Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-01-18
The Missouri Outlaws.
an Intellectual Dash after the James
Brothers-Systemutic Operations.

The Missouri Outlaws.
an Intellectual Dash after the James
Brothers-Systemutic Operations.
The ubiquitous James boys, whose
exploits have given the Missouri border
such an unenviable notoriety during the
last two Or three years, have again turn
ed up on their native heath in Clay
county, Mo-, and after lively skirmish
with the sheriff and his posse have, as
usual, disappeared. This was their first
dress parade on their own stamping
ground since the Mortified raid, which
terminated SO disastrously to the three
desperadoes known as the Younger
brothers, who were lately retired to the
Minnesota penitentiary for life, and to
two other robbers, Charley Pitts and
Clel. Miller, who were picked off during
the skirmish in front of the Mortified
bank. The James and Younger boys
originated and executed all the bold.
opesf dayfigis bans and day and night
train robberies not only in Missouri, bnt
in Illinois, Kentucky, West Virginia,
Iowa and Kansas, One of their former
comrades paid the penalty of his crimes
in Kentucky, being hunted down and
shot as a fugitive after the bank rade in
West Virginia; and another, who had
been arrested and imprisoned at Law
renee, Kansas, for participation in the
train robbery at Munsie, was also shot,
after breaking from jail, while endeavor-
ing to flee from the State. Now, add to
this count Hobbs Kerry, who is still
held a prisoner at Jefferson City, and we
have the sum total Of nine, who year
ago comprised the invincible banditti
known as the James-Younger gang.
Their exploits always partook of
senli-military character, were planned
upon the same model, were all execu-
ted in the same way, and with a cool
and desperate courage Of which but few
men are capable. They were no COM
mon robbers, but had an ambition to
make themselves famous, and few such
characters have appeared i'll modern
history. Even John A. Murrel, cele-
brated as he was in his day, was no such
character as these Missouri outlaws.
They had the genius to adapt them
selves to the conditions Of their age.
The money for which they ventured
was not in the pockets of travellers, o.
to be made by capture and ransom of
rich mobiles, as in Italy, nor in the
pockets Of lords, squires and stage coach
passengers, as in the days Of Dick Tur-
pin and Claude Duvai. It was kept
in the strong vaults Of banks in popu-
lous towns, or carried in iron safes in
railway trains, surrounded by scores of
people. Banks were ne yer molested at
was the business Of burglars
but in broad day, during a panic il.
duced By the sudden appearance ofarm-
ed men among an unarmed people, who
were threatened with death fthey eros
sed certain limits. And it was only
when the country selected for retreat
made it necessary that railway trans
yVp~n Stnrl-aI at niybt
Then, again, they always had base
Of operations--in general, in Clay,
Jackson, and st. Clair counties, Missouri
refuge i'll the Indian Territory, and
another in Texas. 1t has been ascer-
tanned that the latter was generally us
ed after a robbery, the former before.
That they had confederates in these
places does not admit of doubt. The
booty resulting from their enterprises
during the last two yeaTs is estimated
at nearly s250,0O0, III some instances
amounting to $4,000 OR $4,000 at a
single robbery, A considerable portion
of these ill-gotton gains is supposed to
have been distributed among their SYM
pathizers and paid to friendly officials,
who permitted them at intervals to roam
through the country unmolested. 1t is
true a price was placed upon tlieir heads
by various State officials, but they elud-
ed arrest and virtually defed the authori-
ties in Missouri, thwarting every expe-
dition sent against them by the most
experienced detectives.
But with the capture Of three Of the
most noted members Of the gang, the
killing oftwo, and the flight of the James
brothers, it may be questioned whether
such another gang Of plunderers can
ever again be organized or maintained
in western Missouri. The mother of
the James boys has sold her farm in
Clay county and changed her abode for