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Slingin' Seamus: Difference between revisions
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Gaius Mór's death - and the dissolution of the gang - would become a heavily disputed incident, both within contemporary outlaw circles and by modern historians. In July 1874, the gang launched a bank robbery in Perlesania, a town not far from Aliania. The robbery appears to have been a setup by local authorities, however; though the gang managed to break into the safe, the sheriff and deputies arrived far earlier than could have been reasonably anticipated. Two members of the gang, Marcus Enni and Michael Colla, were sent away by Mór with the money while Mór, Larcus, and the other member of the gang bought them time. The third member of the gang was killed by a shot to the head by a sheriff's deputy; what happened next was contentious. Some say, including Larcus's testimony, that Larcus and Mór stood side-by-side fighting off the deputies before Mór was shot and decided to give Larcus time to escape. Another account, circulated in newspapers and by the authorities, indicated that both men managed to escape but that Larcus shot Mór. The newspapers attributed various motives to this version - a disagreement between the two about the direction of the gang, Larcus's disappointment with his lesser share of their criminal gains, or a woman Larcus wanted that Mór was currently in a relationship with. Historians are greatly divided on which version occurred, but in any event, on July 10 1874 Mór was dead and only three members of his gang - Larcus, Enni, and Colla - survived. It appears that Colla believed Larcus's innocence whereas Enni did not and went his own way. Enni and Larcus would remain rivals for many years to come. | Gaius Mór's death - and the dissolution of the gang - would become a heavily disputed incident, both within contemporary outlaw circles and by modern historians. In July 1874, the gang launched a bank robbery in Perlesania, a town not far from Aliania. The robbery appears to have been a setup by local authorities, however; though the gang managed to break into the safe, the sheriff and deputies arrived far earlier than could have been reasonably anticipated. Two members of the gang, Marcus Enni and Michael Colla, were sent away by Mór with the money while Mór, Larcus, and the other member of the gang bought them time. The third member of the gang was killed by a shot to the head by a sheriff's deputy; what happened next was contentious. Some say, including Larcus's testimony, that Larcus and Mór stood side-by-side fighting off the deputies before Mór was shot and decided to give Larcus time to escape. Another account, circulated in newspapers and by the authorities, indicated that both men managed to escape but that Larcus shot Mór. The newspapers attributed various motives to this version - a disagreement between the two about the direction of the gang, Larcus's disappointment with his lesser share of their criminal gains, or a woman Larcus wanted that Mór was currently in a relationship with. Historians are greatly divided on which version occurred, but in any event, on July 10 1874 Mór was dead and only three members of his gang - Larcus, Enni, and Colla - survived. It appears that Colla believed Larcus's innocence whereas Enni did not and went his own way. Enni and Larcus would remain rivals for many years to come. | ||
==Aliania boys== | ==Aliania boys== | ||
With the end of the Mór gang, Larcus and Michael Colla began to work as a duo in various criminal enterprises, but for the most part this period between gangs - which lasted from July 1874 to May 1875 - was spent cattle rustling, the area in which Larcus had the most experience to date. Referred to simply as the "Aliania boys" by the papers and contemporaries, Larcus and Colla spent most of this time living outside of town due to the negative reputation Larcus had incurred on himself. As Marcus Enni had taken the lion's share of the bank robbery proceeds with him, the two began plotting the biggest job yet - the robbery of a government train which was passing near Aliania. Running by monthly, the two observed its routine for several months in early 1875. The train was responsible for the delivery of gold to local banks as well as weapons to local garrisons. Larcus reasoned that, in addition to the obvious value of the gold, government-procured munitions would be a valuable trading asset with other gangs. Between the proliferation of weapons and a prestigious "score", Larcus believed he could rebuild his reputation. Larcus and Colla gathered four hired guns to join them for the heist which occurred in late May 1875. It was successful, and his effort to sell guns to other gangs worked as anticipated, restoring his standing among outlaws and allowing him to return to Aliania as a far richer man. Larcus and Colla would form a new gang with the four men they used for the train