Ezra Allen Miner, known as Bill, was nicknamed the "Gentleman Bandit" for politely robbing stagecoaches and trains in the Old West between adventures abroad. He became a folk hero in Canada after being arrested for robbing an unpopular Canadian Pacific Railway train in 1906, with Canadians cheering him on as he was taken to prison. Though he spent much of his life in prison, Miner never killed anyone and had a couple daring escapes before dying in a Georgia penitentiary in 1913.

1. Criminal Folk Hero

2. Ezra Allen Miner, who went by the name Bill,
was nicknamed "the Gentleman Bandit"
because he was polite and considerate as he
held up stagecoaches and trains in the Old
West in between adventures in other countries
. He is credited with the origin of the familiar
phrase, "Hands up!" Miner became a folk hero
in Canada after he was arrested for the
robbery of a Canadian Pacific Railway train in
1906. The company was very unpopular at the
time , and Canadians lined the railway to cheer
Miner on as authorities transferred him to
prison. Miner never killed anyone, and he
spent a large portion of his adult life in prison.
He had a couple of wild escapes under his belt
before he died in the Georgia State
Penitentiary in 1913.