Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-11-29
HOW the Jameses Escaped.

HIohi gentleman OlreCt from lin
nesota, and who lives right in the
neigh borhood of where the Youpeers
were captured, we yesterday obtained
some interesting incidents connected
with the escape Of the James brothers,
never before published.
He states that if the robbers had
had good knowledge of the country,
there is no doubt but what they all
would have made their escape as easy
as they did after one of their transac-
tions in Missouri. After the gang got
into thicket they pushed ahead until
they found themselves upon pcninsu-
Ia entirely surrounded by lakes and
marshes, from which there was no es.
cape except by narrow neck connect
ing with the main land. This neck
was guarded by the pursuers, and con-
sequently they were hemmed in the
trap into which they had unwitttngly
walked.
While in thicket composed of
sumach and prickly ash, where 1t was
impossible to see a man ten feet, the
James boys left the Youngers and pro-
ceeded to strike out on their own hook.
They followed up small creek for
considerable distance, and finally trac-
ing it to its head, came out upon the
prairie in the direction of Garden
City. Here they were in quandary.
To proceed was dangerous; to turn
back was doubly SO, for they knew
they had escaped the thicket just in
time to prevent being surrounded.
There was but one course to pursue
and that was forward. And forward
they went. Straight through the town
while it was wild with excitement.
With defiant, easy nonchalance they
bodily passed by the armed groups who
were preparing to take the field, who
little dreamed that the dreaded objects
of their search-the famous Missouri
bandit chiefs-were right at their ell
bows, and listening to their converse,
tion and plans. With a domitable
nerve and iron will Frank James con
cealed the lameness occasioned by the
ball in his leg, and strobe along with
all the elasticity of the step of a youth.
Fortune, it is said, favors the brave,
and this very boldness was their safe
guard. The people who thronged the
streets and sidewalks did not dream
that any of the band dared to approach
a country road, iaueh less pass through
the heart of their town. Consequently
no attention was paid to the two stall
wart men, who wound their way amid
them and safely gained the outskirts of
the village.
Here they drew long breath of
relief and congratulated each other on
their good fortune. Although the
whole 'untry was alive and armed
parties guarded every road, they were
out on the broad prairie where they
could see for miles, and not in treach-
erous thicket, where they could be
surrounded and shot down like dogs
The next step was to procure horses,
and once we'll mounted, armed as they
were. they could bid defiance to the
hosts who were On their trail with the
keen scent Of sleuth-hounds
. They took the high road and pur-
sued their course unmolested. They
frequently met parties, who, recogniz-
ing the horses, thought Of course they
were sent out by the owner on the
same mission as themselves. When
not in sight of these parties they struck
into long swinging lope, which car
ried them over the ground at an aston
ishing rate of speed, and soon put them
ahead of their pursusrs, who by this
time had discovered that the two men
who had sauntered so carelessly through
the throngs of Garden City were no
less personages than Frank and Jesse
James. Two hours after the James
had left the house where they had ta-
ken dinner, party rode up in hot
haste after them; and learning that
two men answering their description
had been there and were on foot, they
sped away on their track, confident of
overtaking them. When they came to
| the place where the horses were taken,
the pursuers knew the speed, bottom
and endurance of the animals, which
united with the character of their
riders, made their bright prospects of
contemplated capture very slim.
1he gallant grays bore their riders
to safety, and the reader knows the rest.
And this is the unwritten leaf in the
history of the Mortified robbery.
Mr.. Tennyson is now 66 years old
a man still in his prime of thought and