Newspaper Accounts Of The First Train Robbery By The James-Younger Gang

Publication: The Springfield Republican, 1873, Springfield, Massachusetts

Five issues of the Springfield Republican newspaper reporting the train robbery committed by the James-Younger Gang on July 21, 1873 near Adair, Iowa. 8 pages each. 15.5" x 20" each. Although the robbers are unknown in the reports, it is now known that this train robbery, one of the first successful train robberies committed in the American West, was committed by the James-Younger Gang. The gang, at that time is known to have included Jesse James, Frank James, Cole Younger, Bob Younger, Jim Younger, John Younger, Clell Miller, and Bill Chadwell. The five issues are dated July 24, July 25, July 28, August 29, and September 9. Four of the issues include short reports following the reported movements of the robbers as they are spotted in various areas of Missouri. The longest report is in the July 28th issue; a lengthy report of almost 1100 words, by O. P. Killingsworth, an agent for the post-office department, who was inside the express-car at the time of the robbery. He gives a great amount of details regarding the robbery itself. Having learned of a gold shipment from Cheyenne, Wyoming scheduled to be shipped on the Rock Island line, on a train of the Chicago, Rock Island, & Pacific Railroad, the gang removed some rails near Turkey Creek, southwest of Adair, Iowa, causing the derailment of the train. The derailment resulting in the death of the engineer and fireman as the locomotive crashed and toppled into a ditch. Details of the action at the express car, as reported by Killingsworth include: "Into the door on the lower side--the one on the upper brake shoe--sprang a man with a revolver in each hand, and told him (Killingsworth) to surrender. He was the leader of the robbery, as was ascertained from his speech and actions afterwards. He had torn the mask from his face. He was not medium height, was well-built, red-faced, wore a light hat and a light suit of clothes. He was dressed like a laborer. Two other fellows in masks appeared at the door, with a revolver in each hand. The leader took a bunch of keys from his pocket and threw them at the heads of the inmates.The scoundrel in the car did all the talking, and he commenced as soon as he entered. He went inside the door and with much profanity, 'Give us those keys--give me those keys, or I'll blow your brains out! Want money! Where's them safe-keys--quick, or some of you'll get killed.' At the same time, he ordered Burgess to open the safe. Burgess, astonished, answered, 'Where's the bullion--give us the bullion.' Then he shouted to his set of robbers as you are--'rush in and help!' Someone told Burgess to give the scoundrel the safe-keys, and he did so. The robber unlocked the safe, the men at the door telling those with them 'that if they stirred they would blow their brains out.' The chief robber retired, & satchel belonging to Mr. Barrett, and crammed the safe packages into it, and as he did so he said 'Here isn't half as much as we expected; we want more money! Give us the bullion!' (Though they were demanding the bullion, it became obvious that they didn't know what bullion was, and that they were looking for bags of gold coins.) "By this time he was on his feet. Mr. Killingsworth pointed to the bottom of the floor, and said, 'There is all the bullion we have.' The robber replied, 'We don't want them things; give us the bullion, or we'll blow your brains out.' He ordered it out, and then went to the other packages stored in the safe and said that there were bags full of gold in the safe. The gold and silver bricks on the floor he thought were regular lead bricks, and having loaded five satchels, before him, at the same time pointing his revolver at two of them, and telling the men at the door to keep a sharp lookout..." The gang had expected to get $75,000 in gold coinage, but made-off with a little less than $3,000. Within a relatively short time, the James-Younger Gang was recognized as the train robbers, which resulted in increased scrutiny by the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Thus began the train-robbing activity of the gang. An important early record of the Adair, Iowa train robbery. Some splits and closed tears to the edges of each issue, but clean and complete, with each report of the robbery clear and highly legible. Good-very good overall condition.