Old Bill Miner Last of the Famous Western Bandits

Book excerpt: Bill Miner, the gentleman bandit, enjoyed more popularity in his day than Jesse James or Billy the Kid. He robbed stagecoaches and trains across California, Colorado, Arizona, Georgia, Washington State and British Columbia until just before the First World War, by which time the public actually wanted him to escape the police. Reporters visited him during his time in jail and dubbed him “Old Bill Miner.” When he died in Georgia, where he had committed the state’s first train robbery, locals chipped in to pay for his funeral. Described by some as North America’s Robin Hood, Bill Miner has been portrayed in folk songs, stage productions and movies. He is also credited with the invention of the phrase “Hands up!”