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On December 29, 1914, Willis robbed his first prepare, at age 25. He had simply been launched from serving time in jail and met up with an previous good friend, Crimson Johnson. The 2 had gone to Uvalde and whereas there had damaged right into a ironmongery shop to steal some Winchester 30-30s and ammunition for a pistol Willis was carrying. They determined to go to Cline, a small settlement west of Uvalde, by foot the day after Christmas with the intent of robbing the Southern Pacific Quantity 9 passenger prepare that handed by means of the station round midnight.
In his final interview in 1979, he described his first prepare theft:
“Simply after Christmas, me and Crimson Johnson set off for Cline (Texas) by foot. I knowed the Quantity 9 prepare got here in there about midnight and took on water. So I instructed Crimson, ‘Let’s rob that prepare tonight.’
“That night time we went all the way down to a little bit freight home close to the depot. Whereas we was ready we took the linings out of our large overcoats to cowl our heads and use as masks. When the prepare got here in that night time, we hit the again of it.
“An previous brakeman hollered at us and mentioned, ‘Hey! You possibly can’t get on right here!’
“I instructed him, ‘Like hell we won’t,’ and I jabbed that pistol in his stomach and he modified his tune. He did not give us no bother. We went in to the primary automotive that was a particular automotive for the superintendent of the Southern Pacific Railroad, previous man Watkins. He was in there with one other fellow. Watkins had a giant previous thick pocketbook and we thought we had a wad of cash. Damned if his pocketbook wasn’t stuffed with them railroad passes and 40 measly {dollars}!
“We went on up by means of the Pullman vehicles. We ain’t by no means been in a Pullman automotive so we did not find out about them berths upstairs too. We simply acquired those on the underside and went by means of two of them. If we come up on a girl by herself we let her go.
“After we come by means of the primary automotive, we did not know there was a drawing room in there with a wealthy previous Mexican driving along with his daughter. Certain sufficient, they’d a number of thousand in money and $15,000 in jewellery in a little bit bag up there. They was in a compartment automotive and we did not know nothing about that so we handed them up.
“Getting near Spofford, we pulled the twine, stopped the prepare, and acquired off. In a couple of minutes we was hightailing it by means of them prickly pear flats headed towards Crystal Metropolis. In two days we had been in Crystal Metropolis, sitting in my mom’s kitchen.
“We acquired $4,700 off the prepare; more cash than we had ever seen. I give Crimson half and we went all the way down to the lodge and had us a giant steak dinner.”
Together with the tales of ringing within the New Yr, the Texas newspapers had been ablaze with front-page accounts of the “daring prepare theft.” The San Antonio Specific quoted quite a few first-hand accounts of the prepare theft that adjust from Willis’ model, significantly in how they handled the passengers once they demanded their money and valuables.
Two Bandits Awaken and Rob Passengers on Southern Pacific Receive $7840 And Many Valuables; Overlook $16,000
Robbers Boarded a Prepare close to Spofford And Escaped After 18 Minutes’ Search of Passengers.
Are Headed for Mexico
Posse in Pursuit Following Three Clues In Hope of Effecting A Seize Earlier than Robbers Cross the Rio Grande-Mexican Who Saves His Fortune Reimburses These Robbed.
… Greater than $7,840 and quite a few watches, jewels, weapons and different valuables had been taken and $16,000 in gold was ignored when masked males robbed the 2 rear sleepers of the Sundown Central Specific prepare between Cline and Spofford about 2:30 o’clock yesterday morning. The theft required eighteen minutes, throughout which period the bandits took the belongings of 14 passengers within the San Antonio sleeper on the rear of the prepare, and utilizing W. F. Kendall, brakeman as a protect continued half manner by means of one other Pullman because the prepare neared Spofford, when the bandits retreated to the rear Pullman, pulled the bell twine and escaped.
Though posses organized by Ranger Phelps and R. C. Watkins, division superintendent of the Sundown Central of this metropolis, one of many victims, had been organized at Spofford and Del Rio instantly after the theft, no hint of the robbers has been discovered.
Two males found in a software home on the Eagle Go department of the highway had been arrested and launched. As the gap to the border is barely about 30 miles by rail and about 33 miles by direct route, it’s believed that the lads are making an effort to achieve the boundary line and cross into Mexico.
