Outlaw Roy Gardner’s Loot
The saga of Roy Gardner, often dubbed the "Last Great American Train Robber," is a compelling blend of daring heists, audacious escapes, and lingering mysteries surrounding the whereabouts of his ill-gotten gains. Active in the early 1920s, Gardner carved a notorious path through the American West, leaving behind a legacy of both criminal prowess and unanswered questions about his hidden Outlaw Roy Gardner’s Loot.
Born in Trenton, Missouri, Gardner’s early life was characterized by a transient existence across the expansive landscapes of the American Southwest. Raised in Colorado, he developed a familiarity with the rugged terrain that would later serve as both his hunting ground and his refuge. Little is known about his formative years, but at some point, he married and became a father to a daughter, adding a layer of complexity to the narrative of a man who would soon embrace a life of crime.
Gardner’s ascent into infamy began on April 16, 1920, with a brazen daylight robbery of a mail truck in San Diego, California. The young, curly-haired bandit managed to abscond with a significant haul of $78,000 in cash and securities. The operation was executed with remarkable precision, showcasing Gardner’s meticulous planning and audacity. However, his initial success was short-lived. Just three days later, law enforcement apprehended him, marking the beginning of a tumultuous cat-and-mouse game that would captivate the nation. His name, once obscure, would quickly become synonymous with daring criminality, rivaling the notoriety of legendary figures like Jesse James.
Sentenced to 25 years at the notorious McNeil Island Federal Penitentiary near Tacoma, Washington, Gardner immediately demonstrated his defiance of the law. The prison, renowned for its impenetrable security, had never witnessed a successful escape. Yet, Gardner, undeterred, vowed never to serve his sentence. On June 5, 1920, while en route to McNeil Island by train, Gardner, along with two fellow inmates, orchestrated a daring breakout. Overpowering their guards during a return trip from the dining car, they vanished into the surrounding landscape, signaling the beginning of Gardner’s reputation as an escape artist. This initial escape ignited the legend of Outlaw Roy Gardner’s Loot.
The following year, on May 19, 1921, Gardner resurfaced, this time targeting the Southern Pacific Railroad. He boarded the mail car, subdued the clerk, and made off with a staggering $187,000 in cash and securities near Roseville, California. The audacity of the robbery and the sheer scale of the theft further solidified his image as a formidable outlaw. However, his luck once again proved fleeting. Two days later, while engaging in a casual game of cards at a pool hall in Roseville, Gardner was apprehended. In a desperate attempt to reduce his sentence, he offered to lead law enforcement to the location where he had supposedly hidden the stolen money.
The offer led to a wild goose chase through the surrounding hills, with Gardner leading the officers on a frustrating and ultimately fruitless search. Finally, with a mixture of defiance and amusement, he declared, "I guess I have forgotten where I buried that money." This statement only added to the mystery of Outlaw Roy Gardner’s Loot, turning it into a tantalizing enigma.
His antics earned him an additional 25-year sentence at McNeil Island. On June 10, Deputy Marshals Mulhall and Rinckell embarked on the journey from San Francisco with their notorious prisoner. Gardner, true to form, reiterated his vow never to serve his sentence. The very next night, as the train approached Portland, he managed to escape again, showcasing his remarkable ability to exploit vulnerabilities in security. However, his freedom was short-lived. An alert hotel proprietor in Centralia, Washington, recognized him and promptly notified the authorities, leading to his swift recapture.
This time, Gardner was transported to Tacoma, Washington, under heavy guard, laden with irons to prevent further escape attempts. McNeil Island, a formidable prison surrounded by frigid waters and strong currents, seemed an insurmountable challenge. The four-mile-long and two-mile-wide island was considered inescapable. Yet, on Labor Day, September 5, 1921, Gardner once again defied expectations. While observing a baseball game between prison teams, he seized an opportunity to escape. With two fellow prisoners, Lawardus Bogart and Everett Impyn, Gardner exploited the distraction as a batter sent a ball soaring into center field. As the guards’ attention was diverted, the three men crawled through a hole in the fence and made their daring dash for freedom.
As they made their way toward a nearby pasture, seeking cover behind livestock, a barrage of bullets rained down upon them. Impyn was fatally shot, and Gardner sustained a bullet wound to his left leg. Bogart, also wounded, urged Gardner to continue. Despite the chaos and the imminent danger, Gardner managed to reach the timberline. Within minutes, prison guards launched a massive search, confiscating every boat along the shoreline. Gardner, wounded and alone, remained hidden in the woods, evading capture. The mystery of Outlaw Roy Gardner’s Loot deepened with each escape, fueling speculation about his possible plans for the hidden wealth.
Warden Maloney initially refused to believe that Gardner had successfully escaped the island. However, as days turned into weeks with no sign of the elusive outlaw, the authorities were forced to concede the possibility. Newspapers across the nation hailed him as the "Smiling Bandit" and the "King of the Escape Artists," cementing his legendary status. Silence shrouded Gardner’s whereabouts until November 3, 1921, when a lone bandit held up a Southern Pacific train in Maricopa, Arizona. Although nothing was stolen, the mail clerk identified the perpetrator as Gardner.
Just days later, on November 15, 1921, Gardner attempted to rob a mail train in Phoenix, Arizona. However, the mail clerk, a physically imposing man, fought back. During the struggle, the gun discharged, but no one was injured. This time, Gardner’s luck ran out. He was apprehended, and an additional 25 years were added to his sentence. He was transferred to Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Kansas, and later to the Atlanta Federal Prison. While incarcerated in Atlanta, he attempted another escape, but this time he was unsuccessful. The failed attempt resulted in a harsh punishment: 20 months in solitary confinement.
Upon his release from solitary confinement, Gardner’s mental state deteriorated. He was transferred to St. Elizabeth Hospital for the Insane in Washington, D.C., before ultimately being sent to Alcatraz Island to complete his sentence. During his time in Alcatraz, his wife divorced him, further isolating him.
Despite multiple appeals for clemency, Gardner remained imprisoned until 1938. In 1939, he published his autobiography, aptly titled "Hellcatraz." However, the demons of his past continued to haunt him. In January of the following year, Gardner ended his own life in a small hotel room in San Francisco. In his final explanation, he stated that men who had served more than five years in prison were doomed and that he was simply old and tired.
His death marked the end of a tumultuous criminal career, but the mystery of his loot persisted. It is estimated that approximately $250,000 of his stolen money remains hidden to this day. Gardner, constantly on the run, never had the opportunity to spend his ill-gotten wealth, nor did he have partners to share it with. The tantalizing question of where he stashed his fortune has fueled speculation and treasure hunts for decades. The legend of Outlaw Roy Gardner’s Loot lives on, captivating the imagination of those who dream of uncovering a piece of the past.
One enduring legend suggests that Gardner hid approximately $16,000 in gold coins within the cone of an extinct volcano near Flagstaff, Arizona, before his capture during the 1921 train robbery. But what about the remaining fortune? Is it buried somewhere in California, Washington, or perhaps scattered across the vast landscapes in between? The precise location of Outlaw Roy Gardner’s Loot remains one of the great unsolved mysteries of the American West, a testament to the enduring allure of a daring outlaw and the tantalizing prospect of uncovering his hidden treasure.