The Legend of Rube Burrow (Pg. 3)
by Betty Banks
Eutaw, AL

On the  eighth day of October, succeeding the Buckatunna robbery, Rube Smith appeared in Lamar County, exhibited a good deal of money and was known to be hiding in the vicinity of his father's home.  Here he remained for some weeks, narrowly escaping capture at the hands of Detective Thomas Jackson several times, while the latter was daily securing additional evidence of his complicity in the Buckatunna affair.  Finally, in the latter part of November, 1889, Jim McClung, an old acquaintance of Rube Smith's, left Itawambia County, Mississippi to visit his relatives in Lamar County and while enroute fell in with Rube Smith near the house of that worthy's father.  Rube exhibited quite a sum of money to McClung and invited him to accompany him to the Indian Territory, which McClung agreed to do.  The two men left for the Indian Territory.  Their destination was Kavanaugh and Smith unfolded to McClung while enroute the whole story of the Buckatunna train robbery and the part he played in it.  He described every detail and circumstance of the robbery and circumstance of the robbery and McClung, having a very retentive memory, was afterwards enabled to testify about it so minutely that the Jury in the Federal Court, before which Smith had a mistrial in May, 1890, concluded that Jim McClung had participated in that robbery.  Such, however, was not the fact.  The section of Indian Territory to which Smith and McClung went was wild and sparsely settled, but no sooner had Smith appeared there that he learned that officers were after him for a violation of the Federal forbidding the importation and sale of intoxicating liquors in the Indian Territory, which he was there in the early spring.  Smith, therefore, left within 24 hour after his arrival and returned to Lamar County, abandoning a project of robbing the disbursing officer of an Indian agency near Kavanaugh, which he had unfolded to McClung.  McClung, soon tired of life in the Indian Territory, returned to Alabama and found Smith in Lamar County.  Here, on the 13th of December, Rube smith conceived the idea of robbing the Southern Express car at Bigbee trestle, two miles north of Amory, Miss.  the next night, soon after dark, he set out with McClung from the home of Rube Smith's father for that purpose.  How the plan fell through is best told by the confession of Jim McClung, after the capture of Smith and himself in the sitting room of the depot at Amory.  At one o'clock a.m. Detective Thomas Jackson, assisted by local officers Clay and Akin, a hand and hand struggle ensued in which Smith succeeded in dragging the captors into the doorway of the station house, where he was finally overpowered and handcuffs placed upon him.  The prisoners were taken to the Aberdeen, Miss. jail and on the 18th of December, McClung made the following confession to the express officials.  Which confirmed the information already in their possession, as to Smith's complicity in the Buckatunna robbery. 

McClung's Confession

My name is James McClung.  I am 22 years of age.  I have known Rube Smith for five or six years, but have not seen much of him until within the past few weeks.  I returned from the Indian Nation three weeks ago next Tuesday.  I went to Henry Smith's in Itawamba County, Miss., 13 miles from Tupelo and there found Rube Smith and Rube Burrow.  Rube Smith was sitting on his horse at the gate when I arrived.  About two hours after I arrived, Rube Smith told me that Rube Burrow was there.  Smith invited me to go down to the woods where Rube Burrow was.  I went down into a hollow on the west side, and then went to the south side of the house in an old field where Rube Burrow was lying on his coat.  Burrow said he wanted to go into Alabama and to this we all agreed.

Rube Smith and I went to Tupelo that night.  We ate two meals in Henry smith's house.  Rube Smith carried Rube Burrow his dinner and supper in the woods.  Burrow promised to meet us at old man Jim Smith's in Alabama, about five miles from Crews Station.

Rube Smith and I got off at Quincy, Miss. and walked over to Jim Smith's.  We were afraid to get off at Crews.

Burrow did not join us until last Monday morning.  Burrow made his appearance at the spring at Jim Smith's on Monday morning, the 7th of December.  I went down to the spring.  They were talking of robbing a train at Bigbee trestle,  two miles north of Amory.  We all decided to rob the train on the K.C.M.&B. Railroad on Friday night, the 16th of December.

The plan was that Smith and I should board the train at Sulligent and come to Amore.  Burrow was to walk and join us Thursday at Bigbee trestle.

We agreed to go down to Winfield, Alabama and rob Jonathon Jones, a merchant there.  Smith proposed that he and I would go over to Hester's Grocery, about three-quarters of a mile from Amore and get some beer.  Burrow said he would remain until we got back.

We were absent about one hour and when we came back, we found Burrow there waiting for us.  All three of us went to Amory.

