Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-09-08
THE TRAIN BAND.
Pursuit Of Them Ont Of Lafayette into
st. Clair County, fO.-lh heir
Escape.
The Details OF the Pursuit-The b rds
FlOWr, and the Pursuers Retdrh
Detected and Hungry
Fighting Ahead.

From the ST. Louis Democrat
SEDALIA, Mo-. September 4, 8 am
Your correspondent has Just had an in
terview with a member of the Lafayette
county vigilance committee, who re-
turned to this city on Friday night,
after a fruitless pursuit of the Younger
and James boys, who are supposed to
be the daring perpetrators Of the Iowa
train robbery. Immediately after the
occurrence an Iowa detective, who for
obvious reasons desires that his name
should not appear in print, was en-
ployed by the railroad and express COM
panies to ferret out the thieves and bring
them to justice. The official at once
organized band OF eleven picked men
to aid him in endeavoring to capture
the outlaws, and knowing that the
James boys, who were among the sus-
pected ones, had been living part of the
time in Ray county, and subsequently
in Lafayette county, in this State, they
headed for Aulville, where they were
Joined by the Lafayette county vigilants
The pursuing party soon struck the trail
Of the robbers and captured magnificent
mare belonging to one of the Jameses.
She was sent to Dubuque. Getting wind
Of the preparations that were being made
for their capture, the Jameses managed
to make their escape from Lafayette
county. The trail was lost for time,
but the detective soon received infOrma-
ton, which afterward proved to he cor
rect, to the effect that the robbers had
gone to join the Younger boys at their
home, near johnson City, a village in
st. Clair county, some eighty-fve miles
from Sedalia and fifteen Orsixteen miles
- ZTC,4r,., n h, 4r,-o
enth of August the vigilance committee
arrived in Sedalis, and the officers Of the
Missouri, Kansas and Texas road fur
nished them with a special train with
out delay The official in charge of the
train had orders to take the party to any
point on the road that might be deemed
necessary to further their project. A
stop was made at MontrOse, where the
committee left the train and took wagons
for the vicinity Of johnson City, ar
irving there about midnight. They left
the wagons and teamsters by the road
side, in order that it might appear as
though they were engaged in hauling
lumber, while the main body of the
pursueTs took to the woods and made
their camp. Scouts were then put to
work to ascertain if the robbers were
really In the neighbOrhOOd, and this
fact was soon determined beyond a
doubt. AT two o'clock on Friday morn
ing one of the scouts came in and stated
tnat the Younger boys hsd put up for
the night at their home in the suburbs of
johnson City. The scout had taken the
precaution to notify the teamsters as he
passed, and the wagons were driven to
the camp. The plan of attack was
speedily decided on, and the committee
started for the "RObbers' Roost,n ar
irving therein a short time. 1T was their
intention not to make any demonstra-
ZION until daylight, but in approaching
The house a member of the party
cried out, "ClOse up upon it." This
brought matters 20 a climax, and the en-
fire party advanced on the house, their
guns bearing on the doors and windows.
The inmates were ordered to surren-
der. and as no signs of fight were visi-
ble. il was soon ascertained that the
onlv occupants of the building were
women and children, and that the OBJ
iects OF the pursuit had made good their
escape. The women pretended to be
very much frightened, and denied that
the robbers had been in the vicinity.
They afterward claimed to have been
grossly abused by the vigilRnts, and 1t Is
Teported on good authority that mem
Der Of the family has gone to Jefferson
CITY to see Governor WOOdson with
reference to the affair. The committee
returned to Sedalia on Friday night, very
much chagrined at their bad luck, and
very angry. They complained Of hav-
ing had nothing TO eat, and stated that
they themselves had been eaten up by
chigres and ticks. They stacked arms
at the Ives house, kept their six-shoot-
ers in their pockets, and got outside Of
numerous "square meals.n The next
morning they took the train for Aul-
vile, and on arriving their disbanded
and gave up the chase. Various rumOrs
are atiOat in regard to the whereabouts
OF the robbers, among them being one
to the effect that they are travelling
southwark in the direction of Texas
Your correspondent is In q position to
know that this is not correct, end some
startling developments in regard to the
outlaws may be looked for in day or
two.