Jose Martinez, a rich mine proprietor of Durango, Mexico was ignored by the bandits and remained the pleased possessor of about $16,000 in money and several other hundred {dollars}’ value of bijou. Martinez and his spouse and daughter, occupied the drawing room within the entrance finish of the final sleeper. They knew nothing of the presence of the bandits till aroused by the Negro porter, John Dunmore, who instructed him robbers had been going by means of the prepare and that they’d higher disguise their cash and valuables.
The warning was heeded and the trio waited nearly breathless for the looks of the masked pair to look their compartment. Minutes that appeared like hours handed and eventually Martinez returned to stay his head out into the automotive and discovered that the bandits had accomplished their mission.
Whether or not as a consequence of their unfamiliarity of Pullman vehicles or to their haste, the drawing room was slighted within the holdup recreation, as had been these occupying higher berths. Two males within the rear sleeper occupying higher berths weren’t disturbed by the bandits and one by no means knew something in regards to the occurrences till later aroused by the victims when inquiring about his loss.
He made a list and located his purse containing $200, his gold watch and different valuables had not been molested and had been underneath his pillow the place he had put them up on retiring.
Overjoyed with having escaped the robbers, Martinez summoned the porter who had warned him and his household of the hazard and handed him a roll of payments as a reward.
Studying of the plight of a few of the passengers who had been relieved of each cent they’d and most of them of all the things else of worth, Martinez determined to share his good luck and wealth along with his fellow vacationers. To every he gave cash in sums starting from $25-$100 in proportion to their losses and different circumstances as he discovered by private investigations.
The newspaper article went on to element how Willis and Crimson roughed up the passengers to get them at hand over their valuables. Opposite to Willis’ self-described chivalry towards ladies, the article dispelled any doubts he was greater than keen to accost ladies in addition to males when it got here to demanding all of their valuables.
… The bandits had been described by passengers as brutes and had been extraordinarily tough at instances within the dealing with of their victims. Whereas a number of passengers had been struck by the butts of weapons within the palms of the robbers and kind of critically wounded, not a shot was fired. At the least 4 individuals required medical consideration after the bandits had taken their departure, and one girl whose identify couldn’t be discovered, suffered an unpleasant gash within the head, which required 11 stitches to shut. Exasperated on the ideas of parting together with her valuables, she first pleaded with the bandits with out avail, after which she resisted their makes an attempt to alleviate her of her cash and jewellery, when one among them drew his gun again and struck her throughout the pinnacle, inflicting an unpleasant gash and extreme bruises.
One girl touring together with her four-month-old child escaped brutal therapy and managed to save lots of $185, which she had secreted underneath her mattress. Occupying a decrease start within the rear automotive, she turned hysterical when woke up and, looking noticed the masked bandits demanding cash from the passengers. Time was priceless to the robbers and shedding endurance of their efforts to calm her, one of many males known as out:
“Oh, let her go: she’s nothing however a child,” and the pair moved to the following start with orders to the brakeman to rush and rouse the passengers.
One man who appeared gradual in getting his time and money piece collectively was given a tough jab with the damaging finish of a gun and he dropped his cash on this aisle of the automotive. One other rap from the gun and he was made to leap out of his start and collect up the cash and handed to the brakeman, who rapidly handed it to the robbers.
One man who was a sound sleeper got here inside an ace of waking up in eternity when he failed to reply rapidly to the shaking given him by the brakeman.
The robbers weren’t inclined to tarry and when the sleeper didn’t come throughout they had been about to strike him a lethal blow, however the brakeman succeeded in rousing the sleeper and impressing upon him the seriousness of the state of affairs simply in time to save lots of him from a beating.
One girl fainted and was rapidly relieved of her cash, jewellery, and purse containing her railroad ticket earlier than she was revived.
This occasion appears to awaken a pressure of humor within the make-up of one of many holdup man, for he remarked, “If we might solely put all of them to sleep as easy-this could be the life.”
Apparently, a few of the passengers had been greater than keen to magnify or completely fabricate their recollections of the theft to reporters overlaying the holdup. In a single case, a passenger recognized himself as being the brother of the previous president of Mexico.
