The Last Train Robbery

The Fairbank Train Robbery of February 15, 1900, was a chaotic clash between Old West outlaws and a determined lawman. Orchestrated by corrupt deputies-turned-criminals Burt Alvord and Billy Stiles, the robbery aimed to loot a Wells Fargo express car at the Fairbank station. Their gang expected an easy score but instead faced Jeff Milton, a hardened express messenger who, despite being shot, fought back with deadly force. What unfolded was one of Arizona’s last great train heists.