The Santa Claus bank robbery of 1927

Special holiday bonus episode!

Christmas time, 1927, in the small central Texas town of Cisco. It’s a fast-growing, bustling town thanks to the oil boom of the early 20s. Two days before Christmas, children are laughing, shopkeepers are busy, and families are preparing for festive gatherings. But no one knows that Christmas is about to take a dark, bloody turn. Santa Claus is coming to town – but he’s not bringing presents.

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Snacks: Peppermint meltaway cookies, gochujang caramel cookies, chocolate chip cookie bark, Christmas monster cookies

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus_Bank_Robbery 
• https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/santa-claus-bank-robbery 
• https://www.wideopencountry.com/the-great-santa-claus-bank-robbery/ 
• https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/609749/santa-claus-bank-robbery-1927 
• https://texaspolitics.utexas.edu/archive/html/exec/governors/15.html
• “Charges filed as bank raid story told by youth.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Apr 11, 1926, p. 10.
• “Valera robber given 18 years.” Fort Worth Record-Telegram, May 5, 1926, p. 10.
• “Pardons asked for Valera robbers.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Aug 26, 1926, p. 9.
• “Ratliff held in corpus for Cisco police.” Abilene Reporter-News, Nov 6, 1927, p. 1.
• “Wounded Cisco bank bandit brought here: Police chief dies, shot by robbers.” Fort Worth Record-Telegram, Dec 24, 1927, p. 1.
• “Four Cisco bank robbers still at large.” Wichita Falls Times, Dec 24, 1927, p. 1.
• “2 girls taken by Cisco bandits are left when car abandoned.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dec 24, 1927, p. 1.
• “Cisco chief dead; two dying.” Abilene Reporter-News, Dec 24, 1927, p. 1.
• “Remaining robbers surrounded Tues. in Young County.” Corsicana Semi-Weekly Light, Dec 27, 1927, p. 1.
• “‘Santy’ bandit shot, caught.” The Brownsville Herald, Dec 27, 1927, p. 1.
• “Posse prepares for attack: Two remaining bandits of bank holdup in Cisco trapped near South Bend.” Abilene Reporter-News, Dec 28, 1927, p. 1.
• “‘Maw’ tells story of Helms ‘going on long trip’; made Santa mask.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dec 31, 1927, p. 6.
• “99 years in Cisco bandit case.” Abilene Daily Reporter, Jan 27, 1928, p. 1.