Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-01-04
The Border Bandits.


recently in the wilds of Western Mis-
souri,. came across some unpublished
leaves from the history Of the guerilla
warfare that ragged almost necessarily,
during four years, from Iowa TO Louis.
lana. Quanirrll was the chief,ain par
erceIlence of the Southern guerillas,
and the Southwest people never tire in
the recital of his exploits and those of
his redoubtable lieutenaEts. Long be
fore the war closed these men became
the most daring band Of highwaymen
apd frccbooters ever known to America;
and it has been we'll established that
the series of audacious bank, express
akl train robberies that electrified the
West few years ago, are traceable to
these same desperadoes. During the
war they learned to live on plumber,
and when peace came the worst of them,
headed by the celebrated James broth
ers and Younger brothers, kept up the
business of numbering and stealing.
What they did was done with high
hand in tho broad daylight. They rode
into towns, shot down citizens, broke
open banks, carried off thousands of
dollars. They stopped railroad trains,
stripped the passengers of their valua-
bles and robbed the express. They
rode the tleetest horses, had no fear,
were dead shots, and for ten years es
capped capture in n time of profound
peace. They were in Texas to-day, in
Missouri to morrow. Their lives ap.
peared to be charmed, and they seemed
to travel on the wings of the wind. "A
sort of mystic romance grew up around
them. There were those who declared
that the Jameses and the Ycungers were
not connected with these incredible
feats of deviltry, but the best informed
Bnsw that no inexperienced man could
ride as they rode, shoot as they shot
and fight as they fought. There was q
boldness and rapidity of execution
about these robberies that could not be
attributed to fresh hands. The detec-
tives could do nothing. They followed
the phantom riders by day and by
night, and from State to State, yet they
were always baffled.
More than one detective bit the dust
in lAs zeal to capture the noted land
pHNes. Where they lived and who
were their friends and abettors was q
mystery. Yet it was known they had
some place for kind of hen3 ..arters,
and that they must have Lose to whom
they conhded their secrets. These mys-
teries remained unsolved until the great
Mortified Bank robbery in Minnesota.
The end had come ut last and the truth
was revealed. 1t was demonstrated
that the Younger brothers we're part
OF the desperate gang, and but little
doubt was left that the two escaping
ones were the James brothers. Here
ended the operations of these men. The
Youngers were put in prison for life,
and the Jameses have concluded to run
no further risks. Where they are and
what they are doing must, for the pres
ent, at least, remain secret. Some
say they are in Texas raising cattle,
while others say they are in Colorado
trying to make an honest living in the
mining districts. 1t was reported,
lately, that Frank James was in Mis-
souri,, and that he was all broken down
in health from old wounds and expos
ure. BE this as it may, they are still
being hunted by the detectives and
there hangs over them o shadow in
whatever land they may be-. These two
brothers are the last OF that famous
band OF highwaymen that grew up out
OF the remnants of what was known as
"Quantrel's command" the bravest
and most successful body of men that
took part in the late civil war. They
were nurtured in the troubles of '56,
the border feuds between Missouri and
Kansas. No other circumstances could
have produced such O class of men.
They delighted in blood and pillape,
but they had show of honor after all,
s,t, Al
other, and it was this that made
I'm friends out of people who ought
to have been their enemies. This much
IN the way of an introduction of some
OF those to whom this article relates.
In the fall of 1868 QUAINT: eli left
Missouri with company of 100 men,
passed through Arkansas and attempted
to go into Louisiana. They were mott
lied by Kirby Smith, then commanding
the rebel army in that country, that
they could not join his army, nor
would they be allowed TO remain in
Louisiana. Ii appears that he did not
want them on account of the bad name
tnat mad preceded them, and as he be-
neved they would do his army more
narm imam good in the way OF destroy
ing its discipline. The headquarters
Oi the louisiana State government were
theh o. shreveport and Henry w. Allen
was The chief executive. Nv same
means he heard of Kirby Smiths re-
iusal TO allow the men Of Ou.ntrelTs
command t. become soldiers In the
regular army or remain in the State.
anu ne sent for them himself and told
snem he would like them TO Join the
otate scouting service and be under his
immediate control. Qnantrell himself
seemed the invitation, but a number
ms followers, among them the James
ana 10 nger brothers, accepted the
Ouef OF Governor Allen. These elected
thelr Commander one Of their NUN.
oer, Named Joe Lee. who hal come
Som hear Independence, No. Since
sat little town has grown mn anne