a made-up name for a gunfighter (a person who engaged in
gun duels) in the
late nineteenth century US
West. Gunfights were
notoriously carried out in the
main street of the town "at sunset." Referred to as "Black" as in early black-and-white
American cowboy movies, the villain always wore a black
hat while the hero always wore a white
hat.
a made-up name for a villain in the nineteenth century US
West. Referred to as "Black" because in early black-and-white
American cowboy movies, the villain always wore a black
hat while the hero always wore a white
hat.
nickname of Charles E. Boles (ca. 1830-1917), mysterious
American masked robber believed to have held up some 28 stagecoaches from 1875 to 1883.
Operating on foot, Bart wore a
hood and robbed stagecoaches with a
shotgun that was apparently
unloaded. Although he never took
money from the drivers or passengers, he did steal the
treasury boxes belonging to Wells Fargo &
Company, an
express and banking
organization that specialized in
shipping gold and
silver. Black Bart became somewhat of a folk
legend and exaggerated tales of his exploits appeared in newspapers and novels.