Rube Burrow, king of outlaws, and his band of train robbers

by George W. Agee

On the evening previous to the robbery I went to Buckatunna and got a piece of meat and went back to the camp. Saw a negro in the out-house where we were staying, but did not talk to him. When dark came on we left the house and went through Buckatunna; don’t remember how far we went below Buckatunna, but we went to where the trestle was. We remained there that night until the north-bound train passed. Then Burrow and Smith went to Buckatunna. Burrow asked which one was going with him. I do not remember just what was said, but he told Smith to go with him, and I remained there until they came down with the train. The train stopped right where I was sitting, at the end of the cross-tie. I then said to Burrow, “You had better bring out the pick with you.” Burrow had told me how they had picked the door open when the express messenger refused to open it, and they did that rather than fire the express car. They brought the pick out, when Smith, the fireman and engineer got off the engine. Burrow remained on the engine two or three minutes, or got off on the other side, I don’t know which. They then came back to the express car. Burrow took a position in front of the door of the express car and told the express messenger to open the door; that if he attempted to move away without opening it he would shoot him. It was a barred door that Burrow wanted opened. The messenger opened the door and Burrow went in. What words were passed as he was going in, or after he was in, I do not know. I remained there with the fireman and engineer. Smith walked back towards the passenger coach a few steps. The conductor, or some one, came to the door of the passenger coach and asked what we were doing—I suppose two or three times. I fired off my pistol in the air. Some one—I suppose it was Smith—fired his pistol off also. Burrow got through in the express car and came out. He told the engineer to pull the train up until the mail car was off the trestle. The engineer said he did not know whether he could move it until he got up more steam, but he believed the mail car was already off the trestle. Burrow stepped back and asked the mail agent to open the door, which he did. He then got up in the mail car. What was said or done in there I do not know. He came out and said he had the mail.

The engineer said he would have to get up more steam before he could move the train, as he had on extra coaches that night. It took him a few minutes to get up steam, and we remained there with him until he pulled out. We were all close to the engine, and there was some talking carried on, but I don’t remember what was said.

After the train pulled out we went off in an easterly direction; got out a short distance and took the covers off the money, in order to get rid of the weight, piled them up and set fire to them. Did not divide the money then. The greenbacks were put in a sack; don’t remember who had it; believe Burrow took the sack, and we divided the silver to make it lighter for each one. Some time that day we divided the money. We then traveled in an easterly direction until we crossed the Tombigbee River. I think each of us got $1,150, making in all about $3,450. After crossing the Tombigbee River we turned north, traveling up the river until we got to Demopolis, Ala. There, after resting in the bottom a couple of days, on Monday morning Smith took the train, either for Montgomery or Birmingham (I can not say which), stating he was going back to Lamar County. Burrow told him particularly to be cautious and not to show his money. I have not seen Smith from that day to this.

Burrow and myself then kept on north until we got to Lamar County, traveling on foot through the woods part of the time, and in the road part of the time. Traveled mostly by day from Demopolis. Arrived at old man Burrow’s some time in the night, and remained there a few days until we rested up. The night we got there we did not sleep at all, but stayed on the ground until nearly day, when we went into old man Burrow’s barn, up in the loft. Some of them came out to the barn in the morning, and we made our presence known. We remained in the barn a couple of weeks; then we went up near Cash’s and remained there for a week, he bringing our food to us.

We then went back to old man Allen Burrow’s; remained there a few days, and decided to go down the country on a wagon. We were tired of having to lie out in the bushes, and made up our minds to go south, after discussing the matter. I proposed buying a horse; Burrow said he did not want to go that way; he would rather take an ox-wagon and go. We concluded at one time to walk, and got as far as Columbus, Miss., or within a mile or two of that place, and there Burrow said if we went back he would buy a team, and that if I would go with him with the team he would pay my expenses. He offered to pay my expenses because I did not want to go on the ox-cart. I decided to go back with him, but it was against my will.

We went back to Lamar County, to old man Burrow’s house, and Rube Burrow bought a team of oxen and a wagon. Jim Cash carried the team to Columbus, Miss. Burrow and myself went to Columbus with Allen Burrow in a covered wagon. We got out of the wagon within a few miles of Columbus and old man Burrow went on to town. We waited awhile and then went into the city, it being about dark when we got there. We then took the team and drove over about three or four miles east of Columbus and camped for the night. Next day we hitched up and drove on; camped when night came on, and drove in the day-time until we got to Flomaton, Ala., arriving there on the 14th of December, 1889.

I concluded I would not go into Florida with Burrow, but would go to Louisiana. I boarded the train at Flomaton for New Orleans, where I took the Texas Pacific Railway next day for the home of my uncle, J. T. Harrell, at Pleasant Hill, Sabine Parish, La. He is a well-to-do merchant there, and is the brother of my mother. I had not seen him since my boyhood, and he knew nothing of my connection with Rube Burrow. I represented to him that I had been in the cattle business in Texas. I remained there till about the 15th of February. I passed the time pleasantly, visiting in the town the friends and neighbors of my uncle.

When Rube Burrow and I separated at Flomaton, Ala., we were to meet on the 20th of February at what we supposed was a station called Dyers, a few miles east of Mobile, on the L. & N. Road. When I went there on February 20th I found there was nothing there but a switch. I failed to meet Burrow, and went back to Mobile and to New Orleans; did not stay at New Orleans; got there in the morning and left that night, going back to Mobile. Remained there a few days and then went to Scranton and remained there one day. I then went back to Mobile. I walked to Scranton; took me several days, and did not stay there, but came back to Mobile. Was sick at Mobile with measles two or three days. Remained at Mobile until the middle of March, when I left and went to Meridian. Stayed there until the first of April. Then went to Demopolis, and came back to Meridian shortly. Made a trip to Vicksburg; stayed there two weeks. Went back to Meridian and stayed there until the latter part of April, and then decided I would go back into Lamar County, Ala. I got a ticket from Meridian to Columbus; at Columbus I got off the train and walked to Allen Burrow’s; got there in the night and went up in the barn and went to sleep. That was the latter part of April or first of May, 1890. The first person I met was Mrs. Burrow, who came out to the barn; she asked where Rube Burrow was; told her I did not know where he was; had not seen him since before Christmas. First heard them talking about getting after Burrow in Florida, when I went to Dyer to meet him. Mrs. Burrow did not know anything about this; asked me if I knew when he would come; I told her I did not know. Remained in the barn that day; that night I went in the house. Went up in the loft at Allen Burrow’s house; they put bedclothes there and handed me food up in the loft. Stayed there during the day all the time, from about the first of May until last Tuesday, July 15th. Came down at night; did not go anywhere at all; talked with old man Burrow very little.

When Rube Burrow and I agreed to meet at Dyer Station, on the L. & N. Road, it was for the purpose of robbing a train on the Louisville and Nashville Railway. He said if we did not meet on the 20th of February at Dyer Station, that we would meet early in the fall in Lamar County; think he said about September 1st. Waited for him at Dyer one day, February 20th, as agreed, but he did not come. I heard, while at Bay Minette, that the detectives had routed Rube in Florida, and therefore did not much expect to meet him as agreed.

I left old man Burrow’s last Tuesday night on his mule, having made arrangements with Cash to meet me, and Cash was to take me to Fernbank, Ala. I borrowed $25 from Cash. He carried me within five or six miles of Fernbank and turned back. I gave him my pistol, because I did not intend to ever use another pistol. I felt bad, and said very little to Cash. When we separated he asked me when I was coming back. I said I reckoned I might be back in the fall. He did not seem to be anxious about Rube, and said nothing about him.