robbery, a gang that newspapers would go on to call the "Seamus Express" due to its association with train robberies. | With the end of the Mór gang, Larcus and Michael Colla began to work as a duo in various criminal enterprises, but for the most part this period between gangs - which lasted from July 1874 to May 1875 - was spent cattle rustling, the area in which Larcus had the most experience to date. Referred to simply as the "Aliania boys" by the papers and contemporaries, Larcus and Colla spent most of this time living outside of town due to the negative reputation Larcus had incurred on himself. As Marcus Enni had taken the lion's share of the bank robbery proceeds with him, the two began plotting the biggest job yet - the robbery of a government train which was passing near Aliania. The new Lustenstád Railroad, running north to south from Cálfeld to Lustenstád, provided a new wave of opportunities for Afoncord's criminals, as would the connecting Magnag and Canete Railroad when it was completed in the 1880s. Running by monthly, the two observed its routine for several months in early 1875. The train was responsible for the delivery of gold to local banks as well as weapons to local garrisons. Larcus reasoned that, in addition to the obvious value of the gold, government-procured munitions would be a valuable trading asset with other gangs. Between the proliferation of weapons and a prestigious "score", Larcus believed he could rebuild his reputation. Larcus and Colla gathered four hired guns to join them for the heist which occurred in late May 1875. It was successful, and his effort to sell guns to other gangs worked as anticipated, restoring his standing among outlaws and allowing him to return to Aliania as a far richer man. Larcus and Colla would form a new gang with the four men they used for the train robbery, a gang that newspapers would go on to call the "Seamus Express" due to its association with train robberies. | ||
==Seamus Express gang== | ==Seamus Express gang== | ||
The Seamus Express gang was formed in May 1875 following the first of eighteen successful train robberies by Slingin' Seamus. The next seven years would be Larcus's career "peak", as the gang was extremely successful over this time, successfully robbing seventeen more trains while failing on only four occasions. This made Larcus rich and the [[Urcean frontier]] a dangerous place to be given the widespread proliferation of military arms among criminal gangs. During this period, Larcus operated openly within Aliania and became de facto leader of the town; as a result, it entered a period of steady population and economic decline such that, by 1880, it was a glorified gang camp, with about twenty camp followers (mostly prostitutes) and about forty private citizens, with a saloon (that Larcus now owned) being the focal point of town. Administrative problems and lack of available manpower meant that efforts to arrest Larcus were poorly organized, and following the defeat of a large posse of about twenty five men in July 1877, the Royal government ceased sending men after Larcus and instead focused on train security. With each successful robbery, the gang grew, going from the original six (Larcus, Colla, and the original four train bandits) to over thirteen men including Larcus and Colla. The gang remained proficient in small scale cattle rustling schemes between major heists, and by 1878 most ranchers would divert their herds in circuitous routes to avoid Aliania. | The Seamus Express gang was formed in May 1875 following the first of eighteen successful train robberies by Slingin' Seamus. The next seven years would be Larcus's career "peak", as the gang was extremely successful over this time, successfully robbing seventeen more trains while failing on only four occasions. This made Larcus rich and the [[Urcean frontier]] a dangerous place to be given the widespread proliferation of military arms among criminal gangs. During this period, Larcus operated openly within Aliania and became de facto leader of the town; as a result, it entered a period of steady population and economic decline such that, by 1880, it was a glorified gang camp, with about twenty camp followers (mostly prostitutes) and about forty private citizens, with a saloon (that Larcus now owned) being the focal point of town. Administrative problems and lack of available manpower meant that efforts to arrest Larcus were poorly organized, and following the defeat of a large posse of about twenty five men in July 1877, the Royal government ceased sending men after Larcus and instead focused on train security. With each successful robbery, the gang grew, going from the original six (Larcus, Colla, and the original four train bandits) to over thirteen men including Larcus and Colla. The gang remained proficient in small scale cattle rustling schemes between major heists, and by 1878 most ranchers would divert their herds in circuitous routes to avoid Aliania. | ||