Del's version changed, as far as I can hear, one word and one only. "...down to Boxhill they did ride" was changed to "...down to Knoxville.." That moves the action to the US, and many US police do travel with shotguns - not carried on their persons, but in the trunk of the cruiser.

The point that no one who took a "shotgun blast to the chest," assuming buckshot was involved, would survive more than a few seconds, and that he/she would not be able to speak, in any event, is a good one. But I recall from high school, more than half a century ago, being puzzled by how many of the best-known speeches in Shakespeare were made by characters in the process of dying of mortal wounds, and asking the teacher, "Doesn't anyone ever just say 'ouch' and die?" Surely Thompson should be allowed as much artistic license as Bill gets...

P