Miner’s next associate in crime was a farmhand named Arthur
Pond. On September 1, 1880, they stole $50 and two mail sacks in
Ohio city. On October 14, they held up a stagecoach on the Del Norte route, and hit a jackpot of $4,000. To elude authorities,
Miner and
Pond changed their names to William A. Morgan and Billy LeRoy. The authorities were not fooled. Pond was soon caught and sentenced to 10 years, although he escaped. He met first with his brother, then
Miner, and a new spree began. The Del Norte route was attacked on May 15 and again on May 18, 1881. While
Miner was buying supplies with this new money, the
Pond brothers were caught and lynched by a mob of angry citizens outside the jail house. The loss of these boys did not derail
Miner.
Also see "Bandit Years: A Gathering of Wolves" by Mark
Dugan. Profiles four unforgettable outlaws who made the Barlow-Sanderson
Overland Mail their special target: Billy LeRoy, Bill
Miner,
Charley Allison and
Hamilton White III. Western
Legacy, 1987. Soft cover. $13.50