Description
In this accessible narrative, Wilson recounts the stories of a number of famous train robberies that took place in America's Old West. Coverage includes the exploits of such notorious brigands as Sam Bass, Fleming "Jim" Parker, and Thomas Ketchum. The volume is illustrated with b&w archival photographs. A former law enforcement officer, Wilson is the author of five history books. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Read More
During the 1800s trains carried the nation's wealth throughout the east, but no one thought to rob a speeding train until 1866. In 1870 the first western train was robbed in Nevada and within hours a second train was robbed. Railroads made every alteration to their cars and changed every procedure they could imagine to thwart the robbers, but to no avail. Robbing trains became epidemic over the next five decades, even when the legislatures made train robbery a capital crime. A few of the hundreds of train robberies stand out as thrilling and dangerous affairs, and the greatest of these (15-20) are included in this book.
Read Less