"The Reno Gang's Reign of Terror":
  The Scarlet Mask's Take on the Wild West Magazine Article of February 2004

By: The Man Behind the Mask

I guess it's pretty obvious that I have an interest in the Reno Gang of Indiana. The name of this website (and my company) is a direct reference to the Southern Indiana Vigilance Committee's favorite facial wear.

I'd like to think that I know a great deal about the Renos, the conditions that helped breed outlaw activities in the Hoosier state in the mid-19 th century, and the impact the gang had on other criminal activity in the decades after its demise.

So I read the Wild West article with more than passing interest. I don't know the author. I haven't heard of him before. I can't tell exactly which sources he used for the piece.

I can tell you that William Bell has the basic story correct. But there are some mistakes. And there's a lot that's been left out. Whether that's due to limited space or flawed sources or just plain wrong info, well, I can't say.

I'm not going to write the entire history of the Renos in this forum. The book is yet to come. But I can address some of the more glaring problems with Mr. Bell's article.

So here we go.

• The Article states that ".it is doubtful that a California gold field or Kansas cow town could be found that was as woolly as Seymour , in Jackson County, Indiana, after the Civil War."

• ScarletMask . Much of Southern Indiana was wild and woolly from the early 1850s onward. Outlaw activity was relatively common. The Levi-Rittenhouse Gang, based in the southeast corner of the state, was very active in a number of crimes (including robbery, murder, horse theft, counterfeiting, etc.). They shared members with the Renos. Another outfit worked the Indiana-Illinois border area due west of Jackson County ; they, too, shared members with other gangs. The Johnson Gang of Marion County was also a factor, and they also shared members with others. And there were a number of organized criminal enterprises in other parts of Indiana . To meet those threats, vigilantes had been in action as early as the 1840s-and they would continue their work through the end of the century.

• Article. The father, Wilkinson Reno, ".began raising a family on the 1,200 acre property."
  
  
• ScarletMask. The father's name was J. Wilkison Reno, not Wilkinson.  The Reno farm eventually grew to about that size, but initially it covered about 400 acres.
   
• Article. "William Reno's grave in the old city cemetery in Seymour has a soldier's marker showing he served in Company K, 140 th Indiana Regiment, but no record has been found of his service."
  
 
• ScarletMask. The National Archives has William Reno's Civil War papers. He joined Company K of the 50 th Indiana Regiment in August 1864. He lied about his age-he was 16 but told the recruiter that he was 18. Will claimed a $100 bounty for signing up in another man's place. He was given an honorable discharge at the end of the war.

• Article. "Sim (Simeon Reno) eventually joined the gang, as did William, who was still a teenager."

• ScarletMask. There's little evidence that William was a full-fledged gang member. It's not clear that he participated in any of the train robberies. He did not accompany his brothers on their treasury robberies in Indiana , Illinois , Missouri or Iowa . He may have lured travelers to the Rader Hotel, where many were eventually robbed. But it's telling that some versions of the New Albany lynchings say that Frank, Simeon and/or Charley Anderson begged the vigilantes to spare William because he hadn't done anything to deserve it. Wilkison Reno also claimed that Will was innocent.

• Article. "'Honest Clint' ( Reno ), as he was called, stayed in Jackson County while the Reno Gang operated. Circuit Court records show he was arraigned in February 1880 for 'keeping a gaming house,' but there is no disposition listed for the case. He may have later migrated to Iowa and died there."

• ScarletMask. Clint was indicted for assault and battery in 1874. He was found guilty and paid a $5.00 fine. In 1878, he was accused of selling liquor to a minor-eventually he paid a $50.00 fine. He was also indicted for keeping a gaming house in 1885 and 1890, but it's not clear what the disposition of the cases was.

Clint did move west in later years. He died in a Topeka , KS , insane asylum in 1921. Reportedly, he had been suffering from delusions for several years-most involved religion, such as the voice of God speaking to him. Clint was said to have been terrified that he would burn in Hell for his sins.

• Article. " On August 3 (1865), (the Seymour Times ) ran an editorial that condemned lawlessness in Jackson County and called for vigilante action to restore order."

