Train robberies were a common problem in Indian Territory beginning as early as 1871 when the first railroad entered the Indian lands. The general lawlessness of the territory following the Civil War made trains particularly vulnerable to the gangs who roamed the region.

The Missouri-Kansas and Texas Railroad (the Katy), because of its route through Indian Territory, was one of the most targeted rail lines in the country. It passed through large stretches of sparsely inhabited land which made it easy to rob. Gangs were targeting the Katy shortly after it laid the first tracks into the Cherokee Nation.

In response to this constant threat, the railroad hired lawmen to ride the rail line, particularly if a large shipment of money or goods was being transported. In 1894, Bud Ledbetter was hired by an express company to police the railroad. He was on the Katy in mid-November of that year when one of the more famous train robberies occurred.

The year 1894 had seen a great deal of outlaw activity. It was during this time that the U.S. government made a large payment to Cherokee citizens for the purchase of the Cherokee Strip — a northern section of land along the Kansas border. With so much money being transported and changing hands, bandits saw an opportunity for easy spoils.

Such rich pickings attracted an outlaw known as “Texas Jack” to Indian Territory. This outlaw, whose given name was Nathaniel Reed, had spent most of his adult life robbing banks and stage coaches in Texas, Missouri and Colorado. Though he never killed anyone, he was not averse to carrying an arsenal of guns and threatening their use in his many robberies.

Texas Jack and Bud Ledbetter were destined to meet when Reed attempted to rob the Katy Flyer on the night of Nov. 13. Ledbetter and three other law officers were riding the train that night. The Katy had boarded passengers in Muskogee on the northbound train. There was an express car, carrying money no doubt, plus three passenger cars and a sleeper.

It was a common practice among would-be train robbers to “switch” a train to a side rail at some dark and isolated location. About eight miles north of Muskogee, near the community of Wybark, was the Blackstone Switch. Here was where Texas Jack attempted to waylay the Katy Flyer.

However, the alert engineer saw the switch turn from red to green and recognized what was happening. He set the brake to slow the train down and then threw it into reverse causing the train to stop short of where Jack and his gang waited. It also threw the passengers about and awakened all who had been sleeping.

A gun battle ensued and Ledbetter and the other lawmen were able to keep the robbers from reaching the express car. Texas Jack did, however, manage to board a passenger car and rob its occupants. He made his way through all the passengers but upon reaching the express car, he was promptly shot by Ledbetter.

One of his gang members helped him get away, but he nearly died from the wound. It was while he was recovering at his brother’s home in Arkansas that Texas Jack repented of his outlaw ways. He surrendered to federal marshals and was sentenced by Judge Isaac Parker. After serving a short prison term, Reed joined a Wild West Show and went on the lecture circuit declaring to his audience that crime doesn’t pay.



Reach Jonita Mullins at jonita@netscape.com.