G.R. Williamson
Kerrville, Texas
To the editor:
Between 1917 and 1924 Willis Newton and his gang robbed banks and trains in Texas, the midwestern states and Canada. They hit six trains and more than 70 banks, including those in the Kansas.
In addition, Willis and one of brothers spent time in the federal prison for a $3,000,000 train robbery in Illinois. I am a Kerrville, Texas, writer doing research for a new book on the Newton brothers.
Two months before Willis died in 1979 I did a lengthy interview with him and was able to get a bed-side interview two weeks before he passed away at the age of 90. I am very interested in locating pictures, newspaper articles and personal first-hand accounts of the robberies. If any of the newspaper readership has information on the Newtons, email me at: grwtexas@yahoo.com.
For the curious, Willis was unrepentant to the very end. He justified everything he did with the simple explanation that he was just stealing from other crooks.
