文摘
This work came to be quite by accident. Most all of us "little boys" are at one time or another fascinated by the daring deeds of outlaws,bandits,and other such Robin Hood type characters. As an adult,while still partly a little boy,I always found an excuse to stop whenever I found myself near some historic outlaw site,just to look around of course. Such stops during the course of my travels took me to Tombstone,Arizona,to see where the Earps and Clantons had it out;to Northfield,Minnesota,the Waterloo of the James-Younger Gang;to Coffeyville,Kansas,where the Daltons attempted a double bank robbery;to Ingalls,Oklahoma,site of the largest gunfight between the "good guys" and the "bad guys (as if any such distinction is ever clear)," and much more. Researching a subject such as bank and train robbers,and boxmen (people who open safes) is difficult at best. These people intentionally left no records,few traces,and went to extremes to keep their identities secret. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)