The Reno Gang in Scott County

May 22, 1868

The Reno brothers were born and raised in southern Indiana during the mid-1800's. "Honest Clint" and his sister Laura were the two siblings who never involved themselves with the crime sprees of their brothers. Frank, John, Bill (his involvement with the gang is uncertain) and Simeon, however, chose a path that began with cheating travelers out of money in card games and ended with a lynching in Hangman's Crossing, Indiana.

During the Civil War, the brothers enlisted for the army, taking payment and never showing up for duty. After enlisting under multiple aliases (collecting money each time) and returning home, the Reno Gang was formed and the first store and bank robbery followed. As the war drew to a close, several other gang members joined the Reno brothers and the train robberies began. For several decades to follow, others throughout the country would copy the crimes committed by the Reno Gang.

On May 22, 1868, the Reno Gang boarded a train in Marshfield, Indiana and took control. After taking over the engine, uncoupling passenger cars and throwing the express messenger off the train, the gang broke into the safe and carried away somewhere near $96,000. The majority of that money was never recovered; however, the railroad hired Allan Pinkerton in hopes of bringing the gang to justice. 

A documentary called The Legend of the Reno Brothers was released in December 2013...read more about it here: The Legend of the Reno Brothers

and try a legendary Hoosier dessert below:

Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie

2 cups heavy cream

½ cup flour

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

3 T granulated sugar (for sprinkling)

½ cup whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 – 9” pie crust

1 T unsalted butter

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine heavy cream, flour, brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, whole milk and vanilla.

Fit the crust into a 9” pie pan and dot the bottom with butter. Pour filling mixture into crust. Combine cinnamon and remaining 3 T granulated sugar and sprinkle on top. Bake pie until center is set and firm to touch (about 1 hour). Cool on a wire rack.

*recipe is from Nick's Kitchen in Huntington, Indiana. visit Nick's Kitchen at: nickskitchen.net