The train robber had a special place in Western history. To the whisky peddler and horse thief, he was a hero. Even honest folks admired his daring. To many folks, he was no more than a mere criminal; he robbed trains more out of contempt than greed, perhaps for some injustice done to him in the past. He may have had more nerve, but he mainly robbed trains for the money they carried, usually because he was too lazy for honest work.Train robbery was truly an American event. In no other country had it become a problem. Even though every railroad in America was held up one time or another, the crime was associated more with the American West, where the rails out distanced the ability to defend them and the desolate miles of track were made to order for the bandits.
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