: Can't we have one meeting that doesn't end with us digging up a corpse?

Besides, what happens when neither corpse is the Kid? I mean, anyone who has seen the Simpsons Halloween special knows he's buried in Springfield, just waiting for all of us to throw away our guns! :-)

Re:New Mexico...for tourism?

[Andurin]

I actually live in Silver City. I was born and raised here. What I can assure all of you is that this story has been around (my intial report in June) for awhile, and the reason it hasn't been settled yet is because we like to fight about everything. The local paper has been covering the story, if you want another perspective on things:

They include the statement that Catherine Antrim, buried in Memory Lane Cemetery, has a "legal right to repose in her grave"; Silver City is charged with the management of the cemetery; the town is "empowered to preserve and protect historical landmarks within its jurisdiction, including Catherine Antrim's grave site, under the Historic District and Landmark Act,"; and the town must protect the dignity of "those interred on its public grounds."

However, as far as tourism goes, NM does have alot to offer. No flashy lights or big buidlings, but we have National Monuments, Parks, and Forests, along with countless state monuments and parks. Perhaps you might want to check out the Gila Cliff Dwellings, or the City of Rocks, or take a tour of ghost towns. You can do all three within an hour and a half drive from Silver City. We have thirty-three art galleries downtown, access to just about any outdoor activity you can think of, and host the Tour of the Gila, a prominent cycling road race, every spring. And that's just Silver City.

I certainly agree that this might be getting a little too much attention. However, I think it might be taking it a little far to think that Silver City is trying to rationalize its existence on the fact that Billy the Kid's mom is buried here. In fact, aside from post cards, I've never really seen any Billy the Kid merchandise. Maybe I should go into business.

all they have to do:

[theMerovingian]

Wait for a good rain! http://www.rosenet.org/library/historyimages/cemet eries2.jpg