1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: You're listening to American Shadows, a production of I Heart 2 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:20,119 Speaker 1: Radio and Grim and Mild from Aaron Manky. Tales of 3 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: the American West have long fascinated us. Stories of cowboys, 4 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: wagon trains, and gold rushes speak to an unpamed spirit 5 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: in the eye for adventure. Even after the Civil War, 6 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:34,959 Speaker 1: news articles about the new Western frontier were read as 7 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: eagerly as the latest bestsellers. Maybe the appeal stemmed from 8 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: the long ravages of war the West offered a new 9 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:45,880 Speaker 1: way of life, or perhaps people were enthralled by the 10 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: draw of possibilities out in open country where people struck 11 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: it rich in gold, oil, or land. But it wasn't 12 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: the prairies or distant mountains alone. People were the real story, 13 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: especially horse thieves and cattle wrestlers, as well as bank, 14 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: train and stagecoach robbers. Equally fascinating were the lawmen who 15 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: went after them. When it comes to the sheriffs and 16 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 1: marshalls wearing that gold star, many of us undoubtedly think 17 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 1: of why Morgan and Virgil earp along with their friend 18 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 1: Doc Holiday. Of all the histories surrounding them, none is 19 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,759 Speaker 1: more enduring than the shootout at the Okay Corral. Though 20 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: the gunfight itself lasted only thirty seconds. As for cattle wrestlers, 21 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: horse thieves, and murderers, names like Billy the Kid made 22 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: for great headlines. The kid nickname stemmed from his age. 23 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:38,959 Speaker 1: He was just twenty one when he died, which was 24 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 1: also the number of men that he killed. Cattle and 25 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: horse theft might have been the equivalent of a Wild 26 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: West car theft ring, but the real money was in 27 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: robbing banks, stage coaches, and trains. From Jesse James to 28 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 1: the Dalton Gang, armed robberies were as much a part 29 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: of the West as cowboys and saloons. Jesse James pulled 30 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: off nineteen robberies. The Dalton Gang started as lawmen before 31 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: finding better pay pulling off bank heists and robbing trains. 32 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 1: Part of their claim to fame was not one, but 33 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 1: two bank robberies at the same time in broad daylight. 34 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: But few have ever captured our attention like Butch Cassidy 35 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: and the Sun Dance Kid. Born Robert Leroy Parker, he 36 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: adopted the Cassidy moniker to protect his family's good name. 37 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 1: He left home early, finding life in cattle wrestling more 38 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 1: lucrative than small town work. Soon his gang known as 39 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: the Wild Bunch, began robbing trains. Their heists were always 40 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 1: well planned. Occasionally the addresses waiters at gala events to 41 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 1: gain information on the trains would be on them and 42 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: other details to help them pull off the job. Cassidy 43 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:51,079 Speaker 1: had a reputation for never batting an eye during a robbery, 44 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 1: but he did have a weak spot. His lack of 45 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: etiquette knowledge made him incredibly nervous as he did his 46 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: best to properly serve the rich party guests. Harry Longabu, 47 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:05,080 Speaker 1: also known as the Sun Dance Kid, didn't meet Cassidy 48 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:08,119 Speaker 1: until they worked at a ranch together. While they would 49 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 1: end up two of the most famous outlaws, neither was 50 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: prone to gun violence. In fact, people thought they were 51 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: friendly and everyone said they were helpful. Though Cassidy and 52 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: sun Dance pulled off robberies that would be worth ten 53 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: million today, they had a code of ethics assure they 54 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 1: had robbed trains and banks, but common folk were off limits. 55 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: Cassidy never shot anyone during a hold up either. Lawmen 56 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 1: on their trail labeled them as the most shrewd and 57 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: daring outlaws in the West, but don't mistake daring for carelessness. 58 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: The gang's success came from Cassidy and sun Dances meticulous planning. 59 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: The men spent hours training horses in ways that aided 60 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: the gang in their robberies. They also took their time planning, 61 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: often months, to avoid capture. No detail was too small. 62 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: Over the years, though they tired of life on the run. 63 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: Cassidy once asked a lawyer if he couldn't do something 64 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: to earn himself a pardon and settle down. Disheartened but 65 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: not surprised at the answer, he made plans with Sundance 66 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: for one last heist that used the money to fund 67 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: a new way of life in Bolivia. Down in South America. 