The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-12-14
JOHN RENO.
A Man Who has Spent the
Greater Part of His Life
i'm Prison.

There are few old citizens of Mis-.
souri, who will not remember John
Reno. the greatest criminal in his
line, perhaps, that the hoOsier States,
ever produced. While still resid mt
of Inc lana, Reno became the leader
of a gang of express robbers, Whose
depredatione fell little short of those
reputed to the James boys. Finally
Reno drifted into Missouri, where he
successfully burglarized the Gallatin
bank of $40, 900, and escaped to Indi-
ana in the guise of a tramp, beating
his way and carrying his money in
an old satchel. He was, however,
Overhauled at the Occidental hotel
ia Indianapolis, returned to Missouri
and given a twenty-five years sentence.
During his stay he had many friends
working for his release among whom
was devoted sister, who was a very
handsome woman who finally sue
coed in inducing Gov. b. Grotz
Brown to commute his sentence to
ten years, but even after this, thous-
ands of dollars were used to secure
an entire release but III vain at the
expiration of his commuted term Reno
was released and returned to his In.
diana home avowing his intention to
live an honest life. 1t was not long
howev'r until old accomglices sue
ceeded in again draweing him int diff.
ficulty, and the following from the
Michigan City correspondent of the
Cincinnati times will he read with In
terests as it contains some confessions
of career never before made public.
One of the most interesting char
acters of the prison is John Reno.
He is the only crooked one living of
the famous Reno brothers, who for
years terrorized things down about
Southern Indiana. He was sent up
about a year ago for passing counter
felt money at Indianapolis, and has yet
twentyone months TO serve.
"Oh, things are not as they used
to be-" he said to your reporter. 1T
is mighty tough on crooked people
Showing the queer was not in my ine,.
and the day for all that work is past.
The man who makes anything now
must get up long before daylight
Do you know that Miles Ogle got me
into this trouble ?"
"No. How did he do it ,"
"Well, about three months before he
was arrested at Memphis he sent ME
word that he wanted to see me at
Cincinnati. He wanted me TO bring
q good man with me. ! had nothing
to do, and so thinking he had some
good job went 10 Cincinnati. |
met him under the suspension bridge,
on the Ohio side. He was the tough
est-lOoking object | ever saw. He
was all muffied up, and hadn't been
shaved for year. L told him that
| would rather be in the Penitentiary
than live as he did. He said he was
getting in good shape to make money,
and would soon have plenty of it.
We went to certain place on Fourth
street. He had lot of queer money
There were some silver certific Hes and
some notes on the Third National
Bank of Cincinnati. The notes were
tolerably good, but the silver certif-
icates were the rankeSt ever saw.
| wouldn't touch them. That was
the last / saw of him I"
"Let me see. You are the only one
of the Reno boys left, arH't you"
"No; there is another brother, a re-
spected, well-to-do merchant, at Gar
den City, Kan. Three of my BROTH
ers were lynched by crowd of Pin
kertOn's men at New Albany in
1867"
Glow did you escape%
al was in the Missouri Penitentiary
for breaking the Treasurer's Office at
Gallatin, Mo. l got over $4,000
there, and just thirty-five days later
was captured in room No. 10. OF the
Occidental Hotel, Indianapolis. L
was taken back and given twenty-five
years. When | went to prison L had
s11, 800 on deposit in bank. i served
about nine years, and when ! came
out didn't have cent
"What became ofitg
81 was shaken down and bled for !
every cent oft. l paid out directly TO
men high in authority over $500.
Senator's, members of the Legislature ,
md all had whack at me, and from ,
he highest official in the State down
% the guard ON the wall robbed me-"