#train robber

I made an aesthetic board for my crazy, train-robber ancestor, Emmanuel Williams, whom I think a movie should be made about because his adventures were so insane. I’m rooting for Chris Pratt to get the part if one could ever be made. My ancestor was like a lot of train robbers from the tales, really. From what I understood from the old newspaper from the time, he stole, yes, made enemies, killed a few of them, faked his own death by drowning, became a sheriff and was eventually shot and killed by a train conductor. 

Elmer McCurdy, born in Oklahoma in 1880, was a train and bank robber with a penchant for alcohol.  Largely unsuccessful, McCurdy would often incorporate nitroglycerin in his robberies, which he had been trained to use during his time with the US Army.  Rather than aid his efforts, this often ended in thefts being completely bungled, either by not igniting correctly or blowing the safe (and its contents) to smithereens.

In 1911, McCurdy and 2 accomplices incorrectly boarded a passenger train rather than the Katy train they had initially targeted.  Rather than the $400,000 loot they had anticipated, they made away with just $46, some whiskey, a coat, a gun, and the train conductor’s watch.  Newspapers went on to report the theft as "one of the smallest in the history of train robbery."  

After being sniffed out by bloodhounds, a shootout with police ensued at a hayloft just a days later. After an hour or so it was over, and McCurdy was killed by a single gunshot.  When no one came to collect the body, McCurdy was embalmed, with the owner of the funeral home refusing to bury him until he was paid for his services.  After a while, he decided to display McCurdy’s body, charging visitors a nickel to see “The Bandit Who Wouldn’t Give Up”.  McCurdy’s remains were eventually released to 2 men claiming to be his long lost brothers, who were in fact the owners of a popular travelling carnival.  After being exhibited there for some years, McCurdy’s corpse changed hands several times, as a sideshow and promotional prop, and even briefly appearing in a movie.  By this time his remains had completely mummified.

"GUN PLAYS PART IN C.N.R. HOLDUP," Saskatoon Phoenix. October 7, 1912. Page 3. ---- Daring Attempt to Rob Passenger Train "De Luxe." --- PORTER SAVES DAY ---- Overpowers Gunman Who Had Threatened to Kill Him. ---- A cool and daring attempt to hold up and rob passengers on the south- bound fast express which left, Saskatoon over the Canadian Northern last Friday night, was frustrated by the bravery of C. Picket, porter on the sleeping car "Humboldt," and Alphonse James, the would-be road agent, is now safe in jail.

James forced Porter Campbell, No. 1 sleeper, to deliver money and valuable jewelry and then accompanying him to the other car. Picket was lying in the smoker and was confronted with the business end of a heavy forty-four Colt and ordered to give up his cash. Seizing an opportunity he at- tacked James and after a struggle, during which James attempted to fire his gun, he succeeded in overcoming the robber. James was taken to Regina on the train and upon asking for a summary trial, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment.

James is well known in Saskatoon.

He travelled on the Canadian Northern and other railroads and always went first class. After his capture a large quantity of jewelry and money was found on him and the railway authorities believe that he has been responsible for several robberies of sleeping cars for which porters have been suspected and dismissed from the service. James had a bad record and is believed to have served sentences in the State of Washington.

The Robbery Daring. The robbery occurred between Lumsden and Craik, according to the porters' story.

Porter Campbell was in his car - when James walked in and at the point of his revolver forced him to give up his money and jewelry. He then made the porter accompany him through the car, while he ransacked some grips. He proceeded to the next car forcing Campbell to come along. C. Picket, the porter, was lying in the smoker reading and he was given peremptory orders to deliver up his money. He declined to do so and James threatened to shoot him. Campbell was afraid that he would carry out his threat and he said: "Please don't shoot."

James turned his head for a minute and I hit, stated Picket to The Phoenix. "I knocked him against the glass in the partition in the smoker and cut his head. I grabbed his hand and he pulled the trigger of the gun twice but it missed fire. Campbell helped me and we soon overpowered him." James was then taken to Regina.

