The McNeil train robbery
The McNeil train robbery
Written by Jim Dawson Thursday, 07 December 2006
The town of McNeil was located at the crossroads of the Missouri-Pacific Railroad and a narrow-gauge rail line built to transport red granite from Burnet and Marble Falls to Austin to build the state capitol.
On May 18, 1887 at 9:15 p.m., a Mo-Pac passenger train traveling north from San Antonio to Dallas pulled to a halt south of the junction of the rail lines at the town of McNeil. When the train’s porter went to throw the switch allowing the train to proceed on to Taylor, he was fired upon by several armed robbers. More than 100 shots were fired at the waiting train.
According to the Austin Daily Statesman report, “There was considerable confusion about the train. Passengers lay down on the floor and crawled under bunks to escape the flying bullets.”
Although the express messenger, A.J. Northacker locked the doors when the shooting started, the robbers broke through, struck Northacker on the head and took all of the available cash. Their take was about $4,000. It was later reported that the southbound express train the same night had $300,000 on board.
Williamson County Sheriff John T. Olive formed a posse and struck out to find the trail of the robbers. The next day he discovered the remains of a campsite where he found a part of the Williamson County Sun of May 5 with the mailing address of I.J. Barber.
The Barbers were well known to authorities. A brother, Austin, was serving time in the state prison for stealing horses, and another brother, John, was under indictment, but on the run for similar activities. A third brother, Joe, was arrested for the robbery when he was found in possession of money similar to that transported by the railroad. Four others were also arrested from Guadalupe County.
At the preliminary hearing, the most crucial testimony was given by Attie Hunt, I.J. Barber’s sister. She linked her brother John, not Joe, to the robbery when she testified that John had visited her May 16, and she had packed him a lunch and wrapped it in the newspaper.
After eight days of testimony, the charges were dropped because of lack of evidence. No one was ever convicted for the McNeil train robbery.
Compiled from the Williamson County Historical Museum’s two-minute history series.
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