August 4, 2010
At 1:10 this afternoon I did a phoner (interview) in Adelaide, Australia on the Billy the Kid pardon. Sounded like it was early morning over there. The two gents seemed quite conversant on all things Billy the Kid, although, as they admitted, Ned Kelly, is their big outlaw bad boy.

We've got a poll up here and on Facebook regarding the Billy the Kid pardon. Here are some of the better answers from the Facebook poll:

"No pardon. . .yet. The arguments are too much fun."
—Jerrie Paschal

"I thought they decided Billy was a woman."
—Al Collier

"No pardon. Billy was a non-repentant murderer."
—Larry Banks

"Oh hell yes. I say pardon him. After all, there was that deal. I always have kinda liked him especially after reading Sister Blandina Segale's 1948 book, AT THE END of the SANTA FE TRAIL. When I was a kid I had a pair of black Billy the Kid jeans if memory serves. My Mom couldn't get them off of me for the laundry."
—Gerri Gosney

How Did In-dins Scalp Bald People?
"My husband and I watch Encore Western channel all the time. We were wondering if, and how, bald people were scalped by the Indians?"
—Thyra Lewis

Thyra,
The answer is: very carefully.

Actually, this is a great question. Scalping is a very contentious issue in our history. Some Indian tribes, like the Apaches, claim they never scalped, or did so only in retaliation to the Mexican government who offered bounties on Apache scalps. I imagine if warriors did bag a bald-headed fontiersman, they were disappointed by the lack of a trophy.
—BBB

"Hair today, gone tomorrow."
—Old Vaquero Saying