by Mississippi John Hurt recording of 19 from , Police officer, how can it be? You can 'rest everybody but cruel Stack O' Lee That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee Billy de Lyon told Stack O' Lee, "Please don't take my life, I got two little babies, and a darlin' lovin' wife" That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee "What I care about you little babies, your darlin' lovin' wife? You done stole my Stetson hat, I'm bound to take your life" That bad man, cruel Stack O' Lee ...with the forty-four When I spied Billy de Lyon, he was lyin' down on the floor That bad man, oh cruel Stack O' Lee "Gentleman's of the jury, what do you think of that? Stack O' Lee killed Billy de Lyon about a five-dollar Stetson hat" That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee And all they gathered, hands way up high, at twelve o'clock they killed him, they's all glad to see him die That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee