Rube Burrow, king of outlaws, and his band of train robbers : $b An accurate and faithful history of their exploits and adventuresAgee, George W. (George Washington)
History
Rube Burrow, king of outlaws, and his band of train robbers : $b An accurate and faithful history of their exploits and adventures
Agee, George W. (George Washington)
Burrow, Rube, 1854-1890
“Hold your hands down, and come to the door, or I will kill you,” said
Burrow.
A shot from the pistol of one of the robbers on the outside of the car
gave emphasis to the highwayman’s request, and when the grated door was
pushed back, as ordered by Rube Burrow, he got in the car and, handing
a sack to the messenger, said: “Put your money in there. Hurry up! I
have no time to lose.”
Securing $2,685 from the express car, Burrow then went to the mail car
and called for the registered mail. Mail Agent Bell had been collecting
the registered matter, preparatory to leaving the car with it, when
Rube entered and demanded it.
The registered mail, which contained $795, was taken, making the total
amount secured $3,480, or $1,160 each.
In stopping the train the passenger coaches had been left on the
trestle so as to prevent any one reaching the ground, twenty feet
below, and making an attack from that quarter. The shots fired soon
after the train was halted, two of which took effect in the steps of
the coach on which Conductor Scholes stood, silenced further inquiry,
and the work was completed without molestation.
When Burrow joined his comrades, after leaving the mail car, he seemed
anxious to have the train start. During the run from the station down
to the trestle he had forbidden the fireman to put any coal in the
fire-box, and, hence while the train was being robbed so much steam
was lost that it was ten minutes after the robbery was over before
sufficient steam was obtained to get under headway. Finally the train
resumed its onward course, and Burrow, sending a few parting shots of
humor after Engineer Therrill, joined his comrades who were anxiously
awaiting his coming in the brush a few yards distant.
The train dispatcher’s record of that day bore the simple explanation:
“Number five delayed thirty minutes at Buckatunna trestle, getting
robbed.”
The news of the robbery brought the officials of the Express and
Railroad Companies by special train to the scene. Possees were at once
organized and sent in pursuit. It was evident that the work was that of
Rube Burrow. “I will rob this train or kill every man on it” was the
identical expression used at Genoa and at Duck Hill. His disposition to
be humorous--in fact, every detail of the robbery gave evidence of his
identity as the leader.
The robbers were traced from the scene of their crime in an easterly
course. Blood-hounds were used in the pursuit, but the trail being cold
they were abandoned. The detectives, however, quietly took up the trail
and followed it towards Demopolis, Ala. At this point it was found
that Rube Smith separated from the other men about October 5th, and
went by rail into Lamar County. Rube Burrow and Joe Jackson continued
their journey afoot, and traveling by easy stages reached Lamar County
on the night of October 23d, impelled by some strange fancy to return
to the spot from which they had been so recently routed, and from which
they were soon to depart again.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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