Arizona pioneer Jack Swilling was a founder of both Prescott and Phoenix—and an accused stage robber.
In 1878, Jack and two friends were mistaken for a trio that held up a stage near Wickenburg. He was arrested and jailed in Yuma, awaiting trial. But he never made it—a lifetime of alcohol and substance abuse and bad health (and poor conditions in jail) killed him on August 12.
A couple of weeks later, the real bandits were arrested and Swilling and his friends were cleared. Just a little too late.
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