Black Bart California's Infamous Stage Robber

Black Bart Title

California's Infamous Stage Robber

STAGE COACH ROBBERIES

Black Barts stage robbery career lasted just over eight years. It started on July 26, 1875 and ended with the final robbery on November 3,1883. Black Bart was arrested on November 12,1883 in San Francisco by detectives Harry Morse and James Hume. Believe it or not, Morse had lured Bart to the Wells Fargo office where Hume was waiting. Black Bart was credited with 28 robberies. Just 18 days after his last robbery, Bart had been captured, tried, convicted and sentenced. On November 21, 1883 Charles Boles, aka Charles Bolton, aka Black Bart entered San Quentin prison.

1 July 26, 1875. Calaveras County at Funk Hill; Wells Fargo box and mail.

2 December 28, 1875. Yuba County, four miles from Smartville. Wells Fargo box and mail.

3 June 2, 1876. Siskiou County, five miles north of Cottonwood; Wells Fargo Box and mail; a nighttime robbery.

4 August 3, 1877. Sonoma County, four miles from Fort Ross; Wells Fargo box and mail; first poem left here.

5 July 25, 1878. Butte County, one mile from Barry Creek Sawmill; Wells Fargo box and mail; second poem left here.

6 July 30, 1878. Plumas County, five miles from LaPorte; Wells Fargo box and mail.

7 October 2, 1878. Mendocino County, twelve miles from Ukiah; Wells Fargo box and mail.

8 October 3, 1878. Mendocino County, ten miles from Potter Valley; Wells Fargo box and mail.

9 June 21, 1879. Butte County, three miles from Forbes Town; Wells Fargo box and mail.

10 October 25, 1879. Shasta County, enroute to Buckeye; Wells Fargo box and mail; nighttime robbery.

11 October 27, 1879. Shasta County, twelve miles from Millville; Wells Fargo Box and mail.

12 September 1, 1880. Shasta County, near Last Chance Station; Wells Fargo Box and mail.

13 September 16, 1880. Jackson County, Oregon one mile from California line; Wells Fargo box and mail; nighttime robbery.

14 September 23, 1880. Jackson County, Oregon three mile from California state line; Wells Fargo box and mail.

15 November 20, 1880. Siskiyou County, one mile from Oregon border; Wells Fargo box and mail.

16 August 31, 1881. Siskiyou County, ten miles from Yreka; Wells Fargo box and mail.

17 October 8, 1881. Shasta County, fourteen miles from Redding; Wells Fargo box; nighttime robbery.

18 October 11, 1881. Shasta County, at Montgomery Creek; Wells Fargo box.

19 December 15, 1881. Yuba County, four miles east of Dobbins; Wells Fargo box and mail.

20 December 27,1881. Nevada County, at Bridgeport; Wells Fargo box and mail.

21 January 26, 1882 Mendocino County, six miles from Cloverdale; Wells Fargo box and mail.

22 June 14, 1882. Mendocino County, two miles from Little Lake; Wells Fargo box and mail.

23 July 13, 1882. Plumas County, five miles from LaPorte; Bart shot; nothing taken.

24 September 17, 1882. Shasta County, at Bass Hill; Wells Fargo box and mail.

25 November 23, 1882. Sonoma County, five miles from Cloverdale; Wells Fargo box and mail.

26 April 12, 1883. Sonoma County, five miles from Cloverdale; Wells Fargo box and mail.

27 June 23, 1883. Amador County, four miles from Jackson; Wells Fargo Box and mail.

28 November 3, 1883. Calaveras County, at Funk Hill; Wells Fargo box and mail; Bart shot.

There was another robbery they tried to pin on Bart, but he did not do it.
July 22, 1880. Sonoma County, three miles from Henry's Hotel; Wells Fargo Box and mail.

On the fourth and fifth robberies Black Bart left behind poems.

At the fourth robbery:

"I've labored long and hard for bread,
For honor and for riches
But on my corns too long you've tread,
You fine-haired sons-of-bitches.
Black Bart, the P o 8"

At the fifth robbery:

"To wait the coming morrow,
Perhaps success, perhaps defeat
And everlasting sorrow.
Yet come what will, I'll try it once,
My conditions can't be worse,
And if there's money in that box,
'Tis money in my purse.
Black Bart, the P o 8"

Note: A little know fact is that on the first poem there was also a note scribbled under the verse. The poem and the note had each line written in a different hand. It is thought that Bart did this to disguise his handwriting.

The note reads:
Driver, give my respects to our old friend, the other driver. I really had a notion to hang my old disguise hat on his weather eye.

This is a picture of a four horse stage coach similar to the ones that Black Bart robbed. This picture was taken at Pescadero, California.

Photo courtesy Wells Fargo Historical Services
and cannot be reproduced without their permission.

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