Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-03-14
PEARL HART, ROAD AGENT.
Woman Stage RObber Set Free and
Told to Get Out Of Arizona.


Governor Brodie, of Arizona, has
paroled Pearl Hart, the woman DICK
Turpin, Of the southwest, whose SEN
sational career as a bandit and stage
robber a few years ago astonished the
country. The parole was issued on the
recommendation Of the superintendent
of the Territorial prison, the condi-
tions including an agreement on the
woman's part to make her residence
outside the boundaries Of Arizona until
the term Of her sentence has expired.
The prison superintendent, In max
ing his recommendation, said that
Pearl Hart had been a model prison.
er, complying we'll with the regulations
Of the penitentiary, and was. therefore,
entitled to lenient consideration.
Pearl Hart, as a mere girl, lived IN
Phoenix a few years ago. She was
slender, dark-eyed maiden, unassum-
ing and quiet Of demeanor and modest
of speech. She idid not distinguish
herself from any of her school COM
panions, and did not develop any OF
those traits which afterwards made
her famous, until she was about IL
years Of age. Then, it Is said, she
showed a surprising fondness for read
ing the adventures Of Dick Turpin'
Jack Sheppard and other luminarles
who have figured 80 extensively In
criminal history as stage robbers. The
modern imitators Of these notorious
criminals, especially Billy the Kid. and
other desperadoes with whose deeds
Arizona has not yet ceased ringing,
seemed to fire the imagination Of the
young girl, and she often expressed
herself as admiring a bandit above all
other men.
At this time Pearl Hart became ac-
auainted with Joe Boot, staggering
young fellow who seemed her peau
ideal. Boot apparently fell in with the
strange whims Of the girl Soon they
became engaged, and in the spring OF
1899 they planned an adventure that
opened the eyes Of all Arizona, ac-
customed as that Territory is to the
deeds of daring criminals.
Between Globe and Riverside stage
was held up one night. and a large
sum Of money and much jeWelry ana
other valuables were taken from the
passengers who filled the coach. The
passengers asserted that one OF the
robbers who held up the coach was a
woman. She was plainly discernible In
the moonlight, as she stood at the
heads Of the horses. Apparently II was
she who directed the affair, as she
gave several sharp orders to her con-
federate, a broad-shouldered feilo"
who attended to the work Of relieving
the passengers Of their valuables. Ine
woman held a revolver In one hano'
the muzzle Of the weapon looked
threateningly now on one person ana
now on another. Seemingly the eyes
of a lynx cleaned behind the black
mask, for not a move could be made
that did not call forth a sharp warm
ing, REINFORCED by a slight change III
the direction of the ever-ready gun.
The woman was in mans garments,
and in the moonlight her slender fgure
and the masses Of hair escaping from
beneath the broad sombrero were
plainly discernible There were two
men among the passengers. but they
made no attempt at resistance, ana
the stage driver was the most passive
of the lot. For, as he afterward de-
clared. that woman's revolver was the
most eloquent thing he ever looked at
in his life.
When the passengers told their
story, after the stage coach had oeen
allowed to go on to It's destination II
was hardly believed at first. 1t SEEM
ed incredible that a woman would dare
to risk death in a country where men
are always on the lookout for stage
robbers and where a successful stage
robbery is rarity and must be engin-
eered by a skilled hand. Sheriff Free
man, Of Pinal county, finally organlZeo
posse, however, and followed the
slight trail from the scene Of the hold
up. The trail led to lonely spot IN
the mountains, where Pearl Hart and
Joe Boot, with the plunder still IN
their possession. were surprised and
captured. They were taken to Tucson,
and later to Florence, where both were
tried and convicted. Pearl Hart was
sentenced to five years in the peniten-
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