YESTERDAY'S NEWS-

A reading from America's historic newspapers in the golden age of yellow journalism.

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Until recently, I presumed that Black Bart was a fictional character, like the Lone Ranger or Dudley Do-right, but I was recently set straight on that account and subsequently discovered a story that COULD pass for pretty outlandish romantic fiction.

Charley Bowles did get the moniker Black Bart from the villain in a dime novel, but I think he used it ironically because it didn’t really fit his gentlemanly style.

He only robbed coaches carrying treasure belonging to the Wells Fargo Company, apparently in revenge for a mining dispute in Nevada.

When he left his doggerel poetry at the scene of the crime, he would sign it “Black Bart PO8” spelling poet with a numeral, text messaging style before the internet, ahead of his time.

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Music by Dave Sams

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www.truecrimehistorian.com/1883blackbart