Verdi Train Robbery

The Verdi Train Robbery was the first train robbery in the West.  I visited Rock Island, Iowa a few years ago, where they have a plaque claiming the first western train robbery took place there, carried out by Jesse James and his gang.  However the Verdi robbery predates that by a couple years.  The robbery was planned and lead by Gentleman Jack (A.J. Davis) who was a respected business man, but had been robbing stage coaches for some time.  He ran a mill where he would reprocess his booty.  In total there were eight men involved in the robbery.  It was well planned.  They had received word of a gold shipment, to make payroll in Virginia City.  In addition to Davis, other members of the gang included John Squires, E.B. Parsons and Tilton Cockerill (seasoned criminals) as well as James Gilchrist, a miner and John E. Chapman, a Sunday School superintendent.  Chapman had traveled to San Francisco to gather information. 

The train left Oakland November 4.  It was running behind.  Verdi is just over the border in Nevada.  The train had stopped to top of water and fuel.  As it slowly started many of the bandits boarded the slow moving train, while others made a barrier in the tracks a few miles towards Reno.  The robbery went off without a hitch.  They detached the rest of the cars from the engine, tinder and express car which housed the money.  The engineer took them a mile further, where the bandits stuffed pre-made bags with the money, and went their separate ways. 

If not for the sharp wits of a California woman, they may very well have succeeded in their robbery.  However this woman, who helped run a hotel with her husband in the Sardine Lakes area, saw three residents acting suspiciously.  Two went on their way, but James Gilchrist remained.  The woman spied him hiding gold coins in the outhouse.  When the sheriff arrived he was asleep in his room, and captured without incident.  Deputy James Kinkead took the lead in the investigation.  Based on the description provided by the woman, and a distinguished foot print of one of the men (almost like a high healed print which was popular with gamblers in that day) he was able to track them down.  Within 48 hours three of the accomplices had been captured.  They were able to confuse Gilchrist to the point he confessed the crime and implicated many others, including Davis.  Sol Jones, when captured also gave information on other participants.  Sol Jones received a light sentence for cooperating.  James Gilchrist and Chat Roberts were freed for testifying against others.  The rest received sentences of ten to 24 years.  Jack Davis received a lighter sentence, which was reduced when he did not participate in a jail break and in fact supported the guards.  He was released after five years, but did not enjoy his freedom long as he was killed while attempting to rob a stage coach.

Much gleaned from a two-part article in Tahoe Weekly by Mark McGlaughlin, June 2017