The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-04-13
THE coon OLD DAYS.
Something About The James bnnditii from
Iieglnnlng 10 End--Thc Killing Of Jesse.


niscenCes of that family and the offspring
oft, who knew cvcry rabbit tract in the
west
THEIR FATHER WAS a PREACHER.
In the good Old days he was u pious man
and "wallked with God, though IL must be
confessed that his sons took very different
kind of promenade. In the dark days of
the cause which Haunted the bars They
were never soldiers; in this they were not
alone. The woods W r. their haunts, and
i'm their barb lrian code there was no such
thing ever known rs q white flag; their
bugles, if they ever had any, never were
tuned to the peaceful notes OF truce. Inc
only camp stories that were ever told about
their retreats were those which told of the
way in which the last man died, and then
they drank from their tin cups to the next
one who was to go. In all probability they
never thought of the day when there was TO
be a dawn of peace 1t is said that their
first determined oath to live their days out
as terrors, was when their old father was
taken from his home by some of Jennison's
gang and hung up to tree, where he was
soundly thrashed until his pious limbs
danced hornpipe between heaven and
earth Their first attempt to avcnge this
fancied injury was in their own county
seat, Liberty, Missouri. This was in the
shape of bank robbery, in which they
we're assisted by Andy Mcclure, Archie
Clements, and Dick Burns. 1t may not
generally be known that one OF this gang,
in very short time after this first attempt
to get even, paid for the 'pastime" by being
CHoKED TO DEATH,
suspended from tree almost III sight of the
spot where the robbery took place. This
was Mcclure. When he had been given
his portion of the ''swag,'" his thoughts
were Immediately diverted from the dar-
ings of the James brothers to something
exactly antipodal-love. With his gains he
attired himself in broadcloth and went to
Independence, the county seat of Jackson,
where he planned and carried out the
capture of woman who had given him
her approval. They were united while
mounted on horseback, and Immediately
made for the first railroad station where
they boarded the first eastward-bound
train, which carried them into st. Louis.
While he was occupied in making such re-
assurances as young men in like positions
are wont to make, waiting for the next
train, he was arrested and taken back to
| Liberty. 4 few weeks later the people of
that section, who evinced a better spirit
| then than they have since toward such char.
acters, went TO the Jail one evening and
called for "Mr." Mcclure. In spite of the
| fact that he was fresh from the nuptial
altar, they went with him to the woods and
| HIS BRIDE
| went the next day to the funeral of groom
| with broken neck.
Not many months after this little event
| Archie Clements sauntered into the aristo-
cratic town of Lexington for the purpose of
airing himself, when he fell in with a squad
of Bacon Montgomery's noted militia.
| There was an evident desire on the part of
the latter folks to settle up an old score, for
! that night Clements friends took him out
of house dead. The buckshot that en-
| tered his body were never counted, but
there were enough to bring out large fu-
neral.
| 1t was not many weeks later that some of
the neighbors i'll an adjoining county, who
went out to help in a harvest field had their
days labor interrupted by "burylng'
which they were called upon to attend, in
which Dick Burns took the role of a corpse.
No effort was ever made to learn who split
his head open, or who hid him in the hay
st 'ck.
In the meanwhile It behooved the Clay
county pair to recruit their service and
George Shepperd, Jim Read and Bud Nc
Daniels were in the field ready for spoils.
Shepperd participated in bank robbery
in Kentucky; for which he was arrested
and tried and convicted. On the eXpira.
ton OF his term he returned to Missouri
and entered into league with Marshall Lig-
| gett, of Jackson county, TO plan capture
of the James Boys. He went to Joplin,
Missouri, and few miles from there he
found the old gang in the bush, TO whom he
renewed his allegiance. a day or two after
he made some excuse TO go to Kansas City,
and departed. This was regarded with sus-
picion by the James boys, who awaited his
return with some anxiety. He went
to Kansas City, and the plans for
1.-the capture of the noted out
laws seemed assured. He returned and
gett the day after. When Shepperd went
back to camp a conflict ensued, in which he
was shot. He claimed then that he shot
Jesse James He adhered to this statement
un il few weeks ago, when he came out
and announced himself the champion liar,
by saying that he Hever shot Jesse, and tina;
| the whole affair was a cooked sensation.
Jim Read fell in with a Texas sheriff who
was a better shot than he, and there was a
quiet funeral down there. lie figured con-
spicuously in the affair at Gad's hill, on the
Iron Mountain road.
Bud Mechanics, who was as handsome a
man as ever sat i'm a saddle, was at the
Munce Kansas. affair. A woman played
the deuce with him, too. lie had a mistress
Ia Kansas Citv and ladpned with iewelry
he rode into Kansas City one evening after
dark, and was galloping up Main street
when he woke up policeman who halted
him for fast riding. A row was the result,
in which McDaniels was arrested, and when
taken 10 the station and searched he was
recognized. He was sent back TO Kansas,
and, becoming tired Of prison life, he es.
capped. He was surrounded in a thicket,
given away by negro, and was
SHOT TO DEATH
before he would surrender. His mistress
tried to add a romantic link 20 his career
by committing suicide.
Not long after this his brother, Thomp-
son McDaniels, was converted into corpse
in Huntington, w. v, where be had gone
ito draw some money" out OF bank in
that village. His pal" Jack Kean, was
captured later. and is now serving term
Ia the penitentiary.
The other members Of the Missouri ban
ditti band we're Hobbs Kerry, Berry, Arth
Mccoy, John Younger, Clel Miller, Bill
Chadwell, Charlie Pitts Call, Jim, aud Bob
Younger, Tucker Bassham, and Bill Ryan.
A recapiiulation Of the feat Of each Of these
j. given briefly as iolloFs Kerry confessed
20 the Otteryile robbery, and is serving out
a term. Berry died from the effects Of a
shot By a Missouri sheriff soon aiter D train
robbery on the Union Pacific road. Mccoy
went 10 sleep under Texas rose, and
NEVER WOKE ~ rs THIS WORLD.
John Younger was killed by Captain Lull
Of Pinkertou's force. who afterward paid
for the righteous deed with bis oNn life
Miller. Chadweil. and Pitts went TOO near
| Northield aud were killed. while. while
! Call. Jim and Bob Younger were taken In
the same raid and are bOarders to-day NJ
I the expense Of the state u Minnesota.
| Bas-han IL In the Missouri penitentiafy,
and BIZ Ryan IL in the jail a. Kansas City.
! Frank James is declared by hisfiends 20 be
/ q helpless invalid.
/ The recent persistent Efforts Of Governor
/ Criffeuden. n Missouri 20 capture The
I remnants Of The gang. the success be has
had in trapping the novices and inducing
them % sqfesl has doubtless bad much 20
I d. in running the captain oi the border
nandiff % close quarters. where be hls
I died. 81 be alUays said BE- would With
his boots on, spur and al-"-IChicag0
Tfmrs