The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-10-11
WESTERN BANDITTI.
Remarkable Career of the James and
Younger Brothers.
The BAND Broken up after Fourteen
Years OfCrime.

ST. Louis, Me-, Reptember 2S-Two
wears ago, when Missouri had declined to
honor Carl Schurz with further Senator
ial honors, he retaliated by applying to
this common wealth the eplthet of 1.-THE
robber State During his political lec-
lures in the canvass of several States he
reiterated this again and again. lie
went further, aed attempted to hold the
| Democratic administration of Missouri
responsible for the bold bandit band
which began robbing banks and railroad
trains in the spring of 1868, and contln-
ued their operations almost with unvary-
ing success down to the raid on North
| field, Minnesota. The fact that the trails
after each one of these robberies led to-
ward or into Western Missouri gave TO
the criticism a coloring which other facts
did net justify. Schurz, however, did
one thing; lie gave to the robber band Il
national notoriety, and made the names
OF the James boys and the Younger
! brothers familiar to the whole country.
THE SECRET OF THEIR SUCCESS.
1t was not undeservId either. The
band which they represent has enjoyed
success paralleled by no other criminal or
outlaw organization on this continent
! For eight years these men bstiled the
best detective talent in the country. The
authorities in every State from West Nlr-
ginia to Texas and from Minnesota 10
the Cult. and the detectives Of Chicagr
| Cincinnati and Louisville. have all l.
turns taken hand in the pursuit OF IT,
robbers and in hunting them doWI q.
Their tactics were very simple, but they
never failed till the Mortified lob. The
secret of their success lay in their knowl-
edge of the Southwestern country and
their complete isolation from all but
known friends and old war companions.
They were contin dally moving but al
WAYS by unfrequented roads and over by
paths. There were nearly score In the
band at first, and periodically from four
to eight OF them would fall on bank in
some country town, or upon railroad
train at some way station. Halt OF them,
riding up and down the streets discharg-
ing revolvers and uttcring curses long
and loud, would throw the towns-people
into panic while the others, dismount-
ing. dashed iHto the bauk, overpOwered
the cashier and swept the contents OF his
safe into sack, and then the band would
be of like the wind, scattering after the
first few hours ride, and leaving Il tral.
so blind that pursuers were thrown too
far in the rear to ever make capture pos
sible. The attacks on the railroad trains
were similar, the objective point beng
always the express safes. individuals
were rarely or even molested save when
il became necessary on one OF these RAPID
retreats to enforce horse trade. In the
brief conversations which these men held
with their captives they protested rude
sort of chivalry, saying rich corporations
were their only prey, and they never
killed in cold blood.
THE ERRORS OF DETECTIVES.
That these men succeeded So long in
their netarious profession, it came to be-
seemed almost like mockery on the
capacity of American officers One mis-
take, and perhaps the worst made, was
that these officials commenced by attrl'
buting to the James and Younger tamI'
lies all the crimes, disregsrding the like
Ghood that there were others associated
with them, which has since proven to be
the fact. By this action OF the authori'
ties these outlawed men were able TO es
tsbhsh perfect ahbis in some OF these
cases. which intended to excite sympathy
for them and to confuse the officers
Then again. the descriptions became Sc
mixed that nothing could be made out OF
I them. When the various members 'oi
the Northfeld band were captured It wa:
utterly impossible TO identify theta unit
men who had known the outlaws person
Ally in Missouri were taken there to Iden
tlfy:them.
TIE RECORD OF THEIR CRIMES.
The career of these men as robbers
opened at Russellville. Ky, in the spring
> of 1860. where bank was robbed by SD
of them in precisely the manner before
described. In December, 1869 they rode
into GslIatin. Devriess County, Mo, kill
5 cd the cashier, John W. Sheets, and car
RED of the contents of the bank sale "
this occasion the robbers were traced K
= CLAW County, the home OF the Jane
boys' mother, and yet the outlaws estab
+. Gshed their innocence OF the crime by tn,
st6dsyi,s of the merchants OF LIB rty
where they had been the day 1.-THE rob
berry. The next exploit was ten month
later. when seven of the bandits rode NJ
to the gate of the Kansas City Exp Jsitiol
grounds, and in the presence OF ~
people robbed the ticket agent oil tn
I. dsy' receipts. Conrydon, Ia, was visit
ea on the 81 of June, 1871. and the BAN
relieved of all ITS treasure. In the tiigh
the robbers turned on pursuing part,
I. and yorsted them. The banks of Column
bis. XIV, and of St. Genevievo Mo, wer
next rsiied, and then in 1878 train wa
wrecked on the Rock Island and Paciti,
road lust east of Council Bluffs, and tn
= express car plundered. There an eng
I nser was killed, but the raiders resche,
Missouri in safety. They always disap
e neared m the western counties OF TIN
:; State. Subsequent Developments show
J. ed that from this State they stole quiet.
I away over the cattle-drlves to leSa:
y where they had ranches, and lived II
comparative security under assume
Q names. The next year after the low
: train robbery train on the 81 Lou
and Iron Mountain road was tagged a
Gadshill, and five men held as prisoner
!. two hundred passengers while they lels
: urely robbed the Adams Express cal
, The affair took place only sixty miles be
!. low st. Louis, but the retreat was safe
Q Muncie, Kan, a few miles west OF kanss