• ScarletMask. True. Dr. Jasper Monroe did make such a call. He probably even suspected that the Renos were involved in the crimes-after all, he'd owned the Rockford newspaper before that town was burned down in the 1850s, and as Mr. Bell notes there were plenty of rumors that the Reno boys had held the matches that lit the fires. Monroe is believed to have been a member of the vigilance committee; he undoubtedly wrote the 1868 committee broadside, warning local criminals that they would face a hempen necktie if they didn't behave. By the way, that warning was first published in a German language newspaper in Louisville , days before it appeared in English in Jackson County . Monroe was fluent in German.

  But interestingly, Dr. Monroe also appears to have liked John Reno. In an article about his arrest for the burglary of the Daviess Co., Missouri treasury, the good doctor wrote: "As to John Reno, he has some taste for a horse race, a cock fight, or a good round bet on an election. He is a sober, quiet, self possessed, courageous young man. He is generous to a fault, kind and sympathetic, and is by no means the hardened character which the timid detectives of Missouri take him to be. No one in want would appeal to John Reno for assistance in vain if it took his last dollar. We regret very much that he has turned his attention to so shabby a business, but they who know him would yet take his word or trust his honor in preference to that of very many men who couldn't be induced to blow up a safe."

• Article. "In the months after the Civil War, southern Indiana had become a hotbed for Copperheads, Southern sympathizers who supported the reconstruction of the South. State elections were coming up on October 9, and anger against the Reno Gang was replaced by hatred for the Copperheads."
  
   
  • ScarletMask. Southern Indiana was primarily populated by people who had moved up from Kentucky and Tennessee . During the 1850's debates about states rights, slavery, etc., the residents of Jackson County tended to support the views of the South. When the war began, not after, Indiana officials declared that Jackson County was a hotbed of Copperheadism and Peace Democrats. Voting patterns confirm that; Democrats dominated the local elections. And many favored allowing the South to go its own way; Jason Brown, a state legislator, future Senator and the Reno Gang attorney, was so vocal in his pro-Southern beliefs that he was jailed for a time. It's quite likely that the Renos-who still had family in Kentucky -were also Copperheads. And if so, might their crimes be seen as attacks on Union resources (a la T.J. Stiles' theory on Jesse James)?

• Article. Regarding a May 1865 train robbery at North Bend , Ohio , which some believe is the first true holdup in U.S. history. "Exactly who was responsible for that holdup has never been determined."

• ScarletMask. In a strict sense, that is correct. No one was ever convicted of the robbery. However, Union troops tracked down a number of Kentucky men who were implicated in the crime. They were returned to Ohio for trial, but the charges were dropped for a lack of evidence-the outlaws had been masked during the incident, and nobody from Kentucky would agree to testify against them. At the time, some people thought that the Renos might have been involved. That's debatable. But they would have known of it because it received a lot of attention in southern Indiana -especially since it occurred just across the Ohio border. And the railroad work experience of Frank, John and Simeon would have given them additional ideas about how to carry out such a robbery.

• Article. Regarding the train holdup of October 6, 1866. "The men (likely John and Sim Reno with Frank Sparks) backtracked to where they had left the safe and met with Frank Reno, William Reno and some other gang members."

• ScarletMask. This is pure supposition. It's not clear just who did what in this holdup. And it's not certain how many men were involved, although it is believed that there were three robbers on the train. Again, there is some doubt that William Reno was present.

• Article. "Unknown to the Renos, the Adams Express Co. was under the protection of the Pinkerton Detective Agency in Chicago . Shortly after the robbery, Allan Pinkerton was on the case..."

• ScarletMask. There is no evidence that the Pinkertons became involved in the Reno case until late in 1867. The initial "Wanted" notices were under the Adams Express name; if the Pinkertons had been hired at that point, Allan Pinkerton would have made sure that his company was noted on the announcement. Adams Express hired undercover agents to get information on the gang. By 1868, the Pinkertons had taken a major role in the proceedings, especially in the effort to extradite Frank Reno and Charley Anderson from Canada . Yes, to this day the Pinkertons say they took the investigation lead in 1866. They're wrong on that, and other things as well.

