HELL-DEVILTRY-- 1st Successful Train Robbery in the West

July 1st, 1873

The James Gang received word that $75,000 in gold was going to be on the train heading through small town Adair, Iowa from Cheyenne, Wyoming. Four of the James gang hid outside of town, while two tracked down the train. They pried a rail loose and yanked it out when the train approached, causing it to crash, killing the Engineer--Rafferty and a foreman. 

Imagine the surprise when the outlaws found the gold shipment missing from the cargo. It was delayed on another train. Their take was $3000 from train safe and passengers.

Train track and train wheel mark the sign near Adair, Iowa

This is an excerpt from St. Louis Democrat paper about the bravery of the engineer. 

Rafferty, the unfortunate engineer who was killed by the desperadoes on the Chicago & Rock Island railroad, leaves a widow and three children unprovided for. He was shot down while nobly standing at his post and endeavoring to thwart the fiendish purpose of the marauders by reversing his engine. It was first reported that he was killed by the fall of his locomotive; but it is now evident that he was fatally shot before the train struck the misplaced track.--He might have saved his own life by jumping from the engine when he saw the terrible danger ahead, but by doing so he would have imperiled the lives of hundreds, and some would certainly have sacrificed some of them. There is not in the history of railroads a more heroic deed than his. He belonged to a class to whose faithfulness, and courage the public are greatly debtors. Those who travel on railroads little realizing the extent to which they are at the mercy of the man at the throttle valve. In a dangerous crisis he may save them by his pluck, or sacrifice them by his cowardice. Rafferty saved every man and woman under his charge; but he did it at a fateful cost to himself and to those dependent upon him."

Somehow I missed the marker, but
found windmills and cows instead

Of course the day I went, it was pouring rain and I had to film from my car. Luckily there was some cool windmills, fog and cows to add to the scene. 

To add a weird twist to the story--several years ago, a man stole the plaque commemorating the Adair train robbery. It wasn't until the thief's house burned down that the plaque was found in the ashes. Jesse James ghost ensuring that his legacy would never be forgotten?????

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