Gilded Age (1878-1889) What was this "Wild West" really like? Billy the Kid Escaped from Jail April 30, 1881 Billy the Kid was reported to be responsible for the murder of 27 men by the time he was 21 years old. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to hang before he made his dramatic escape from the Mesilla jail. Scholars still don't know Billy the Kid's true identity, though some believe his given name may have been either William Bonney or Henry McCarty. Movies and books have long romanticized the old West and characters like Billy the Kid. But what was the "Wild West" really like? Ask your friends and family what they know. page 3 of 3 Library Of Congress | Legal Notices | Privacy | Site Map | Contact Us