Only tyler perry could play one of the main characters of his book, griffith said in a. Willis described robbing banks throughout texas and a large number of. As robbers and thieves, nobody was better than the comparatively lowprofile newton and his brothers, who later were popularized in a middling 1998 movie as the newton boys. Portrays the misdeeds of the notorious early twentiethcentury bank and train robbers. Dec 08, 2016 newton, ma police in newton are looking for a man who allegedly robbed the citizens bank at 305 walnut street. In gangster tour of texas, baker painstakingly located hundreds of sites from the sordid world of bonnie and clyde, the bank robbing newton boys, machine gun kelly, galvestons highrolling maceo brothers, and a colorful host of other lone star rogues. The core of the gang was the newton brothers from uvalde county, texas. I truly believe, says williamson, who wrote willis newton.
Sep 07, 2017 the newton boys were a gang of brothers from uvalde, texas operating mostly in the 1920s. And theyre based on real life events and people, making it all the more exciting. Portrait of an outlaw gang, with the participation of willis and joe newton. Although the texas natives were most active from 1919 through 1924.
Sep 30, 2014 nice write up but, your explanation of how the robbers stopped the train with two workers waving a red lantern differs greatly with clarahans version in his book. Other days from the files of the harrison daily times. The newtons story was made into a movie starring matthew mcconaughey, ethan. It was filmed throughout texas including the towns of bertram, austin. Aug 31, 2011 bonnie and clyde, machine gun kelly, the newton boys, the santa claus bank robbers. Lindsay baker, preeminent authority on texas ghost towns, has compiled a captivating new collection of historic sites for texas travelers.
Not only did they make history by stealing more than three million dollars on this one train heist, but this sealed the newton boys to become remembered as the most successful bank and train robbers in u. The encyclopedia of bank robberies, heists, and capers. Bank robbery traces the history of the crime from the early days of american history to the present. After frank and jesse james pioneered the daylight holdup in 1866, crime has never been the same. Bank robbery is the crime of stealing money from a bank, specifically while bank employees and customers are subjected to force, violence, or a threat of violence. In 1921 willis decided to enlist his brothers jess and doc in the business of bank robbery. Faced with an epidemic of bank robberies during the 1920s without a corresponding number of captures, the texas bankers association took extreme and controversial action by establishing the dead bank robber reward program. Newton bank robbery suspect sought by police newton, ma patch. Jan 25, 2017 the newton gang was an outlaw gang of the early 20th century, and the most successful train robbers and bank robbers in history. With matthew mcconaughey, ethan hawke, skeet ulrich, vincent donofrio.
Jack is a great deadpan narrator, and you might learn enough from this book to plan a heist of your own. The story of the newton gang, the most successful bank robbers in history, owing to their good planning and minimal violence. Docks 1968 arrest for bank robbery at age 77 made national news and was later the subject of an article in life on april 19, 1968. Buy a cheap copy of the newton boys book by joe newton. In may 2018, he wrote and selfpublished a novel about a fameseeking transgender woman turned bank robber.
The book, the last texas outlaw, is available for sale at. The newtons didnt capture the banner headlines of dillinger, steal the sums credited the barkerkarpis gang or pile up bodies like the bloody barrows, but they were arguably among the most successful train and bank robbers in history certainly the longest running. Suspected newton bank robber snags lollipop while fleeing scenepolice say a suspected bank robber grabbed a lollipop before heading out the door saturday in newton centre. According to willis newton, the brothers took in more money than the dalton gang, butch cassidys wild. The encyclopedia of robberies, heists, and capers michael. This refers to robbery of a bank branch or teller, as opposed to other bank owned property, such as a train, armored car, or historically stagecoach. The newton boys tells the story of willis, joe, jess and dock newton, four brothers who become some of the most notorious bank and train robbers the history of america has ever seen. In total, they robbed six trains and over 80 banks. Roaring 20sera bank robbers willis and joe newton were the subject of a 1976 documentary film by stanush and middleton. The newtons story was made into a movie starring matthew.
During the bank robbery in gladbeck, in the ruhr region, on tuesday morning, the gunmen took two bank employees hostage. The lost treasure of the newton boys and americas biggest. The newton boys were a criminal gang composed of brothers willis, joe, jess and wylie doc, who operated mostly in texas during the 1920s. The encyclopedia of bank robberies, heists, and capers open.
One of the most striking debuts of recent years was this story of jack, who makes his living as a getaway driver ghostmanfor bank robbers. But breaking into stores would not meet the ambitions of four out of five of the newton boys, as they soon progressed to robbing banks and trains. Although banks and police have made it increasingly difficult to successfully rob a bank, criminals still try, drawn by the lure of money. In 1973, willis newton was implicated in a bank robbery in bracketville, texas, but there wasnt enough evidence to prove a case against him. From 1919 and 1924 the gang robbed dozens of banks, claiming a number of eighty seven banks and six trains. The blast injured several bank employees and both wouldbe robbers were captured in short order. The buried loot of the newton gang lone star treasure. During the era of gangsters and organized crime, texas hosted its fair share of guns and gambling, moonshine and morphine, ransom and robbery.