68 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: They pulled it off too. Before leaving, Cassidy stopped by 69 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,920 Speaker 1: a local ranchers place. The rancher's son had always been 70 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 1: enamored with Cassidy's horse, and the outlaw gifted it to him. 71 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 1: The two fled to South America after that. It's still 72 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 1: a mystery whether they died during a shootout with the 73 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 1: Pinkerton detectives who eventually tracked them down, or if they 74 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: escaped once more. DNA from the bodies at the side 75 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 1: of the shootout has since proved they were not Cassidy 76 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 1: or sun Dance. No matter whether you envision an epic 77 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 1: shootout where Butch and Sundance died in a blaze of 78 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:58,480 Speaker 1: glory or an ingenious dodge where they once again planned 79 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,599 Speaker 1: the perfect escape, They've left us with an enduring and 80 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 1: legendary story. Some outlaws, though, have left behind something darker. 81 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: I'm Lauren Vogelbaum. Welcome to American Shadows. His name was 82 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: George Friederic Menus. Maybe you've never heard of a French 83 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 1: Wild West outlaw, but George was born in Montbeille, of 84 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: France on March eighteen thirty four. He was married there too, 85 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:40,720 Speaker 1: to Lucie Mathilde m Lindon. The two shared deep roots 86 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: in the area and soon became parents to a boy. 87 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 1: All seemed well until George left his family and traveled 88 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:51,679 Speaker 1: to America on April seventeenth of eighteen sixty two. While 89 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:55,359 Speaker 1: that alone wasn't done heard of, plenty of immigrants established 90 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:59,600 Speaker 1: themselves in America before sending for their families, but George didn't. 91 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 1: He cut ties and changed his first name to George 92 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 1: and his last name to Parrot like the bird, but 93 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 1: with a second tea and sure immigrants often changed their 94 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,720 Speaker 1: names in an attempt to fit in, or maybe to 95 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 1: make a name easier for English speakers to pronounce George, 96 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: though given his appearance, it seems more likely that he 97 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 1: took the physical feature and embraced it. He stood five 98 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: ft ten and weighed a hundred and sixty pounds. His 99 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: hair and mustache were dark and bushy, and his eyes 100 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 1: were dark and heavily litted. George wasn't really considered handsome, 101 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 1: but he did have one standout feature, his nose. His 102 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: nose was large. Some say it looked like a parrot's beak, 103 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:47,119 Speaker 1: hence the nickname's big Nose George and big beak Parrot. 104 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,839 Speaker 1: George headed west, where the lore and promise of land 105 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:55,479 Speaker 1: parcels were common and railroads made the trip easy. Some 106 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 1: of the largest and richest employers were also out west. 107 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 1: Once into Code territory, George found that an honest man 108 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: could make an honest day's wages if he was willing 109 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: to put in the back breaking work. He found employment 110 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: as a freight wagon driver, hauling supplies to gold rushed towns. 111 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 1: From there, he worked the railroad on gold or shipments 112 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: to the Union Pacific Railroad depots in Sydney, Nebraska and Cheyenne, Wyoming, 113 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: all honest work and honest pay. George found the competition tough, 114 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: though the West was full of other immigrants and settlers, 115 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 1: all trying to cash in on the government's offer of 116 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: free land, much to the Dakota people's dismay. As you 117 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 1: might imagine, the West was pretty close to a free 118 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: for all. Sure, there were law men, but in some 119 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 1: cases by the barest of definitions. Before long, George found 120 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: a lucrative job with a gang of seven cattle wrestlers. 121 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: Stage coaches became their next target. After a string of 122 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 1: successful robberies, the emboldened gang felt confident in their ability 123 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: to pull off something larger. This time, they set their 124 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 1: sights on the Union Pacific Railroad. Probably inspired by the 125 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 1: finesse with which Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid pulled 126 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: off train robberies. George and the gang might have thought 127 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 1: it would be an easy payday. They'd leave the gold 128 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 1: it was heavy and made fast getaways difficult. Instead, they 129 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: set their sights on the payroll money that should be 130 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 1: on board. But George and the gang didn't train their horses, 131 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: nor did they infiltrate elite parties to glean information on 132 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: their intended target. They went with the basic knowledge that 133 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: the train sometimes carried payroll. On Sunday, August eighteen seventy eight, 134 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: