About July 18, 1899, On the spot, Elza Lay helped rob a train with the Ketchum Gang in Folsom, New Mexico. The robbery was successful but the posse did end up catching up to them in an area called Turkey Creek. A shootout with law enforcement proceeded with the sheriff and deputy being killed. Elza and three of the other outlaws were able to escape for a short while.
On October 11, 1899, Elza was sentenced to life imprisonment under the alias William McGinnis at the New Mexico Territorial Prison. During his prison stint, Maude Davis divorced him. Nearly seven years into his sentence he had made friends with the warden. While in prison he helped to stop a riot and negotiate the release of the warden’s wife and family who were being held captive by some of the inmates. In 1906 he received a governor’s pardon for his role in helping to stop the riot and good behavior.
Upon release Elza returned to Wyoming to open up a saloon. He married Mary Calvert and moved to California and worked for the Imperial Valley Irrigation System. Elza never returned to the outlaw life and died in Los Angeles, California (Nov. 10, 1934) – Fulfilling a life of 72 years.
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