Ben Kilpatrick – Train Robber of the West
The annals of the American West are replete with figures who, for better or worse, carved their names into the landscape of history and folklore. Among the outlaws and desperadoes who roamed the territories, few are as intriguing or emblematic of the era as Ben Kilpatrick, a name synonymous with train robbery and a member of the infamous Wild Bunch.
Born on January 5, 1874, in the rugged terrain of Concho County, Texas, Ben Kilpatrick entered the world as the third of nine children. His parents, George Washington Kilpatrick, a farmer originally from Tennessee, and his wife, Mary, likely envisioned a life of honest labor for their son. However, the allure of the open range and the promise of quick riches proved too strong for young Ben.
Growing into a man of imposing stature, Ben Kilpatrick stood tall at 6 feet, 2 inches, earning him the fitting moniker "The Tall Texan." Beyond his height, he possessed a striking physical presence. He was light-complected with pale yellow eyes, each uniquely marked with a violet spot. This distinctive feature, coupled with his reputation for being "absolutely fearless," made him a memorable figure in the saloons and settlements of the West. Before embracing a life of crime, Ben Kilpatrick initially worked as a cowboy, a common occupation for young men in the burgeoning cattle industry. It was during this period that he crossed paths with other individuals who would later become his partners in crime, including Thomas and Sam Ketchum, and William Carver. These encounters planted the seeds of rebellion and discontent, fostering a desire for a life beyond the drudgery of ranch work.
The transition from cowboy to outlaw was a gradual one, fueled by the belief that there were easier ways to acquire wealth than through honest labor. Ben Kilpatrick and his newfound associates formed the Ketchum Gang, a group that specialized in robbing trains in the New Mexico Territory. These early ventures provided them with both experience and a taste for the adrenaline-fueled life of a bandit. However, their criminal enterprise suffered a setback when a train robbery went awry. Facing the prospect of capture and imprisonment, Ben Kilpatrick made the decision to flee, seeking refuge in the notorious Robbers’ Roost in Utah. This isolated and lawless enclave served as a haven for outlaws from across the West, providing a place to regroup, plan new heists, and evade the long arm of the law.
In 1898, Ben Kilpatrick joined forces with a group that would cement his place in Western lore: the Wild Bunch. Led by the charismatic and cunning Butch Cassidy, the Wild Bunch was a collection of some of the most notorious outlaws of the era. Alongside Cassidy were the Sundance Kid, Harvey Logan (also known as Kid Curry), George Curry, William Carver, Elza Lay, and Bob Meeks. The Wild Bunch was not merely a gang of thieves; they were a highly organized and disciplined group, known for their audacious heists and their ability to evade capture.
During his time with the Wild Bunch, Ben Kilpatrick also became romantically involved with Laura Bullion, a woman who had previously been in a relationship with Will Carver. Bullion, often referred to as "Della Rose" or "The Rose of the Wild Bunch," was a complex and enigmatic figure, known for her beauty, intelligence, and loyalty to the gang. She played a vital role in the Wild Bunch’s operations, providing them with support, information, and a safe haven when needed.
The Wild Bunch embarked on a series of daring and profitable train robberies that would make them legendary. On August 29, 1900, Ben Kilpatrick, along with Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, Harvey Logan, and William Carver, held up a Union Pacific train at Tipton, Wyoming. This heist was followed by a brazen raid on the First National Bank of Winnemucca, Nevada, on September 19th, which netted the gang a substantial sum of $32,640. The following year, the Wild Bunch struck again, robbing a Great Northern train near Wagner, Montana, and escaping with a staggering $65,000.
However, the Wild Bunch’s reign of terror was not destined to last forever. Law enforcement agencies, spurred on by the railroads and banks that had been victimized, intensified their efforts to track down and apprehend the gang. The pressure began to mount, and the Wild Bunch found themselves increasingly on the run.
On April 2, 1901, Ben Kilpatrick was with William Carver when they were ambushed by Sheriff Elijah Briant and his deputies near Sonora, Texas. While Kilpatrick managed to escape, Carver was fatally wounded in the shootout. Following the ambush, Ben Kilpatrick and Laura Bullion fled to St. Louis, Missouri, seeking to lay low and evade the pursuit of law enforcement. However, their stay in St. Louis was short-lived. On November 8, 1901, the pair were arrested. Kilpatrick was subsequently convicted of robbery and sentenced to 15 years in prison, while Laura Bullion received a five-year sentence.
Kilpatrick served his time at the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia. After serving ten years of his 15-year sentence, he was released in June 1911. But, upon his release, Ben Kilpatrick seemingly found himself unable to resist the lure of his past life. He was suspected of participating in several train robberies outside of Memphis, Tennessee, in November 1911 and February 1912, as well as other smaller robberies in West Texas.
The final chapter of Ben Kilpatrick‘s life unfolded on the evening of March 12, 1912. The Galveston, Harrisburg, & San Antonio Railroad Train No. 9 departed from Del Rio, Texas, with engineer D. E. Grosh at the controls. Shortly before midnight, the train stopped in Dryden to take on water. As the train prepared to depart, Ben Kilpatrick and Ole Hobek, an ex-convict he had met in prison, boarded the engine. The masked men forced the engineer to proceed to the first iron bridge east of Baxter’s Curve, located halfway between Dryden and Sanderson. There, the bandits ordered the train stopped and the passenger cars and caboose uncoupled from the engine, mail, and baggage cars. The engine then crossed the bridge and continued about half a mile down the tracks, where the robbers had horses waiting.
While Ole Hobek remained with the engineer, Ben Kilpatrick went to the baggage car with David Trousdale, the Wells Fargo express agent assigned to the train. As they passed a shipment of iced oysters, Trousdale seized an ice mallet and concealed it in his clothing. Kilpatrick filled a bag with approximately $60,000, but as he prepared to leave, Trousdale struck him on the head with the mallet, killing him instantly. Trousdale then armed himself with Kilpatrick’s gun, and when Hobek became impatient and came to investigate, Trousdale shot and killed him as well.
The Baxter’s Curve Train Robbery, also known as the Sanderson Train Robbery, was one of the last train robberies to occur in Texas. The bodies of Ben Kilpatrick and Ole Hobek were photographed and subsequently buried in a shared grave at the Cedar Grove cemetery in Sanderson, Texas, marking the end of a life marked by crime and violence.