- William Walters (outlaw)
William Walters, also known as "Bronco Bill" Walters (1869 - 1933?) was an
outlaw during the closing days of theOld West . He is best known for the legend of his "lost treasure", allegedly located in the area ofSolomonville, Arizona .Bill Walters was born in
Fort Sill , inOklahoma Territory . He worked most of his youth as acowboy , then began working for theSanta Fe Railroad as a section hand. Shortly after becoming employed by the railroad, Walters became involved in train robberies and the robberies ofstagecoach es. He began riding with theBlack Jack Ketchum Gang around 1893, where he is believed to have committed at least twomurder s. He soon coaxed some of the gang members to leave with him, and form their own gang concentrating on the robbery ofWells Fargo shipments. It would be in this endeavor that he saw his greatest success.Between 1894 and 1897 Walters robbed an undetermined amount of cash from shipments, committing several murders in the process. The amounts he is believed to have stolen in legend are in all likelihood exaggerated. However, as the legend goes, Walters began hiding his loot in a secret location around Solomonville, near where he and his gang had their hideout. In July of 1898, after a failed robbery attempt in
Grants, New Mexico during which the gang was driven off by heavy gunfire by guards, lawmanJeff Milton , along with lawmanGeorge Scarborough , tracked down then shot and captured Walters, and scattered his gang from their hideout, killing another gang member in the process. George Scarborough is noted for having killed outlaw and former lawmanJohn Selman , killer ofJohn Wesley Hardin .Walters was convicted of his crimes, and sentenced to
life in prison . Wells Fargo never recovered the stolen loot, which led to the legend. Walters was released from prison in 1917, and although it is not known for certain, he is believed to have never returned to Solomonville, possibly because there was, in reality, no "lost treasure" to recover. He settled in Hachita, New Mexico, a small ranching community, where he worked as awrangler . He died when he fell from awindmill while doing repairs, which is said to have been in 1933, although the year of his death has never been certain.External link
* [http://www.legendsofamerica.com/AZ-Treasures6.html Bronco Bill Walters]
* [http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com/treasures134.html Lost Treasure of Bronco Bill]
* [http://www.darkcanyon.net/jeff_davis_milton.htm Jeff Milton Captures Bronco Bill]
* [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WWmiltonJ.htm Milton and Scarborough Wound and Capture Bronco Bill]
* [http://www.gilabooks.com/200610/200610_desert_desperadoes.html Desert Desparados, Bronco Bill Walters]
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