… One of many first tales of the holdup obtained from an eyewitness got here from Walter Grimmer, an worker of the electrical mild plant at Del Rio. Mr. Grimmer was a passenger out of San Antonio. He was driving within the day coach and declares emphatically that the 2 robbers boarded the prepare at San Antonio and sat nearly instantly throughout the aisle from him.
Mr. Grimmer says he was drawn to them nearly as quickly because the prepare left San Antonio by their suspicious actions and unusually powerful look. He says a Ranger occupied a seat instantly in entrance of him and that the lads evidently acknowledge the officer and appeared to keep away from his eyes at any time when he appeared of their course.
Based on Mr. Grimmer the 2 males waited till virtually everybody within the day coach was asleep, once they left their seats and walked by means of the coach. Mr. Grimmer says he was awake on the time, watched the lads stroll by means of the day coach and noticed them cross the platform and enter the primary Pullman. He says he acquired a superb have a look at the robbers and would simply be capable of determine them. One he described as a person of exceptionally heavy construct.
He says after going by means of the Pullmans the lads signaled the prepare to cease and jumped to the bottom on the moonlight facet of the prepare. The aroused passengers noticed them plainly as they ran. Each males are mentioned to be Individuals.
Benjamin Madero, brother of the late President of Mexico, is believed to have been one of many passengers within the higher berths who escaped consideration. He arrived on the Sundown Station too late to get a decrease start and was consigned to the higher quantity 5. Madero is meant to have saved his belongings, though the entire others and excepting the passenger within the remaining higher, and the Martinez household within the drawing room, had been robbed.
George Miller, a cattleman from Marathon was one of many passengers in a decrease start, and was robbed of his valuables. It’s supposed that a number of hundred {dollars} had been present in his possession.
Mr. and Mrs. L. T. Wooden of 217 San Pedro Ave. misplaced their cash and valuables when the brakeman awoke them and instructed them that the automotive was being robbed and to show over all the things they’d.
Superintendent Watkins, who was asleep in a decrease start in regards to the center of the prepare, was one of many first to be robbed. He was relieved of $25 and move books. Sam Scammahorn, a yard grasp on the Sundown Station, misplaced his revolver, watch and the pocketbook.
F. H. Bednarak, chief dispatcher misplaced his watch and a few cash. The three railroad males had been on their manner to some extent on the Eagle Go department to hunt large recreation, however they joined the posse on the path of the bandits.
C. D. Woodward, the Pullman automotive conductor in control of the rear sleeper within the prepare, was not ignored and the robbers relieved him of $156 together with his personal and the corporate’s cash.
Following this text that gave a vivid account of the pistol-whipping a few of the passengers skilled throughout the hold-up, the San Antonio Mild ran this front-page reward discover on January 2.
$500 REWARD
The G. H. & S. A. Ry. Co. provides $500 reward for the arrest and conviction of the 2 males who robbed the passengers on prepare No. 9 on the night time of Dec. 29, 1914 between Cline and Spofford, Texas, by order of Superintendent R. C. WATKINS
Apparently, the reward supply labored; the January 21 version of the identical newspaper ran a daring front-page headline.
Two Males Are Arrested As Prepare Bandits
Sheriff Johnson of Uvalde Is In San Antonio With
Suspects.
The article went on to explain the arrest of two males who had been engaged on a ranch close to Uvalde. One was a just lately launched convict who had served time for housebreaking. Engaged on a tip, the Uvalde County sheriff despatched two males to the ranch to surreptitiously determine the 2 males:
… Superintendent Watkins and W. C. Cox, each whom had been passengers on the prepare, went to Uvalde and, in order to not excite suspicion, went on a chicken hunt to a ranch eighteen miles west of Uvalde, the place the 2 suspects had been working. Each declared there may very well be little doubt as to one of many males they usually believed they might determine the opposite as nicely.
Because it turned out the reward was by no means paid to the informant; the case fell aside when one of many eyewitnesses, a girl, couldn’t positively determine the redheaded man. The legislation stayed on the case for just a few extra months after which slowly let it fade away.
Willis was by no means arrested for the hold-up. For some purpose he focused on financial institution jobs till 1921 when he and his gang reeled off three prepare heists throughout that 12 months. Then in 1924, the Newton Gang hit the grand slam, ripping off over $3 million from an categorical mail prepare close to Rondout, Illinois.
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Source by GR Williamson