The Poetry of Black Bart, the P 08

Here I lay me down to sleep
To wait the coming morrow,
Perhaps success, perhaps defeat
And everlasting sorrow.

I've labored long and hard for bread,
For honor and for riches,
But on my corns too long you've tred,
You fine haired sons of bitches.

Yet come what will, I'll try it once,
My condition can't be worse
And if there's money in that box
Tis munny in my purse.


-Charles E. Bolton (1835?-1899?) aka "Black Bart, the P 08". Stagecoach robber. Over the course of his career, he stole $6009.52 worth of money and valuables from California stagecoaches. He was ultimately arrested and served four years in prison, getting off very early for extremely good behavior. Of his time as a robber, he said "I never robbed a passenger or ill-treated a human being."



Source:
Wallace, Irving and Wallechinsky, David. (1975). "Footnote People in American History." The People's Almanac.89: pp.1-8. ISBN:0-385-04060-1