they took a page from other outlaws and loosened a 135 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 1: spike along a desolate stretch of track near Medicine Bow. 136 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: When the train derailed, their rest would be easy. All 137 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 1: they had to do was wait. Unfortunately for the outlaws, 138 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 1: a large crew of repairmen arrived ahead of the train 139 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 1: to check the tracks. They hadn't thought of this. One 140 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: of the gang members wanted to kill the servicemen, but 141 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: George and another member thought missing linemen would raise a 142 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:11,960 Speaker 1: red flag. Frustrated, the would be robbers had to wait 143 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,960 Speaker 1: in hiding all day until the repair crew left before 144 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 1: removing the spike again. Their lack of planning became their undoing. 145 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 1: Missing spikes had become a popular technique among train robbers, 146 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 1: and the repairman reported the instant upon their return. The 147 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: train stayed at the station while George and the others 148 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,319 Speaker 1: waited for it to arrive. When it didn't, the gang 149 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: realized their mistake and fled. Authorities weren't far behind, though, 150 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 1: a search party along with the Carbon County Sheriff Robert 151 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 1: Whiteford and Railroad special agent H. H. Vincent were on 152 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: the men's trail. The two had a good idea of 153 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 1: who they were looking for. George and the others had 154 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: been spotted in the area just days before. The lawmen 155 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 1: separated from the rest of the search team, finally coming 156 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 1: across the gang's hideout and rattlesnake can in, finding evidence 157 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: that the camp had recently been vacated. They knew they 158 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: were close, they just had no idea how close. George 159 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 1: and the others had decided to ambush the lawmen. Instead 160 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: of running outnumbered, widow Field and Vincent were killed. The 161 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 1: gang stole their weapons and valuables through the bodies into 162 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 1: the brush, and left, feeling secure that they had covered 163 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:26,319 Speaker 1: their tracks. Back in town, the remainder of the search 164 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: party suspected foul play. When Widowfield and Vincent didn't return, 165 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 1: they put together a larger search team. Ten days later, 166 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 1: they found the bodies. Officials in Carbon County quickly organized 167 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 1: a manhunt and offered a hefty reward two thousand dollars, 168 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 1: which would be over fifty thousand in today's money. Widow 169 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 1: Field and Vincent were the first lawmen killed in the 170 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:52,199 Speaker 1: line of duty, and authorities didn't care if George and 171 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 1: the others were captured, dead or alive. The gang had 172 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:59,839 Speaker 1: a botched train robbery, empty pockets, and a price on 173 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 1: their heads. Naturally, they fled. Two men split from the group, 174 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 1: taking their chances on their own. For a short while, 175 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: it looked like this plan worked. Their luck wouldn't hold though. 176 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:17,439 Speaker 1: A string of bizarre twists soon began to unravel their plans, 177 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 1: and little did they know things were about to get worse. First, 178 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 1: one of the outlaws died from tuberculosis. Another Dutch, Charlie Burris, 179 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 1: made the mistake of staying too close to town, and 180 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:44,080 Speaker 1: the authorities captured him within weeks. Days after that, the 181 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 1: former fugitive sat handcuffed and shackled on a train heading 182 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: back to Carbon County. Sheriff Jim Rankin wrote along as 183 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: an escort to ensure Dutch Charlie made it to trial. 184 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: The transport had been arranged quietly, but in a small 185 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 1: western town, secrets had a way of traveling at lightning speed. 186 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:07,440 Speaker 1: As soon as the train stopped to refuel at that evening, 187 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 1: a group of armed and masked men burst into the cabin. 188 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 1: Within minutes, they had dragged Dutch Charlie outside where a 189 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 1: mob had gathered. Deciding that a court of law would 190 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:23,079 Speaker 1: take too long, the masked men beat the outlaw, finally 191 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 1: getting a full confession from him. The admission didn't save him, though. 192 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:30,680 Speaker 1: The mob dragged Dutch Charlie to a telegraph pole and 193 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:34,479 Speaker 1: strung him up as a message to other would be outlaws. 