Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1877-12-13
RANDE.
TRAMP AND MURDERER.
SKETCH OF HIS CHARACTER.

SKETCH OF HIS CHARACTER.
Frank Rande, the tramp and mur
derer, who was captured at St. Loui
recently, and who fatally wounded
one OF the policemen who affected hi
arrest. has earned the reputation o
being the most desperate and har
dened william of modern times. HI
was professional burglar and traml
by his own admission, and claims b
has killed seven men in his time
He served term of two years in th'
Joliet penitentiary-1875-76-forb bur
glary. On the 4th of August last
he shot and killed man named Bel
den, near ellison, Knox county, Ills.
who was attempting to arrest him fo
burglarizing his house. About
month afterward, at St. Elmo, Ills,
he murdered three men-Messrs
Scoles, Barnes and Wiseman, who
were also endeavoring to effect hi:
arrest for burglary his present shoot
ing of officer White in St. Louis
makes five known murders since Au
gust, besides in the same time woun
ding four others. He is said to hav.
formerly lived in Washington county
Pennsylvania, but whether his rea
name is Rande or where he is from h,
will not state, merely answering OF
being questioned, THAT'S my busi
ness" He appears to be a well edu
Gated fellow, who, had he used hil
opportunities, might have made s
useful citizen. His experience in The
penitentiary, he AYERS, where he was
cruelty used, determined him never
ID be taken alive, and hence his des.
perate resistance to arrest.
The following extracts from pub
lished interviews with Rande will give
the reader pretty good idea of the
character of the man:
Sheriff Hitchcock, of Peoria coun-
ty, in company with some citizens OF
Elmwood, His, called to see Randc
who looked long and searchingly at
the Sheriff and said rather musingly.
$50, you are Frank Hitchcock
The bright-eyed, observation-disclosures
ing man replied, THAT is my name. -
They tell me you have been fol-
lowing me ever since last August,
and that l would not have been caught
only for you. L guess you are q
pretty game sort of a fellow but
hate you, and l would have killed
you if you had crossed my path
T'h" tiA'i" man who left three fin
gers in the war, whose face is covereu
with sears received in desperate en-
counters with the worst and most
dangerous of mankind and has never
come off second best, did not reply
with a suggestive boast, but merely
said, "Mcn who have been in the
peniyentiary generally do dislike OFF,
GERS
"That's lie; l never was in the
pen"
"You were in Joliet for two years
-1S75 and 1876"
Its id lie; l have been in
Jail, but never in the pen at Joliet. "
Easy does it; know better. /
found your box at Bloomington yes
tcrday, and it has got your diary in
it, while there, and q lot of other
stuff, poetry, and songs
"Well. I'll be d-d!"
"You certainly will," interpolated
bystander.
"Well, l haven't got there yet
said he casting a lurid glance at the
speaker. "Oh, yes" continued
Hitchcock, 81 enjoyed reading the
stuff. 1t is hardly polite reading,
and the songs would never become
popular. There is one in particular
about your hatred of policemen.
Can't you repeat it!"
81 can only remember the chorus
of the song, and it goes like this:
Come all you jolly convicts
And listen to me wcll
Take my advice, and if you are 'nipped'
Why send the nipper to h-l.
You seem pretty cheerful, young
| fellow, under the cir :umstance."
''Well, it is better to be that way
I'd Just as soon die as not"
You would have been good one
with the Jameses or Youusels," s>-if
Stewart.
"Weil, If l had been let alone
would have got there
Charley MCGOWAN stepped up t.
The bedside and said, ''Do you re
member me.
.'No," vas the gruff response.
well, you ought to, for you stooC
within three feet OF me when you sho
me through the lungs, and don't yo'
forge: that / know you"
Sheriff Hitchc ock returned to th
fcharge and asked about the box a
Bloomington.
'srhat's my box Of course" wa
the reply.
"Wasn't it for burglary and lai
ceny that you were sent up to Joli
et?"
"Yes; / suppose you will find OF
anyhow. Don't you forget that
am q burglar, and as good one Z
ever wasted himself on farm house
when he might have been doing goo
for himself in the big cities"
Subsequently to the above inte