Slick Willy Escapes from Prison

On this day, the American bank robber, William Francis Sutton Jr., escaped from prison for the third time. Nicknamed ‘Willie the Actor’ and ‘Slick Willie’ because of his ability to disguise his real identity, Sutton’s bank-robbery career lasted forty years, more than half of which he spent in prison. It is estimated that in that time he stole about $2 million. Although Sutton was no Robin Hood, he never killed anyone during his career and claimed that the guns he carried were never loaded. Legend has it that when asked why he robbed banks, Sutton replied, “Because that’s where the money is.” He denied having said this, but the quote evolved into ‘Sutton’s Law’, which is often invoked to medical students as a metaphor for accepting the most obvious diagnosis, rather than wasting time and money investigating every conceivable possibility.

Author: Tony

Born and raised in Malaysia between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Educated at Wycliffe College in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, England. Living in the foothills of Mount Etna since 1982 and teaching English at Catania University since 1987. View all posts by Tony