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RUBE BURROW - OUTLAW
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The fascination with outlaws in American culture holds as true in Alabama as any other part of the United States. Little known facts reveal some noteworthy items in criminology. Did you know that the dreaded Texas outlaw, John Wesley Hardin, lived peacefully in Pollard, Alabama for several years after fleeing the law in Texas? He was captured by Texas Rangers following a horse show in Pensacola, Florida.

One outlaw, Rube Burrow, was born in Lamar County, Alabama on December 11, 1854. He grew up in Arkansas. In 1872 he was maintaining a ranch in Stephenville, Texas. He got married in 1876 and within a few years, fathered two children. In 1880, his wife succumbed to yellow fever.

He remarried in 1884 and bought a farm near Alexander, Texas. Farming was and still is, a risky endeavor. Burrow's crops failed and out of desperation, he turned to robbery as a means of support. He and his brother Jim engaged the services of several undesirables and together, they formed the Burrow Gang. On December 1, 1886, they robbed their first train near Bellevue, Texas.

By 1888, the Burrow Gang had robbed so many trains that their reputation equaled that of the James Gang. They were constantly pursued by lawmen and the Pinkerton Detective Agency. It was in 1888 that things would began to close in on them.

While in Nashville, a conductor recognized them and summoned law enforcement. The law officers had the Burrow Brothers trapped in a passenger car. Rube shot his way out and Jim was captured and sent to serve time in Texarkana, but on October 5, 1888, while still serving time, Jim passed away from consumption (tuberculosis). This didn't slow down the gang at all from its activities. Rube had returned to the gang and continued robbing trains throughout the south and southwest. When law enforcement seemed to be getting too close, the gang would return to Alabama, where friends and relatives would hide them out.

While in the town of Linden, Alabama, Rube went into a store to look at some new rifles. The store owner, Mr. Carter, recognized Rube and laid a shotgun across the counter, disarmed Rube and locked him in a back room then went to get the sheriff. While Carter was gone, Rube escaped, vowing to return and kill Carter.

Later that day, Rube approached Carter on the street and opened fire. A bullet struck Carter in the right arm. Carter pulled out his own pistol and returned fire, striking Rube in the stomach. Outlaw Rube Burrow died on a street in Linden, Alabama on October 7, 1890.

His body was shipped to Lamar County, Alabama and he was buried in Fellowship Cemetery in the community of Vernon.

Rube Burrow
Jim Burrow
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