Bill Miner

Early Life and Criminal Beginnings

Ezra Allen Miner was born on December 27, 1846, in Vevay Township, Michigan, to Joseph Miner and Harriet Jane Cole. Following his father's death in 1856, his family relocated to Placer County, California in 1860, except for his brother Henry who had enlisted in the Union Army. He began using the name William, or Bill, in the early 1860s and was recruited into the Union Army in Sacramento in April 1864, only to desert three months later. Miner's criminal career commenced with horse rustling in 1863 before he escalated to stagecoach robbery, a pursuit that would define his early years and lead to his first arrest in San Joaquin County, California in 1866. He served subsequent terms in Placer County and Calaveras County before being discharged in 1880, only to be arrested again shortly after for a stagecoach robbery partnership with Bill Leroy, who was later lynched.

Miner's most significant early sentence came in 1881 when he was convicted for stagecoach robbery and sentenced to 25 years in San Quentin State Penitentiary in California. He was released from San Quentin on June 17, 1901, after serving nearly 20 years of that sentence, having spent over 33 years of his life behind bars across five separate terms at that facility. Upon his release, he discovered that the era of the stagecoach had largely ended, replaced by the railroad as the primary carrier of valuable cargo and currency. He briefly attempted honest labour, moving to Washington state to visit his sisters and working for his brother-in-law Louis Wellman picking oysters on Samish Bay near Blanchard. However, he soon reconnected with former San Quentin cell mates like John E. "Jake" Terry and returned to a life of crime, now setting his sights on the more lucrative target of trains.

Transition to Train Robbery and Move to Canada

Bill Miner's method for train robbery, adopted from outlaws like Butch Cassidy, involved boarding a train at an isolated spot where it slowed, commandeering the engine, and uncoupling the express car containing valuables. His first attempt at this new criminal specialty occurred on September 23, 1903, near Portland, Oregon, targeting an Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company passenger train. The robbery was a failure, resulting in one associate being killed and another wounded and arrested, while Miner escaped empty-handed and fled north into British Columbia. Crossing the border in 1904, he adopted the pseudonym George Edwards, posing as a semi-retired rancher, and took up residence near Kamloops where he recruited accomplices including American gunman Thomas "Shorty" Dunn. In British Columbia, he lived quietly under his alias, becoming a popular figure in the local community who never suspected his criminal double life, even while American police briefly suspected him of involvement in a train robbery in Washington state in November 1905.

The 1904 CPR Robbery and Its Aftermath

On September 10, 1904, a gang held up the Canadian Pacific Railway's Transcontinental Express No. 1 at Silverdale, about 35 kilometres east of Vancouver and just west of Mission City. The robbery was a significant operational success, with the gang escaping with a substantial haul that included $6,000 in gold dust, over $900 in currency, and $50,000 in US bonds, though some reports later inflated the bond value to $300,000. This heist was widely, though incorrectly, reported as the first train robbery in Canadian history, a distinction that historical research confirms belonged to a Great Western Railway robbery in Port Credit, Ontario, on November 13, 1874. The CPR and government authorities responded by posting rewards totalling $11,500 for the robbers' capture, but the gang evaded arrest for a year and a half as Miner maintained his benign George Edwards persona. The success of this robbery and the large reward fueled extensive media coverage and public fascination, beginning the process that would transform Miner from a fugitive into a well-known character in the region. Miner is believed to have staged this robbery, but neither he nor his accomplices were ever tied conclusively to the Silverdale heist.

The 1906 Robbery, Manhunt, and Capture

Emboldened by his earlier success, Miner planned another robbery in 1906, by which time his gang included Shorty Dunn and a new recruit, Louis Colquhoun, a criminal from Ontario. On May 8, 1906, they targeted the CPR's Transcontinental Express No. 97 near Duck's Station, later known as Monte Creek, about 24 kilometres east of Kamloops. The robbery was a deep fiasco as the gang chose the wrong railcar, managing to steal only $15 in cash and a bottle of kidney pills that Miner picked up from a shelf. Despite the meagre haul, authorities were certain the same bandits from the 1904 robbery were responsible, and rewards for their capture were increased to nearly $15,000, combining offers from the CPR and federal and provincial governments.

The ensuing manhunt was the largest in British Columbia's history up to that time, involving provincial police, the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, cowboys hired as special constables, Indigenous trackers, bloodhounds, and American detectives operating on both sides of the border. The CPR provided a dedicated train to transport and supply the search parties as they scoured the region. The outlaws evaded capture for several days but were finally surrounded at a camp near Douglas Lake on May 14, 1906, while they were eating lunch. Dunn attempted to flee and was shot in the leg, while Miner and Colquhoun surrendered without a fight, with Miner never drawing his weapon. Miner maintained his George Edwards persona, claiming he and his cohorts were prospectors, but was later identified by an American prison official as the notorious Bill Miner during the subsequent legal proceedings.

