Morris tribune., 1882-04-13
KILLED In HIS TRACKS.
Jesse James, the Sovereign Brigand,
Shot Dead in Shanty at st.
Joseph, NO.,
By q Former Confederate In Crime
Who Sought But Feared to At
tempt His Capture.
Review Of the Train Robbers Bloody
Career, With His Memorable Re-
verse in Minnesota.

had been here week intending to arrest him,
but were afraid 10 try it. and concluded 10 kill
him without taking the chances on the arrest.
Charles and Robert Ford are their names.
Charles was in the Blue cut robbery, and is the
man who killed the expressman. Robert was
in the Winston robbery. They say Jesse James
was in the Blue cut robbery, but not in the
Winston robbery The wife of Jesse James
was soon at the scene Of the killing, and wept
loud and long over the fate of her husband.
She has two beautiful children, boy of seven
and girl Of four years. The Ford boys have
surrendered to the officers, and are now in the
marshars custody. There seems to be not s
doubt that this is the veritable Jesse. Men
who know him say they recognized the body at
at once Many here know the two Ford boys.
ST. JOSEPH, No, April 3.-The $4,000 reward
offered by the State for Jesse James, dead alive
will probably go TO Robert Ford. who killed him.
There is little doubt that the killing was the result
Of plan formed by Robert and Charles Ford
several months ago. Charles had been al accom-
Der, and entirely possessed his confidence. Robert,
his brother. Joined Jesse near the house OF Mrs.
Samuels. mother Of the James brothers. last
Friday a week ago, and accompanied Jesse aud
Charles to this city Sunday, March 90.
Jesse had his wife and two children removed from
Kansas City-where they had lived several months
arriving here November 8. 1881. ac-
comDanied by Charles Ford aud rented house
the corner Of Lafayette and Twenty first street,
where they stayed two months, when they secured
the house No. 1919 Lafayette street. paying Sl4
3month for 1t and giving the name of Mrs Howard.
The house is . story cottage, painted white
with green shutters and romanticaLy situated
on the brow of lofty eminence east of the city.
East of the house is deep sulch like ravine, and
beyond broad expanse Of open country backed by
house. a We
side, can be seen for several miles There is a large
yard attached 10 the cottage and stable where Jesse
has keeping two horses hich were found there
WATCHING THEIR CHANCE
Charles and Robert Ford have been occupying
one OF the rooms IN the rear OF the dwelling, and
have secretly had an understanding to kill
Jesse ever since last fall. short
time age, before Robert had Joined James, the lat
Ter proposed TO rob the baok at Platte City. He
said the Burgess murder trial wo0ld commence
there to-day, and his plan was II they could get
pnother COMPANION TO take view, Of
the situation Of the Platte City bank, aud while
arguments were being heard in the murder case.
which would engage the attention of the citizens.
boldly execute one or his raids Charles Ford ap
proved otthe plan, and suggested his brother Robert
as companion worthy OF sharing the enterprise
with them. Jesse had met Robert at the latter's
house near Richmond three years ago aud consented
20 see him. The two men accordingly arranged with
Robert 10 accompany them to Platte City. The
three came to st. Joe on Sunday. They remained
at the house all the week They had fixed upon to-
the boys had been with Jesse: they had watched
for an opportunity to shoot him. but he was always
so heavily armed that it was
IMPOSSIBLE TO DRAW UPON HIM
without his seeing il. They declare they had no
idea Of taking him alive, considering the under
taking suicide. The opportunity they had long
wished for came this morning. Breakfast was
over and Ford and Jesse James had been in the
stables currying the horses preparatory to the
night ride. On returning 10 the room where Rob-
eEt Ford vas Jesse said: It's an awful hot day. :"
FJa Cd tic foToIr opH
the bed. Then he said: Il guess I will.stake
of my pistols for fear somebody will
see them if l walk in the yard He unbuck led the
belt in which he carried the forty-fve calibre re-
volvers, one Smith & Wesson and the other
Colt, and laid them on the bed with his coat and
vest. He then picked up busting brush, with the
chan. His back was now turned to
the brothers, who silently stepped between
Charles, both drew their guns. Robert was the
quickest Of the two. IL one motion he had long
weapon to the level with his eye
feet from the back Of the outlaws head. Even in
that motion. quick as thought, there was some
thing that did not escape the acute ears
molten as il to turn his head to
ascertain the cause of that suspicious sound. But
too late. A nervous pressure on the trigger, a
RH IS sSug
There was no outcry just swayug of the body.
and 1t fell heavily back upon the carpet. The shot
had heen fatal and all the bullets in the chamber of
Charley's revolver, still directed at James head,
could not have more efectualy decided the fate of
the greatest bandit and freebooter that ever
figured in the pages of the countrY's history.