"BOLD ATTEMPT AT A HOLD-UP ON C.N.R. TRAIN," The Morning Leader (Regina). October 7, 1912. Page 1 & 2. --- NEGRO SOUGHT TO CLEAN UP SLEEPING CARS NEAR LUMSDEN ---- GETS 10 YEARS IN PEN ---- AN AMAZING STORY OF THE HOLD UP AND ENSUING FIGHT ---- PRISONER A DANGEROUS MAN ---- Police Believe He is Man Wanted for Serious Crimes in the States

"I sentence you to penitentiary for five years on each count, the sentences to run consecutively"; these were the words which Magistrate Trant used at the police court on Saturday afternoon when Alfonso James, colored, was summoned for pointing a gun and robbing C.N.L. porter, and for attempting to rob another porter on a C.N.R. train between Chalk and Lumsden on Saturday morning.

Alfonso James, alias Paynton Washington, alias Walter Barnes, colored, is the man who will spend the next ten years of his life in penitentiary for one of the boldest attempts at robbery in the West.

The man James is a fugitive from justice, although he denied it stoutly and maintained his innocence on the stand.

"He is wanted in Kings County, Washington State, for a criminal offence, and has a record that will re-veal something interesting when it is looked up," said the police. What Started the Trouble On Friday afternoon, James, in company with some friends, got into a little game of poker at Saskatoon. He lost heavily, about $256, he claims, and his story is that he was trying to get some of his money back because he thought he had been cheated by a marked deck of cards.

James elected to be tried summarily by the magistrate instead of before a jury. Having consented to jurisdiction, he pleaded not guilty, and the first witness called by the prosecuting attorney, Mr. Frame, was a passenger, Gen. E. Curtis, of Norwalk, Conn. Curtis's evidence went to show that he was the occupant of the berth lower No. 2 on Porter Picket's car, the "Humboldt", from Saskatoon to Regina. During the journey, about three o'clock, he heard a noise in the smoking compartment, and he thought It was some of the train crew trying to pacify somebody who had been in a brawl.

The Porter's Story. Joseph H. Campbell, porter of car No. 2, was the next witness. Shortly after the train had left Saskatoon James came to him and asked for some money, offering some kind of phoney stuff. Campbell told James that he did not want to do anything of the kind, neither loan money nor offering. James went back to the car Humboldt, and Campbell sat down in his compartment. About two o'clock he noticed someone going through the car. This man wore an overcoat, and, following his instructions, Campbell followed him. The man went to the third sleeper towards the head of the train and shortly after came back. Campbell was dozing. When he woke up he noticed that the stranger in the car was going from berth to berth flashing a burglar's light. James, for he was the man, then coolly walked up to Campbell, turned the gun and the light on him and said with an oath. "I need some money: I'm going to do this train tonight." He took everything that was on Campbell, taking good care to keep the Colt revolver close to the face of the porter. He received about 33 dollars in money and two diamonds worth about $600, which belonged to Porter Picket of the sleeper Humboldt. He left Campbell 55 cents with which to buy meals.

Proceeds to Clean Up Train. James then told Campbell that he was going into the other car and if he secured some money he would give back to Campbell all that he had ta- ken from him. He was kind to Campbell, but kept the gun trained on him. He helped him to put on on his shoes, then marched him ahead, forcing Campbell to open the car. He walked him up to a grip that lay in the porter's room, and made him open that. When he could get nothing out of the grip, he told Campbell to wake up Picket, who was lying down in the smoking compartment.

Attempts to Rob Second Porter. Picket woke up and was told by Campbell: "Give this man your money or he will kill you." Pickett demurred a little, and stalled his assailant off for a short minute by talking to him, saying, "What the do you want to kill me for: I never did anything to you? Then James, who was getting impatient, ordered Campbell with another oath to go through Picket's pockets and give him all that was the porter. Picket still stalled art was leath to part with his coin, Campbell urged him to submit, as he would be killed, Campbell then turned around and put his hand on James Whoolder, saying: "Don't shoot. You know what will become of you and what they do to gunmen in this country James replied that he would rather be dead than in this condition and again cursed the men, saying: "Get that money and give it to me."

A Free Fight Ensues. Picket then bent down while Campbell started to to through his pockets. He was watching to get the eve of the prisoner, and at the right moment grabbed the gun pointed at his head and turned it down at the same time giving James a well directed uppercut on the point of the jaw. This surprised James and sent him up in the air. He landed against the pane of glass of the compartment and broke it to pieces. Campbell and Picket were on their man in a second, and after scuffing with him for some minutes finally subdued him and took the gun away from him. During the scuffle James bit the two porters and tore their coats, covering them with blood from the wounds he had received and with blood which was flowing from his nose. Campbell then notified the conductor, who took charge of James.

