Bisbee daily review., 1908-08-07
Death of Bill Downing With His Boots on al Wilcox on "Wednesday Recalls
 Daring HoIdup.
ARREST OF OUTLAWS
 AND ESCAPE FROM JAIL
Akord and Stiles Later Assist ed in Capture of Mexican
 Outlaw Chacon.

The death of W. F. Downing, who was Killed yesterday morning at Will COX by Ranger William Speed, recalls the last successful train robbery that ever occurred in Arizona. One other train robbery was attempted at Fair bank within a short time after the Co- chise robbery but it was not success ful. Jef1 Milton, the express messen. ger, made a brave fight at FaIrbanE, mortally Eounding Jack Dunlap, bet ter known as"Three Fingered Jack, l" and was hit by an outlaw bullet. which shattered his right arm from the wrist to the elbow Homer PTickett, now proprietor of the Roy hotel in Douglas, was conductor of the train at FairbanR. Dunlap and other out laws expected to get the express box which they believed contained the money to pay the soldiers at Fort Huachuca. Iney did nor get the ex- press box and if they had secured it they would have been disappointed, as the money for the soldiers had passed over the road the day before.
 The affair at Fairbank occurred oniy q short time after the robbery at Co Chise station and was the last attempt ever made to rob train in the terri tory.
 The cochise Robbery.
 The robberv of the passenger train occurred nine or ten years ago ana four men were implicated in it. The actual robbery was committed by Bil- ly Stiles and Matt Burts, while Burt Alvord, who was at the time a deputy sheriff at Willlcox, and w F. Down ing, constable at Pearce, were acces- sories before an after the crime. The two officers were to receive the booty which was delivered to them within a few hours after the robbery Burt Al word was ct home in Wilcox when the news arrived from Cochise, only ten miles away Downing was also at Wilcox Or the night of the robbery. Between the duties of cacheiGg the booty secured by Stiles and BuTts in the robbery and organizing a posse to take the trail of the robbers, Alyord and Downing were kept very busy on the night the robbery occurred. De- tectiyes hurried from San Francisco, headed by William Thacier chief or the Wells-Fargo force. Alyord had enlisted Billy Stiles as one of his spe- ciaI aides. and soon various clues were run down in various directions.
 won ATnim f1aS NiSitoTS-
 Downing and Stiles finally confided to Chief Thacker that they believed the robbers belonged to cattle rustlers on Blue River, who were at that time engaged in branding and rebranding calves cn the Hampsou ranch. Of which E A. Yon Arnim of Douglas was general manager. Late one even ing Downing and Stiles arrived at the Hanlpson ranch, i50 miles north of Wiilccx, and made themselves at home with the Double Circle boys until next day at noon, when Stiles took Won Arnim to quiet spot under a mesquite tree and asked if he had seen any suspicious characers about the ranch ''yon" told Stiles that nearly all the visitors to the Hampson ranch were more or less a mystery to him; they dropped in and ,Juade then'seIves at home and then disap- peared without making their business known. Stiles then told Von Arnim that there had been a train robbery down on the s. P. and that he and Downing were in the employ of the Wells Fargo company and were hunt ing the robbers. They left the DoU- ble Circle ranch next day.
 
 When Stiles and Downing returned from their trip to the Hampson ranch they were empty handed, not even finding a clew among the COW thieves on the Double Circle range. h the meantime Thacker had heard some thing which led him to believe that Stiles and Alyord were not ignorant of the identity of the robbers and he al once began to get confidential with Stiles and it was not long until he had the full story. In the meantime, Matt Burts had not stopped to play hide and seek with the detectives, but had pulled out Of the country, going to the state of Washington ThackeT and Stiles procured a warrant for the arrest of AIvord and Downing, who were taken from their several posts of official duty and placed behind the bars and there 1t was made known that Stnes had made full con fesslon and would go on the stand at the trial and tell the whole story Stiles was given a commission as spe cal officer for the Wells Fargo com pauy and was at Tombstone where he had permission to go into the jail al will.
 Stiles Changes His Mind.
 If the arrest of Alyord and Down ing created a sensation in Cochist county. the release Of Alyord from the iafI bv Stiles. his accuser, created 9 greater ore. After Alvord and Down ing had been in jail for probably two weeks Stiles went into the jail one dav at noon when the courthouse was practically empty and demanded the