Description 

The Levy-Williams Gang also known as The State Gang was a notable 19th-century gang of American outlaws based in the state of New Alexandria. The gang was particularly active in the counties of Lemoyne, New Hanover and West Elizabeth during the fall of 1900 and 1901. The gangs outlaw activities included robbery, store robbery, kidnapping, murder and extortion.

History 

The gangs members were participating in outlaw activities from as early as October, 1900. Starting out as only Michael Chapman and Billy Williams, the gang later included Abraham Levy, Oscar Knight and Reginald Parker. They did not consider themselves a gang in the beginning, nor did they decide on a name until the would-be outlaw gang successfully evaded Deputies Valkrie Haven, Jackson Lancaster and bounty-hunter Emiel Dijk after a robbery of the Van Horn General Store where the gang made their escape down the Lannahechee River by steam-boat. The gang formally took the name The Levy-Williams Gang thereafter.

Following a string of robberies in November 1900, the gang claimed enormous notoriety throughout the state. It's members faces were plastered onto bounty posters scattering the state.

By December 1900, the members of the gang had been laying low for a number of weeks, Abraham Levy and fellow members Billy Williams, Michael Chapman, Reginald Parker and Oscar Knight arranged to meet with Aaron Coates, after receiving word that it was likely safe to return to New Hanover. During the meeting, Abraham Levy was kidnapped and later found brutally murdered on the railway tracks North of Van Horn, he was pronounced dead on December 18, 1900 by Deputies Rue Bennett, Levi Smith, Undersheriff Lorenzo Roussan and Lieutenant Tris Chamberlain. It was presumed Aaron Coates was had a hand in Levy's death and he was shortly denounced by the gang.

Just days after the death of Abraham, Billy Williams was killed during a shoot-out with the law after a botched kidnaping and only a month later, Reginald Parker was also gunned down by Marshals Antonio Delgato, Wayne Dagouter and Lillianah Dagouter; leaving what little remained of the gang, defunct and on the run.

Trivia 

• During it's early days, the gang was given the name "The State Gang" after two of it's members introduced themselves as Montana and Alabama.
• Many of it's members had either served time or gone into the wind by February 1901.

Affiliations 

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