Prisoner Proceeds to Bluff. Asked in court if he had any questions to ask, James, standing up in the face of the serious accusation of Campbell, said: "Judge, that man should be run out of the courtroom for lying the way he did in that box." Magistrate Trant reminded him he was to ask questions only, and then James began to implicate Campbell into a game of poker on the train and some liquor which seems to have been in evidence in Saskatoon. He asked Campbell about a certain poker game with a phoney deck of cards and all sorts of other questions but he could not shake Campbell.

Corroborates First Porter's Story Carl Picket, porter on the Humboldt, was the next witness. He had known James for three months and had seen him often in Saskatoon. He had a little game of poker with James while he was off duty. There was no card playing in the cars. When the train left Saskatoon about a half hour late he sold James lower berth number one in his car. They sat smoking for a while. James said that he wanted to get off at Lumsden. James then went to his berth and the next time Picket saw him was when he came in with Campbell who looked "scared to death." James was covering the movements of Campbell with a loaded revolver. Then he corroborated the evidence of Campbell as to what happened when the three of them were together in the car. Together they took back from James the stuff he had taken from Campbell.

The magistrate asked if James had made any other resistance than the first one, and Picket, with the broad accent, answered: "No yo' Onah, he had no chance after I popped him one."

James Makes Damaging Admissions. This concluded the evidence of Picket. Then James went into the witness box and gave the testimony that convicted him without the aid of that of Campbell and Picket. He admitted he had the gun, and several other admissions in the course of his evidence gave the impression he was out for some purpose, namely, to get back his money with a gun, taking for granted that everything he said was true. He said there was a game on the train and that he had been cheated; also that he had been given whiskey. He told the magistrate that he had been badly pummelled by the porters who tried a hold-up game on him because they knew he had a gun and tried to take it away from him.

The magistrate told James he wanted no better evidence than his own to convict him.

Constable Robson was called to give evidence of having arrested the man, acting upon information received from Constable Ross, of the C.P.R.

James' Past Record. In cross examination Attorney Frame asked some very pertinent questions of James. He asked him if he was not wanted on a charge of robbery. James said that he knew of none. Then Mr. Frame asked him of a certain woman named Weir with whom it was stated he had been living. James got excited and denied stoutly that he had anything to do with the woman who, he said, had a bad reputation. He was informed by the counsel that he was charged with robbing Mrs. Weir of a watch. This he admitted as having taken from her and turned to the magistrate asking what reference this had to the case, and to which Magistrate Trant replied: "It has to do a lot with the credulity to be placed in your statement."

After several denials James came down from the stand and was made aware that he had been found guilty whereupon he asked that sentence be not passed until tomorrow, Saturday. He was informed that this was Saturday and that it was not necessary to wait ten seconds for the sentence.

The magistrate then said: "You are found guilty of a bare-faced attempt at robbery and holding up the porters. If it had been the passengers I should have sentenced you to twenty years in the penitentiary. As it is I am inclined to give a little credulity to your story, but when a man parts with his money in a poker game he parts with it just the same as if he had sold it. He has nothing more to do with it. Now, on your evidence you admit that you had the gun, that you were engaged in a poker game, and I think that you were trying to get it back with that gun. I sentence you to five years on each count, the sentences to run consecutively."

James was found gulity on the first count, of having robbed Campbell. To the second charge of pointing a loaded revolver at Picket with intent to rob. he pleaded not guilty, but, when he found he had been convicted on the first charge he changed his plea and received his sentence.

James owns a restaurant in Saskatoon and is a well known character there. He has lived, it is alleged, for some time with a Mrs. Weir, colored, and to her, it is said, he made known the fact that he is wanted for a criminal offense in King's County, Washington State.

The Pinkertons have his photo on one of their monthly sheets of the rogue's gallery and, judging from his actions in court on Saturday, James has been in some scrape before this as he proved himself rather familiar with police court proceedings.

An Earlier Escapade. Another interesting escapade of Alfonso James was made known yesterday when Walter Fleming, a well known colored man from the city, gave utterance to his feelings in regard to the man who will spend the next ten years in the pen.

About two months ago Alfonso James came to the city and asked for his mail at the post office. He was given a letter addressed to A. James in which was enclosed a cheque for $135 as payment on some lots.

James presented the cheque at a local bank and was informed that he had to be identified. He then went and secured the signatures of Fleming and Cunningham, two of his friends in the city, and secured the money.

A little later the right A. James turned up and asked for his money.