The Rustlers, the second gang of Billy the Kid

The above illustration appeared on the cover of the 1992 issue of "The Outlaw Gazette." It depicts the core members of the Rustlers. They are, from left to right: Tom Folliard, Charlie Bowdre, Tom Pickett, Billy the Kid, Dirty Dave Rudabaugh, & Billy Wilson.

This part of my page lists the members of the Rustlers, the second gang that Billy the Kid belonged to, as well as their allies. I classify their allies as men who did not actually ride with the gang, but aided them in the selling of their stolen livestock and/or corralled the stolen animals for the gang. This was not the first gang named "the Rustlers." The original was more well known as "Selman's Scouts," which was led by John and Tom Selman. Selman's Scouts invaded Lincoln County towards the end of the war and began terrorizing citizens for fun. Click here to learn more about them. After the Lincoln County War was over and Selman's Scouts had left Lincoln County, Billy and his pals began rustling cattle, mules, and horses. Treasury Agent Azariah Wild (who was investigating members of the gang such as Billy Wilson, Sam Cooper, and the Dedrick brothers, for passing counterfeit bills) dubbed them "the Rustlers" as well.

Click here for a detailed account of the known rustling activities of Billy the Kid

The Rustlers

• William H. 'Billy the Kid' Bonney, leader, former Regulator, either shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett at Fort Sumner, New Mexico on July 14, 1881 or died of old age at Hico, Texas on Dec. 27, 1950.
• Tom 'Big Foot' Folliard, second-in-command, former Regulator, shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett at Fort Sumner, New Mexico on Dec. 19, 1880.
• Charlie Bowdre, former Regulator, shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett's posse at Stinking Springs, New Mexico on Dec. 23, 1880.
• Josiah Gordon 'Doc' Scurlock, former Regulator, died of old age at Eastland, Texas on July 25, 1929.
• 'Dirty Dave' Rudabaugh, former Dodge City Gang member, either decapitated by citizens at Parral, Mexico on Feb. 18, 1886 or died of old age in Oregon in 1928.
• Billy Wilson, shot and killed by Ed Valentine at Sanderson, Texas on June 14, 1918 or died of natural cause at New Madrid, Missouri on Sept. 30, 1935.
• Tom Pickett, former Dodge City Gang member, died of old age at Winslow, Arizona on May 14, 1934.
• Joe (Sam) Cook, Texas outlaw, disappeared after departing from the Rustlers.
• Mose Dedrick, shot and killed by unknown man at Phoenix, Arizona in 1909.
• Robert 'Buck' Edwards, shot and killed by Thomas McKinney at Rocky Arroyo, New Mexico on May 8, 1881.
• W. J. Lamper, disappeared after departing from the Rustlers.
• Paz Chaves, was lynched in early March of 1880.
• Barney Mason, died of a cerebral hemorrhage on April 11, 1916.
• Charlie Thomas, disappeared after leaving the Regulators.
• Jose Valdez, nothing known of life after leaving the Rustlers
• John Collins (AKA: John Graham), died in New Mexico sometime after the turn of the century.
• Bob Campbell, nothing known of life after leaving the Rustlers
• Yginio Garcia, nothing known of life after leaving the Rustlers
• Sam Cooper, nothing known of life after leaving the Rustlers.

Allies

• Dan Dedrick, former Regulator, allowed the Rustlers to store stolen cattle at his Bosque Grande Ranch, died of old age at Big Bear, California in 1938.
• Sam Dedrick, allowed the Rustlers to store stolen livestock at his livery stable in White Oaks, shot and killed by a Mexican at Deming, New Mexico in 1909.
• W. H. 'Harvey' West, with partner Sam Dedrick,allowed the Rustlers to store stolen livestock at his livery stable in White Oaks, disappeared sometime after 1881.
• Pat Coghlan, frequently bough stolen livestock from the Rustlers, died at Tularosa on Jan. 27, 1911.
• Tom Cooper (AKA: William Welch, Tom Kelly), acted as a middle-man between the Rustlers and Pat Coghlan, fled New Mexico Territory in 1883 and disappeared.
• 'Whiskey Jim' Greathouse, bought stolen livestock from the Rustlers, shot and killed by Harry Fowler in Socorro, New Mexico Territory in late 1881.
• Fred Kuch, with partner Jim Greathouse, bought stolen livestock from the Rustlers, disappeared sometime after 1881.
• Thomas J. Yerby, allowed the Rustlers to store stolen livestock at his ranch near Fort Sumner, died in 1888 somewhere between New Mexico and Montana.