We stopped at Tubb's Spring, one quarter of a mile out of Amory and stayed there a while.  We then went to Mrs. McDaniel's getting there about one hour before sunset.  Rube Burrow did not go in.

We found no one in the house, but got some bread and meat.  Smith brought some out to Burrow.  It was then nearly dark.

Rube Burrow proposed that he would go into the woods on the north side of the track and sleep.  Smith and I went to Mrs. McDonald's and stayed all night.

Next morning, (Friday the 13th) we met Rube Burrow in the woods.  We waited until Mrs. McDaniel  went into the field and then went into the house and cooked some breakfast for Burrow because he would not go into the house, nor would he allow us to bring anything out while Mrs. McDaniel was there.

We remained there until 10 o'clock then Smith and I went to John Marsh's and got dinner.  We gave Burrow enough for dinner and breakfast.  We all got together at Amory Junction, one mile out of Amory, late in the evening.  Burrow said there was no danger of anyone knowing him and he was not afraid to come into Amory. 

We all started in about one hour before sunset.  We came up the track until we got near the depot.  Burrow went over toward the round house, among the  side tracks, where we went over later and joined him.

We all went to a well near Armstrong's saloon and got some water.  Rube Smith said he wanted to buy a Winchester rifle.  Burrow said, "Go ahead and get a rifle, but be careful about fooling around inquiring for guns."

Burrow said to Smith that he wanted a pint of whiskey.  Smith went into a saloon and got it.  Burrow said to Smith, "I will meet you and McClung at the roundhouse."  Burrow had hidden the rifle between the Junction and Amory.

Rube Smith and I went into several stores inquiring for Winchester rifles, but could find none.  We went into Snow's Saloon and Rube Smith bought one gallon of whiskey in a jug, also one half pint.  We joined Burrow at the back of the roundhouse.

Rube Burrow then ordered us to meet him at Jim Smith's about three and one-half miles from Crews Station.  He said he would go ahead on foot and would be there between breakfast and dinner on Sunday, the 15th.

We went to the depot to take the train.  Burrow told Smith and myself to be careful and not get arrested.

We were told to be sure and meet him, and were to rob Jonathan Jones on Sunday night. Smith said he had stayed at Winfield, Alabama where Jones did business and he knew he had a good deal of money.  He told how he generally came for supper and stayed at the store all night and said we could "hold him up" as he went into the store and make him open the safe.

Correspondents representing several prominent southern journals held themselves to Blount County to gather the details of another tragic chapter in the history of Rube Burrows and one enterprising scribe, fresh from the field of carnage in Blount, went into Lamar County bent on an interview with the famous bandit.  This was the handsome and gifted Barrett of the Atlanta Constitution.  arriving at Allen Burrow's in company of Jim Cash, the young journalist made known the object of his visit. 

The detectives, having gone to a trial in Blount County, Rube and Joe were at that time in old man Burrow's barn loft, and when Allen Burrow took Barrett's horse thither he revealed to Rube the proposition of the correspondence to interview him.  Rube declined, saying he knew the paper would publish a description of him and he did not want that done.  Mr. Barrett, however, sent a very elaborate report of an alleged  interview to the Constitution which, as a faithful historian, the author is compelled to state never took place. 

A crowning sensation in American journalist was reached when the Age-Herald of Birmingham chartered a special train to enable it to place upon the breakfast tables of Atlanta the daring exploits of Rube in Blount County and the Atlanta Constitution responded by chartering a like train to distribute at Birmingham an interview with the famous bandit while he was supposed to sit under the very fine fig tree of the Age-Herald, but as matter of fact, was engaged in combing the hayseed out of his hair after a night's lodging at his father's barn.

As soon as the Blount County sensation had exploded, the detectives of the Southern Express Company returned to Lamar County and an incessant vigil was kept upon the houses of Allen Burrow, Jim Cash and others.  Detectives disguised as peddlers of books, lightening rods and nursery stock and others assuming the simple guise of tramps, sold their wares in one case, from house to house, all over Lamar County.

Finally Allen Burrow said one day to Rube: "I believe there is a detective under every bush in the county; you had better leave."

Rube concluded his father was right, and on the 20th day of November, just about a month after their arrival, Rube and Joe left Lamar County again.  The two men were afoot to within a few miles of Columbus, Miss., having resolved to walk into Florida and avoid the necessity of hiding out in the brush all winter in Lamar County.

Joe Jackson was not as robust as Rube and was not physical equal to the task of walking several hundred miles.  He proposed, after trudging about 18 miles, to return to Lamar County, purchase horses and make the trip on horseback.

