Who is Burgess from The Great Train Robbery and what is their importance?

Burgess is the guard on the train, who watches over the safes that contain the gold. He is described as a hardworking man, with a hardworking wife, and several young children. Burgess and his wife, however, do not make enough money between them to make ends meet. Thus, when Pierce offers Burgess a bribe to simply look the other way..... he takes it. Burgess witnesses the robbery first hand, and when Pierce and Agar are arrested, Burgess is also charged. He is sentenced to two years in prison, but he dies of cholera before he is released.