Trial, Imprisonment, and Escape from B.C.

The trial of Bill Miner and his accomplices in Kamloops became a major media spectacle, drawing significant public attention. The most damning piece of evidence presented against Miner was the distinctive bottle of kidney pills stolen during the botched Monte Creek robbery, which directly linked him to the crime scene. All three men were convicted, and Miner received a life sentence while his accomplices also faced lengthy prison terms. They were transported by train to the British Columbia Penitentiary, a federal maximum-security prison in New Westminster, with crowds gathering to see the famous outlaw depart Kamloops. His time in the B.C. Penitentiary was short-lived, however, as he executed a successful escape on August 8, 1907, an event that provoked anger from Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier, who denounced Miner as a dangerous criminal. Miner was never recaptured in Canada and fled back to the United States, where he resumed his criminal career in the South.

Final Years, Death, and Burial

Back in the United States, Miner returned to train robbery and was involved in a holdup in Gainesville, Georgia, in 1909, which led to another arrest and prison sentence. True to form, he escaped twice from custody in Georgia, with one escape attempt leading him to drink brackish water, which later contributed to his health decline. His final capture led to a 20-year sentence of hard labour in the Georgia penal system. Bill Miner died of gastritis, contracted from the brackish water, on September 2, 1913, at the prison farm in Milledgeville, Georgia. He was buried in Memory Hill Cemetery in Milledgeville, where an original headstone was placed with errors including a misspelled name and incorrect death year. A new, corrected headstone was later placed in the proper location, while the old marker was kept in its original position, creating two physical points commemorating the outlaw in the cemetery.

Cultural Legacy in Canada

Bill Miner's story has been sustained and amplified in Canadian culture, particularly in British Columbia, through a wide array of artistic and commercial tributes. His narrative is the subject of the 1982 Canadian film The Grey Fox, starring Richard Farnsworth, which won seven Genie Awards and earned Farnsworth a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal. Folk musicians Valdy and Gary Fjellgaard recorded a song about him on their collaborative album Contenders Two: Still In The Running, with Fjellgaard stating Miner represented a sense of personal freedom. Composer Robert Buckley wrote an orchestral piece, The Legend of Billy Miner, commissioned in 2018 by the Kamloops Music Collective to teach students about local history, featuring ragtime themes and sections depicting a train robbery and prison escape. The cultural references to Miner extend across several distinct categories, as detailed in the following list.

• Film: The 1982 feature film The Grey Fox, starring Richard Farnsworth, which won seven Genie Awards.
• Music: "The Ballad of Bill Miner" written by Phillip Mills and recorded by The Blackout Cowboys. A song by Valdy and Gary Fjellgaard. And the 2018 concert band piece The Legend of Billy Miner by Robert Buckley.
• Businesses: The Billy Miner Pie and named drinks at The Keg Steakhouse & Bar. The Billy Miner Pub in Maple Ridge. Billy's Restaurant in Princeton. And The Notorious Grey Fox Taps and Patio in New Westminster (opened 2024).
• Landmarks: Mount Miner near Princeton, renamed in 1952. A mural on Cactus Jacks Saloon in Kamloops.
• Artifacts: Miner's pocket watch, stolen from and later returned to the Royal BC Museum in Victoria in 2014.
• Folklore: Persistent speculation about a hidden cache of loot near Green Lake and 70 Mile House, B.C.

His principal biography is titled The Grey Fox: The True Story of Bill Miner, Last of the Old Time Bandits, authored by Mark Dugan and John Boessenecker and published by the University of Oklahoma Press in 1992. His prison files are held by Library and Archives Canada and were once featured in a Co-Lab Challenge. These official files include intake forms, mug shots, and detailed escape reports. This documentation provides a comprehensive record of his criminal career and incarcerations.

Key Events and Associated Figures

• September 10, 1904: Robbery of CPR Transcontinental Express No. 1 near Mission, B.C., with accomplices including Thomas "Shorty" Dunn.
• May 8, 1906: Botched robbery of CPR Transcontinental Express No. 97 near Monte Creek, B.C., with accomplices Dunn and Louis Colquhoun.
• May 14, 1906: Capture by a posse near Douglas Lake, B.C., following a massive manhunt.
• August 8, 1907: Escape from the British Columbia Penitentiary in New Westminster.
• 1909: Involvement in a train robbery in Gainesville, Georgia, leading to his final imprisonment.
• September 2, 1913: Death at the prison farm in Milledgeville, Georgia.
• Primary Accomplices: Thomas "Shorty" Dunn (American gunman), Louis Colquhoun (Ontario criminal), and earlier associates like Bill Leroy.
• Law Enforcement Response: The 1906 manhunt involved the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, B.C. Provincial Police, and Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier who commented on his escape.