194 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: They left his body swinging at the end of the 195 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:39,520 Speaker 1: rope a full day before cutting him down and chucking 196 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: his body into a coal car, the rope still around 197 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: his neck. Despite hearing the news, the rest of the 198 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:49,839 Speaker 1: gang returned to their old ways. They robbed a stagecoach 199 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:53,079 Speaker 1: and made off with seven thousand dollars that would be 200 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: over seven hundred thousand today. Though it was their biggest 201 00:12:56,880 --> 00:13:00,199 Speaker 1: pay day yet, it had come at a cost. One 202 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 1: member died from gunshot wounds. Once again, the gang found 203 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 1: themselves on the run. They rode for days, putting miles 204 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:12,600 Speaker 1: behind them, finally stopping in Yellowstone County, Montana. With their 205 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 1: new wealth from a successful heist, two of the outlaws 206 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: decided that this was where they parted ways. George and 207 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:23,080 Speaker 1: a couple of others stayed behind, though within a year 208 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:27,839 Speaker 1: they spent their entire windfall. One February night, the men 209 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:31,439 Speaker 1: were sitting in a local saloon lamenting their lack of funds, 210 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: when they overheard that Morris Can, a merchant and one 211 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 1: of the richest men in Montana, was planning a trip 212 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 1: to North Dakota for supplies. The desperadoes went right to 213 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 1: work on a plan. A military ambulance and an escort 214 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:49,560 Speaker 1: of fifteen soldiers were also making their way to North Dakota, 215 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 1: and Can had managed to secure passage with them. Sweetening 216 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,880 Speaker 1: the deal, the soldiers would be carrying a neighboring town's payroll. 217 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: All George and the gang needed to do must follow 218 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: the caravan beyond the Powder River, crossing into the steep 219 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 1: walled valley beyond it. If they timed it just right, 220 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:11,560 Speaker 1: Can and the others would walk straight into an ambush. 221 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 1: And the plan worked. When the first segment of riders 222 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:18,679 Speaker 1: entered the valley and made the first turn around large boulders, 223 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 1: George and two others held them at gunpoint, then secured 224 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 1: them and their weapons. Moments later, the second group, including Can, 225 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 1: rounded the bend and found themselves looking down the barrels 226 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: of several shotguns. All the men were robbed of cash 227 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: and valuables. To add insult, the outlaws took hands peach, Brandy, 228 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 1: and the lead sergeant's horse. As the gang rode off, 229 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 1: they tossed the wagon driver a cigar. They fled across 230 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,800 Speaker 1: the Yellowstone River before doubling back north, returning to Miles 231 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 1: City in Montana. It had gone perfectly, they thought, except 232 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: for one thing. Despite wearing bandanas and wide brimmed hats 233 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: pulled down over their eyes, George's big nose had given 234 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 1: them away. It didn't take long before authorities arrested him. 235 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 1: Of course, bragging about the exploit didn't do him any favors, 236 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: but although he was put on trial for the robbery, 237 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,840 Speaker 1: no one made the connection to the wanted poster for 238 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 1: murder just a few miles south. During the trial, a 239 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: witness testified that George had been in Buffalo Springs at 240 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 1: the time of the hold up, making it impossible for 241 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: him to have been in Powder Springs. The witnesses had 242 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 1: been paid for the testimony, but it did the trick. 243 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 1: The case ended with an acquittal. George felt rather pleased 244 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: with himself, and once back at the saloon, he bragged 245 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: about the crimes to all who would listen. He falsely 246 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 1: claimed that he had done jobs with more renowned outlaws 247 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: like Jesse James and the Wild Bunch, and all that 248 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: attention seeking tipped off locals who spread the word. Soon 249 00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 1: the United States Army was rumored to be heading to 250 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 1: Miles City with a score to settle. Once more, the 251 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 1: gang was forced to flee. They made their way three 252 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: hundred miles north to Rocky Gap, where the men took 253 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: ranch jobs while keeping an ear out for stage coach runs. 254 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:16,520 Speaker 1: When the men weren't working, they spent the evenings at 255 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 1: another local watering hole, planning to rob a paymaster's wagon 256 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 1: due to arrive from Helena, but the wagons escort party 257 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: proved too large to take on. Without many stage coaches, 258 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 1: opportunities proved few and far between, and the gang headed 259 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 1: back to Wyoming. After failed attempts at multiple robberies and 260 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 1: run ins with angry and well armed ranchers, they returned 261 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 1: to Miles City by now though Tom Irvin, the local sheriff, 262 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 1: had seen the wanted posters. While the rest of the 263 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 1: gang left town, George took refuge at a friend's cabin. 264 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: The sheriff had his own plan, had been watching the 265 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 1: cabin and noticed that a sex worker was a frequent visitor. 