Rube dissented, fearing their trail would be discovered and that pursuit would ensue, but suggested that the return to the home of Jim Cash fully disguise themselves.  Returning, therefore, to Cash's house, the oxygen and cart were purchased.

It was the custom of Allen Burrow and Cash to make frequent trips by wagon across the country to Columbus, Miss., and so it was arranged for Allen Burrow to take the two men in a covered wagon drawn by two horses, to within one mile of Columbus.

Jim Cash, according to arrangement, followed with the ox team and on the outskirts of the town, after dark on the night of November 28th, the four men met.  Through the intervention of Cash, an ample supply of provisions, purchased from a store in Columbus, was stored away in the wagon and at 10 o'clock at night, the outlaws, in the garb of plodding ox drivers, resumed home their journey southward, Cash and Burrow returned home the next day, the former announcing that he had sold his ox team in Columbus. 

The detectives were not long in discovering by the bearing and manner of the friends of the outlaws, that they had left Lamar County, Detective Jackson, knowing the habits and methods of Rube, was not satisfied with Cash's story that he had sold his oxen in Columbus.  Investigation developed nothing to corroborate the reported sale and Detective Jackson declared, "we must find that team, for it's just like Rube to give us the slip that way."

Going to Columbus, the faithful detective sought diligently to discover the missing team, but it was not until about January 15th that his labors were awarded in finding the trail near Carrollton, in Pickens County, 49 miles south of Columbus.  The detectives were on foot.  The outlaws were then 45 days ahead of him and were evidently heading for southern Alabama or Florida.

Returning and reporting the discovery, it was deemed best to go by rail to Wilson's Station on the Louisville and Nashville Railway and hence to Gainesville.

Arriving in Gainesville January 24th, Jackson found that the ox-cart, in charge of two men, had crossed the river on the night of December 11th.  Encouraged by this discovery, the officials pursued the trail on through Escambia County and found that on the evening of December 14th, the two men had driven into Flomaton, Ala., a small station on the Louisville and Nashville Railway, 40 miles north of Pensacola.  Here it was discovered that the men had camped about half a mile from the station and had made inquiries concerning a logging camp in Santa Rosa County, Fla.

Leaving Flomaton on the morning of January 29th, Detective Jackson went to McCurdy's Ferry on the Escambia River, two miles south, and there ascertained that a man calling himself Ward had crossed the ferry with an ox team  on the morning of December15th and that he was alone.  Pursing the train south some 20 miles, Milton, Fla. was reached.  Here it was found that one man had cross Blackwater with an ox team at that point on the night of December 17th.  The belief of Joe Jackson had separated from Rube at Flomaton was confirmed. for the man in charge of the ox team was, beyond question. 

Leaving Milton, the detectives went to Broxton's Ferry on Yellow River, about 10 miles south.  Arriving at the ferry, he was confronted by a stream 30 yards wide, whose tortuous length stretched itself through a jungle of cane and cypress, which seemed to defy further progress.  There was no boat in sight and the unbroken wildwood on the opposite bank gave no sign of a mooring.  The screech of an owl from his perch in the dark cover of the  jungle broke the stillness that prevailed and awakened the detective from the lonely reverie.

Jackson learned from a man who came stalking through the brush at this juncture that the opposite bank was that of an island, and in order to reach the south side of the river, the point of the island much be turned by rowing half a mile down stream and then stemming the current for a like distance along the opposite shore.  While the distance across the island from shore to shore was only about 500 yards, the view was wholly obscured by the canebrake that covered it.

By shrewd questioning, Jackson found that Rube, under the name of Ward, was engaged in hauling feed from the landing on the opposite shore to Allen's log camp, 18 miles away and at that very hour was loading for his return trip on the south bank of the river.  Broxton, the ferryman, had unfortunately gone to Milton with the only boat used at the ferry and it was impossible to cross the river that day.

It was ascertained that Rube's practice  was to leave the log camp abut seven o'clock in the morning, reach the ferry at two in the afternoon and after loading return to the house at Broxton, where he would spend the night, and making  an early start on the succeeding day arrive at the camp in the afternoon.  It had, therefore, been his practice to reach the ferry landing on Yellow River every alternate day. 

Jackson, being unable to cross the river, returned to Milton on February 14th and sent the following telegram to an official of the South Express Company. "I expect to secure title to tract number one, about 10 miles south of here, Wednesday, February 6th.  the papers are all in good shape."

