 OUTLAWS Alexander County Genealogy Trails THE BROWN BROTHERS Transcribed and submitted by Darrel Dexter
Down at Olive Branch the latter part of last week, two men named Brown assaulted
officers who had them under arrest and Deputy Sheriff Silas Coleman was so badly
injured that he died the following Monday. He was beaten over
the head with a bludgeon. The Brown brothers are
said to be regular desperadoes and have been the terror of that section
for a long time, everybody being afraid of them. One of their
favorite pastimes was the capture of trains on the new Chicago and
Eastern Illinois railroad and they had even planned a hold up and train
robbery. The ruffians have friends among the lawless
elements, but his last outrage will likely be the culmination of their
criminal career and may bring them to the gallows.
The Brown brothers took refuge in a cave inthe northwest part of Alexander county and a posse of deputy sheriffs went out from Cairo Sunday determined to get them dead or alive. (Source: Jonesboro Gazette, Jonesboro, Illinois, 23 Feb 1901) Bud and Luni Brown, who used to be around here (Springville, Union Co) a good deal, have come to serious trouble in Alexander County. A bill was found against them in court last week for shooting into a train on the C & E I R R a few months ago. On Thursday last week two officers were sent out to arrest them and found them at Olive Branch. They captured the boys and Bud told one of the officers who had him that he would like to have a private talk with him and they stopped out behind a store house and Bud got the drop on the officer and slugged him in the head and then both boys made their escape. A reward of $200 is offered for their return. (Source: Jonesboro Gazette, Jonesboro, Illinois, 23 Feb 1901) Authorities of Alexander county have offered a reward of $200 for the capture of the Brown desperadoes. There is a rumor that these fellows went through Jonesboro last Monday in a freight car talking to acquaintances here who said that they were heavily armed and defiant. A number of people in Jonesboro are more or less acquainted with the Browns. (Source: Jonesboro Gazette, Jonesboro, Illinois, 2 Mar 1901) |