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The Olyphant train robbery

One of the great crimes of 19th-century Arkansas was the 1893 robbery of a passenger train at Olyphant in Jackson County. Recognized as the last train robbery in Arkansas history, this crime resulted in the death of a conductor, the hanging of three accused robbers, and a great frenzy of public attention.

On Friday night, Nov. 3, 1893, the southbound Iron Mountain train out of Poplar Bluff, Mo., destined for Little Rock, stopped at the tiny Olyphant depot, located about seven miles south of Newport, to allow the oncoming northbound Cannonball to pass. No sooner had the train stopped than a group of masked gunmen, all armed with Winchester rifles, boarded the train.

The train was not a large one, containing seven cars: three day coaches, a Pullman sleeper, and bringing up the rear were baggage, mail and express cars. It was staffed with an engineer, a fireman, a conductor, a brakeman, and a porter. All were taken captive except for the 52-year-old Irish-born conductor, W.P. McNally.

The conductor ran through the passenger cars warning everyone to hide their valuables. He then borrowed a revolver from a passenger and slipped out of sight. The robbers immediately turned their attention to the express car which contained various parcels as well as a locked safe. When the express agent refused to open the car, the robbers fired several shots through the car door--a fusillade sufficient to convince the agent to open the door and the safe inside.

Several boxes of jewelry were taken from the express car safe. Then the robbers turned their attention to the passengers. Just as the robbers walked across the platform toward the passenger cars, conductor McNally emerged from the shadows and began shooting toward the robbers.

The robbers returned fire. One of their bullets hit McNally in the lower chest. He died quickly. None of the robbers were injured, and they returned their attention to the passengers.

According to an Arkansas Gazette reporter, one robber "quietly, indeed, almost modestly informed the passengers that they had better proceed to yield up their valuables." Some passengers later reported that the robbers concentrated on the more affluent passengers. When one man had only a silver dollar to surrender, it was given back with the robber saying, "Well, I guess you'll want some breakfast in the morning, so you'd better take this dollar ..."

C.V. Maxwell, a passenger from Batesville, hid in the bathroom and remained undiscovered. One female passenger slipped an expensive brooch into her shawl, and more than one male passenger hid cash in shoes.

After an estimated 20 minutes, the robbers mounted horses and fled into the surrounding woods. The train proceeded on to Little Rock, arriving late at night.

News of the robbery spread quickly. Local authorities used modern technology to spread the word about the robbery, including the telegraph and telephone. No fewer than 10 sheriffs organized posses to pursue the robbers. Both the railroad and express companies offered rewards.

Within 48 hours two suspects were arrested in Independence County. Over the next few weeks another six suspects were arrested, for a total of eight men: Sam and Pennyweight Powell, Bob Chesney, Jim Wyrick, Ol Truman, Alfred Mansker, and Tom Brady (all from Benton County) and George Padgett, a reputed whiskey peddler from Indian Territory. Aliases used by some of the robbers complicated matters.

Brady, Wyrick, and Mansker were charged with the robbery and murder, while Padgett escaped murder charges because he agreed to testify against the other three.

The murder trials were held in January 1894 at the beautiful new Jackson County Courthouse in Newport, which is still in use today. All three were found guilty, though Mansker was tried twice due to a hung jury. Their executions were set for April 6, 1894. Defense attorneys filed an unsuccessful appeal with the Arkansas Supreme Court for new trials.

As was typical at that time, a large crowd attended the hangings. The condemned spent their last night visiting with relatives and praying for forgiveness. Wyrick was visited by "his good and faithful wife with their five children" in a scene the Gazette described as "heartrending in the extreme."

The condemned men maintained their innocence while standing on the gallows. They announced they had forgiven the sheriff, jail keepers, the presiding judge and penitentiary authorities--even the prosecuting attorney.

Anyone who missed the execution could purchase pictures of the hanging from Newport photographer W.D. Ross.

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Tom Dillard is a historian and retired archivist living near Glen Rose in rural Hot Spring County. Email him at Arktopia.td@gmail.com.

Editorial on 09/25/2016

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