Rube Burrow had always been designated in correspondence between the officers and detectives as number one, and the telegram therefore meant Jackson had located his man, that his plans were in good shape, and the capture would be made at the hour and place designated.

At four o'clock on the morning of February 6th, Jackson was joined at Milton by the express officials to whom the details of the situation were given.  At an early hour, the start for Broxton's Ferry was made in a hack.  Jackson, having selected four reliable men from Milton to assist him, the party reached the ferry landing on the north bank of the river about 11o'clock a.m. and after some difficulty, a boat was secured and a landing on the south shore was affected.

It had been determined at first to continue the journey beyond the river and capture Rube on the road, but on reaching the south landing the surroundings seemed so advantageous that it was decided to await his arrival at the ferry.  The roadway, after leaving the south bank of the river a  few miles, winds its course through a sparsely timbered pine forest.  It is very straight and persons traversing it from the opposite directions could see each other for miles.  It was therefore feared that Rube, ever on the alert, might take alarm at sight of the posse. 

On the contrary, at the ferry all seemed propitious.  There was moored the boat which contained the camp supplies to the loaded into Rube's cart with his own hands.  It seemed a veritable trap, baited and set in the certain pathway of some beast whose a lair had just been discovered and here it was agreed to quietly await the hour of his coming.  the exit from the landing where the boat was moored, was a narrow corduroy road that debouched from the water's edge, through overhanging boughs and vines, for some 300 yards to the foot of a hill and curving to the south, shut out all further view from the river.  On either side of the road, approaching the landing, were the fallen trunks of huge cypress trees which afforded a splendid cover for the posse.

At the hour of noon, with the ferryman, sitting not 30 paces distant so as to watch the road and give the signal when the cart should appear in sight, the posse went into ambush and anxiously awaited Rube's arrival.  He had never been later than two o'clock in reaching the ferry.  It had been arranged that upon his arrival and immediately upon his arrival and immediately upon his halting his team, all six of the posse would cover him with their breeching loading shotguns and Detective Jackson should order the bandit to surrender.  If he failed to do so, the discharge of Jackson's gun would be a signal for the rest of the posse to fire.

Every alternate day for five weeks Rube had arrived at this spot between two and three o'clock p.m.  No one save the ferryman knew the presence of the posse at the ferry and he kept under careful surveillance.  The capture of the outlaw seemed absolutely certain.

As the silent hours rolled by, detectives watched with bated breath for the signal from the ferryman.  In the awful stillness that prevailed, the ticking of the watches that marked the passing hours could be heard.  Two o'clock, three o'clock, four o'clock came and get the crack of the ox-driver's whip, the longed for music of the "gee whoa" which, on Rube's coming, was to disturb the solitude of this wild retreat, was not heard. 

Finally, at five o'clock, after another hour of anxious waiting had passed, a colored laborer in a log camp from which Rube was expected, appeared.  He was questioned as to the whereabouts of Ward, the name assumed by Burrow, and answered that one of the oxen was sick, that he had not started at 11:00 and would probably not come until the next day.  This was a sore disappointment.  the camp could not be reached until long after dark.  The outlaw might start at any hour and the posse might miss him in some of the many byroads that intervened the long distance.  It was concluded, therefore, to remain to watch at the ferry, hoping that he might still arrive before night.

As the slowly sinking sun sank, the hopes of the anxious officers, who felt that the cover of night would bring some untoward event to mar plans which had been arranged for the capture.   Darkness came, but the silent watch was continued.  Broxton, the ferryman, lives about one mile from the ferry and immediately on the road along which Rube had to travel.  It was not quite certain if Rube should arrive he would spend the night at Broxton's and reach the ferry the next morning.  Ascertaining, that there was a vacant house a few hundred yards beyond the house of the ferryman and only a few feet from the road, it was determined best to remove the posse to this building and watch there during the night.

About seven o'clock, the posse started from the river, given order to the drivers of the hack not to follow until time had allowed the advance guard to teach the ferryman's  house.  This order was, however, disobeyed and just as the detectives approached the house, and when only about 300 yards distance, Rube drove up to the ???

Rube, ever on the qui vive, gathered his Marlin rifle from his cart, saying, "I'll go down and see Mr. Broxton."

Walking toward the ferry about 50 yards, he heard strange noises, say the hack, and intuitively knew that he himself was the game the hunters were after.  Like a deer, he bounded into the forest and was lost to his pursuers.

A guard was placed over the team which Rube had left as a trophy for his would be captors, in the hope that the owner would return to confirm his doubts, if  he had any, but Rube took the safe side, ran no risk, and did not return.

