Murder on the Southern Pacific: full documentary

100 years ago, one of the last of the Wild West train holdups happened in the mountains of Southern Oregon.
It’s been called “The Last Great American Train Robbery,” memorialized in movies, songs, and even comic books. But everything about that name is wrong. It wasn’t the last train robbery, and it certainly wasn’t ‘great.’ Four men died, and three brothers spent years on the run.
Nonetheless, the events of October 11, 1923, would be remembered even without the embellishments. Federal agents launched the era’s most extensive investigation that ultimately helped establish the field of modern-day criminal forensics.
“Oregon Experience” explores this legendary event and the enduring mysteries in the case.
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[@kentnottingham9635]

I live in Medford and this story has always intrigued me. I have walked thru the tunnel and it is as straight as an arrow! I have a 4’x8’ and a 2’x4’ work bench with old lumber from Tunnel 13 around both benches. Recently, Dier Straights lead singer/gutarist sang of Tunnel 13 paying tribute to it and the robbery. He also has a guitar made from the lumber in the tunnel as well! Makes me love Tunnel 13 even more!!!!

[@robynw6307]

Just because they got old doesn't mean they are any less guilty. One manslaughter, and three cold blooded murders. A sentence is a sentence, and commuting it isn't right.

[@dr.scottcrullphd9133]

The dead were nobodies - had they been important people, they would have remained in jail till they rotted. Look at Sirhan Sirhan killing Bobby Kennedy. He’ll never be released - nor should he, but he’s more of a political prisoner today than a killer. It’s been 53-years since Bobby was killed.

[@rcwagon]

There sure was a lot of "there had to be more". Some of the tellers just want a better story. I wonder if maybe they see how heinous it was but still love the public appeal people have for murderers.

[@scotmclean5124]

My grandmother, at the time, was a teenaged apprentice seamstress. She tailored the suits the brothers wore at their trial. My grandfather, also a teenager, hiked up into the Siskiyous with his buddies looking for the fugitives. 🙂

[@Dannyedelman4231]

Locomotive 3626 worked for Southern Pacific until 1929 when they sold it to the Texas and New Orleans railroad where it was scrapped in the 50s SP 975 is a sister locomotive Fireman Marvin seng was 23 Brakeman Coyle Johnson was 38 Engineer Sidney bates was 51

[@stanfischer6175]

Wow! I live in Houston and will now research of what its T&NO number would have been. Was it a Pacific?

[@Dannyedelman4231]

@@stanfischer6175 F-1 2-10-2 decopod she was actually sold 3-16-29 and became TNO #958

[@Dannyedelman4231]

@@stanfischer6175 that's according to what my book on sp 10 wheelers says

[@snchilders]

My dad was born (1914) and raised in Ashland and remembered all the hoopla about this.

[@gregmaggielipscomb9246]

What about the victims, who compensated them ? Who commuted their lifelong sentences?

[@Dannyedelman4231]

Roy went insane and had his frontal lope severed and spent the rest of his life in Oregon state mental hospital hugh dearumount asked for parole and got it but he died 2 months after he got out and ray had been a teacher inside the prison and he said he regretted his decision to do the robbery and Thomas McCall was the governor who commuted rays sentence

[@The_Blacktop_Chronicles]

He says flaunt the law because he doesn't know the word flout... 🍭 lol

[@brucepeek3923]

Thats not a flintlock pistol, it is a caplock- something far diffferent. best Bruce Peek

[@fozzybear7255]

"pre-safety net"?? "If you didn't work, you didn't eat" LoL. Spin cycle is strong.

[@mikemhoon]

Why would they walk across the mountain instead of just walking through the tunnel to get to the north side?

[@robstack3712]

To get to the other side???? I don’t know, I give up, why did the chicken, I mean people cross the road?🤣☝️

[@rodgermorris8307]

The detonator they used to blow up the train was stolen from a construction site in Oregon City, Oregon and was in the possession of the federal government office in Portland Oregon until 1982 when it was then turned over to the Smithsonian Postal Museum!

[@alanh1406]

27 minutes in, what happened to the descendants of the damn victims??

[@rcwagon]

It is all about the press and the murderers. And volunteer legal worked to help out. While there was some mention of one of the victim's family, there is no mention of any effort to help the victims families. Isn't it great how Ray turned out? Really? Where is there motivation to not do wrong? All is totally upside down.

[@Dannyedelman4231]

Southern Pacific Railroad paid sidney bates wife his retirement package idk about the other guys

[@mawi1172]

A story of a family of geniuses.

[@helenhunter4540]

"The dogmas and the preaching" of the I.W.W.? "He felt that the world owed him a living." Who's anti-labor?

[@jparker59able]

Please explain to me why any of these men deserved being allowed freedom?

[@Dannyedelman4231]

Ray said that it was a tragedy that should have never happened, and killing those gentlemen was the biggest mistake in his life, and it cost him and his family a lot of shame and pain but he said that it pailed in comparison to the victims family's

[@TheOldTeddy]

the shot of Fatty Arbuckel (7:40ish) grabbing a SPECIAL curved grab iron only on calabooses is real, have done it myself, now illegal per FRA

[@kiwitrainguy]

A lot of those film stunts in the 20s and before were shot at about half speed and then the film shown at the correct speed made it look all the more dangerous and hilarious.

[@Bill-cv1xu]

Baloney 😂😂

[@timvandiepen8373]

Awesome

[@PaulaLauhead]

Oregan is a pretty state I want to go places and never look back I want to have fun forever I almost got with a 30 year old man from Iregan I was 25 until my sister ibterveened they were co workers at a local grocery store and it was through my sister was how we met

[@PaulaLauhead]

I almost got with a man from Oregon who was 30 and I was 25 it was through my sister was how we met what happened my sister didn't allow it she forbade it

[@thekitcat0]

👍

[@marvwatkins7029]

Not a bad doc. But that silhouette of someone holding a flintlock pistol was historically inaccurate, silly, careless, and unprofessional.

[@kamihorton8579]

Hi Marv - The silhouette was meant to represent a single action colt, not a flintlock. Admittedly, that's still inaccurate. Ray and Hugh used a colt .45 caliber automatic. I hope you liked the rest of the documentary!

[@fozzybear7255]

Obviously this was just a tragic accident. They were good boys b4 this happened. Just didn't have the knowledge to get the proper amount of explosives in relation to what they were blowing up. Could easily blame the manufacturer for not labeling their product properly. And also Republicans for not getting affordable Internet out to the low income communities. Too many variables in this story, let them rest in piece.

[@paullough4946]

So...Union inspired, Fantasy fueled Sociopathic violence...sounds like a modern day Police Department.

[@EPA3]

Don’t be mad because you ruined your own life by being on the wrong side of the law. Clown 😂