About: Railroad Bill
Morris Slater (died March 7, 1896) was an African American, notable for his dramatic escapes from the law in the style of Robin Hood. He acquired the name Railroad Bill. Although there was a price on his head for some years, he evaded capture through ingenuity and exceptional athletic abilities. He was eventually shot dead in an ambush at a store he was known to visit. Slater is celebrated in the folk-ballad Railroad Bill, which has been recorded by numerous artists, including Lonnie Donegan, Taj Mahal, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Roger McGuinn, Doc Watson, and Dave Alvin.