The newton boys the newton gang was an outlaw gang of the early 20th century, and the most successful train robbers and bank robbers in history. In addition, newspaper reports of his numerous train and bank robberies have been. From 1919 through 1924 the gang robbed dozens of banks, claiming a total of eightyseven banks unconfirmed and six trains confirmed. By 1920 joe newton joined willis and another outlaw, john glasscock, on bank robberies in omaha, nebraska, and glenwood, iowa. Probably many people had never heard of them until the 1998 film by that name. An attempt by two unmasked men to rob the newton county bank at jasper shortly after the bank opened monday morning was believed to have been abandoned by the men because there were too many customers in the bank, as they left hurriedly without attempting the holdup and. The great rondout train robbery part two shelf life.
The reason i bought this is that i was from a small town in the book and heard of the bank robbery over the years. Claude stanush is the author of all honest men, the balanced rock, the newton boys, and the world in my head and the coscreenwriter of the newton boys, he is a former life magazine staffer, hollywood correspondent, science writer, and religion editor, and the recipient of numerous awards from the national endowment for the arts, the american association for the advancement of. More than 400 entries detail historys most famous robberies from around the world, the thieves who executed them, and the lawmen who brought them to justice. They started out with smallscale local thieving as children, before four out of five brothers eventually graduated to full scale adult outlaws. From 1919 through 1924 the gang robbed dozens of banks, claiming a number of eighty seven banks unconfirmed and six trains confirmed.
Stanush edited the oral history book the newton boys. Extensive audio interviews recorded in 1976 formed the basis of the text. The last texas outlaw and several other books, he was a flatout evil person. Soon after that, they chose to deal with the police through a radio program. This reference contains 400 entries detailing historys most famous robberies from around the world. Williamsons published account of the late willis newtons role in the newton gang. Nov, 2014 the newton gangs last and greatest heist was the rondout train robbery, which took place near chicago on 12 june 1924. On june 12, 1924, the newton boys, joined up with two chicago gangsters, a chicago racketeer, and a postal inspector, and robbed a train at rondout, illinois, netting them more than three million dollars. The digital research library of illinois history journal. The encyclopedia of bank robberies, heists, and capers book. From pickpockets to pirates, bank robbers to bushrangers, this is an encyclopaedia of theft, one of the worlds oldest professions. The film stars matthew mcconaughey, who was actually born in uvalde, skeet ulrich, ethan hawke, vincent donofrio, and dwight yoakam.
John l french, crime scene supervisor traces the history of the crime of bank robbery from the early days of american history to the present. Robbing banks and trains was our way of getting it. The encyclopedia of bank robberies, heists, and capers by. The newton gang was a notorious group of bank and train robbers chiefly active in texas and nearby oklahoma. Why, yes just the most successful bank robbers in united states history but unknowns in the annals of the outlaw west. Newton boys the handbook of texas online texas state. In 1968, in rowena, texas, doc newton, who was by then in his mid70s, made a bungled attempt at breaking into the bank. The newton boys is a 1998 american comedydrama film cowritten and directed by richard linklater it is based on the true story of the newton gang, a family of bank robbers from uvalde, texas. Man who wrote books about robbing banks busted for real. Bank robbery criminal investigations english edition ebook. Jess newton lived the remainder of his life as a cowboy in uvalde. Bank robbery criminal investigations kindle edition by michael newton author visit amazons michael newton page. The newton boys were the baddest bank robbers youve never. Jim and janetta newton the hard working parents of the boys and seven other children worked hard to keep food on the table.
Mar 27, 1998 the answer becomes most apparent just when the newton boys, richard linklaters film about americas most unsung and fiscally successful band of prohibitionera bank robbers, is over. He states that two of the robbers secretly boarded the train in chicago, where they hid between the coal tender at the rear of the locomotive, and the first mail car of the train. What really keeps this movie afloat are the actors. By newton, michael, michael newton go to the editions section to read or download ebooks.
The newtons were willis, joe, jess and dock willis twin brother whose birth name was wylie. The newton gang were just good ole boys until they turned robbers. The notorious newton boys played havoc on banks and trains during the roaring twenties. Willis skinny newton robbed over eighty banks and six trains from texas to canada with his brothers and other outlaws, including the single biggest train robbery in united states history. Jim newton, known as a cyclone farmer, moved his family from place to place always looking for something better. The newton boys are famously known for carrying out americas biggest train robbery on june 12th, 1924. It certainly gave the tellers something to talk about the rest of the afternoon.