The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-10-21
Began Since the War.

dated and robbed by solitary highway
men, stage coaches were stopped by
one or more men and the passengers
relieved OF their valuables and the
holding up of railroad trains at the
point OF revolvers by limited number
OF desperadoes and determined men
was a natural evolution. Highway rob-
berry on the rail was unknown before
the war. There had been instances of
express messengers being robbed and
murdered by persons who had obtained
access 10 the car, but the bold capture
OF train crews, the forcible riding OF
the treasure boxes of the express COM
panies and the subsequent robbery of
an entire train-load of passengers, dates
from 1866 only, and this particular
form of piracy may be said 10 have been
started by the Reno gang of four
brothers and their brother-in-law,
Anderson, who lived in and
about Seymour, Ind. There was,
previous to this, an extensive
robbery Of passengers that was semi
military in its nature. On September
"a. 1864. occurred at Centralia, Mo-, the
memorable massacre OF thirty-two
Union soldiers by Bill Anderson's band
OF guerrillas. The band of robbers
and murderers, from which were after
wards recruited the word-famous
James and Younger gangs OF despera-
does, had yidden into Centralia, pill
laged the town and then taken posses
sion OF the depot. When the North
Missouri train came along il was cap
tured by Anderson's gang OF cut
throats, the thirty-two soldiers taken
out, disarmed and then stood against
wall and murdered. After the coward
" deed of blood the guerrillas went
through the train and robbed all Of the
passengers without distinction.
This was, however, an incident OF
the war, and police officers in discuss
ing train robberies always date from
1866. when the Renos began operations
In Southern Indiana.
The Reno Gang of Robbers.
There were four brothers, Frank,
Jessie, Sim and Jack Reno, and their
brother-in-law Anderson, all four boys
who "loafed much OF their time about
the streets Of Seymour. One night in
September of 1866 the west-bound Ohio
and Mississippi train was on its way
westward from Seymour and had
reached Brownstown, where ii stopped,
when the engineer and fireman found
themselves suddenly looking into two
revolvers held by two masked men and
heard an imperative order TO pull out.
As the engineer complied. the express
car was cut off from the train, simple
matter in those days, and the engineer
forced ~ run ahead two miles, when
be was ordered TO stop. One man re-
NAMED on the engine and three en-
tered the express car, which had end
doors. overpowered the messenger and
forced him to open the safe. They
got $4,000, and then fed, leav-
ing the engineer to return
with bis locomotive TO his train.
Not a shot was fired. This bold
and successful crime created the pro-
foundest sensation. Col. l.. {. Weir
who was at the time agent of the
Adams Express Company, recognized
that this was but the first of what
must prove a long series of compara-
lively safe and profitable crimes, and he
az once began that course of procedure
which has made his name terror to
express robbers and his conduct
model for the thief-takers of the coun-
try 10 emulate. The Reno family
were al the time under some slight
suspicion, but there was no tangible
evidence against them.
Three months later the coupling pin
was pulled out Of an east-bound train,
the engineer forced to run down the
track. the messenger held up and
robbed Of $4,000. This was the work
of two:boys. neither of them - years
OF age. They were delivered to the
officers by their fathers, who had seen
them making masks, the money recOv-
cred, and they were sent TO the peni-
tentiary for long terms. The eX-
press people began to think that
the new industry had been nipped
in the bud, when, nine months
later, the country was startled
by another train robbery OF most
brutal and sggrssating details. Jack
Reno had in the meanwhile gone TO
Missouri and was arrested for his share
in the robbery of the Daviess County
Bank, for which he was sent TO the
penitentiary for twenty-three years.
The third train robbery was on the
Jeffersonville, Madison andl Indianap-
oils Railroad, and occurred at Seymour.
The engineer was captured at the
water tank, and the express car en-
tered while the train was in motion.
He offered some resistance and was
beaten over the head and then thrown
bodily from the train, inhicting inju-
ries that made him an imbecile for the
rest OF his days. This job was done by
Frank. Jesse and Sim Reno and Ander-
son. They secured sl35,00 with which
they made their escape. They were
located through the untiring efforts of
Col. Weir, who directed the operations
Of the detectives. at Windsor, Canada,
where they were found living under
aliases and engaged in business. They
were we'll supplied with money and
made q hard fight against extradition.
II was over year, and their cases were
taken 10 the court of last resort before
they wero surrendered 10 the United
States authorities.
Sin Indiana Robbers Lynched.
\ circumstance had occurred at Scy.
mour during the interim that made tho
Renos equally desirous not To be re-
turned TO Indiana. Six young men
living in the vicinity OF Seymour, fired
to the point of enthusiasm by the sue
cess which had attended the two train