266 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: Irvin struck a deal with the woman, who reported back 267 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:07,680 Speaker 1: to him. Irvin hired two additional deputies, both of whom 268 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: George wouldn't know. They posed as prospect buyers to scope 269 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:14,879 Speaker 1: out the property. The first time the men showed up, 270 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: they were met with rifles. When the men presented no threat, 271 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 1: George let his guard down. On the second visit, the 272 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 1: deputies were greeted unarmed. Then the sheriff came out of 273 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 1: hiding and George was hauled off to jail. Once more. 274 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 1: The news traveled far and wide. Then another of the 275 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:37,840 Speaker 1: murdered lawman's killers had been caught. Time hadn't reduced to 276 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:42,200 Speaker 1: the anger of the people living in Carbon County. If anything, 277 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 1: it burned hotter and brighter than it ever had before. 278 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 1: It was a big day for the authorities. On August 279 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 1: fourteenth of eighteen eighty, Sheriff Rankin arrived in Miles City 280 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:08,640 Speaker 1: with extradition papers and a couple of newly sworn in deputies. 281 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:11,680 Speaker 1: A posse formed to assist with safe passage for the 282 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:14,359 Speaker 1: officials and their prisoner to the steamboat landing on the 283 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: Yellowstone River. The sheriff had taken no chances. Handcuffed and shackled, 284 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 1: George wasn't going to escape. Once the steamboat docked in Omaha, Nebraska, 285 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: Rankin ushered the outlaw to the Union Pacific Railroad headquarters. 286 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 1: George's mug shot was taken, one of only two known 287 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 1: photos of him in existence. Then the interrogation began. Though 288 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:41,640 Speaker 1: they tried for hours, Rankin and the others couldn't get 289 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 1: a single confession. George repeatedly and calmly denied his involvement 290 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 1: in the robberies and the murders. When the train to Cheyenne, 291 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:54,919 Speaker 1: Wyoming arrived, the officials continued the interrogation on route to 292 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:58,720 Speaker 1: the next stop. Without a confession. The outlaw began to 293 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 1: feel pretty confident about as chances for another acquittal. One 294 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:06,400 Speaker 1: thing had to sit on his mind. Though. They were 295 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:10,159 Speaker 1: headed to Rowlins, the same trip Dutch Charlie had taken, 296 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: and just like that trip, the train stopped for fuel 297 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 1: and water. As the train pulled into the station, George 298 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:23,679 Speaker 1: noticed the stores were lit in celebration and people danced 299 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:28,359 Speaker 1: in the streets. Detecting that their prisoners seemed nervous, Rankin 300 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 1: and the deputies recounted the night the crowds had strung 301 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:35,200 Speaker 1: up Dutch Charlie. They took turns telling the story how 302 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 1: the mob had dragged him to his fate. They spared 303 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 1: no detail. George began to sweat. As they finished with 304 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:46,640 Speaker 1: how the body had been discarded into a coal bin. 305 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:50,440 Speaker 1: The doors to the cabin flew open. A dozen armed 306 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:54,520 Speaker 1: and masked men stormed inside, easily overcoming the sheriff and deputies. 307 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 1: Rankin called upon the passengers to intervene, that justice should 308 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:01,880 Speaker 1: be in the hands of the corps. The passengers eyed 309 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: the armed men, and, figuring an outlaw wasn't worth the effort, 310 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: stayed in their seats. One masked man wielding an axe 311 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:15,640 Speaker 1: broke George's shackles. Feeling pretty certain that the mob wasn't 312 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:18,359 Speaker 1: there to rescue him, he grabbed one of the men's guns. 313 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: The struggle was short lived, and the men quickly wrestled 314 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 1: the gun away. They dragged George off the train. The 315 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:29,159 Speaker 1: train platform was a sea of angry men and women, 316 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:32,880 Speaker 1: each of them calling to string him up. Some demanded 317 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:35,880 Speaker 1: to know why he had killed the law men. Still 318 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 1: protesting to the bitter end, he denied both the robbery 319 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 1: attempt and the murders. His persistent innocence acted like a 320 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: fuel to a fire. Another angry round of string him 321 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 1: up erupted. More hands grabbed him, and as they hauled 322 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:55,399 Speaker 1: George from the platform, the chanting and cheering continued. He 323 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 1: begged them to shoot him instead, but they ignored his please. 