Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-09-13
BANDITS DEVOTION TO a BABY
Remarkable Incident in the Life of
Angel Bill, Il Texas Bad Man.
(Kansas City Starr

ueau LOT more lHau thirty years ana
the probabilities are that you never
have heard Of him. Those few per-
sons who stroll into Marshall, Texas,
after missing train connections, and
wait tor the New Orleans Limited on
the Texas and Pacific, have the op-
portunity to visit that old-fashioned
cemetery In Marshall and see there a
crude slab, marking the grave Of
Angel Bill, one Of the most desper-
ate and likewise one of the most
humane bandits Of the frontier days
of the Southwest.
Bill was train robber, a bank
robber, stage robber.
He was reared in Marshall, where
his family represented good stock Of
the Southern aristocracy kind, but
Bill went astray early in his career
and after starting the bandit game
he played it to the limit.
Bills depredations over in West
Texas became SO numerous and so
great, and the inability of the off,
GERS to kill or capture him was so
manifest, that finally the sheriffs in
all those counties in the vicinity Of
Fort Worth sent him a note, telling
him that If he would go back home
and quit the bandit game no war
rant would be issued for him, and
no attempt ever would be made to
arrest him. This note reached Angel
Bill at the psychological moment,
and to the surprise Of his petitioners
Bill packed up and went back to
Marshall.
Bill lived opposite a cemetery in
Marshall. They used to see him 20
over there every morning and walk
among the flowers; study the epi-
taphs on the grave stones and talk
with the birds.
He had been doing that thing for
three or four months when one day
he CHANGED to pass by house,
where, on the front porch, one of the
roundest, happiest looking babies
that he ever had seen was bouncing
about on blanket, which a careful
mother had turned up at the ends
and which presented sort Of an
amphitheater effect to the admiring
eyes Of the outlaw.
The mother was working in the
Kitchen and Of sudden shc was
startled by the nprearance Of Angel
rAll. He wore that characterised ic
white hat with the broad brim; his
trousers were crumpled down into
his high boots anu from either back
pocket there protruded wicked
looking six-shooter, which was load
I'd in every chamber.
Madam, l don't want to startlc
You," Angel Bill said. ''You know
me, of course. They say in the pa
pers that Pm the most desperate
man in all Texas. But whether am
that or not l always have respected
women and l like babies and | want
to ask you If you won't let me come
down here each morning and play
with your baby?"
No unfearing woman could deny
this plain-spoken request The mo-
ther, now calm, said: Why, l guess
that will be all right, Bill. Play
with the baby all you like, but don't
take him away and let no harm be-
fall him."
Bill was happy and he went di-
rectly to the blanket where the baby
was chattering its meaningless talk.
And when Bill extended his arms
the baby smiled more than ever and
put his dimpled chubby hands into
those Of Bill, and they were fast
friends from that hour.
Every morning Bill made his call.
He was Of mechanical turn and
wishing to reciprocate in some way
for the favor of the babys society
he went TO the mother and said:
"You know, l can make chairs and
benches and | don't mind making
few for you if you like. The baby
can watch me doing 1t, see?"
"All right" the mother said, "you
make me a chair or a bench when
you have time, Bill, and every time
you make me a chair or bench I'll
reciprocate-Ill make you shirt"
That contract was a happy one.
Bill got his tools and proceeded to
make enough chairs and benches to
fill a house. And every time Bill
made a bench or chair the mother
delivered a hickory shirt. And the
baby, as he watched Bill with his
saw and hammer convert pine sticks