Rube set out at once for the long camp, arriving there about midnight.  Arousing the cook, he bade him to prepare supper, which he ate with great relish, while he recounted a story of thrilling adventure with highwaymen in which he had luckily escaped with is life.  Supplying himself with a goodly store of provisions from the amp's larder, the outlaw about three o'clock a.m. said goodbye to his comrades and went forth into the solitude of the forest, consoling himself with the reflection that he had again outwitted the detectives.

There are those who would doubtless have managed the affair at Broxton's Ferry, on the eventful evening of February 6, differently, perhaps, successfully.

The ox team was taken to Milton and sold for the sum of $80.

Detective Jackson, undaunted by the luckless result of the chase, equipped himself for a tour through the swamps. Santa Rosa and, leaving him in pursuit, the rest of the party turned their faces homeward.

As an audacity of the noted train robber, it may be here he recorded that a few weeks afterwards he endeavored to recover the value of the oxen and cart by executing a bill of sale therefore to one Charles Wells.  the later demanded the property, but it is needless to say he did not succeed in obtaining it.  The Express officials notified the would be purchaser that the outfit had been sold and that the title of the party to whom it was sold would be defended against any and all claimants.

During the summer of 1890, after having been routed from his haunts on Yellow River on February 6th, it was known that Rube Burrow was in the swamps of Florida near East Bay and that Joe Jackson was not with him.  It was definitely ascertained that they were separated at Flomaton, Ala. on the 14th of December, 1889.  The information as to this proposed meeting was reliable.  It was evidently their intention to rob a train at Dyer's Creek, a point about 30 miles north of Mobile.  The routing of Rube, however, from his hiding place in Florida interfered with the project.

Joe Jackson was promptly on hand at the rendezvous, the exact locality of which was not then definitely known to the detectives.  He had seen in the Courier-Journal  a notice of the pursuit of Rube Burrow in Florida and was very cautious in going to the place agreed upon.  He, however, made his appearance at Dyer's.  He waited there only one day and not finding Rube, he left, especially as he casually heard that the detectives were looking for Rube Burrow in that county.

Traveling from place to place until May, 1890, Jackson went back to Lamar County, as it was expected he would.  His presence in that locality was soon known to Detective Jackson, but there were many hiding places among the Burrow kinfolk that it was difficult to locate him.  It was expected daily that Rube would join him, but not so.  Rube still confined himself to Florida.

About the first of March 1888, I went to Alabama.  I went via Memphis and got off the train at Sulligent and went to old man Burrows' by way of Vernon.  I found Burrow at Cash's house.  He then told me that detectives were searching for him and told me about his arrest and escape in Montgomery.  He stated they had gotten off the train at Montgomery and started up the street when policemen attempted to arrest them.  He escaped after shooting one of the policemen.  And although he had no cartridges, he pretended to be loading his pistol and they were afraid to attack him.  He went from there back to Lamar County, AL.

After I arrived in Lamar County in March 1888, we stayed there about a week and then went south, crossing the Georgia Pacific Road at Columbus, Miss.  We went from there to Artesia, Miss. and then we went to Meridian.  We took a boat on the Tombigbee River and went to Coffeeville, Ala. and then walked to Baldwin County, Ala.

We worked in Dunnaway's log camp there and it was here we met John  Barnes.  I drove a log team for Dunnaway and Burrows sawed logs with Barnes.  We remained there three weeks.  Dunnaway then moved his teams to a point on the L&N Road near Perdido Station.  I carried a team there for him and he discharged Burrows and me and we sawed logs at another camp for a few days.  We then left and cross the Alabama River near Fort Claiborne.  We crossed the Tombigbee River at the station where the railroad crosses the river.  Workmen were engaged in painting the bridge and asked us not to cross the bridge.  We went down and crossed the ferry.

We then went north until we got into Mississippi and went via Buckatunna to Ellisville.  Then we went to Forrest, Miss.  We bought our horses in Smith County.  I traded my horse at Dixon, giving $15 to boot.  The horse cost $90. Burrow paid $85 for his horse.  From Dixon we went  to Oxford via Houston.  We went through Oxford on horseback.  We went on to Berryhill's house.  Rube Burrow's brother-in-law arrived there about 11o'clock a.m.

Berryhill was absent, but returned that evening.  we remained there two days.  Left there in the afternoon and went east to Okolona.  Went thence to Cotton Gin, Miss. and from there to Vernon, Ala, stopping at Cash's house.  We got to Lamar County in the middle of May.