324 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: They dragged him down the street to a corral. The 325 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,880 Speaker 1: crowd applauded and cheered louder when someone tossed a rope 326 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:07,679 Speaker 1: over a beam. One of the men placed the noose 327 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 1: over his head. Faced with eminent death, George begged the 328 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 1: crowd once more, telling them he was scared, and asked 329 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:18,680 Speaker 1: for a few moments to compose himself. The crowd quieted 330 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 1: down and waited. Finally, George confessed, at least somewhat. He 331 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 1: admitted that he was part of the gang, and that 332 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 1: they had killed the men because, as the old adage says, 333 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:34,879 Speaker 1: dead men told no tales. It had been Dutch Charlie's idea, 334 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:38,159 Speaker 1: he insisted. Then he waited to see what they'd do 335 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 1: with his partially true confession behind him. He expected then 336 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 1: hang him anyway. Instead, the leader ordered him returned to 337 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:50,440 Speaker 1: the sheriff. They had gotten a confession, after all, let 338 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:54,199 Speaker 1: the courts order a legal execution. The group pushed and 339 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:57,440 Speaker 1: shoved him back to the station and tossed him unceremoniously 340 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:01,639 Speaker 1: into the train car. Witnesses said George collapsed into a seat, 341 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:07,480 Speaker 1: shaking and laughing until he cried. Outside. The crowd began 342 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:11,280 Speaker 1: to dance again, and Rankin smiled at his prisoner. He 343 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 1: had a confession, and as far as he was concerned, 344 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: the townfolk hadn't hung an innocent man the night that 345 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:22,879 Speaker 1: strung up Dutch Charlie. George stayed in jail until the 346 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 1: preliminary hearings in September of eighteen eighty. Right from the 347 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:30,119 Speaker 1: start he pled guilty, though once the court gave him 348 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:34,320 Speaker 1: a lawyer, he recanted his confession. There wouldn't be an 349 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 1: acquittal this time. The case went to trial and the 350 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:42,360 Speaker 1: court found George guilty. On December sev the judge sentenced 351 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 1: him to death by hanging, scheduling the date of execution 352 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:48,639 Speaker 1: for April second of eight one, between the hours of 353 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 1: ten and four. Bailiffs had to support George back to 354 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:56,439 Speaker 1: his cell in an attempt to protest his execution, he 355 00:22:56,520 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 1: staged a hunger strike. It didn't take long to figure 356 00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:02,360 Speaker 1: out that no one much cared if a condemned man 357 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:06,120 Speaker 1: starved to death. When that failed, he claimed had repented 358 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 1: and had converted to Christianity in the hopes that his 359 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 1: captors would grant him more freedom, and it worked too. 360 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:16,240 Speaker 1: Over time, they permitted George to roam the hall outside 361 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:19,680 Speaker 1: his jail cell. Over the next few months, he collected 362 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:22,680 Speaker 1: a knife and a piece of sandstone and began planning 363 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 1: his escape. That day came when Sheriff Rankin left town, 364 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 1: putting his brother Robert in charge of the jail. On 365 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 1: the night of March twenty second, George used the knife 366 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:36,959 Speaker 1: to file down the rivets on his leg shackles, and 367 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 1: then waited. As soon as Robert rounded the corner to 368 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: lock the prisoners in their cells, he leaped from his 369 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: hiding place and struck the jailer in the head at 370 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:50,120 Speaker 1: the eight pound shackles. Robert fought back, all the while 371 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 1: shouting for his wife. As you might imagine, Rosa didn't 372 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:56,919 Speaker 1: take to the assault on her husband. Sitting down, she 373 00:23:57,040 --> 00:23:59,439 Speaker 1: sweet talked the outlaw back into a cell with a 374 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 1: loaded still leveled at his head while her sister went 375 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 1: for help. Later, the women were awarded a gold watching 376 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:09,800 Speaker 1: key in a velvet lined box for their service and bravery. 377 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 1: Needless to say, no one believed George had truly found 378 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:18,159 Speaker 1: Jesus after that. The news of the attack, in the 379 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 1: form of Rose's sister running down the street in search 380 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 1: of help, enraged the citizens. Before long, a mob formed 381 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 1: outside the jail. Around ten that night, the mob burst 382 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:33,400 Speaker 1: through the door and stole the cell keys. A few 383 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 1: masked men headed towards the cells. Instead of being afraid, 384 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 1: George Oddley mistook their intention as a rescue mission. The 385 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:44,879 Speaker 1: men whisked him from his cell and out onto the street. 386 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:47,719 Speaker 1: The side of the mob made him realize his mistake. 