Gila County Constable Miles L. Wood arrested Billy the Kid in 1876. Here's how it happened -- William H. Bonner, "Billy the Kid", rode into Gila County in the spring of 1876. On March 19 he stole a horse belonging to Pvt. Charles Smith at old Camp Goodwin and traveled to Camp Grant hoping for "the chance to make money at the gaming tables at a saloon near Camp Grant."

Just off the military reservation a community of dance halls, drinking establishments and worse sprang up in a locale that came to be known as the community of Bonita, named after Henry C. Hooker's Sierra Bonita Ranch to the south of that location. Billy stole more horses near Bonita and was tracked to the mining district north of Globe, Arizona. The military recovered the horses and left but did not bother to bring Billy in.

Returning to Camp Grant, Billy and his thieving companion, John R. Mackie, stole three horses at Cedar Springs (February 16, 1877). Another chase ensued and Billy was caught and was being returned to Camp Grant when he escaped, a trick he practiced well. When Billy came into Camp Grant for breakfast one morning, Constable Miles L. Wood charged him with horse theft and arrested him. After another escape attempt the constable had the camp blacksmith, Frank "Windy" Cahill, rivet shackles onto Billy's ankles. Imprisoned in a poorly constructed guardhouse, Billy crawled through a ventilation hole and escaped wearing his leg irons.

Several months later, Billy returned to one of the saloons just off the military carrying a six-shooter stuffed in his trousers. Billy went into Atkins's Cantina, pulled out his pistol and shot Cahill in the belly. Billy ran outside, mounted the fastest horse within eyesight and departed the area, never to be seen in Arizona again. Later he would be shot dead by New Mexico Sheriff Pat Garrett. Justice of the Peace Alejandro Seguro formed a coroner's jury, viewed the body, and concluded that the killing was justifiable.

Source: Jerry Weddle, editor of The Lincoln County Wars; Bell Boze, Bell The Illustrated Life and Times of Billy the Kid Second Edition, Tri-Star-Boze Productions, Inc. 1996; Nolan, Frederick The West of Billy the Kid University of Oklahoma Press, Norman 1998; Nolan, Frederick Pat Garrett's The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman 2000.