A boy with a six-shooter in his hand – he wreaked havoc in the Wild West.

William McCarty, who took on the name William H. Bonney, and was also known as Kid Antrim, was one of the most notorious gunmen of the American South West.

Born in New York in 1859, he grew up in Silver City, New Mexico with his mother, Catherine McCarty and step-father, William Antrim.

An orphan by age 14, the teenager worked various jobs before joining the Jesse Evans Gang, a band of cattle rustlers.

McCarty was soon wanted for cattle rustling, robbery and murder. He became known as Kid Antrim, but it is around Billy the Kid the legend grew. He is said to have killed anything from four to twenty-seven men. Legend has it that he killed his first man at age 12 or 14, but it is more likely he was about 18.

Billy the Kid was captured by Sheriff Pat Garrett in 1880 and sentenced to hang. He escaped after killing Garrett’s two deputies, who had been left to guard the prisoner. The very determined Pat Garrett pursued the outlaw and the two met in the room of land baron, Lucien Maxwell.

There are a few theories as to how Billy’s life came to an end. The most likely is that he walked into Maxwell’s room not realising Pat Garrett was there. On recognising McCarty/Bonney, Sheriff Garrett drew his pistol and fired twice, killing Billy the Kid – and he was still a kid, not yet 22 years old.

Young William was known to be charming, well dressed and attractive to women. His legend lives on in songs, books and films with Billy portrayed as part feared criminal and part unfortunate folk hero.