The Gang's history

The Fleagle Gang robbed banks and trains in Kansas, Colorado, Oregon and California of over $1 million in the 10 years they operated. Crimes in other states including Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri have been credited to the Fleagle Gang, but they have not been investigated enough to be certain it was their gang.
Three gang members, Ralph Fleagle, George Abshire and Howard Royston, were "jerked up" at the Colorado Penitentiary a little over two years after committing the Lamar, Colo., bank robbery. The fourth, Jake Fleagle, was trapped and shot in October 1930 on a train in Branson, Mo., by postal inspectors and detectives from several states. A total of 54 men were arrested and questioned about the Lamar bank robbery, and at the time Ralph Fleagle was arrested five were in jails in Colorado awaiting trial.
The book details the search, arrests and court procedures as well as the reward cases after the robbers were convicted and killed. At the time of the robbery rewards totaling $44,000 were being offered, but by the time the court began handing out the reward money a bit over $14,000 was available. People from at least five different states received money for their part in solving and bringing the gang members to justice.
(Submitted by Kyle M. Condon)