The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1882-04-20
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Special Dispatches 10 The Record.
THE KILLING OF JESSE
JAMES.
How it Happened.

How it Happened.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo-. April 3.-Ietween
Missouri outlaw, before whom the deeds oi
Fra Diavolo and Dick Tnrpin dwindIe in
to insigniticalce, was killed by boy &c
years old named Robert Ford at his tenn
porary residence on Thirteenth and L4fa-
yette streets, in this city. In the light OF
I'LL moral reasoning the shooting was utl-
justitiable, but the law is vindicated. The
S50, 900 reward offered by the state for the
body of the brigand, dead Or alive, will
| doubtless 20 TO the man who had the cotr-
age TO draw a revolver on the notorious
| outlaw when his back was turned. There
is little doubt that.the killing was the re-
suit Of premeditated plan formed by Ro-
bert and Charles Ford several months ago.
Charles had been an aceomplce Of Jesse
James since the 3rd Of last November, and
entirely possessed his confidence. Robert
| his brother, Joined Jesse near Mrs. Sanlul' :
home, mother Of the James boys, last Fri
Eday q week ago, and accompanied Jesse
and Charles to this city Sunday March %.
Jesse has wife and two children. He re-
moved from Kansas City where he had
| lived several months, until he feared his
whereabouts might be suspected, in u
wagon to this city, arriving here Novem-
ber Sth. 1881, accompanied by Charles
Ford. He rented house on Lafayette
street, the property OF Councilman Alleys
bury. The house is d one story cottage ro-
mantically situated on the brow OF a lofty
eminence east Of the city, commanding q
full view Of the principal portion OF the
city, the river and the railroads. just
east Of the house Is a deep gulch-lke rs-
vine, and beyond broad expanse Of open
country, backed by belt Of timber. The
house, except from the west side, can be
Ford have been occupying. one of the
rooms i'll the rear Of the dwelling, and have
secretly had an understanding to kill Jesse
ever since last fall. A short time ago, be
fore Robert had joined Jesse james, the
latter prepared to rob the bank of Platte
City. lie said the Burgess murder trial
| would commence there to-day, and the
plan was II he could etanothercompanion
TO take /. view OF the situation OF the Platte
City bank, while arguments were being
heard in the murder case, which would en-
gage the attention of the citizens, boldly
execute one Of his raids. Charles Ford
approved Of the plan, and suggested his
brother Robert as q companion worthy Of
sharing the enterprise with them. Jesse
had met the boy at the latter's house near
Richland, three years ago, and consented
to see him. The two men accordingly went
TO where Robert was, and arranged to have
him accompany them to Platte City. As
They remained at the house all the week,
and had fixed upon tonight to go
to Platte City. Ever since the boys had
been with Jesse they had watched for an
opportunity TO shoot, but he was always
heavily armed, and it was impossible to
draw upon him without his seeing them.
The Fords declare that they had no idea of
taking him alive, considering the under
taking suicide. The opportunity they had
long wished for came this morning.
Charles Ford and Jesse James had been to
the stable currying the horses preparatory
to their night ride. On returning to the
room where Robert Ford was, Jesse said
Sits an awful hot day. and pulled off
his coat and vest and tossed them on the
bed. Thellhe said Il guess will take off
my pistols for fear somebody will see them
if walk in the yard He unbuckled the
belt IN which he carried two 45-calibre re-
volyers and laid them on the bed with his
coat and vest. He then picked up dust
ing brush with the intention Of dusting
some pictures which hung on the wall. 10
do this he got on !; chair. His back was
now turned to the brothers who silently
stepped between Jesse and his revolvers,
and on Il motion from Charles, both drew
their guns. Robert was the quickest Of the
two. In one motion he had the long
weapon to the level with his eye with the
muzzle no more than four feet from the
back ofthe outlaws head. Even in that
motion, quick as thought, there was some
thing that did not escape the acute ears Of
the hunted man. He made a motion as ii
to turn his head TO ascertain the cause of
that suspicious sound, but too late. A
nervous pressure of the trigger, a quick
fash, i sharpreport, and the ball crashed
through the outlaws skull. There was no
dutcrv, just asWaying Of the body, and it
fell heavily back upon the carpet. The
shot had been fatal. and al the bullets ID
the chamber Of Charles revolver, still ei-
rectea at james, head, could not more ef-
fectualIy have decided the fa1eof the great
est bandit and freebooter that ever figured
IN the pages Of the country's history.
a~~--------
} ease ganaes.
Kansas Cry, April o.-Goy. Crittenden
was in the city to-day and stated that Jess