• Article. "The year 1866 ended with the December 29 robbery, rape and murder of Marian Cutlor."

• ScarletMask. That is correct. But this article isn't clear as to whether or not this was done by Reno Gang members. It probably wasn't. This was not the type of crime that the Renos condoned; there was no real profit in it. The Renos were fairly smart, and they knew that this type of attack would rally people against them.

• Article. Regarding the September 28, 1867 train robbery. "This copycat holdup at Seymour was at first thought to be the work of the Reno brothers but was later attributed to two local men, Walker.Hammond and Michael Colleran. They pulled off the heist without any great difficulty and escaped with as much as $8,000. But then came plenty of trouble. Hammond apparently had eyes for a woman named Lettie Neyland, who John Reno claimed as his girl. The hot-tempered Reno tracked down Hammond, who was in Seymour trying to persuade the woman to leave the area with him and his newfound wealth. Reno gave Hammond a severe beating and then turned him over to the sheriff."

• ScarletMask. Mostly correct. Hammond and Colleran were "associates" of the Renos; they probably thought they could make a quick buck and get away with it. It's also true that the Renos turned them over to the authorities (without the money, it should be noted). The name Lettie Neyland is puzzling. Wilgus Wade Hogg used that name in his fact-based novel, The First Train Robbery . But John's girlfriend-and mother of his child-was Mollie Nagle, a neighbor who came from a respectable family. Whether or not Hammond made a pass at her is not certain. John Reno claimed it was true in his autobiography. John was known to tell "windies," however, to spice up the truth just a bit. An interesting side note: Walker Hammond would later team up with Henry Underwood, the mentor to Sam Bass in Texas , to pull some jobs. They both went to the Indiana State Prison at Michigan City in the 1880s. They would be joined by John Reno.

• Article. "Frank and John Reno decided it would be safer to make their next foray out of state. They headed to Missouri ."

• ScarletMask. Half right. John went to Missouri , probably with buddy Val Elliott, to rob the Daviess County Treasury. Frank stayed in Indiana . A number of Hoosier county treasuries were burglarized during this time. Frank was arrested for hitting the Clinton County safe, but was found not guilty (reportedly his lawyer told folks as he was leaving the courthouse that of course Frank pulled the job).

• Article. "On December 4, when John went to the Seymour railroad station, a half-dozen Pinkerton men reportedly hopped off a train and arrested him with the help of the Daviess County sheriff. However, the December 19 issue of the North Missourian said that Reno was arrested by 'Captain Ballinger and Woodruff of Daviess County in Indianapolis.'"
  
   
  • ScarletMask. Ah, the old "kidnapped from the depot" story. The Pinkertons still claim that was what happened. John adds fuel to the fire by confirming it in his autobiography (although he doesn't give credit to the Pinkertons, just unnamed detectives). It's a great story, but it didn't happen.

     
    Archives in Missouri and Indiana hold a large number of messages between the governors of the two states. Ultimately, Indiana gave Missouri the green light to come and get John. Sheriff Ballinger went to Indianapolis and met with his counterparts to formulate a plan to arrest John-who was living the high life at the city's finest hotel, The Palmer House (along with his lady fair Mollie Nagle). Joab Woodruff went to Jackson County and arrested Frank Sparks, not Val Elliott. Sparks had an airtight alibi and was later released.

At the Palmer House, a bellboy went to John's room twice to tell him that someone wanted to see him downstairs. Both times, Mollie turned him away. The Indianapolis Chief of Police made the next attempt, and this time John went with him. Reno was turned over to Ballinger, and they took the train back to Missouri the next day.

• Article. Regarding the move of Simeon and William Reno from the Scott County jail to New Albany. "The two Renos were given a preliminary hearing in the Scott County town of Lexington, where the militia was called out to prevent mob action after Laura Reno begged Indiana governor Conrad Baker to protect her brothers. Afterward, Sim and William were taken 30 miles to the newer, sturdier jail in New Albany, Floyd County, Ind., to await trial."