387 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:51,399 Speaker 1: They were there to watch him drop. With a sudden stop. 388 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:55,439 Speaker 1: They placed the noose around his neck, tied his hands, 389 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:58,240 Speaker 1: and forced him onto a barrel under a telegraph pole. 390 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 1: The sister law of one of the murdered men, kicked 391 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:05,480 Speaker 1: the barrel instead of hanging. The rope snapped, and George 392 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 1: tumbled to the ground, choking and gasping for air. Within 393 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:12,879 Speaker 1: minutes they had another rope ready. They forced him up 394 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:15,440 Speaker 1: a twelve foot ladder and slid the noose around his neck. 395 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 1: Just as they pushed the ladder away, George managed to 396 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:22,439 Speaker 1: slide his hands free and grab the telegraph pole. He 397 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 1: begged them to just shoot him. Instead, the mob grew 398 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:30,000 Speaker 1: quiet and waited for him to lose his grip. The 399 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 1: news spread of how the citizens had hanged Big Nose 400 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:37,160 Speaker 1: George and Dutch Charlie. Other outlaws decided to slip out 401 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:41,200 Speaker 1: of town rather than meet the same end. But hangings 402 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: weren't the only way citizens had of preventing would be 403 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:48,439 Speaker 1: outlaws from messing with Carbon County, Wyoming. Because it seems 404 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:58,920 Speaker 1: there really was a fate worse than death. No family 405 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: stepped forward to aimed. George's body had abandoned them in 406 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:05,879 Speaker 1: France years before. If any of the remaining gang members 407 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 1: were still alive, they knew better than to step foot 408 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:13,120 Speaker 1: in Carbon County. But his corpse was claimed by two 409 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 1: doctors and their medical assistant. Doctors McGhee and Osbourne studied criminals, 410 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: and they had a keen interest in George's brain. Surely 411 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:25,439 Speaker 1: there had to be some abnormality that might explain his 412 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 1: criminal behavior. First, they made a death mask of George 413 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:32,359 Speaker 1: then sawed off the top of the dead man's skull. 414 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:37,960 Speaker 1: An autopsy of the brain turned up no clues. Though disappointed, 415 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 1: they decided to use the body for well other things. 416 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 1: Assistant Lillian Heath, who would eventually go on to become 417 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:50,440 Speaker 1: Wyoming's first female physician, took Big Nosed George's skull cap 418 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:54,560 Speaker 1: as a souvenir. Dr Osborne sent George's body to a 419 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:58,840 Speaker 1: tannery in Denver, ordering two things made from the human hide, 420 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:03,199 Speaker 1: a pair shoes and a medical bag. The rest of 421 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:06,640 Speaker 1: the remains were dismembered, placed into a barrel, and buried. 422 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:12,240 Speaker 1: Dr Osborne was quite proud of those shoes when the 423 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:15,040 Speaker 1: people of Wyoming swore him in years later as governor, 424 00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 1: he wore them to the inauguration and the ball that followed. 425 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:24,040 Speaker 1: And then time moved on, The city grew and the 426 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:29,479 Speaker 1: story of Big Nose George slowly faded away. But seventy 427 00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:33,639 Speaker 1: years later, in nine a construction company came upon a 428 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:39,000 Speaker 1: grizzly discovery a barrel with human remains inside. Law enforcement 429 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:41,639 Speaker 1: were called in, but they determined that the body wasn't 430 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:46,359 Speaker 1: recent and summoned historians instead. Noting the missing skull cap. 431 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:50,399 Speaker 1: They assumed they had found Big Nose George. To be sure, though, 432 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:53,359 Speaker 1: they called the only person still alive who might be 433 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:58,119 Speaker 1: able to solve the puzzle, doctor Lillian Heath. Intrigued, she 434 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:01,480 Speaker 1: arrived with a skull cap in hand. Over the years 435 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:03,680 Speaker 1: she had used it as a planter, a paper weight, 436 00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 1: and even an ashtray. As she looked at the skull 437 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:09,399 Speaker 1: from the barrel, she placed the cap over the clean 438 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:14,040 Speaker 1: hole on top, and it was a perfect fit, like 439 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:20,400 Speaker 1: Cinderella's slipper, only darker. This time, George received a proper burial, 440 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:25,520 Speaker 1: minus the skull cap and shoes. Of course, those, along 441 00:28:25,520 --> 00:28:27,960 Speaker 1: with the shackles, were all handed over to the Carbon 442 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:33,119 Speaker 1: County Museum as relics from a bygone day. The medical bag, though, 443 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:45,960 Speaker 1: has never been recovered. There's more to this story. Stick 444 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:48,720 Speaker 1: around after this brief sponsor break to hear all about it. 445 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 1: Nay can be confusing. When he was born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, 446 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 1: in eighteen o nine, his parents called him James Allen. 