Cash kept my horse and Burrow took his father's.  We remained there being most of the time near Cash's house until the early part of August when Reuben Burrow, having learned that his brother-in-law Jim, who was in the penitentiary at Little rock, Ark. for safe keeping, determined to go to his rescue. 

We talked the matter over and resolved to rescue him from the guards even if we had to kill them to do so.  I do not recollect when it was, but we saddled our horses, one at Jim Cash's on a dark night in the early part of August and started on the Arkansas trip.  We crossed the Tombigbee River at Cotton Gin and took a westerly course to Helena, Ark. where we crossed the Mississippi River.

Went from Helena to Pine Bluff, crossing the White River at St. Charles.  Crossed the Arkansas River nine miles south of Pine Bluff; then went to Malvern; then to Donaldson, 15 miles south of Malvern where we expected to get Jim Burrow from the train. Then  we passed Arkadelphia, remaining there one night, and went down to Curtis, 15 miles south of Arkadelphia to Donaldson.  There we searched two or three trains.  Then we went up to Malvern and boarded two or three trains there.

While at Curtis, Ark, we learned that there was a train that would not stop at that place, but would stop at Arkadelphia and Rube said he would go back to Arkansas.  We made the trip, riding hard, but not in time to get on the train.  Just as we rode into the town, the train pulled out.

Then we lost all hope of getting Jim Burrow and came on to Pine Bluff, crossing the Arkansas River nine miles south of Pine Bluff and came on back to the country to DeWitt and crossed the White River at a point 12 or 15  miles north of St. Charles and went back to Helena, crossing the Mississippi River at Helena,  on the east side of the river.  Next day, we came out through the bottom, wading our horses through mud knee-deep for 15 miles.  Stayed all night two miles from the ferry and there we met Fletcher Stephens who wanted to hire hands to pick cotton.  Burrow proposed that we go to work picking cotton for Stephens.  Stephens agreed and gave us 50 cents per hundred and our board.  This was about the first of October 1888.  Burrow was a good cotton picker but I was not.  We picked cotton until about December.

We then went from there to Sardis.  Remained all night at Sardis and cross the Tallahatchie and went south to Berryhill's where we stayed one day.  Went from there to Water Valley, Miss. and stayed there all night.  We put our horses up at a livery stable there.  We decided at this time to rob a train before we left Berryhill.

While looking at some horses at the livery stable at Water Valley, Burrow and I noted a policeman eyeing us closely.  This made us rather uneasy  and when the policeman went from the stable to the hotel and got his saddlebags, which he had left there, we saddled our horses and left.

We stayed at a widow' house that night and as it was raining the next day, we stopped at 10 o'clock at a house and remained there until the next morning.  We then went south and took dinner the next day 10 or 12 miles from Duck Hill.  We arrived at Duck Hill soon after dark on the night of December 15, 1889.  I went into a store and bought two boxes of sardines and went back and waited a short while for the train.  The horses were hitched out about a half-mile or so from town and east of the track.

When the train pulled into the station, we were in plain view.  The engineer was in the act of stopping the train when we got on the engine, but we made him pull out.

When he stopped the train, I stepped on the ground first.  Just as I stepped on the ground, I fired off my pistol in the air and about that time Burrow, the engineer and the fireman got out.  We all walked back to the express car.  About the time I fired my pistol, I noticed the door of the express car was open.  Burrow went in the express car.  I remained on the ground.

Pretty soon I saw a man walking toward me from the passenger coaches and I told him to go back.  I thought he was going to shoot me and I asked the engineer to tell him to go back and the engineer did so.  The engineer asked me at the same time not to shoot him...that the man had nothing to shoot me with...and I did not shoot him.  The man did not turn back until the Negro fireman told him to turn back and then he did so.  In a few minutes someone down by the passenger coach spoke and at the same time commenced shooting at us.  The engineer ran, I don't know where to, and as they commenced shooting.  (I think I had fired about two shots).  I commenced firing.  I kept advancing from the train in order to dodge their shots.  There was somebody else down i n one of the coaches who shot our several times....probably four or five times.

After the shooting was over, I walked back to the side of the express car and stood there until Burrow came out.  I did not know there was anybody shot.  I fired one shot when I stepped off the engine, and fired four shots while standing at the express car.  I could see the man I was shooting at, but very indistinctly.  Did not hear him cry out when shot.  I remained by the car after the shooting until Burrow got out.  The Negro fireman said to me, "Don't shoot me." I said I was not going to shoot him.

