The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-03-24
SAVED BY PRAYER.
How Jesse James Happened to Spare q
Doomed Mans Life. . .sr. E
TFrom the Kansas CITY MailI


TFrom the Kansas City NALL
The famous detective, Pinkerton, has
I given the James boys the name of being
blood-thirsty wretches, who could
never be moved from their purpose Of
killing when 6nce they made up their
mind.
A gentleman from Clay county, how
ever, related one instances to O Mail re-
porter last evening, which goes to show
that there was, at one time at least,
a tender spot in the heart of Jessie.
The story, as told by the gentleman,
is that, two years ago, man, tbgether
with his family, lived ON bottioA 8f
Mrs. Samuels' farm. He rented so
many acres from the old lady, and the
renter and Mrs. Samuels fattened
beef in partnership. When the beef
was killed they fell out over a diWs
of the spoils, each claiming the hide
and tallow. The dispute over this
waxed warm until the p(an in heat o.
passion said to Mrs SarIuels, "You art
- har." The old lady, looking
straight at him, said, 81 shall tell Jess.
about this" and, turning on her heels
went to the house. The next day, ar
Mrs. Samuels' tenant was standing in
the road in front of his house, convers-
ing with a Mr.. Chancellor, of Clay
county, noise was heard in the corn
field adjoining, and in few minutes a
horse and rider jumped the rail fence
and Jesse james stood in the presence O
the man who had insulted his mother
At the sight of Jesse the man turned
rs pale as death and looked as if he
were about to sink 10 the earth.
Riding close to him, Jesse said:
Did not you know that would kill
you for the language you used toward 1
my mother? If you have anything to
say do it quickly, for you have only a
short time to live"
Just at this time the wife of the ap-
parently doomed man came screaming
out of the house begging Jesse not to
kill her husband. With a stern com
mand of Get back into the house,
madame, quick" the woman went in
weeping bitterly, and with strained |
nerves she awaited the dread crack OF |
Jesse's revolver, which would make her |
a widow.
Turning to the trembling man before |
him, Jesse said: "Get down on your |
knees and ask forgiveness for your sins
before I kill you"
Dropping down on his knees in the
middle of the public road the man of
fered up such a prayer to Almighty
God as was never heard in the old
county of Clay. The gentleman pres
ent, an unwilling spectator to the af-
fair, said he never heard stoh touch
ing and beautiful prayer in his life
With the tears streaming down his face
the man besaught the Almighty to re-
,eiVe his soul and take care of his chill
lren and wife, soon to be without a
atEer or husband. Mr. Chancellor
Turing the prayer glanced several times
1t Jesse, who with drawn pistol sat
ternIy on his horse looking at the sup
,liant before him. Before the PRAYER
vas concluded the stem lines upon
face seemed to relax from their
7onted severity, and hope dawned
IpOn the mind of the gentleman that
esse would relent from his stern pur-
'ose.
At the conclusion of the prayer the
nan closed his eyes and awaited the ex-
'ected shot that. would send him to
teTnity. But he was not destined to |
lie. The beautiful words cf suppli- :
alton had touched the better chords of
esse's heart, and the demon within I
i'm was subdued. Addressing the still
neelng man, he said: at ought to kill
on, but for the sake of your wife will I
i've you six hours to get out of this t
Ountry. Be quick, before change my t
lind" I
The reprieved man rose to his feet 6
nd poured out such d touching volume S
thankful gratitude that the gentle '