MRS JAMES
was 10 the kitchen when the shooting was done.
divided from the room in which the bloody
tragedy occuraed by dining room: she
heard the shet and dropping her household
duties ran into the front room. She saw her hus-
band lying on his back and his slayers each holding
in 10 hand md Yrolyi For
the fence in the rear of the house. Rob
ert had reached the enclosure and in
the ,o act Of oo, scaling it ghen she stepped
this; come back" Robert answered: Il swear to
God did not" They returned to where she stood.
Mrs. James ran to the side Of her husband and
lifted up his head. Life was not extinct and when
asked If he was hurt 1t seemed to her that he
wanted to say something. but could not.
THE INQUEST.
At 8 o'clock the remains were moved to the cir
cult court room where the inquest was held Mrs.
James also accompanied the officers to the city hall
having previously left her two children, aged
fIS Of Mrs. Lurnoi She wi was greatly affected By the
tragedy, and her heart rending means and ex.
preston Of grief were sorrowful eyi-
dence of the love she bore the Desperate
Nothing In the appearance Of the tremens indi-
Gated the desperate character Of the man or the
many bloody scenes of which he had been an
the sqdare cheek bones, the stout, prominent chin
covered with soft sandy beard, and thin. firmly
closed lips in measure betrayed the determined
ap m and further tRa nsDseon fHqsass Of Rs Sss
revealed two large bullet holes on the right side o
the breast within three inches Of the NIPPLE bull
finger Of the left hand After viewing the remains. the
coroner repaired to the court room. withe!
soon after Mrs. James in custody Of Marshal
Craig and the two Ford boys, both heavily
armed, followed. They were kept In separate
apartments until the jury announced themselves
ready to hear testimony. The Witnesses examined
The inquest will be continued tomorrow
The James bows were reared In Clay county
within twelve miles of Liberty; the Youngers il
jackson county, within four miles Of Independence
There is something suggestive in the names oi
their homes, for liberty and independence with
them have been carried beyond the limits of Grim
in 1s41; Jesse in Clay county, Missouri. in 1s45
Their father was the Rev. Robert James, prom
inent and eloquent Baptist minister, pleasant ant
courteous gentleman, possessed of more education
than was common with the ministers Of his church
in the frontier days of 1s43 in Missouri, when th
James family moved from Kentucky to Clay county
William Jewell college, located at Liberty
onS onS ffo@ faGush 1s4s to lie as has left
5' 5 % Of ass ss S g 81
fornia, and there died in 1851. To this day the oil
settlers about the James home say, and 1t has be
come tradition. that the Rev. Robert James wa
driven from home by his wife. The James boys
mother is still alive and vigorous, and resides on
we-cultiyated farm four miles east OF Kearney,
station on the Hannibal d st. Joseph railroad
seventeen miles northeast of Kansrs City. She wa
a Miss Zerelda Cole of Scott county, KY, and. al
though she has attained the advanced age Of fifty
eight she wears the traces still Of what in her youn
womanhood must have made her the famed beaut.
in all the country round about. Her neiRhbors sa!
that Aunt Zerel, as she was commonly called. hal
transmitted to the boys all the deviltry they pos
sess. If 30. what an exuberant abundance sh
must have had in her day. She Is fifty -eight year
old well preserved, vigorous in body as well as ii
spirit Her hair 10 gray, quite white, her eyes
slatey blue, her face is long oval, See of by
firm, determined expression about the mouth
marked by o few lines Of age and flushed with
ruddy glow Of health. In figure she is o command
ing woman, weighing fully 40 pounds, and is 81
feet highway above the average run Of woman
kind. She 10 shrewd, has dauntless courage. an