The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-04-13
THE NEWS.
THE BKorHEh OUTLAWS.

} THE BROTHER OUTLAWS.
Interesting "Reminiscences of the James
Boys.
Points OF Interest In Connection With
the History of the DesPeradOes.
Their Occupations, Etc.
KANSAS CITY, April 5.-A brother OF
Mis-. jesse james, whose maiden name
was this morning stated TO be Zerelda
Mimms, was visited by Journal re-
porter this afternoon. He has been In
the employ of T. NJ. james s. Sons for
the past six years. and said that as his
name had never been put before the pub
lie in connection with the outlaws, he
was very aveTse to its use in that con-
nection now. Upon entering into con-
versation with him, however, ne gave
some very interesting scraps of history
in connection with tine most notorious
bandit this country ever produced.
His mother was sister of the James
boys father, and the families had al
WAYS known each other. His sister had
married Jesse in 1874, the ceremony be-
ing performed by their uncle, Rev. Will
liam james, who makes his residence a
portion of the year with a daughter,
Mrs. Kirkpatrick, living in West Kan
sas. The mother of Miss Mimms was
living at the time of The marriage and
objected to the match. The uncle who
married them says he saw they were at
tached TO each other and had determined
| TO live together and thought a GER
emory very desirable under the cir
cumsIances and so performed it. Miss
Mimms had nursed Jesse through spell
of sickness just at the close of the war,
and it IS probable the attachment be-
| tween them dates FROM that time. Some
years since Mrs. Mimms died and the
members of the family now consist only
of Mrs. Jesse James, her brother, and
| Mrs. Mcbride, who lives with her hus-
band IN this city.
HIS RESIDENCE IN THIS CITY.
In answer to questions concerning the
number of times Jesse and his wife had
resided in this city, Mr. Mimms stated
that Jesse and his wife boarded here
about a year after they were married
| They dad not live here again until about
the 1st of last June, when they rented
house out on WoOdla- avenue, between
| Thirteenth and Fourt1> th streets. The
house is a white frame, on the west side
of the street. While here Jesse went
| under the name of Jackson. After liv-
ing about four months at this house
they moved to a house on East Ninth
street, in the first block east of Wood
land avenue. This was a two story
frame, on the north side of the street,
the owner of which was George
Rick. After living in this house
about IA month, they moved TO 1017 Troost
| avenue, where they remained about a
month longer, when on November 2
they left the city. Their whereabouts
after this until their arrival at st Jo-
seph on November were not known to
the narrator. While in this city he fire.
| quently saw Jesse aud his wife and was
about the only person in the city who
knew of Jesse's being here at the time.
Jesse did not often show himself upon
the streets, but had walked down Main
street once and had no fear of being dis
| covered He did not leave here on &C
count of any uneaSiness.
Being questioned concerning the re-
port that Jesse was hove. Z around
| Independence at the Ryan trl.d, and had
planned bold bank robbery at that
| place, Mr.. Mimms said lie did not be-
| lieve anything of the report. He did
not think Jesse had been In the vicinity
of Independence for about two years.
Speaking of the killing of Jesse, he
said the affair was not unexpected TO him.
Discussions and suspicious had arisen
in the gang, and it was only natural
that such a denOuement should occur.
The first difficulty had occurred in
Nashville about a year ago. The gang
were there at that time, and first became
suspicious of Jim Cummings. After a
quarrel Cummings had disappeared. and
the gang, afraid that he intended giving
lhem away, made hasty arrangements
for ii departure. When arrangements
1 fsf
the arrest of Ryan, and this immediate
ly determined the gang to take their de.
| parture, which they did that night.
As to whether Jesse's death would
BREAK UP THE OPERATIONS
of the gang forever, Mr.. Mimms hazard.
ed an opinion that il would. Every living
member of the old gang has become
suspicious of his associates, and disinte
grafton is natural consequence.
The subject OF the Journals interview
with George Shepherd was brOached by
the reporter, and Mr. Mimms expressed
considerable contempt for Shepherds
story and his veracity in general.
He had not read the interview, but
each of its points related to him by the
reporter was pronounced false by Mr..
| Mimms. Shepherds statement that he
did not believe Jesse was killed was in
| stanced as an evidence of Shepherds
lack of judgment about the matter
! The reporter asked If he had heard from
his sister since Jesse's death. He said
| that soon after the shooting he received
a dispatch from his sister saying, Jesse
has been shot and is dead.r A Star re-
porter had called on him Monday tn as
certain if he had received any word
| from his sister, but he had declined to
be interviewed.
He could not help his connection
with the james boys, and he had never
boosted of the connection, nor often
mentioned the matter, and did not want
any more notoriety regarding the mat
ter than it was possible for him to
avoid.
When asked if he had any further
communication with his sister since the
shooting, Mr. Mlmms said Ire had tele-
graphed to her TO notify him if she want
cd him to render any assistance, and
dispatch had been received only a short
time before to the following effect:
ST. JOSEPH, April 4.
T. II. WimHls, Kansas city:
Come on tie first train.
Mrs. JESSE JAMES.
MANNERS OF THE MEN.
The talk was then directed 10 the pOr-
ton of Shepherds interview which de-
scribed the personal appearance of Jes-
| Sc and Frank James. Mimms says Jesse
| was about five feet eleven inches tall
and would as readily pass for business
| man as would Frank. They both were
quiet, mild hammered and genteel ap-
! pearIng when in the company of men,
and there was nothing in their appear
ance to distinguish them especially from
other people.
Beng asked if it was true that
Jesse was illiteratc and hardly
able TO read or write, Mimms denied
| the story. He said that Jesse was
not a good scholar and his spelling was
imperfect. but he read the newspapers
constantly, and frequently wrote letters.
He would dash off d letter without paus-
Frank was quieter and more reserved,
and had better education, but Jesse
was by no means illiteraie.
THE CHARACTERISTICS
of the two men were then dwelt upon
Jesse was of rowing disposition, rest
less and daring. He liked some reck-
less expedition, and was a wonderful
horseman. He could ride 100 miles a
day without any trouble, and had once
averaged eighty miles day for ten
days.
He more was reckless in going among
strangers than Frank. Jesse would Of
| ten put up at a house where he knew
nothing of the character of the people.
| Frank would never stop anywhere but
at the house of friend in whom he had
/ confidence. Frank never gave any clues
| as to his whereabouts. He never wrote
a letter, and did not unnecessarily ex-
pose himself.
THEIR OCCUPATIONS.
| When asked what the boys did be
| tween their exploits for an occupation,
Mr.. Mimms said they farmed and Faised
| stock. 1t was not true that they were
idle. 1t was necessary for them to have
an occupation in order to allay suspi-
cion, and the boys were good farmers.
Jesse had dealt some in thoroughbred
horses, and Franks favorite lines were