American train robber Bill Miner, who spent his happiest years living at liberty in Princeton B.C. (1903-1907), died in prison at Milledgeville, Georgia in September 1913. He was about 65 years old and had spent most of his adult life behind bars.
This letter was written during his final incarceration in Georgia (after one last escape attempt). A photocopy of the letter was found by a friend of mine, but we don’t know where the original is, and I apologize for the quality of this copy.
It appears to be genuine with the original envelope and postmarks that align with what we know about that time.
Of more interest to folks in B.C. Is that in the final year of his life, Miner’s thoughts turned to his time and friends in Princeton. The letter is addressed to his old Princeton pal Jack Budd. Budd had sheltered Miner after he slipped across the border in 1903 to avoid arrest for a train robbery near Portland.
Budd was a fellow American and probably had a dubious past back in “the states” himself. At any rate, he liked Miner’s company and must have been aware that his friend was engaged in cattle rustling, smuggling and at least three train robberies while hiding out in Princeton under the alias of George Edwards.
Miner’s letter includes an invitation to Jack to visit “George” at the Milledgeville prison farm if he can make it south. And it also includes a reference to recovering a very nice pocket watch Miner left behind when he escaped from the BC Penitentiary in 1907.
Miner was audacious enough to write to Canada’s Minister of Justice trying to get the watch back (he was a pretty good writer but a very poor speller). And it’s clear from this letter that he hopes Jack might “liberate” the watch and bring it south when he visits. Budd was smart enough to stay in Canada and live out his life in the safety of the Similkameen. Here is the letter
Greg Dickson
Special Thanks to guest writer Greg Dickson for this submission. We are very pleased to count him in the ranks of our membership. If you want to know more about Greg, here is a bio:
Dickson Greg