The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-05-02


Harqua Hala mountains, in Wyoming.
1t was in the days of the opening
of the Tombstone mines that Jack be-
gan his career as desperate. He as
sisted two highwaymen to escape from
the Jail at Yuma, and within the next
10 days a series of stage robberies were
reported. The "hold-ups" were some
times week apart, but in each of
them there were always two or three
masked men who did the business.
There was strong suspicion that Keller
and his associates were the robbers.
They got together in year something
like $4,000 from men on the way to
the mines. and committed several muir
ders in connection with the robberies.
Three years later Jack Keller and an
associate were shot while holding up
the Wells-Fargo stage one night near
Maricopa. While the associate was left
dying, Jack and two others managed
to get away to the mountains and secrete
themselves from their pursuers. Jack
lay in a howell in mountain canon
between life and death for weeks and
when the United States marshal and
his deputies came that way he gladly
surrendered. When he had so far re-
covered from his wounds in his neck
and shoulder as to stand trial, he was
sent to prison for 80 years. He told
where several thousand dollars of the
stolen money had been hidden, and
made as full retribution as possible.
Jack Keller served about II years In
prison, and was the model prisoner.
When he was pardoned he went imme-
diately out to the mountains, resolved
to live a secluded life. He was found
stiff and cold in bed by party of hun
tiers, and had evidently been dead for
several days.
Bill Keller, handsome specimen of
manhood, an excellent horseman and a
dead shot, was cheated out of his cattle
and property, which was the cause for
the change in his life. He was the
most famous bandit ever known in Ari-
IONA.
People in the southern part of Ari-
iona will never get through talking
robbing. Indeed, 1t may be said that
he reflected credit upon his profession.
His robberies were perpetrated in the
most approved manner, and with little
or no danger to his victims, beyond the
loss of their valuables. He was the
first man in Arizona who ever robbed
a stage coach alone, and in this par
ticular he surpassed even the daring OF
two men who "held up" the train on
the Southern Pacific a few weeks ago.
Keller never had an assistant in any
Of his robberies, and, so far as known,
never made a confidant of but one man
and this man finally betrayed him 10
the posse of law officers by whom he
was killed.
About 1880 Keller robbed train con-
tanning seven passengers, all of whom
were prepared for him. They knew OF
him, and had started out from Tuscon
thoroughly armed. Keller. no doubt
heard of 1t through his confdant, who
was one OF the hands at the stable
where he himself had worked in for
mer days, and he determined to give
these men an opportunity to defend
themselves. He posted himself out on
the road about 20 miles from Tuscon,
and about IL o'clock he saw the coach
coming He was just over the brow
of the hill, and could not be seen by
the driver or passengers. He sat on his
horse, leveled his rifle, and as they
came over the hill they saw both rider
and gun, and they knew at once who
1t was and what IL meant. He CON-
manded them not to move q hand, and
they obeyed. Their revolyers hung I'M