- This event has passed.
Ottawa’s Role in the Biggest Train Heist in American History – Sunday Afternoon Ottawa History
June 9 @ 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
On June 12, 1924 around 9:00 p.m. two bandits climbed over the engine tender of R.P.O. train 57, 30 miles outside Chicago. The two men covered the engineer and firemen at gun forcing them to stop the train near Rondout, Illinois.
Four other bandits were a Rondout, staked out in black Cadillacs. As the train approached, the four rushed and forced 12 workers out of the train. They proceeded to threaten the workers with gasses and weapons, while securely armed with masks and explosives. Together, the six bandits emptied the mail car of all 52 pouches containing over $2,000,000 in goods.
During the attack, one fatal mistake was made. The engineer had stopped the train too far past the designated spot; one of the bandits left his post, and was shot five times by one of his own. The man survived, but was badly wounded. This near fatal mistake would eventually lead Inspectors to those responsible.
Presented by Chuck Stanley. $10 per person. ($9 for Museum Members).