Billy the Kid and Jesse James are two of the most famous outlaws in American history, but there is no historical evidence to suggest that they ever met or knew each other. Billy the Kid, whose real name was Henry McCarty, operated primarily in the New Mexico Territory during the late 1870s and early 1880s. Jesse James, on the other hand, was active in the Midwest, particularly in Missouri, during the same period.
While both were notorious outlaws, their criminal activities took place in different regions, and their paths likely never crossed. Additionally, Billy the Kid was more involved in cattle rustling and local conflicts, whereas Jesse James was known for his bank and train robberies. The lack of geographical overlap and different criminal focuses make it highly unlikely that the two ever knew each other.