Arizona republican., 1912-01-21
CLEANUP OF
 OUTLAW GANG
Final Disposition of the Alvord- Stiles Bandit Clan Recalled by Visit of Geo. Bravin, Marshal of Tomb stone.

The visit of George Bravin. city marshal of Tombstone, recalls some of the famous deeds of outlawry in southern Arizona, he having been connected with many of them on the side Of the law. during his 20 years service as peace officer. Bravin was a deputy sheriff of Cochise county in charge of the Tombsone jail on April :, 1900 when the notorious Billy Stiles shot him and emptied the bastile of all the prisoners inclined to leave through d jail delivery. IL is the finality of the so-called Stiles-Alvcrd gang that is recalled by Bravin's visit, for all have left the country most of them are dead. and the rest so far as known. are now engaged in peaceful pursuits. There have been SO many stories of the fate of this one and that one that there is news interest in checking up on all of them and wlping the slate.
 The Stiles Alv0rd gang was the most notorious of any that has opcr- ated in Arizona in comparatively re- cent years Though the various mem bcrs of it committed numerous dep relations of al less serious character their chief claim to history is based on the events connected with two train robberies. one at CoChise station on the Southern Pacific railroad in 1899 and the other on the Benson NO- gales road at Fairbank not long after ward. A feature of the case is that nearly all of the members of the gang fft 4trk..t 1,..v- ficers of the law, cOnstableS. deputy constables, deputy sheriffs. etc. Not all the same men participated in both hold-ups but some of them did and all were affiliated with the same out law class.
 Matt Burts, Louis owen and Bob Owen are now supposed to be living in New Mexico and so far as def initely known are the only men of the old crowd who are alive and in the United States. The owen broth CTS served six year sentences. less good time. and left the country. IL is not recalled how Burts got out of his difficulties but il is sufficient to know that he did. Bravo Juan. a half breed Mexican whose real name was Tom Yust, was a member of the gang and in the Tombstone jail at. the time of the jail delivery. He went to Mexico and never has been heard of since.
 It is believed the train robbery at Cochise station Was planned by Matt Burts and Billy Siles who were con stables or deputy constables at the time. Alvord and William Downing being stool pigeons. and other aC- compliccs no doubt participating.
 In the Fairhank robbery q few miles south of Benson the partiCi- pants were Bob Brown. Louis Brown. Bob owen. Bravo Juan. Louis and Three Fingered Jack Dunlap.
 Some years later. after he had got out of his train robbery cOmplica- ions. William Downing got into more rouble and was killed at Wilcox by Billy Speed. a member of the Arizona rangers. Downing had formerly lived in Texas and it is said his right name was Billy Jackson and that he had been a member of the Sam Bass gang of outlaws in that state. It was George Bravin who arrested him at Pearce in 1899 for his part in the Co., chise robbery.
 Alvord, who finally got out of the country, went to South America. and it is said on good authority died there. Stiles. who headed the Tomb stone jail delivery was for years re- ported as here and there. all the way from South America to China. but it is known that for long time he operated along the border line of Mexico or at least he was frequent ly reported to have been seen by men who knew him. Finally, in 1907 or 1908 a man going by the name of William Larkin and serving as dep