I think I saw Burrow in the car door while the shooting was going on outside.  We were all shooting rapidly and I could not tell much about Burrow's shooting.  when he left the car, we loaded our pistols.  I put five cartilages in and he put three, he said, in his.

We then made our way back to our horses, got on them and rode the balance of the night.  It was raining all the time and we waded the creek three times crossing bends.  It began to rain very hard after we mounted our horses.

We rode at least 40 miles by daylight.  That day we camped in the woods.  Burrow got some corn for the horses.  We were very wet.  We built a fire to dry our clothes and then ate something about the middle of the day.  We counted the money.  There was $1,500 in greenbacks and $365 in silver.  We divided it half and half.  This was on Sunday.

That evening we started out about sundown and cross the Illinois Central Road at Weirs station.  Went through the town and book the Philadelphia road and rode all night,  making about 50 miles; rode on next day until about 11 o'clock.  Stopped at a house and got dinner and stayed there about three hours.  On Monday night, we did not ride very far.  Built a fire that night.  Tuesday morning there was a heavy frost.

We left the Philadelphia road next morning coming to Pearl River before we got to Philadelphia.  We thought we might be waylaid at the bridge by detectives and shot.  When we got within 200 yards of the bridge over Pearl River, we turned through the swamps and swam the river about eight o'clock Tuesday morning, five miles from Philadelphia.  We rode through the timber until we struck a road leading north from Philadelphia to Lewisville.  Did not travel the road.  Laid up that day in the woods. 

The next day we saw a light and going up to it, we found an old colored woman in the house.  From her we bought 25 ears of corn and some provisions, paying her one dollar therefore.  Fed our horses there and went through Lewisville on Tuesday night and took the road towards Macon.  Rode 50 miles that night.

Next day we laid up until 10 o'clock, stopping at daylight.  Then went on toward Macon, Miss. and turned to the left and crossed the M&O Road at Brooksville, Miss.  We inquired here for the road to Columbus.  Went out from Columbus, riding slowly, and crossed the Tombigbee River just before day at Columbus.  We stopped at Columbus about six miles and stayed there that day.

A lightening rod man who lived in Aberdeen, Miss. came out of the house where we were stopping.  We remained there until after dark.  Took the road at dark and traveled toward Vernon, Ala.  Arrived at Vernon about midnight on Thursday night and went to Jim Clark's house about 1:00 o'clock.  Got something to eat and fed our horses and left word for him to come up next morning and get our horses.  We went five miles above there to a point in the woods.  Don't remember we asked Cash anything about the robbery.  First saw an account of it in the Memphis Appeal, which came in a day or two after we got there.  John Burrow came up the next morning.  We did not say anything to him about the robbery.  He brought us something to eat.  Told us where we could take our horses and sell them.  We turned over the horses to John Burrow that morning and he took them off to sell them, but did not succeed in selling the horses then.  Mr. Cash afterwards sold the bay horses.  A man there kept the sorrel.

We remained around there staying first in one house and then another - most of the time at Cash's house and John Burrow's.  but not much at old man Burrow's.  I stayed in the woods in daytime and in the house at night.

They got word in some manner that a wig had come and Burrow also got word that Graves said he was going to arrest the man that came after it and see what business he had with it.  Heard that Graves had taken it out of the wrapper and was showing it to people and remarked to several that he was going to take in the man that came for it.  Burrow asked me to go for it but I did not want to go.  I told him that to go after it, if Graves was going to do a thing of that kind, it would stir up a big fuss.  Burrow at last said he was going to have it and Graves would not arrest him and he went after it.

He started one morning before day and on arriving went  in the house from the door on the east side.  He saw Mr. Graves standing behind a counter near the post office department and a lady standing behind the same counter near the other end of the house.  As he stepped in, he spoke to them politely and asked Graves if there was any mail there for W.W. Cain.  Graves made no reply, but walked slowly from the post office department toward a double-barreled shotgun that Burrow said he was sitting behind the counter and which was the gun that Graves intended to arrest the man with.

He asked him a second time if there was any mail for W.W. Cain and Graves said, "Yes, but still advanced toward the gun.  Burrow told him to get the mail but he made no effort to go to get it.  Burrow then pulled his pistol and shot him saying, "Get it for me or I will shoot you again."

About that time, Graves began to fall and the lady said, "Don't shoot him anymore.  I will get the mail for you."

There was a Negro man in the house who ran out just as Burrow pulled his pistol and while he was standing there he say the man's head around the door, but he ran off again.

