The Grey Fox: The True Story of Bill Miner, Last of the Old-Time Bandits

Although a legend in his time, Bill Miner has been neglected by posterity. In a career of stagecoach and train robberies spanning almost 50 years, this ``kindly, lovable old man,'' who died a folk hero in 1913 at a Georgia prison, acquired an undeserved reputation as an American Robin Hood. He reputedly never killed anybody and, save for the early years, stole only from corporations. In this comprehensive biography of the hapless and shadowy outlaw, who spent more than 33 years behind bars, Dugan, a faculty member at Appalachian State University (N.C.), and Boessenecker ( Badge and Buckshot ) have largely succeeded in sketching a life from Miner's trail of lies and deceit. But in their sober, dry account, the authors fail to make a strong case for their contention that Miner was the first known gay outlaw of the Old West. Photos not seen by PW. (June)