On September 26, 1872, the James Gang robbed the box office at the Kansas City Fair right in the middle of a crowd. The 1872 Kansas City Industrial Exposition attracted nearly 60,000 visitors each day. The K.C. papers praised the outlaws for how daring they were.

This post was contributed by Ross Malone. A historian and a retired school teacher, Ross has authored many books about Missouri’s history, weird facts, and folk tales. He has also written children’s historical fiction. Visit his website, and buy his books in the Missouri Life store.