Rube Burrows Alabama's Train Robber. Updated

[Rube Burrows]

Hello,
I am new to the group and just love what you all have done. Being the history buff that I am, I always love reading new things about American History......mainly the "Wild West" type of read.

I have some ties to the western days myself. My  Gr Gr Uncle was Ben Wheeler who was a deputy of Henery Brown of the Lincoln Co. Cattle Wars. The two did such a good job that they were presented with a brand new Winchester rifle and Colt Pistol. The two men would then go on to attempt to rob the bank at Medicine Lodge, Kansas.
The two were shot and hanged by furious townsfolk.

In Alabama my grandma owns the property that once belonged to "Rube" Burrows...Alabama's most famous train robber.
He Robbed trains all over the south. He was reported to hide out on what is now my grandmas land and in the caves on the property. Of course there is rumored to be gold still on the land but we all know how that goes.
The local newspaper in Vernon Alabama sells a very nice book about him which 114 pages. The book is paperback only and ran me about 10.00.  Reuben Houston Burrows 1855-1890

[St. George]

Given the fact that almost no one knows that Alabama even had a train robber of its own - why not do a synopsis for us.

I'm sure folks would enjoy reading it.

Same's true of your Great-Great Uncle's misadventure with those furious townsfolk.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Rube Burrows]

I will def. try to get one together for ya'll.

[Rube Burrows]

Ok....here is a little info on Rube Burrows that I was able to find.
I have a book that the news paper in my home town prints out since he lived there.....not much on the net though.




Known as a good shot, Reuben "Rube" Houston Burrows had a price on his head so tempting that he worried that his own gang might want to take advantage of the reward. The total price the Pinkerton Detectives offered for Rube Burrows, dead or alive was $7,500, enough to make Rube sleep, if he could manage it, with his finger on the trigger.

Rube Burrows was born in 1854 in Lamar County, Alabama. A tall, six foot, lean farm boy with nervous cold, blue eyes that never looked another man in the face. His light sandy hair and thin mustache were sometimes colored dark in an attempt to hide his identity. He was considered a good horseman with quick action in a get away.

Rube and his brother, Jim had grown tired of farm work and went hell-bent into the Oklahoma Indian territory to do some rustling. Their nervous energy sought excitement. It soon proved to be too risky an operation when the Indians refused to give up their animals and gave chase to these two farm lads. The boys rode for Texas in order to loose their excited, wild pursuers.

The Burrow brothers took a liking to the Texas railroads after they found out how much money was being transported over the rails. They soon began to stop the trains and relieve them of their money box. The train robberies paid off good money and the thrill of stopping the huge black, smoking engine was just the challenge Rube enjoyed.

Rube managed to meet a few unsavory men to help him and his brother with their new enterprise and every train through the Texas area was getting the Burrows treatment.
The Pinkerton Detective agency was soon hired to end the train robberies. It didn't take the lawmen long to locate the whereabouts of the Burrows gang and on January 20, 1888, when Rube and his followers stopped their next train, the Pinkertons were there in wait. Rube shot his way free, but his brother Jim was captured along with some of the other men. Jim was thrown into jail where he served 9 months. His only path of escape was on the coat tails of death. Jim came down with a serious fever and died.

Rube ran all the way back to Lamar County, Alabama to hide himself. He rubbed a darkener in his hair and changed into different type of clothes and sulked around the family farm for a while. He missed his brother Jim and began to look around for men he felt he could trust. He found a couple of men to hang around with and the Burrows gang was back stopping trains. Rube shot and killed a passenger who unfortunately got in his way and the postmaster who refused to give up the money box.

The Pinkertons were hot on Rube's trail. The killing of the postmaster didn't set well and they were more than ever determined to bring Rube Burrows and his gang to a final end. The lawmen watched all the railroad lines through out Alabama.

One by one Rube's followers fell away. They were either killed, captured or disappeared voluntarily. Rube found himself alone. Still, this didn't stop Rube. He decided to hold up the Louisville and Nashville train by himself. He had heard a good sum of money was being transported. Rube had stopped trains long enough to know what to do and he believed he could easily do it by himself. He was ready at a location where the train had to slow down and he loped along beside the mail car rapping with the butt of his gun on the door. "Open up. Got a load for ya'", Rube hollered. To his call the door slide open and Rube jumped aboard. He robbed the mail car without any interference and dropped off the train with several thousands dollars.

Time came when Rube had to face the ultimate fact of realism. The reward on his head was too good to pass off and a man named Carter drew his gun on Rube. There was a short skirmish and Carter shot and killed Rube.

It was a cloudy, gray afternoon on October 2, 1890, when Rube collapsed face down in the dust. He was thirty-six years old. The whistle from the passing train engine echoed across the land, but Rube Burrows would not be around to stop the smoking, black beast.



Let me know what you think.

[St. George]

Thanks for the tale.

It's the sort of authentic thing that keeps this Forum interesting.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Nolan Sackett]

Well I guess we all have at least one black sheep in the family....RIP cuz......


Chuck Burrows............

[ggmeeks]

At home in Alabama this past weekend, I found out that I am a decendent of Rube Burrows and am looking for a book on him.  What is the book that Vernon, AL offers and what is the name of it?

[Rube Burrows]

At home in Alabama this past weekend, I found out that I am a decendent of Rube Burrows and am looking for a book on him.  What is the book that Vernon, AL offers and what is the name of it?

I replied to the email you sent me. I have these books and im sure I can get one to you. I also had a couple questions for you in the email.