The Guns of Kinnie Wagner William Kenneth (Kinnie) Wagner (February 18, 1903 in Scott County, Virginia - March 9, 1958) more commonly known as Kenny (Kinnie) Wagner was a bootlegger in Mississippi, who murdered several people, including two sheriff's deputies. He escaped from custody numerous times, but ultimately died in prison on March 9, 1958. His most notable escape was his last attempt and involved a clever trick that was not discovered until Wagner was outside the prison walls. He had been made a trusty whose job it was to tend the dogs at the prison. He quickly realized the dogs were the means by which the prison guards would use to track him if he were to escape again. He therefore trained the dogs not to track him by whipping them if they followed his scent. Wagner remained at large in Wahalak, Mississippi for several years afterward under the alias "Big Jim," and was subsequently placed on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. He was recaptured after a jealous rival informed law enforcement officials of his residence at the house of a female friend. There are several folksongs and ballads about Wagner's many adventures. There are several books written about the Mississippi outlaw. And he had even been covered in comics and pulp magazines. |
