Great Stagecoach Robberies of the Old West

R. Michael Wilson has been researching the Old West for fifteen years, following a quarter century as a law enforcement officer. His particular interest is crime, and none are more thrilling than stagecoach robberies. He has published one book on the subject in Arizona, and four more on other aspects of crime on the frontier. His research philosophy is "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.Previous self-published titles:Drenched in Blood, Rigid in Death; the true story of the Wickenburg massacre, 132 pages, PB, illustrated, notes, bibliography, index; 2000. A detailed criminal investigation of this controversial "massacre." This event was featured in a vignette during the 2004 season of "Wild West Tech" on the History Channel and in a vignette on the Unsolved Mysteries series [poor historical accuracy]. Author has sold over 600 books.Tragic Jack; the true story of Arizona pioneer John William Swilling, 82 pages, PB, illustrated, bibliography, index; 2001. Details the life of the man who named Phoenix, Arizona and captured Indian chief Mangas Colorados; falsely accused of a stagecoach robbery Swilling died in the Yuma jail only weeks before the guilty party was arrested. Sold over 250 copies. Book is being reissued by Globe Fall 2006.Encyclopedia of Stagecoach Robbery in Arizona, 230 pages, HB, illustrated, bibliography, index; 2003. This work details every stagecoach robbery in Arizona; Sold over 200 copies.Crime & Punishment in Early Arizona, 266 pages, PB, bibliography, index; 2004. This work details every recorded lynching and every legal hanging in Arizona, a history of two prisons and an alphabetical listing of prisoners at each. The prisoner lists provide the names, dates of commitment, crimes, sentences, and counties; 135 copies sold.

In 1856 Thomas J. Hodges, who would become infamous by his alias Tom Bell—the first man to rob a stagecoach, under circumstances that would have made lying improbable and of no purpose, disclosed that he was just twenty-six years old. He had been a bar room brawler in his earlier days, and in one affray had his nose crushed so badly that it was nearly flat with his face except for a small protrusion that had a deep dent in the tip. This made his appearance decidedly repulsive, very distinctive, and gave him the appearance of being much older than his years.

• Introduction; 1. The First Stagecoach Robbery in the West; 2. Baldy Green--The Jehu; 3. Robbery at Point Nine; 4. Stephan Venard; 5. The Innocents; 6. The Boise Bandits; 7. The Showdown; 8. The Man Who Swallowed a Wagon Wheel; 9. The Iron-Clad Stagecoach; 10. A Sharp Nevada Road Agent; 11. A Texas Badman in Colorado; 12. A Lynchin' Bee; 13. Robbery at Spearfish; 14. Arizona's Petticoat Bandit; 15. Gold at the End of the Rainbow; 16. The Last Stagecoach Robbery in the West; Bibliography