The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-09-10
old BILL" Miner DEAD|
HAD HAD NOTED CAREER OF
DARING CRIME.

At Age of Seventy-five Succumbs to
Attack of Gastritis in State Peni-
tentiary at Milledgeville, Ga.
"Old Bill" Miner, the most pic
turesque bandit America ever pro-
duced, has died on the Georgia pris-
on farm with the great project Of his
life unfulflled. 1t was his great
hope and ambition to go to Europe
and rob the Mediterranean express,
the richest passenger train in the
world, which goes from Paris to Con-
stantinople.
Bill Miner was nearly seventy
when he died, and ever since he was
middle aged man he had been plan
ming and arranging the details for
pulling off a wild-west hold-uT in
the center Of the Old World. 1t
| wasn't the rich loot that tempted him
to the undertaking but the daring
adventure and the fame as an out
law which such climax to his long
career would have given him.
Instead, he died Of gastritis, a bent
old man, shackled invalid, among
the states weak and decrepit pris-
oners at the farm near Milledgeville.
The shackles were the only thing that
| made life tolerable at the last to the
| former terror of the plains. He re-
garded them as the greatest compli-
ment which the prison management
could pay him, and always smiled
srimly and shook his head when they
| offered to take off the chains If he
would give his word of honor not to
try to escape.
Bill Miner was "a bad man. in the
| usually accepted sense Of the term,
and was a great criminal, but he had
a queer code of honor fof his own
which he lived up to the last.
His Own Story Of Life.
Nobody in all the history Of Amer
lea has a more notable career than
Old Bill Miner, who died at the state
penitentiary at Milledgeville Tues
day night at 1925 o'clock.
The full story of his life, told by
Bill Miner as death approached,
which has just been gained by a cor
respondent, is one that would thrill
the most unimaginative and fill page
after page of the most adventurous
stories ever promised by writer's of
fiction.
When the grizzled old robber, ema-
ciated and worn with long experience
of lawlessness, passed away in peace,
idolized by hundreds because he pos
ed as chief of robbers and classed
himself as gentleman and scolar,
none of them ever dreamed the true
story Of his long life.
He was. born in Jackson county,
Ky, in 1S47, and there he led the
wild free life Of that section at that
time. Throughout the width and
breadth of the state George Ander-
son was known before he was fifteen
years old.
Shortly afterwards he started west
and four years later was rounded up
for robbery in San Joaquin county.
April 5 1866, when but nineteen
years old, he was sentenced to San
Joaquin prison, where he was known
as prisoner No. 324S. He was dis
charged June Of the same year, but
July - he was sent up from Palcer
county for a few months, which he
served as No. 1913.
He was discharged only to be sent
up from Calveras county June 20,
lS71, as No. 1902, but new trial
was granted him and he was taken
back February 9, 1872, and returned
March 80, 1872, as No. 5206.
He tried to escape May 7, 1874,
and had four years added to his time,
but March 5, 1877 his sentence was
commuted to twelve years and he
was discharger July IA, 1880.
Real Activities.
It was at this juncture Bill Miner
| began his real activities. Meeting
up with Bill Leroy, most noted Of
western bandits at that time, he
formed a partnership with him. 60
| ing under the name of W. A. Nor
Del 10y stage coach Of $500. Posses
pursued them. Leroy was captured
and lynched, but Bill Miner escaped
safely. after shooting up the posse,
but only slightly wounding few Of
the members.
a little later he was caught in
Tuolemne county for robbery and
sent up for twenty-five years, going
back to San Quentin as No. 10191.
He started work December 81, 1881,
and emerged from prison July II,
1901.
Daring Train Robberics.
Although growing old and having
paid a severe penalty, he started out
in his career Of lawlessness with more
force in every way. September %,
1908, he held up train near Pdget
Sound on the Canadian side, having
two confederates on the job.
They robbed all the passengers,
looted the express cars and secured
big hand. but all the robbers were
caught except Bill Miner. Resting
for few months he again started his
Wild career. With his two aides he
held up a train at Mission Junction,
British Columbia, September 10,
1904. and secured SO 600 in gold.
The government and express authori-
ties became frenzied at his daring
rohberies and the Dominion govern
ment offered $1,000 reward for him,