The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-04-16
CANTON STARK COUNTY, OHIO, THURSDAY APRIL le 1874

more than a 10-eent shinplaster and a
knife with him" Then the robbers dressed
themselves in the best clothes to be found
in the store, selected even gloves, hair
brushes, and perfumery, took all the mon
ey, laces, silks, and jewelry in the building,
and filled their TASKS and cigar-cascs.
Then they ranged their prisoners in front
of the store and bandaged their eyes, one
standing over them till his companion had
made good his escape, when he stole qui-
etly off. A band was at once organized
which traced the thieves to Monegaw
Springs, where the robbers turned on their
pursuers and captured two hostages, whom
they held, threatening to kill them till.the
citizens agreed to turn back. This was
another exploit of the James or Younger
brothers, though 1t has never been widely
published. Their last performance was on
the St. Louis and Iron Mountain railroad,
on the 3lst of January, when at Gad's
Hill, l20 miles south OF st. Louis, they
signalled an express train to stop and went
through it artistically, securing several
thousands of dollars. 1t will thus be seen
that within very few months they have
worked away up near Omaha and away
down near Cairo.
And the James boys live within an
hours ride of Kansas City, town Of 40
600 inhabitants.
After the Gad's Hill robbery the Young
ers and Jameses rode south and West into
Arkansas, giving out that they were going
West to Texas and New Mexico, then
doubled and took q short turn northwards
the former making the Monegaw Springs
and the latter for Kearney. The Post
Office Department, the Iron Mountain
Railroad, and the Adams Express Com
panY--Which last organization boasts that
it never compromised with robber and
never was eluded by one-had set Pnker-
toms detectives on the track. They trac-
ed the robbers down to the Arkansas line
and then divided in pursuit.
The detective following the James boys
was Joseph W. Whicher. He was a
young man Of2e. stood almost six feet,
had blue eyes and light hair, and smooth
boyish face, with but a shadow of a mus
taohe. He was born in Des Moiues, Ia,
but as boy shipped from New York on a
fruit vessel trading to the Mediterranean
rising to be mate. He fell and broke his
ankle in 1871, and then took to the de-
tective business, In which he promised to
excel, being discreet, cool and courageous.
He reached Liberty, No, on the 10th, ,
4 uC6Odyg anu 1ClG LIS AAOACI VIII q Ddu-
ker named Atkins, TO whom he confided
his errand. Atkins tried to dissuade him,
but at last sent for the Sheriff, who told
him that the James boys were not at home
and that it would be very dangerous work
to go to the house as "their mother was
on the shoot" Whicher resolved to go
on, probably intending to reconnoitre be-
fore organizing an expedition. Report at
Liberty has it that the Sheriff, who went
to school with the James boys, served in
the rebel army with them, and always an
intimate friend of theirs, "gave him away"
and sent them word that an officer was
on their track.
On Tuesday afternoon at five o'clock
Whicher reached Kearney and set off
across the fields toward the James place.
He was never again seen alive.
That night, or rather the next morning,
between one and two o'clock, the ferryman
on the Missouri River between jackson
and Clay counties was hailed by some
mounted men on the north (Clay bank.
They said they were Deputy Sheriff Jim
Baxter's posse and had horse thief with
them, whom they were taking to Jackson
County, where they expected to capture
his mate. His assistant was on the Clay
side, but could not ferry the fiat alone,
and unless he came over they would cut
his boat loose. The threat decided him
to go, bat when he had crossed he found
that Baxter was not of the party, which
consisted of three men, whose faces were
covered with their mufiers and slouehed
hats, and fourth who was tied on his
horse by a rope fastened to both ankles,
his arms also being pinioned None of
them said anything while crossing, but
they let their prisoner down and he siam
ped about the boat as if to restore circula-
ton to his benumbed feet. Arrived on
the South bank they paid their fare and
rode away. The clock struck three as the
ferryman re-entered his house. He no
ticed that the prisoner was on a gray
horse.
A few minutes after three, Mr. Bolts,
who lives about eighty rods from the
Forks, where the Liberty, Independence
and Lexington roads diverge, heard three
or four pistol shots and sound of eallop-
ing horses.
At four O'Clock laborer at Indepen-
dence met man on q bay horse leading a
gray horse with sn empty saddle. The
bus driver going to the early train at In
dependence also met MIN.
The rider of the gray horse was found
at the Forks early that morning stone
dead He bore three pistol wounds-one
in the shoulder, one in the peek, and one
in the head. The last two shots had been
fired at so close range that his clothing,
skin and hair were blackened and burned
with powder A verdict Of death by the
hands of some party unknown" was re-
turned, and 1t was not until some days af-
ter that the body was recognized and
shipped to st. Louis.
The James brothers were seen that
Tuesday night for the first time since
their flying visit after the Iowa train rob
berry.
On Thursday they rode into Kearney
and warned several persons who had been
talking of the murder to keep quiet il
! they didn't want their heads blown off.
On Sunday party of men searched theiI
house, but found no trace Of them, and SO
great is the terror they have inspired In
Clay County that their names are never
mentioned save IN back rooms, and then
only in a whisper. And Clay county
has population of some fifteen thous-
and.
And now for the party which tracked
the Youngers. About the 7th they ran
their game to earth in the vicinity o.
MonegaW Springs, and cautiously awaited
an opportunity to make a capture. A
brakeman of the Iron Mountain road was
sent out as spy and captured by the
YoUngers in ravine where they were in
hiding, but ne played his part so well that
he was set at liberty, with a warning tc
leave the country. He reported at once
at Oscsola to the detectiUes-Allen,* oi
Chicago, and Wright Of ST. kouis, whose
real name is Du"kworth. They were ac-
companIed by Deputy Sheriff Edward B.
Daniels.
On Tuesday morning they set out and
called at the house of a man named Snuff
fer, an ex-surVeyor, of whom they asked
the way the way to Sims's farm. John
and James Younger were in the house at
the same time taking dinner. AS soon as
Snuffer had given them their directions
they rode away, turning to the left in
stead of to the right. This seemed strange
to him, and he mentioned the fact to the
Youngers. 81 know lhem," said John,
startiUg up from the table; " let's 60 after
them" James said, "Never mind; they've
gone. Let them CO." But John insisted
on following and lighting them, saying, as
he buckled on his belt, "Pd as soon be
killed now as next day, if it's got 10 be. "
They both mounted and spurred along the