The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-12-01


The career of these men as robbers open
ed at Russellville, Kentucky, in the spring
of 1868, where bank was robbed by six
of them. In December, 1869, they rode
into Gallatin, Devries County, Missouri,
killed the cashier, John w. Sheets, and car
ried off the contents of the bank safe-
On this occasion the robbers were traced
to Clay County, the home of the James
boys mother,and yet the outlaws establish
ed their innocence Of the crime by the af-
fidavts of the merchants of Liberty, where
they had been the day of the robbery
The next exploit was ten months later
when seven of the bandits rode up to the
gate ofthe Kansas City Exposition grounds,
and in the presence of 10000 people rob-
bed the ticket agent of the days receipts.
Conrydon, Iowa, was visited on the Sd of
June, 1871, and the bank relieved of all
its treasure. In the flight the robbers
turned on a pursuing party and worsted
them. The banks Of Columbia, Kentucky,
and of Ste. Genevieve Missouri, were next
raided, and then in 1878 train was wreck
ed on the Rock Island and Pacific Road
Just east of Council Bluffs, and the express
car plundered. There an engineer was
killed, but the raiders reached Missouri in
safety. They always disappeared in the
western counties of this State. Subsequent
developments showed that from this State
they stole quietly away over the cattle
drives to Texas, where they had ranches,
and lived in comparative security under
assumed names. The next year after the
Iowa train robbery train on the st.
Louis and Iron Mountain Road was tagged
at Gadshill, and five men held as prisoners
two hundred passengers while they leisure
ly robbed the Adams Express car. The
affair took place only sixty miles below St.
Louis, but the retreat was safe. Muncie,
Kansas, few miles west of Kansas City,
was chosen as the place for stopping the
Kansas Pacific train, and Wells, Farg &
Co. lost $40, 900 worth of gold dust. The
same day another detail of the gang made
a descent on the Corinth bank, in Missis-
sippi. There was no installing the handi-
work. 1t was the same programme in
every instance, and the trail led straight to
Missouri. The Huntington, West Virginia,
bank went next, and then the Missouri
Pacific train at Otterville last summer.
BOOTY AMOUNTING TO $25O,OOO-TnE FATE
OF THE BAND.
This is the record of the principal rob-
berries down to the Mortified affair. In
every instance the booty was taken, vary
ing in amount from $4,000 to 100000
quarter of million the total aggregate
Not man was killed or captured until
the Muncie affair, when Bill McDaniels,
arrested in Kansas City on other charges
was found in possession of part of the
Wells, Fargo s. Co. plumber. In trying to
make his escape he was MORALLY wounded,
but died without revealing his confeder-
ates. jim Read was killed in Texas, and
confessed his connection with the gang,
but was mute as to his partners. In the
flight from Huntington, Thomas McDaniels
was MORALLY wounded, but never spoke q
syllable to his death. Jack Dean was cap
tured, and is now serving out term in the
West Virginia penitentiary; but his lips
are closed, like the others, by a solemn oath
which all have taken. Clell Miller and
Bill Stiles were killed in the attack on the
Mortified, Minnesota, bank. Charlie
Wells was killed in the fight near Madelia,
and two of the Youngers-Co and
Robert-with Calvin Carter, are now
prisoners. In fight with the Pinkerton
ueeeCtiFeo hoai osCeoiu, IS tHlS otdte, after
the Iowa train robbery, John Younger was
killed and james Younger crippled for
life. The gang of nearly score has been
within two years narrowed down to Frank
and Jesse James, Bill Kinds and John
Jarrette, the last brother-in-law of the
Youngers. In all probability they will
never rally again, and the career of the
Missouri bandits may be said to have
ended with the Northfield fight and
fight.
THE LAST OF oUANTRELL's GUERILLAs.
These men are the last of the Quantrell
band of guerillas, the few survivors OF
those who sacked Lawrence, Kansas, and
who waged war of determination along
the border. The fire and sword which
Jennison and his Jayhawkers brought into
Missouri they carried back into Kansas
Both bands were so atrociously cruel and
blood-tbirsty that Federal and Confederate
authorities were both loath to recognize
them as allies or belligerents. They were
land pirates and carried black flag.
Cole Younger at II led one of the com.
panies Of Quantrell's command at the at.
tack on Lawrence. Strange as it may seem
nine-tenths OF the members of this gang