The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-11-16


instead of by the rope. He had shot I'M
offending men down in cold blood, he had
robbed a dozen trains, and for years he
had defied the authorities and terrorized
the communities which he scourged with
his presence.
"Red Rube" as the sanguinary scOun-
drel was appropriate ~ called, first saw the
light in Lamar couI ity, Ala, thirty-three
years ago His father, Allen Burrow, who
stil lives, was engage d IN farming and the
manufacture of moon shine whisky. RUDE
proved a bright eXaI aple OF the truth Of
Pope's lines:
\ little learning is a q ingerous thing;
Drink deep or taste EJJ OF the Peran spring.
re acquired at a country school enough
education to enable him TO read dime
novels and the peruiciGus books which de-
tailed the doings and gloriGed the careers
of such men as the James and Younger
brothers.
Fired by the example of the Missouri
bandits Rube, at the age Of Is, put mask
on his face and way!aid and robbed a
neighbour who was returning home from
market. The victim recognized the lad,
and complained to his father next day.
Old man Burrow restored the stolen
money, and gave his precociouS offspring
sound whipping. Tho punishment evil
IDENTIFY fitted the crime, for Rube mended
his ways and was a comparatively decent
citizen until 1886. Then he and his brother
Jim Joined a band Of thieves operating in
northern Texas and Arkansas. An esti-
mate may be formed Of the character Of the
gang when it is stated that the first job
in which Rube and Jim took hand was
the robbing of a decrep4t Cherokee woman
who lived ia Indian territory.
Having ''won their spurs" by this eX-
plot the brothers and their pals began
the work of holding up trains" On three
successive occasions they despoiled the eX-
press and mail cars Of the Texas Pacific
road and got away with Large booty. Then
they tackled a St. Louis, Arkansas and
Texas train at Genoa, Ark, with meager
results. BY this time the pursuit had be-
come hot and organized. A fellow named
Brock was captured and promptly betrayed
she Burrow brothers. whose identity had
not before been established. The fugitives
were rounded up at Montgomery, Ala.
On the way TO Jail they broke and ran.
Jim was shot down, but Rube escaped
after killing a man. The former died in
prison later on.
This ended the now noted outlaws con-
nection with large bands of desperadoes.
lie would none of them. Instead he took
TO himself one trusty companion of his
own kidney, by name Joe jackson, and
thcnceforw2rd these two made railway
travel in the southwest a rather dangerous
matter Their first robbery together was
Of an Illinois Central train at Duck Hill,
Miss. They killed one man and got away
with $4,000. Soon after they took 81 900
from Mobile and Ohio train near Buca-
tunna, Ala BY this time the country was
swarmng with detectives, troops and civil
officers. Red Rube," however, added to
his crimes by Staying in the most cowardly
manner Nose Graves. the postmaster at
Jewel, Miss.
At Sand Mountain he and Jackson
fought a posse of over a hundred men,
killed several and escaped. Some weeks
ago jackson was captured. Then Burrow
event it alone" His last exploit was to
rob a train on the Louisville and Nashville
road at Flomaton, Ala. single handed.
He is said to have secured 10000.
But a reward was on his head in three
states, and the Southern Express company
was willing to pay s. 800 for him, dead or
alive. Therefore hundreds were hunting
him. Near Linden, Ala, J. c. Carter, a
storekeeper, and John McDuffy, farmer,
hlAltu Nv Two ltGIOes IlldOt MN Il prisoner
They took him 10 the village, lodged him
in Jail aud manacled him
Mcpufy and one of the colored men
acted as guard for the night. Carter, who
had secured the outlaws money went TO a
hotel AT in the morning Burrow asked
for something TO eat, and said there were
crackers in his satchel. The satchel was
placed by his side. He drew from it two
revolvers and leveled them at his guards.
He compelled the negro to take off his
handouts and put them on McDutfy and
then to guide him 10 Carriers quarters.
He demanded his money of Carter. Then
the two men fired at almost the same in
slant. Both balls found their marks, but
the combatants fought their way out TO
the street and continued TO exchange shots
till Burrow fell corpse. Carter, although
badly wounded, Will recover Burrow
leaves a son u years old, who is eager to
take up the profession of his father
During the last three years the dead out
law robbed about 4 dozen trains, killed at
least four men and wounded over = score.
He generally wore mustache. but in the
last TWO months OF his life he was so hunted
that shaving was out Of the question and
short beard covered his face
Sleeping on post doesn't meet with ap-