Reward Poster For Rube Burrows Issued By Pinkerton's National Detective Agency. $500 Reward. For The Arrest Of Reuben Houston Burrows, And His Delivery Over To Any Member Of Pinkerton's National Detective Agency, Or Any Agent Who Is Authorized To Receive Him On Behalf Of The State Of Arkansas,...

WILLIAM A. PINKERTON

Publication: Pinkerton's National Detective Agency, January 31, 1888, Chicago

"Born in Alabama, Rube Burrows married and moved his young family to Texas in the 1870's. He became a member of the Masonic Lodge and was noted as a cracker-barrel philosopher. For fourteen years he lived quietly while working for the railroad, but in the late 1880's he became the leader of an outlaw band. His wife and two children returned to Alabama, while Rube, his brother Jim, and four other hard cases began holding up trains. Jim was captured in 1888, but Rube continued to stage train robberies until he was killed a year later."--Bill O'Neal. This Reward Poster was issued for the arrest of Reuben Houston Burrows after Rube, his brother James, and others robbed the St. Louis, Arkansas and Texas Rail Road train at Genoa Station, Arkansas on December 9, 1887. Also noted is that during an attempt to arrest Rube and Jim Burrows in Montgomery, Alabama on January 23, 1888, posse-member Neil Bray was shot and killed, and the Burrows brothers escaped. After a subsequent train robbery and killing of passenger, Chester Hughes, Rube Burrows was captured on October 8, 1890, and killed in an escape attempt the next day. The Reward Poster is very detailed in it's description of Rube physically and by his demeanor, as well as the events described above. With the classic Pinkerton logo masthead across the upper portion, this thin, paper Reward Poster is mounted on board. The lack of tanning to the very edges of the paper indicates that it was probably framed at some time in the past. Poster is 8.375" wide x 10.75" high. Board is 8.625"x 11". Chipping to most of the length of the right edge of the poster, none of which encroaches upon any of the text or printing. A rare Reward Poster for this noteworthy outlaw.

Inventory Number: 52299