One of the most famous killers in the world, Billy the boy, whose real name is Henry McCarthy and according to legend killed 21 people, just like the number of years of his life.
After escaping from prison, Sheriff Pat Gratt, chased after him for three months and eventually shot him in the chest.
Today, 140 years after the death of the boy Billy, the gun used by the sheriff in the assassination was put up for auction in Los Angeles at a starting price of $ 3 million and sold for the highest amount ever for a gun - $ 6 million.
According to Reuters, the buyer purchased the gun in a phone call and decided to remain anonymous.
Senior expert Catherine Williams, who edited the gun and managed the sale, said: "First this gun was used by both sides in the iconic story both the criminal and the lawyer. Beyond that, Billy the boy was extremely charismatic and a character with great humor and charm who knew how to persuade people to "In fact, one of the legends that has no proof is that Billy persuaded Sheriff Gratt to release him from prison and thus evade the death penalty by hanging him for another murder and he did not escape himself."
The iconic gun went on sale by Wild West souvenir collectors Jim and Theresa Earl who confirmed its history.
It is interesting to note that the sale also sold another gun of Billy the boy himself in which he killed Deputy Sheriff Bob Oulinger while fleeing Lincoln County Jail.
According to the auction house this gun is the only gun known to have been used by the criminal and it was also sold for $ 1.3 million in the same sale.
Billy the boy, Reuters
The Earls' large collection, which began to be collected in 1973, was sold during the sale for a record $ 11.7 million to enthusiastic collectors of the Wild West.
Billy the Boy's great fame was created following a biography published about him by Sheriff Pat Garrett himself, in which he described the savage life of the robber and turned it into a real legend.
In addition, in 2017 an authentic photo of the boy Billy and Sheriff Garrett was photographed together.
It is not clear when the photo was taken and what was the reason for the photo, however it reinforced rumors that Garrett collaborated some of the time or liked the boy Billy.