The New York herald., 1878-11-25
KIDNAPPING GRANT.
DENIAL OF THE STORY THAT THE JAMES
BROTHERS TRIED TO CAPTURE HIM.
Ernnn fhe 81 Panl pinneer- Presa1

BROTHERS TRIED TO CAPTURE HIM.
From the st. Paul Pioneer-Press.1
The readers OF the Pioneer Press undoubtedly read
the article in Sundays paper with reference to the
attempted kidnapping Of General Grant in the spring
OF 1864, in which ii was reported that the two
Younger brothers, the James brothers and John
Jarrett were connected. With idea OF getting at
the facts in the the reporter through the kind
ness of the warden Captain Reed, was permitted to
interview Cole Younger wio after carefully reading
the article referred to- denied the thing in toto and
proceeded to relate the condition Of affairs at the time
as known to himself and horne out by history. Gov
ernor Allen, he says, made any such proposition,
for being confidential terms with him and holding
many conversations upon the situation and condition
of affairs, he would be very likely To have known
Something about H. Besides the James brothers
at this time with Quantrens guerrilas in Missis-
sippi and never in Louisiana ut all. Jim aud
Bob were not in the army at the time mentioned they
both being quite young aged respectively fifteen and
eight years. They at home. Coles whereabouts
and operations he related follows:In the fall OF
1strt, he. in charge of company, and David G.
Poole of another, under command OF Captain John
Jarrett, with 200 men strong, acting as partisan
rangers in the detached service, came nom missouri
by way Of Texas. a march of nearly one thousand
miles, to drive off the freebooters who We're stealing
and carrying of everything OF value upon the Missie
sippi River and their first raid was made on Deccm
her ~, 1863 Fights were had at Omeka, Miliigan'
Bend and Goodrich's landing from which they fell
back to Bastrap about the 27th Of the Same month.
They succeeded in driving everybody, save the set
tiers of the river from Mgan Bend to Lake Provi
dence distance of about one hundred miles by tho
river. One thing only successfully resisted their
raid and that a camp Of smallpox patients They
naturally considered themselves unable tn take that
and retired in haste. There were regular federal
troops in this vicinity at that time There was conf
siderable 6ghting however and much bloodshed-
but all prisoners taken treated prisoners
At the conclusion Of the raid tho command went to
General Shelby's at Camp Whitehall. In Camden,
Ark. and Cole there joined the regular army. This
was in JANUARY 1864 Joe Lee remained at Moore
house parish Bastrap raised battalion and opera
ted from that time until the close OF the war upon
the Mississippi River.
The siege of vcksburg was in 1863 and that place
surrendered in July Of that year. after which. AMI at
the time of the alleged attempt at kidnapping, Gen
eral Grant in Virginia The headquarters OF tho
federal army at Jackson, Miss, and not 1t Mili
gan's Bend, while the commands of the southern
army were vested in General Kirby Smith. com
msnder OF the trans Mississippi department. General
Holmes, of the State Of Arkansas; General sterling
Price, OF the army in the field; General Shelby,
Of the brigade and General Marmadukc OF the divis-
ion.
During the conversation Cole became very much
interested, talking quite earnestly and describing the
scenes and incidents with much minuteness In this
connection 1t may be remarked that the offcers OF
the Pcntentiary have relaxed none of their original
vigilance toward the Younger brothers. but ever keep
q watchful eye upon their movements. The whole
discipline of the prison is excellent being af higher
standard than before known in the history OF the
institution.