447 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 1: Later on, though, he went by a number of different 448 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 1: aliases Jonas Pierce, James York and others, but mostly folks 449 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 1: called him George Walton. Orphaned as a child, his grandparents 450 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,800 Speaker 1: did the best they could to raise him, but when 451 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 1: he was a young teen, they too passed away. Now 452 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:32,959 Speaker 1: entirely on his own, he returned to Lancaster. He applied 453 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 1: for work as a sailor, but was rejected. After holding 454 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:39,480 Speaker 1: down a few odd jobs, he turned to crime, landing 455 00:29:39,520 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 1: him in jail at the age of fifteen. With time 456 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:45,680 Speaker 1: to kill, Walton read a lot and even learned a 457 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 1: few trades. After his release, he teamed up with a 458 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: former prisoner and the two went back to the life 459 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:56,200 Speaker 1: they knew best, burglary. Like many of the legitimate jobs 460 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 1: he had held, Walton wasn't very good at stealing, and 461 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:04,200 Speaker 1: saw him revisiting jail on and off for years. Each 462 00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 1: time he had read more and learn new skills, yet 463 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 1: upon release he always went right back to its criminal ways. 464 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:15,920 Speaker 1: His favorite mode of operation was to hide just off 465 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 1: the side of the road, then jump out when a 466 00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:21,120 Speaker 1: wagon was passing by. He had level a pistol at 467 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:25,440 Speaker 1: the driver and shout your money or your life. Normally, 468 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:28,240 Speaker 1: people chose their life, tossed him their money and fled, 469 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 1: but that didn't happen when Walton tried his routine on 470 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:37,840 Speaker 1: a large and rather intimidating traveler named John Fenno. When 471 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:42,120 Speaker 1: Walton made his usual demand, Fenno briefly paused to consider 472 00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:47,160 Speaker 1: the offer and then chose both. Walton had never been 473 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:51,040 Speaker 1: challenged before, and it took him by surprise before he 474 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:53,760 Speaker 1: could back up his threat. Fenno leapt from the wagon 475 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:58,280 Speaker 1: and the two fought. Moments later, Walton fired his pistol, 476 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:02,240 Speaker 1: grazing Fenno's chest. Realizing he had just shot a man, 477 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:07,160 Speaker 1: he fled. Authorities offered a one thousand dollar reward for 478 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 1: his capture, forcing Walton to go into hiding. The reward 479 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:14,480 Speaker 1: money proved too tempting to one of his own criminal friends, 480 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 1: and the man turned him in. Walton was convicted on 481 00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:22,360 Speaker 1: February twenty one, eighteen thirty four, and sentenced to serve 482 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:26,760 Speaker 1: time at the State Penitentiary in Charlestown. Yes, he was 483 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:30,040 Speaker 1: headed back behind bars, yet again, a common theme for 484 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 1: his life. This visit turned out to be a life sentence, though, 485 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:38,320 Speaker 1: but not because a judge said so. You see, while 486 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:43,640 Speaker 1: he was in there, George Walton contracted tuberculosis, and apparently 487 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 1: the fatal illness changed him. That along with a surprise 488 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:53,240 Speaker 1: visit from John Fennel Walton spent his last remaining days 489 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 1: in jail writing his own memoir. When he finished, he 490 00:31:57,040 --> 00:32:00,120 Speaker 1: asked the warden to make two copies and then have 491 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:05,280 Speaker 1: each bound into a book, but not with ordinary leather. No, 492 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:09,240 Speaker 1: he requested that his own skin be used as a cover, 493 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:15,720 Speaker 1: and amazingly, the warden followed through with it. After George 494 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:19,200 Speaker 1: Walton died in eighty seven, the warden kept his promise 495 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 1: and sent the body to a tannery and the memoir 496 00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:26,560 Speaker 1: to a printing press. Two copies were made. One stayed 497 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 1: with the warden and the other went to none other 498 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:34,560 Speaker 1: than George's last victim, John Fenno. Both men kept those 499 00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:38,400 Speaker 1: books for the rest of their lives. Eventually, one copy 500 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:42,280 Speaker 1: found its way to the Boston Atheneum's collection, and every 501 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:45,560 Speaker 1: year at Halloween the library puts the book on display 502 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:50,160 Speaker 1: as part of their spooky offerings. It's unclear how that 503 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:54,400 Speaker 1: copy ended up in the library's collection. Some believed Fenno's daughter, 504 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 1: feeling a lot less enamored with the book than her father, 505 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 1: donated it after inheriting his estate. But the second Coppy, Well, 506 00:33:04,040 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 1: it seems the book is still missing. Maybe it's in 507 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:10,640 Speaker 1: a private collection or perhaps it's sitting forgotten in an 508 00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:15,520 Speaker 1: attic in someone's home. Either way, I think it's fair 509 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:19,320 Speaker 1: to say that George Walton's journey has come to a 510 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:36,520 Speaker 1: dead end. American Shadows is hosted by Lauren Vogelbaum. This 511 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:40,160 Speaker 1: episode was written by Michelle Muto with researcher Robin Miniter, 512 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:44,240 Speaker 1: and produced by Miranda Hawkins and Trevor Young, with executive 513 00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 1: producers Aaron Minky, Alex Williams, and Matt Frederick. To learn 514 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:51,840 Speaker 1: more about the show, visit Grim and Mild dot com. 515 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:54,440 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit the I 516 00:33:54,560 --> 00:34:06,120 Speaker 1: Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 517 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:00,760 Speaker 1: Who