The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-11-16
MisfeAareuns.
THE HOUSE OF THE JAMES
BOYS IN BLAIR COUNTY, MO.
An Impregnable Cabin in the Midst
of Woods-The Midnight Assault
by Detectives-W Why the Bandits
Went to Northfield.
From the Chicago Tlmes.l

KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Dot. 10, 1876.
Recently visited the home of The
James boys-a farm house in Blair coun-
ty, about three miles from Kearney, an
obscure station on the line of the Hanni-
bal and st. Joseph Railroad, situated on
an open lot of few acres, around which
the forest trees grow in abundance. Bnilt
Of logs, the house is impreg able if an
attack is made upon it. Mrs Samuels
the mother of the boys, with son and
her husband, DR.. samuels, reside here
They mingle little with the outside world
and dislike to make aCquaintances
Knowing the desperate character of the
"boys"-as they are familiary known
the nelghbors prefer to leave these peo-
pie alone, and SO the farm is seldom Wis
tied by any but the family.
When | entered the house, in company
with an old gentleman well-known to
the family, l first met the wife Of Jesse
James, who had come over from Kansas
City that day. OF course was curious
to see young woman who could delib-
erately join her fortunes through life
with desperate, who is charged with
a desperado, who is charged with more
crimes, and greater ones than any crimi-
nal of the present day.
She is not handsome. OF rather grace.
ful figure, her features are irregular, her
mouth large, and her general appearance
that of woman from the lower walks of
life. She was not introdnced as Mrs.
James. Her connection with jesse she
endeavOrs TO keep a secret, but WAS in
formed of her marriage when it occurred.
She had little to say in The conversation
that ensued between Mrs. Samuels and
her visitors, and after few moments
withdrew from the room.
Mrs. Samues, the mother of the high
waymen, proved 10 be all exceedingly
intelligent old lady, who talked freely of
every subject but her SONS, and where
they were, and insists that the perseCu-
ton they and the family suffer ed during
the war is the cause of their being out
laws. She declared that if they could
have a fair impartial trial they would
gladly give themselves up and let the law
take is course, knowing their innocence.
Exposing the stump Uf her arm, and
with blazing eyes, she went on TO tell me
how her little son was murdered in
coWardly attempt to capture Jesse, when
he was not in the house at sll THE
detectives threw hand grenade into the
house that awful night, when we were all
asleep, and it exploded, killing my dar-
ling and shatterlDg my arm. The cow
ards fired upon US, and then fled, escaping
under cover of darkness. The murder
Of that boy, and the loss of my arm, will
be avenged some Of these days, as GER
tain as my boys are living"
could get her to talk Of nothing else,
and she grew very violent as she thought
Of her httle boy who was killed, as she
said.
The house is constructed like old-fash-
ioned block houses, small holes being left
through the logs, out Of which guns can
be fred at an attacking party; 1t would
be dangerous TO tackle the boys inside
ofthis dwelling and some bloody work
would be sure TO follow.
The friends of the James boys-and
they have many through this section
are delighted at their escape from Min.
nesota. They repeat, with evident pride,
that the Jameses can never be caught like
the YOungers were-alive. They will
fght as long life lasts, they say.
have described the house OF the James
boys, now let me tell you something
about the Youngers.
There are hundreds of people in this
county who remember these boys as
peaceable industrious farmer lads. The
war came and they were turned intO
fiends by carnage and bloodshed. Their
home was broken up, father killed, and
many Of their relatives sent over the river
never to return, Those were terrible
times, and for what the Younger boys
did during the war they had good ex-
cuse. But their record since the advent
OF peace has been 80 black as TO lace
every mans hand against them.
The home of Cole Younger, after the
war, WIS with his widowed mother OH q
farm. near Lees Summit, in this county
He was quiet fellow, and settled down
10 work IN though he intended TO be q
straight, forward man from that time on,
In the sams town, v carpenter by trade
and one Of Cole YOunger's associates dur
ing the war, WIS John Jarrett, one Of the
three members OF the gang SIill NJ laTgS