The name Newton Gang evokes images of daring heists and vast fortunes, a reality that saw this group amass more wealth from robberies than any other gang in American history. The sheer volume of Newton Gang loot, acquired through an astonishing spree of bank and train robberies, cemented their legend as outlaws who operated with unprecedented scale and a unique, non-violent approach.
The Humble Origins of a Notorious Gang
By 1914, Willis Newton, hailing from Uvalde County, Texas, found himself growing increasingly weary of the meager existence offered by cotton farming. Locals, however, often questioned his commitment to honest labor, as Willis had already cultivated a reputation as a cunning thief from a young age. The Newton brothers – Willis, Willie “Doc,” Jess, and Joe – began their criminal careers breaking into local stores as mere boys. Before long, any valuable item that went missing within hundreds of miles of Uvalde was quickly, and often correctly, attributed to the audacious Newton boys.
However, the ambitions of four of the five Newton brothers quickly outgrew petty store burglaries. Their sights soon turned to more lucrative targets: banks and trains.
Willis Newton’s Early Forays into Grand Larceny
Willis initiated the gang’s association with train robbery when he, alongside a confederate, boarded a train near Cline, Texas. After systematically relieving passengers of their valuables, they disembarked near Spofford in Kinney County, escaping with a substantial sum of approximately $4,700. Later, while in Durant, Oklahoma, Willis temporarily joined another crew, participating in a bank robbery in Boswell that netted the thieves around $10,000.
The Formation of the Newton Gang
By 1919, the individual criminal exploits of the Newton brothers had led to their incarceration, with Willis, “Doc,” Jess, and Joe serving sentences in different prisons across the country. That same year, Willis and Joe were released, and Willis, ever the instigator, swiftly persuaded his brother to form their own, unified gang. The following year, Willie “Doc” Newton executed a successful escape from a Texas prison and promptly reunited with his brothers, who had established a base in Tulsa, Oklahoma. With Jess’s release the following spring, the formidable Newton Gang was finally complete.
America’s Most Prolific Robbers Emerge
Between 1919 and 1924, the Newton Gang embarked on an unparalleled criminal odyssey, executing 87 bank robberies and six train heists. The total Newton Gang loot surpassed the combined takings of legendary outlaw figures such as the Dalton boys, Butch Cassidy, and the James Gang. Their operations spanned an astonishing geographical range, targeting banks and trains not only in their home state of Texas but also in Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, Illinois, Wisconsin, and even Canada.
Their preferred method for bank robberies involved meticulous planning. They would case a location for several days before striking under the cover of night. Utilizing nitroglycerin, they would expertly blow open safes, swiftly grab the cash, and vanish without a trace. Such was their audacity that on one notable occasion, they robbed two banks in Hondo, Texas, on the very same night.
While they favored nocturnal operations to avoid direct confrontation, the Newton Gang was known to commit robberies during daylight hours as well. During these encounters, victims consistently described the brothers as remarkably polite. They went to great lengths to ensure the comfort of those present in the banks or on the trains, always assuring them that no one would be harmed. True to their word, throughout their extensive criminal careers, the Newton Gang never once resorted to violence against their victims.
Remarkably, for years, the sheer volume of their crimes went unconnected, and the Newton brothers remained largely unsuspected. This extraordinary run of undetected success continued until their final, record-breaking robbery, which, due to its immense scale, ultimately brought the combined might of multiple law enforcement agencies crashing down upon them.
The Rondout Train Robbery: A Historic Heist
On June 12, 1924, the Newton brothers orchestrated their most audacious crime yet. They joined forces with two Chicago gangsters, a notorious Chicago racketeer, and, astonishingly, a postal inspector named William J. Fahy. Together, they targeted a mail train at Rondout, Illinois, in what would become the largest train robbery in U.S. history, netting them more than three million dollars in cash and securities.