These events chart the trajectory of Miner's activities in Canada. His most famous crime in Canada was the 1904 train robbery near Mission. He was convicted and given a life sentence at the British Columbia Penitentiary in New Westminster. Miner escaped from this prison on August 8, 1907, and was never recaptured in Canada. The involvement of accomplices like Shorty Dunn highlights the collaborative nature of his later robberies. The large manhunt involving police and special constables indicates the seriousness with which authorities viewed his crimes against the Canadian Pacific Railway.

The Miner Legend: Facts and Fiction

Bill Miner's story is intertwined with several enduring myths that have shaped his public perception over the decades. He is widely credited with coining the phrase "Hands up!" during robberies, though this is difficult to verify with contemporary evidence. Similarly, he was reputed to have instructed his accomplices to fire their guns if necessary but "do not kill a man," contributing to his image as a non-violent gentleman who avoided bloodshed. While he is often called Canada's first train robber, historical research by author Peter Grauer in his 2005 study Interred With Their Bones confirms that a train was robbed in Port Credit, Ontario, in 1874, three decades before Miner's 1904 heist, making Miner's distinction that he was the first to successfully rob a Canadian Pacific Railway train. His noted politeness during holdups and his consistent targeting of corporate assets like the CPR, rather than individual passengers, allowed the public and later storytellers to cast him in a sympathetic, Robin Hood-like light. This narrative was powerfully captured and expanded in The Grey Fox, which explored his adaptation from a stagecoach bandit to a train robber as a metaphor for technological change and the closing of the frontier.

Questions about Bill Miner

Why is Bill Miner called the Gentleman Bandit?

Bill Miner earned the nickname "The Gentleman Bandit" due to his notably polite and courteous demeanour during his robberies. He was known for being respectful to his victims, which stood in contrast to the violence often associated with outlaws of his era. He is also reputed to have told his accomplices to fire their guns if necessary but "do not kill a man. This reputation helped cultivate a folk hero image where he was seen as targeting corporations rather than individuals.

What did Bill Miner steal from the CPR train in 1906?

The 1906 train robbery near Monte Creek, British Columbia, was a disastrous failure for Bill Miner's gang. They targeted the wrong railcar and consequently secured a paltry haul. The total loot from the robbery amounted to just $15 in cash. In addition to the money, Miner also took a bottle of kidney pills from a shelf inside the car. This bottle later became a key piece of evidence used to convict him during his trial in Kamloops, as it uniquely tied him to the scene of the crime.

How did Bill Miner escape from prison in Canada?

Bill Miner was serving a life sentence at the British Columbia Penitentiary in New Westminster following his 1906 conviction. On August 8, 1907, he managed to break out of the maximum-security facility. The details of the escape method are not fully specified in the available records, but it was successful enough that he was never recaptured by Canadian authorities. Following his escape, he fled across the border back to the United States, where he resumed his criminal activities with train robberies in the South.

Is it true that Bill Miner committed the first train robbery in Canada?

No, this is a common misconception. While Bill Miner's 1904 robbery of a Canadian Pacific Railway train near Mission, B.C., was highly publicized and often called the first, it was not. Historical research, notably by Peter Grauer in his 2005 book, documents that the first train robbery in Canada occurred thirty years earlier, on November 13, 1874, when a Great Western Railway train was robbed in Port Credit, Ontario. Miner's distinction is that he was the first to rob a CPR train, which held greater symbolic weight in Western Canada.

What happened to Bill Miner after he escaped from Canada?

After escaping from the B.C. Penitentiary in 1907, Bill Miner returned to the United States and resumed his life of crime, specifically train robbery, in the American South. He was involved in a holdup in Gainesville, Georgia, in 1909, which led to another arrest and prison sentence. Characteristically, he escaped twice more from custody in Georgia. His final conviction resulted in a 20-year sentence of hard labour in the Georgia prison system. He died of gastritis on September 2, 1913, at the prison farm in Milledgeville, Georgia.

How is Bill Miner remembered in British Columbia today?

Bill Miner is remembered as a folk hero and prominent historical figure throughout British Columbia. His name adorns businesses like the Billy Miner Pub in Maple Ridge and Billy's Restaurant in Princeton. Mount Miner near Princeton was renamed in his honour in 1952. The Keg steakhouse chain features a Billy Miner Pie. His story inspired the award-winning 1982 film The Grey Fox and several musical works. Murals, local lore about hidden loot, and a pub opened in 2024 in his former prison keep his story alive in communities like Kamloops, Princeton, and New Westminster.

Sources and further reading

• Bill Miner (Wikipedia)
• Bill Miner (thecanadianencyclopedia.ca)
• Legendary train robber and prison escapee Bill Miner, Details (colab.bac-lac.gc.ca)
• B.C. gentleman train robber Bill Miner inspires art in all its ... (cbc.ca)
• Bill Miner holds up his first passenger train near Portland ... (historylink.org)

Checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-10-27.