• ScarletMask. The Reno family paid to have Will and Sim moved to New Albany. Money went to officials in Lexington and Floyd County. The move itself was done in secret and under cover of night. It was accomplished none too soon-just hours after the boys had been spirited away, a group of vigilantes raided the jail, only to find their intended targets gone.

• Article. Regarding the Night of Blood-December 12, 1868, when the Renos and Charley Anderson were lynched in New Albany, IN. "The masked men, about 100 of them, formed into columns."
  
   
  • ScarletMask. Numerous sources gave different reports on the number of vigilantes who went to New Albany. The train from Seymour to Jeffersonville consisted of the engine and two passenger cars. It is highly unlikely that 100 men could have crammed themselves into that space. A better estimate is that around 50 men made the trip.
     
• Article. Regarding vigilante actions intended to gain entrance to the jail section of the building. ".(Sheriff Thomas) Fullenlove refused to hand over the keys to the cells, but after a detailed search, a member of the mob found the keys in the drawer of a washstand."
  
   
  • ScarletMask. Basically true. However, the sheriff also reported that the vigilantes threatened to hurt/kill both him and his wife. They may have intentionally inflicted additional pain on his wounded arm in an effort to make him talk. These boys were not fooling around.

     
    Also, the use of the word "mob" is questionable. The actions of the vigilantes were well planned, organized, and precise. This was not an out of control, poorly coordinated group of wild-eyed men.

   
• Article. "The bodies of the three Reno brothers were turned over to their sister, Laura, and Frank Reno's widow, Sarah, and they were buried in Seymour."
   
• ScarletMask. Charley Anderson's widow was also in the area when the lynchings occurred. His body was buried in the New Albany area.

The four bodies were cut down on the morning of December 12. They were then moved to the local courthouse, where they were laid out for public viewing. It was there that the women found the corpses. It's interesting that no photos of the bodies have ever been found. That was a common practice in those days. None of the reports of the incident mentions photos being taken, so it's entirely possible that no death shots were made.

• Article. "No vigilantes were ever identified."
  
   
  • ScarletMask. Actually, a photo of Jackson County businessman Travis Carter, found in the Pinkerton files, identifies him as a vigilante leader. Whether he was Number One is not certain, but it is likely that Carter was a member of the group.

     
    Interestingly, when the Scott County officials decided to build a new jail to replace the rickety structure that briefly held the Renos, the contract was given to Ben Carter-Travis' son.

ILLUSTRATIONS

• Article. The left-hand photo on page 30 is identified as being John Reno.

• ScarletMask. This does not resemble the known photo of John (with Frank Sparks) that was taken by Dick Winscott, probably in 1867. It does resemble the photo of Frank Reno-an illustration of which also appears on page 30. I believe that the picture on the left is that of Frank Reno.

• Article. The map on page 34 entitled "Territory of the Reno Gang." It basically shows the bottom third of Indiana.

• ScarletMask. This does not take into account the many out of state jobs carried out by the gang. Further, it doesn't cover the crimes that took place in central Indiana. The map is not entirely accurate in that regard.

• Article. Photos of the John Reno gun.
  
   
  • ScarletMask. I've seen the pistol, and it does have the John Reno engravings. That, of course, does not necessarily mean that this was John's gun.

  Larry Reno, WOLA Board member and distant cousin of the Jackson County Renos, has in his possession a "belly gun" (a pistol with a very short barrel) that also has John Reno engravings. Its provenance is also open-ended.

• Article. The broadside issued by the Southern Indiana Vigilance Committee on page 36.
  
   
  • ScarletMask. This did appear on December 21, 1868. However, an earlier version appeared in a Louisville German language newspaper several days before that.
     
•  Article. The photo of the Reno brothers' markers in the Seymour cemetery.

• ScarletMask. It's not clear that the boys are actually buried in this location. The bodies were moved at least once, and the family was concerned about the possibility of desecration of the remains. John's body is supposed to be buried near those of his brothers, unmarked. It could be within the pictured enclosure. Or not.

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