Burrow got back at ten o'clock that night to where I was staying at Jim Cash's house.  He waked me and told me that he had to shoot that man to get his mail.  Before Burrow went to the post office, I advised him not to go for mail, as he had heard that Graves intended to arrest the man.  I said, "You might shoot him and it would cause a great deal of trouble."  But he said he was going to have it and that it was his and he paid for it.

After he came to me that night and told me that he had shot him, we went out and laid in the woods.  We left without seeing Cash and went over about a half mile north of Cash's in the hills.  We remained there until that evening about three or four o'clock when Mr. Cash and John Burrow came from Sulligent.  We heard their wagons coming and got near the road where we saw them.  Cash told us where to go and said he would bring us something to eat next morning.  Cash only remained a few minutes; said he heard Graves was killed.  Burrow said nothing about it.

That night we went to a place that was over in another direction, about a half mile from Cash's.  He brought u something to eat and we remained there one or two days.  We then went nearer to Cash's house and remained in the bushes for a few days.  Then  we went to John Burrow's and stayed in the bushes probably two or three days when the men came from Aberdeen.

Burrow was captured by two black men, Jesse Hildreth and Frank Marshall with the help of two white planters, John McDuffie and Jeff Carter, at George Ford's (a black man) cabin, in the Myrtlewood community of Marengo County on December 7, 1890.

They carried him to jail in Linden, Ala. with Rube entertaining them all the way with funny stories.  Rube offered Jesse a $100 bill if he would let him go.  Jesse said, "I couldn't use it then, cause you'd kill me first."

Burrow was captured by two black men, Jesse Hildreth and Frank Marshall with the help of two white planters, John McDuffie and Jeff Carter, at George Ford's (a black man's) cabin in Marengo County, Ala.  on December 7, 1890.  They carried him to jail in Linden, Ala. with Rube entertaining them all the way with funny stories.

Rube offered Jesse a $100 if he would let him go.  Jesse said, "I couldn't use it then, cause you'd kill me first."

The story goes that Rube told the three men guarding him he was hungry.  It was in the night and they informed him they could not get food for him at that time.  He told the guards he had food in the sack he brought with him if they would just hand it to him.

They did just that.  He took out cookies and offered them some.  They accepted and removed their guns to eat.  What they did not know, Rube had a pistol also in the bottom of the sack.  

Rube escaped jail, locking two guards in his cell and taking another guard as a shield and went across the street to Glass' store looking for Jeff Carter to get back money that had been taken from him.

Jeff Carter was waiting in the store when Carter came outside.  He and Rube exchanged gunfire.  Afterwards, Rube lay dead in the street and Carter seriously wounded.

There remains some controversy of how he died.  Some reports said the autopsy revealed that his neck and skull were broken and there was a stab wound.  Other reports said the autopsy showed his portal vein was severed causing him to bleed to death shortly after he was shot.

It is hard to believe his neck was broken and his skull was crushed from a shootout.

Rube's body was shipped back to Lamar County by train.  It was reported that on a stop in Birmingham, thousands viewed the corpse and people snatched buttons from his coat, cut hair from his head and even carried his boots away.  He was photographed in his casket with his guns by his side.  His rifle was given to Jesse for a souvenir.

Rube's father, Allen Burrow, met the train in Sulligent.  It was reported that the train attendant threw the coffin at the feet of his grieving father, Allen Burrow, carried his son's body back to his home in the Fellowship Community near Vernon with the help of other family members.

It was also reported his body was hauled through town on the back of a wagon.  Another source said he picked the corpse up in a one-horse buggy.  Rube was buried in the Fellowship Church Cemetery where many family members that loved him lay.  He had two Texas born children, William and Mary, which survived him along with his father.  It was reported that his daughter said at the graveside, "I don't care what they say about my father, he was a good man."  Her grandfather supposedly responded saying "Yes, my child.  May he rest in peace."

Recounting family history, there is nothing in his upbringing that can give any reason for his inclination toward crimes.  The Birmingham News wrote, "It is morbid sentimentality that finds anything to praise in the life of an outlaw, but daring such as that displayed by Rube Burrow commands a certain kind of admiration which makes us regret that such qualities could not have been better applied."

The "Old Birmingham Alabama Wolf" wrote that he was one hell of a man. "He stood five feet and ten inches (some accounts say six feet), weighted 170 pounds and could lift a 700 pound bale of cotton without breaking a sweat."

But it wasn't the size or the strength that made this man.  It was the deadly six shooter that hung on his side.  Yes, Rube Burrow was one hell of a man."

Though most of Rube's actions were cruel and inexcusable, many were kind and thoughtful and that should never be forgotten.

The End