The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-04-20
Senator Vests Experience.

United States Senator George &. Vest
ington, one evening last winter, with rem
inscenres of his law practice in Missouri,
when the conversation drifLed around to
the James boys. Some one asked the Sen
ator if he had ever met the bandits, and he
replied that he had once, and under cir
cumstanCes calculated 10 impress themselves
upon his memory. Charging MS hearers
10 not repeat the story, which injunction
one ofthe group, a popular young Missou-
ri congres sman, Jailed to bear in mind, the
senator related has experience somewhat as
follows:
Old Joe Shelby, the Confederate general,
who, at the close Of the war, did not sur
render, but marched his men to Mexico and
offered his services to MaXimillian, is au
old ""iend on mine, and lac had been urging
me for long time 10 come down 10 his
splendid place in Lafayette county and
spend a few days hunting and fishing. 1t
was shortly, n Jew days, perhaps, aiter the
Gads Hill robbery, on the Iron Mountain
railroad, that completely worn out Dv close
attention 10 the business in the Sedalia
courts, | determined to run down to the
farm and rest few days. | took
the night train on the Lexington branch of
the Missouri Pacific, and got of at the little
station near the Shelby place, called
Page City. 1t was Il beautiful
moonlight night, and as the house
was but little over mile distant. / Shout
dered my double barreled shotgun, which
had taken along for some sport and trudged
over the white lane leading to the home
stead. The old home was surrounded by
some tall forest trees, and | had just
emerged from their shadow into the moon
light, twenty steps from the house, When
clear ringing voice cried out, "hal,!'' and
at the same instant / saw shining in the
a polished ritle-barrel protrud-
ing ON a partially raised open widow: L
felt that the mau at The other
end of the ride had bead drawn on me,
and l halted. I became a statue. My blood
seemed to chill. In a moment. 1t seemed
hours to me, heard old Joe'syoice ring out,
"Who are ysu?n
"G-g-george Vest come down to see
you" replied, my lips trembling in spite
of me.
"Wait a minute " was the reply.
waited five minutes and then here was
a rafting of bars and chains and Tie Front
door was opened cautiously, End | was bid
den TO lay down my gun end approach. |
did so until came close to The door, when
Shelby's voice said 1T is all light boys, |
will vouch for him" | then ente.e rud
'ooEed about me. The cosy li,,le sitting
room had been converted INTO q iUitIeSS.
The windows were barricaded securely, and
furniture was moved up against tie DOOR,
while en- table in the centre of the room
Law collection of revolvers and repeating
rines that would have excited the aGmila-
ton Of a pirate. There were five, men
in the room whom l did not know. They
sat around and did not talk. The gentle
men also wore their small arms.
These are some friends of miDe,"
said Shelby, and / was not introduced
further. / Immediately knew thaV the 40
visitors were the two James boys and The
three Younger brothers Shelby and | in
dulged in conversation for some Cime,
which the others showed no disposition 10
enter, and at last / was shown TO DeG,
where tossed until daylight in o troubled
sleep. When l came down to breakfast
the curtains were drawn, old Joe SAT in an
cas-" chair calmly smoking his pipe and
playing with couple of youngsters. Tue
arsenals of the MIGHT beto,e had
quietly as not TO break my
light sleep-hou.s before. Shelby ciu not
refer to the visitors of the night before no
did |. / did not know, however, whether
hey would return that night, and so |
pleaded pressure IF business and limieG
my stay to one day. And that is tie oniy
lime met the Missouri banuits. Thai vas
ne .rDy nine years ago, when The gang Guar
cred themselves on their friends in Missouri
On the strength of the memories of the war.
till fresh in the minds of those who lived
IN the border,