C. Boles, Outlaw "Black Bart", Signature

BOLES, CHARLES. Signature, "Charles E. Boles", 4" x .25", no place, no date. Cut from a larger sheet, Fine condition.

Charles E. Boles (1829-1888) was an American outlaw and a soldier. He served in the Civil War and was seriously wounded at the Battle of Vicksburg. He took part in Sherman's March to the Sea. Boles received brevet commissions as both second lieutenant and first lieutenant, and was discharged on June 7, 1865.

Considered a gentleman bandit with a reputation for style and sophistication, Boles was one of the most notorious stagecoach robbers to operate in and around Northern California and southern Oregon during the 1870s and 1880s. He adopted the nickname "Black Bart" and was quite successful, often taking in thousands of dollars a year. Although he only left two poems, these notes came to be known as his signature and ensured his fame. Black Bart's first note read, "I’ve labored long and hard for bread / For honor and for riches / But on my corns too long you’ve tread / You fine-haired sons of bitches."

What happened to Charles Boles remains unknown. He was last seen in February of 1888. In 1917, a New York newspaper printed an obituary for a Charles E. Boles, Civil War veteran. Was this Black Bart?

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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