Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-04-13

son, and by the deaths of Hons. w. H.Priest
Of Rails and VIM. NJ. Harkey of Dunkin.
.a,5.: Jesse James Literature.
The very latest version of the Blue Cut
train robbery has seen furnished by Dick
Little, who supplements his confession with
some interesting "reminiscences. Several
months prior to the train robbery, and imme-
sdiately after the winston robbery, JESSE
James, Frank James, Jim Cummings, Wood
Hite, Clarence Hite and himself were in hid
ing in the neighborhood of the residence of
old man Hite, father of the two boys, at Adair,
Tenn, Gnd he (Little) became enamored of
Hites young wife. They came to Jackson
County, and robbed the Blue Cut train. After
the commission of this deed they repaired to
the rendezvous of the gang at the residence
of the James boys mother, in Clay County,
and there remained for several days, until the
excitement had almost subsidized. During this
stay Wood Hite and Little had a falling out IN
regard to theilatter's attention to Hite's stels
mother, and a fight ensued, which resulted in
the killing of Hite. 1855 "t 2f}tfA
After the killing of Hite, Little knew it would
no longer be safe for him to remain with the
gang, as the murdered man was Jesses ia
vorite, and he knew that if he did not return
his life woa1d pay the forfeit. He according
ly concealed himself in Clay County, but his
hiding place soon became known, and he fed
from there to Nelson County, Kentucky. The
gang followed him and he returned to Mis-
souri,. In the meantime his wife and certain
other friends had made negotiations with
Sheriff Tmberlake, of Clay. County, Police
Commissioner Craig and Governor Critten-
den, whereby he was assured If he would sur
render himself and betray the others of the
gang heshould receive full immunity.
Little accepted this proposition, and during
the latter part of February met Sheriff Tim
berlake in Clay County and gave himself up.
Governor Crittenden was informed of the sur
render, and so at once instructed the Jack
son County officials not to bother him. The
surrender was. however, kept profound Sc
cret to all except a few, and when the rumor
first began to circulate a day or two since no
credit whatever was attached to it. Little
kept his word about betraying the others
of the gang and within ten days after his sur
render JEFF Hite was captured in Tennessee,
returned to Gallatin, Mo-, pleaded guilty to
participation in the Winston robbery, and
has commenced upon his twenty five years
term in the Penitentiary.
The main reason for keeping the surrender
SO secret was the hope of being able to effect
the capture of the notorious Jesse himself,
but this scheme failed. Little's description of
the Glendale, Winston and Blue Out robberies
is sensational in the extreme. The first, he
says, was committed by the old gang, assisted
by Tucker Basham and Bill Ryan, both after
ward captured and convicted. The Winston
robbery was committed by all of the old gang
except Frank James, assisted by Polk Wells,
lately captured in Wisconsin. The last
of the trio of large railway robberies,
he says, was participated in by no
one besides Jesse James, Frank James, Jim
Cummings, Wood and jeff Hite and himself,
and he states positively that neither Bugler,
Chapman, Matt nor Land, the Cracker Neck
crowd now on trial, had anything to do with
the robbery. He says he stopped the train,
Jesse and Frank James robbed the express
car. and that Clarence Hite guarded the train
men, and Jim Cummings and Wood Hite, as
sisted by Jesse, robbed the passengers. His
story in this particular is not fully credited.
as the train men all testify that there were at
least twelve in the gang that robbed the train.
The general impression is that his story, in
this particular, is told for the purpose OF
gaining favor with the people of Cracker
Neck.
The reward for the capture eff JEFF Hite was
paid to Timberake and Craig-$2 500-and
Little is said to have received 1000 for the
killing of Wood Hite. In conclusion Little
states that short time after his separation
from the gang, Jesse James murdered Ed
Miller because he objected to Jesse's taking
the lions share of every robbery. The muir
der was committed somewhere in Southwest
Missouri. At one time Jesse had the body
packed ready for shipment to Governor Grit
tendon, in order to claim the reward offered
for the body, dead or alive Before he could
do So However, he received notice of an in
tended raid, and he was obliged to abandon
the project. In flying from the scene of the
Blue Cut robbery Jesse shot himself badly
through the right thigh, and it was several
weeks before he recovered entirely from the
effects of it, during which time he remained
In secure hiding at the home of Mrs. Samuels,
his mother, III Clay County. t7' .H's