THE PINKERTONS AFTER RUBE AND JIM BURROW IN LAMAR COUNTY--THEIR
NARROW ESCAPE.
Ascertaining definitely that at the time of Brock’s arrest Rube and Jim
Burrow were not in Texas, but supposed to be in Lamar County, Ala.,
Superintendent McGinn, of the Pinkerton Agency, left Texarkana January
5, 1888, accompanied by two of his detectives, for the purpose of
capturing them.
On arriving at Fayette Court-House, Ala., McGinn summoned to his
aid the then sheriff of Lamar County, Fillmore Pennington, a very
courageous and efficient officer, and the party left for Vernon, the
county seat of Lamar County, about three o’clock P. M., January 8th.
The night was dark, and continuous rainfalls had rendered the roads
well-nigh impassable. It was not until ten o’clock that the distance
of twenty miles was made, and the detectives, under the guise of land
buyers, reached Vernon.
On the succeeding day a heavy rain set in about daylight and continued
throughout the day. The weather was, therefore, suited neither to the
outing of land buyers nor to a visit from Rube and Jim to the town,
as the sheriff had so confidently expected. The detectives kept their
rooms in the hotel during the day, inspecting a large assortment of
mineral specimens which were brought in by anxious owners of valuable
mining properties in that section.
That night it was determined to arrange a raid upon the house of Jim
Burrow, who had his family in a small dwelling about four miles from
Vernon, with the hope of finding both Rube and Jim. Accordingly, on the
morning of the 10th of January, Supt. McGinn, at 2:30 o’clock, left
Vernon for the house of Jim Burrow. Detectives Carney and Wing were on
horseback, with Deputy-Sheriff Jerry as a guide. Sheriff Pennington and
Detectives Williams and Wilbosky were in a wagon with McGinn. The party
drove to a point designated by the guide as being half a mile from Jim
Burrow’s house. Leaving a guard in charge of the horses, the posse
quietly surrounded the house, and while closing in upon the place, just
as the day was dawning, the guide informed the detectives that he was
mistaken in the house, but that it was another house, pointing to one
about a half mile distant, in which a light was seen. On arrival at
the second house the guide found himself again in error. It was then
daylight. The detectives were about to withdraw and get their horses
and wagon out of the way before they should be discovered, when they
found they were already observed by the inmates of the house. It was
then too late to retreat and await the cover of the succeeding night to
surround the house of Jim Burrow, then ascertained to be still about
two miles further on. Their only hope was to go at once and risk the
danger of being discovered while approaching the place after daylight.
Pushing forward, with great anxiety as to the result, the house they
were seeking was soon visible on the slope of a hill near the edge of
the timber. Deploying their forces they advanced quickly, and when
within about one hundred yards a crushing, tearing sound was heard in
the rear of the building. Jim Burrow had discovered their approach and
ran so swiftly from the house as to tear the door from its hinges.
Shot after shot from the Winchesters of the detectives was fired at
the young robber as he fled. Several of the bullets perforated his
clothing, but he succeeded in reaching the cover of the woods and
escaped, to the grievous disappointment of the detectives, whose
vigilance and energy had been defeated through the stupidity of the
guide.
After this escapade there was hurrying to and fro among the kinspeople
of the Burrow family, and preparations were set afoot to apprise Rube,
who was then at Kennedy, Ala., eighteen miles distant, of the attempt
to capture Jim, and of the fact that the detectives had visited his
father’s house in search of him. Henry Cash met Rube about one mile
out of Kennedy and recited the events of the morning. Cash was _en
route_ to Kennedy to make some preparation for his marriage, which was
to occur the following day. Rube awaited his return and the two then
rode back towards Vernon by bridle paths, and met Allen Burrow, who
had appointed a meeting-place for the two brothers, that night, near
the house of one Green Harris. From this point they started afoot at
midnight, January 10th, traveling in a south-easterly direction, and
before daylight were beyond the confines of Lamar County.