The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-08-23
BURTON THE BOLD.


A Very Important Parsonage in
the Criminal World.
Two Innocent Men Now Suffering
in Jail on His Account-His
! Daring Exploits Through
! out the Country.
Peu.Io News.
Marshal Desmond, of South Pueblo.
didn't know he was capturing one of
the most important scoundrels in the
western criminal world. when he took
in that little "yellow" haired, stif:Ieg-
ged individual at the Union Depot
some weeks ago and hustled him of
to Denver on the charge Of robbing
the mail coach near Alamosa.
Ham White, alias n. NJ. Burton,
was born in Bsstrop county, Texas.
on the 9Th day of April, 1854, and is,
therefore now q years of age. Ham,
iltOu White was his father, and James
and William White, we'll known in
Texas rs we ilthy farmers, are his
uncles. His mother is yet living in
Texas, where he has also six married
sisters and one younger brother.
When only thirteen years old his
father was foully murdered by a man
named Joseph Roe, and the boy even
then animated by a spirit Of revenge,
swore to take the life of the murderer.
Roe was arrested for the act. tried
and acquitted. but soon afterward fed
the country, being afraid that the
friends of his victim would reek
their vcngence upon him. He re-
manned away just five years, thus
frustrating for time the plans of
young White to secure revenge. At
the expiration of the FIVE years. Roe
returned, thinking that all animosities
against him had died out; but not
so.
The spirit of revenge still fingered
i'm the young mans breast, and one
day. meeting the object of his hate,
he killed him. it requiring five shots
from revolver to bring to him such a
result. Roe was accompanied by a
brother at the time, who kept a per-
petual firing at White, but finding
that his
BROTHER WAS DEAD
he took fight and escaped. Roe had
two brothers, both of whom swOre to
kill White OH sight, but as he WAS not
seen by them except under arrest,
they were never given IN opportunity
to carry out their designs.
When able to leave his cOncealment
after the murder. White went to Tom
Green county, at the head of the Rio
Colorado and started buffalo camp.
Early in January, 1873, after he had
secured 1900 pelts, Capt Sparkc's
State rangers found him, and fed the
country to escape. He was arrested
in Brown county shortly aiterward,
but by rush he escaped from the six
men who were escorting him to Brown,
wood. He was better mounted than
his captOrs. and though fired upon,
escaped. Pushing on to Milan county.
he was again arrested by the sheriff OF
that county and by the marshal of
Rockdale. They avowed their pur-
pose to take him to Bastrop, and took
from him the only repeater they Saw
hanging by his belt. They proceeded
about twenty-five miles OH the way
when all dismounted for water. Bur.
ton then took the off side of his horse
and drawing a repeater Oh them which
he had concealed in his bosom, he got
the drop on them and made them
surrender their arms He then went
north to McLennan county and com.
menced robbing stages.
The first robbery was on the Waco
and Gainesville road, five miles north
from Waco, in March, 1876. The
robbery was committed ON the open
pralrle AZ ~ CLOCK IN the forenoon,
EIGHT MEN AND ONE LADY
being in the coach. White, or Bur
ton. secured $500.
The second robbery was nine miles
from Bastrop, on the Bastrop and Nc
Dade road, at 8 o'clock in the fore
noon, also in March, 1877 Burton Sc
CURED $40. The passengers were
!. three men and two ladies.
The third robbery was on the San
Antonio and Austin road, April, 3d.
near Mountain City. The coach con
tanned four male passengers, and Bur
ton secured $3.50. This was at
J O'Clock in the afternoon.
The fourth robbery was at II O'Clock
4 in the forenoon. On the staUe road he