The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1915-02-11
5OY[ARS BANDIT
He DIES IN PRISON
"Old Bill" Miner, Who Became
. Criminal at 10, Dies While
Planning Escape.
HUNTED BY TWO COUNTRIES
Train Robblne Ills Speciality, With
Stage Lootins to Keep Hls
Hand In.

Bill Miner, notorious robber and TAIL
breaker, from his last prison term. His
picturesque career, which included
clashes with the laws of more than
a srore Of states, and several Cana.
dian Provinces. ended atSthe Georgia
state prison farm, where he was
brought three years ago.
HIS career ,ls a matter on which
there is little authentic information.
outside of the records of states pris.
ons, where he has served sentences at
different times for enterprises Of his
which went wrong.
Shortly after his arrival atsthe Geor-
gia ~penitentiary. he gave the first and
only account of his life, which is prob.
ably as near, accuracy as has been oh.
tanned. It was a model of brev1ty.
Let US begin at the beginning" he
said. 81 was born in the family. of a.
prosperous and law-abidtng farmer in
Bowling Green. KY, in the yea of
1843. attended school until became
l6. when, like the majority of boys, I
became imbued with the fever to go.
west. In company with two of my boy
friends, l made for Texas. going on
through to California, where my first
robbery was turned. That Is enough
isn't it?"
Throughout the width and breadth
Of Kentucky. George Anderson-which
was his right me-wa known be.
fore he was Is years old. Shortly
afterward ne started west. and four
years later was rounded up for rob.
berry. in San Joaquin county.
In 1862, when but 10 years old, he
was sentenced to San Joaquin prison,
whence he was discharged June 9.
of the same year. but July IL, he was
sent up from Placer county for a few
months.
He was discharged. only to be sent
up from Calveras County. June 20,
1871, but a new trial was granted him
and he was taken back February g.,
1872, and returned March 80. 1872. He
tried to escape May z. 1874. and had
four years added to his time, but on
March S. 1877. his sentence was com.
muted to II years, and he was dis
charged July IA. 1880.
1t was at this ju%ncture that Bill
Miner began his real activities. Meet.
ing up with Bill Leroy, most noted of
the western bandits at that time, he
formed a partnership with him, going
under the name of w. A. Morgan. A
month later they robbed the Del Noy
stage coach Of $500. Posses pursued
them and Leroy was captured and
lynched. but Bill Miner escaped safe.
ly. after shooting up the posse, but
only Slightly wounding a few. of the
members.
"A little later he Vas caught in Tuol-
umne county for robbery and sem up
for Is years. going back to San Quen.
tin. He started work December u,
1881. and emerged from prison July
IL. 1901. Although growing old and
having paid a severe penalty, he start.
ed out in his career Of lawlessness
with more force in every way. and two
years later he held up a train near
Puget Sound on the Canadian side,
having two confederates on the Job.
They robbed all the passengers,
looted the express car and made a big
haul. but all the robbers were caught
except Miner. Resting for a few
months. he started again his wild ca.
reer. With his two aids he held up a
train at Mission Junction, B. c., Sept.
10. 1904, and stole $40, 900 in gold.
The: government and express author
tiles became frenzied at his daring
robberies and the Dominion govern.
ment offered $4,000 reward for him.
while the express company offered a
similar sum and the Province of Brit
ish Columbia augmented it by $2.O 0
more. making the total $l2, 900 to be
paid for "Old Bill' Miner, alive or
dead.
But the r%e0oubtable fellow laughed
at their attempts to corner him. He
roamed the wilds OF the country until
May 9. 1906. when he associated him.
self with Louis Colquhon and Tom
Dunn and held up an express train at
Furrer. British Columbia. They made
the engineer uncouple and pull the car
q mile away, but. to the disgust of
odd Bill" he found only registered
mail. the express money being left in
another car. He abandoned the loot.