Belated answer to your request Bob, here's the Sam Hinton version. Sadly I don't think you'll find anything new in it, though he does vary the tune nicely.

Times have moved on and the Roud index (No.7876) lists several early sources (Roud 7876, some audio (1927 earliest? Earl Johnson and his Clodhoppers ), some in books and journals (JAFL for 1911 and 1915 I think the earliest, though neither version mentions Bill). I haven't time to look at them all just now (I'm off out to sing some songs!) but I'll try and have a look tomorrow and probably post anything useful to the other origins thead.

(My first encounter in the 60s in the UK was from the singing of Paul McNeill, then singing with Linda Peters, who would go on to become Linda Thompson. That was a short version: Tell Old Bill/Baking bread/That can't be so/Hurry-up wagon/repeat v1!).

Mick

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TELL OLD BILL

Tell Old Bill when he leave home this mornin',
Tell Old Bill when he leave home this evenin',
Tell Old Bill when he leave home
To let them downtown folks alone,
This mornin', this evenin', so soon.

Old Bill left by the alley gate this morning,
Old Bill left by the alley gate this evening,
Bill left by the alley gate,
Old Sal she say, "Now don't be late",
This morning, this evening, so soon.

Bill's wife was a-bakin' bread this mornin',
Bill's wife was a-bakin' bread this evenin',
Bill's wife was a-bakin' bread
When they told her Bill was dead,
This mornin', this evenin', so soon.

Oh, Lord! That can't be so this mornin',
Oh, Lord! That can't be so this evenin',
Lord! That can't be so,
Bill left home not an hour ago,
This mornin', this evenin', so soon.

They brought him home in the hurry-up wagon this mornin',
They brought him home in the hurry-up wagon this evenin',
They brought him home in the hurry-up wagon,
They brought him home with his toes a-draggin',
This mornin', this evenin', so soon.


Source: Sam Hinton, CD Folk Songs