The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-10-12
A Graphic Account OF the S"rre""c'
OF That Noted Outlaw and
Border-Bandit to
the Chief
Fxeeatiye Of the State Of Missouri
A Faithful Pen Portrait
lI1 of the Man
Who Has Stood at Bay the sie"th'
Hounds of Justice ana
Formed
ME Hero of Countless Yellow'BackeO
Novels.
His Letter to the Governor anu 'h'
Reply.
he Holds an Impromptu Levee'

tho relatives and friends of Frank James
were making an effort to induce MN 10
snr,ender TO the authorities. Shortly aiter
t,,o death of Jessie James, Mrs. Samuel and
Mrs. Frank James visited the governor iof
the purpose of learning upon what cohoi'
lions and with what hope OF clemency such
surrender might be made. Just what
,oesod hetween the executive and the
r,other and wife OF the then tugi-
live outlaw neither the executive nor the
women have diyulged, beyond the state
,nenis already published made by Governor
crttenden. that be could promise neither
pardon nor clemency beforehand put tna'
If Frank James desired 10 surrender ne
mnst do so Internationally. and stand trial
for The violation Of the laws OF the state Oh
Missouri. If All appeal for clemency was
made after trial and conviction, the governor
said he would give IL the same conslaera5I
lion az that of any other person convicted
IF crime against the laws of the state, put
i,a onrId make no pledge or hold out hope
While there was no pledge made by the
Governor. or hope of pardon held out, IL
Seems, however. that the rlenas OF III fra ans
lanes continued TO urge upon HIM the WIS
dom of making full surrender to the gov
orr;or and take his chances of acquittal IN
case of trial or the exercise of clemency IN
his behalf by his Excellency III case Oh cu i5
yiction. The persuation.oi ms relatlyes and
friends finally preyalled ana ne H oneer Int
TO make full, tree and unconditional sur
render and trust to the future
Having made up his mind to DO sol ne WroIe
and gent to Governor Crittenden the follow
ine letter, which is dated from ot. LOUIS,
and was mailed III tnat cl's J"''
entered the state:
AN APPEAL FOR AMNESTY. -,
6, Ioris Mo. october /, 1882 Hon. T. l.
Crttenden, Governor Your EXceiiehoS, ravo,
Time has demonstrated tnat howeyeii
carefully / NAV follow the path of good citl
yenship. and however successful l may DC II
Gaining the confidence and respect o
those who associate with me dally an.
know my every act, the work OF heaPlns Ia
fanny on the name which my chli9Teh az
Ia bear goes steadily on and on as IL pegai
IN many wears ago The greater the CRIME
which startlcs the people of our western
Sales. the greater the certainty tnat IL WI
he attributed to my act or instigatlon. HOW
ever strange 1t may seem thai Iian ~
Inc reputation l bear should assum
~ nossess either pride or sensibility,
Nave the hardihood 20 Icy claim to som
decree ofboth. For years The one desire !
nv heart is and has been to regain the GU
zenghip which lost in the Dark DAYS Tn 'n
in western Missouri every man maui wa wa,
against his neighbours 5, and 10 nave an W
nortnnitv 10 prove by my submission !
nc most rigorous test, that am not III
worthy OF H. ,.4 .his day +
reyert to the circumstances attehulne NJ
outlawry, which anc tnousanu r,, ~ ot we,
Terard as extenuating. Those VINO We
where they could observe the events IN IN Uni
little page ofhistory, need no recaPi'hha III
lion OF them from me, and those VINO IA
no personal knowledge in the preInis
have been so prejudiced against me oy
ports OF o,-os
that they would naturally give no me Soii ,sn
e,ation 10 facts of that character. The pc
ple at large reason, and reason iosiV IN
that where there is so much SMOKE Tue
must he some fire. that although some
no CHARGES made against me may he u
inst, ali are rot without foundation, al
mat an evasion Of the officers OF the law
mot the course Of an innocent ma
I how 10 this logic and reply that the mi
who is now making this appeal does ho'
% from the standpoint OF martyr.
comes to YOU their representative, 10 81
hat though his sufierings have been NJ
dred times greater than they nave
I-rowledge Of UNNECESSARILY greater TN
The courts which be ayaded would nave
tached to his acts, he recognizes thhV
has no right 20 complain oil ms lo',
comes AS a lllaa W,4o, conscious on IN NO
a., nurpose. asks to be permitted TO
what an earnest law-abiding citizen may
remoye from Missouri the odium Tor VIM
his name Is in DART responsible ne coil
ava man who, outlaw though he IS mas
thnse innocent ones who call him husoa
md father a love as strong, devoted a
Jeen as are found IN men VINO
lives are blameless before the wor
and as one who is anxious TO
snova from their closet the ske
ion which has SO long been is hideous
cnn.nt IN II were not for the fear OF
s,eonsihilitv for taat which / did not
5stber than for that which did. Govern
crittenden, you should never have had
put ...,.. 49,. ,r,,
Rut an excited and Justly indignant pup
IL not discrIminative, and when man
striDpcd of his safeguard o. presuInp ~
innocence with which the law Nitlua
surrounds him, as would be, he Is put
i've Thai fear is still with n
and as write, 1t prompts
40 abandon my present purpose ana ~
inc ion nearly twenty years proved my 81
Nv TO evade al attempts 10 capture me,
take my little family and go 20 son ~, IN !
rorn apprehension. That ] refuse 70 o.
s.rh an Impulse. that prefer 10 70 back
~v h,vbood's home and face my dsgrl
inorder 10 live Il down; that am will
10 place myself under surveillance 70 WI
no nan in Missouri has ever yet been =
;scisd As must naturally be the case shot
return. that I choose this rough cou
,rhen smoother ones ofer. y, i hum
-ubmit- A proof that l am not as
all have been pointed out, and that
elements Of manhood have not been
tireiy oblitersted rom my nature.
Rirht terribly. Governor CrtfenoeD' ~
he ofeupps against society which IA
been charged against the Jsmes lam
feen rpveneed. God knows, enough DC
hrs been spilled, enough hearts orok
snUueh lives blighfet- Coz knoss tnal
"A Il he purposs q the law 70 prev
,-i-,e ~ rreffne Is punishmeut awful
--r-rrosr zss FxEr srEvED
f.rse deeree IL those ten year, Of
- and tracedy. Il its demand lor
-esncs insafisbie. L Justice temps
49,. ~. - s--..f sta-e Of Missouri induif
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