The plan was meticulously executed. Boarding a mail train in Chicago, Fahy and Willis Newton coerced the train to halt at Rondout. They then demanded that mail sacks, bulging with the millions in cash and securities, be thrown from the train. To enforce their demands, they fired bullets and discharged tear gas into the mail car, creating a chaotic scene. In the ensuing confusion, Willie “Doc” Newton suffered a leg wound from a stray bullet. With the massive haul of cash secured, the Newton brothers loaded the injured Doc into a waiting car and made their escape. However, a crucial error occurred during their hasty departure: a bystander overheard one of the gang members refer to the wounded man as “Willie,” providing authorities with their first significant lead on the elusive outlaws.
The Unraveling of the Gang
Just a few days after the Rondout heist, police received a vital tip: a wounded man was being cared for in a North Chicago house. Following up on this lead, the gang’s carefully constructed anonymity began to unravel. Within days, Doc, Willis, and Joe Newton were apprehended. However, their brother Jess had managed to flee Chicago, heading south towards Texas with approximately $35,000 of the robbery’s proceeds.
Jess, perhaps overcome by the adrenaline of his escape or the weight of his ill-gotten gains, made a fateful mistake. While in San Antonio, he indulged in a drinking spree. Convinced he needed to conceal the stolen cash, he hired a cab to take him into the countryside, where he buried the money. The following day, with plans to cross into Mexico, he returned to retrieve the buried loot. To his dismay, he couldn’t remember the exact burial spot. Even locating the cab driver from the previous night proved fruitless, as the driver had also been drinking and had no recollection of their destination. After an extensive but futile search, Jess ultimately abandoned the idea of recovering his share and continued his journey to Mexico. His freedom, however, was short-lived; a federal agent located him in Ciudad Acuña and promptly brought him back across the border.
Eventually, all eight individuals involved in the Rondout robbery were arrested. In exchange for lighter sentences, nearly all of the stolen Newton Gang loot was recovered, with the exception of about $100,000. All eight participants served prison time, with William J. Fahy, the postal official who masterminded the heist, receiving the longest sentence: 25 years in the Federal Penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas.
Life After Prison and the Enduring Mystery
After serving their respective sentences, the Newton brothers were eventually released and returned to their hometown of Uvalde, Texas. Jess Newton lived out the remainder of his life as a cowboy in Uvalde, passing away on March 4, 1960.
Yet, for some, old habits proved difficult to break. In 1968, in Rowena, Texas, a mid-70s Doc Newton made a clumsy, failed attempt to break into a bank. Due to his advanced age, he was released without significant penalty. Doc died in 1974 at the age of 83.
Willis Newton also found himself implicated in a bank robbery in Bracketville, Texas, in 1973, though insufficient evidence prevented a case from being proven against him. Willis passed away in August of 1979.
Joe Newton, in contrast, embraced a more legitimate life, becoming the owner of a cafe and other small businesses in Uvalde. He lived to the age of 88, dying in February of 1989.
The Elusive $100,000
The missing $100,000 from the Rondout train robbery has never been found, despite the Newton brothers themselves diligently searching for it after their release from prison. Willis claimed that Jess had buried the money on top of a hill, digging a hole and covering it with a large rock. However, Jess, under oath in court, testified that he had buried the money somewhere along Fredericksburg Road. Yet, what he later told his brothers led Willis to believe it was more likely located on the road leading to Bandera. This enduring discrepancy fueled years of speculation and fruitless searches, leaving a significant portion of the Newton Gang loot as a persistent legend.
Conclusion: The Legacy of America’s Most Successful Outlaws
The Newton Gang carved out a unique place in the annals of American outlaw history. Their incredible five-year spree saw them amass a fortune far greater than any of their more violent predecessors, all while adhering to a strict code of non-violence. Their meticulous planning, daring escapes, and the sheer volume of their hauls made them legendary figures, yet it was the record-breaking Rondout train robbery that ultimately led to their downfall. Despite their later attempts to reintegrate into society, the allure of their past, and the tantalizing mystery of the unrecovered Newton Gang loot, ensured their story would continue to captivate generations. Their tale remains a fascinating chapter in the history of American crime, a testament to an era where cunning and audacity could briefly outwit the law.
