The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-06-30
THE JAMES BOYS.

Thsir Terrible Career Of Murder and
Robbery.
Jesse James is the eldest OF the two
James boys. Frank, the younger. h
understood to be living in Texas under
an assumed name. He is married and
has abandoned his old ways of life
f4'hey were the sons OF Baptist clergy.
man OF Kentucky. and were educated al
Georgetown College, Scott County, Ky,
Jesse was born in 1845, and Frank II
184S. In 1846 the Rev. Mr.. James re.
moved to Clay County, No., where be
purchased q farm and performed minis.
terial duties for small Baptist congre.
CATION. In 1849 he went to California
and died there. In 1857 his widow
married DR.. Reuben Samuels, q physi.
nian Of Clay Comfy, Missouri.
when the war opened Jesse and Franl
ondeavored to enlist in the Confederate
army, but were rejected as being toe
young for the service. They finally
Joined Quantrell's guerillas. In 1861
eSuantrell wss killed in a fight with a
body OF Federal troops, and the gang
was broken up, the James boys return.
ing to their homes in CLAY County, Mo-.
where they lived quietly.
In 1868. with the Younger brotbers
and George Sheppard, who had been
With them In Quantreli's band, the
james boys went to the races at Lexing-
ton, Ky. On their way home they visit
90 kussellville, in that state, robbed
the bank OF $14. 900, and fed to Texas.
In December, 1869, they resumed
criminal operations. and robbed the
bank Of 0allatin, Mo-. in connection
with the Younger brothers and others
OF their old associates in guerilla war
fare. Here they murdered several per.
sons, and again went to Texas.
night With some Texans at q dance house,
which resulted in several murders, the
Victims beins mon OF their own profess
sion, and the result was that they were
compelled to fly for their lives. They
returned to their old home in Missouri,
and again resumed agricultural pur-
suits.
In the spring Of 1870, together with
the Younger brothers, they made raid
into Iowa; entering the town OF Cory
don, where, in broad daylight, they
dashed up to the bank on their horses,
seven in number, diamounted, entered
with drawn revolvers, and finding the
cashier alone. demanded all the money
he had. The safe was open, and the
cashier was totally powerless. After
emptying several thousand dollars into
. sack. they e..ietly remounted their
horses and rode away. They were fol-
lowed for hundi ed milos or more by o
posse Of citizens, but disappeared, and
were not seen again for several months.
In the latter part OF tho same year
(1870) the James brothers and the four
Younger brothers again attended the
races in Kentucky and there conceived
the plan of robbing bank in Oolum.
.uo .sAy Hrouuu tns l.vern III rn.-r Town,
sL.. - - -----.-..i al air horse q rodo
over to the bank. which was only q few
rods distant. leisurely dismounted and
entered the building, where they found
the cashier. the president. and citizen
losing any time, three OF them leveled
their revolvers upon the occupants OF
the room, while the other three uncere-
moniously commenced to empty the
safe. They gathered together all the
money in sight, and, after shc..:-e I'm, sne
eashs.-, wLv nauo an outcry' they
mounted their horses and rode away.
An alarm was Immediately given, and
they were pursued by the sheriff and
large posse Of men, but they reached
the Cumberland mountains in safety,
and there disappeared.
On the 26th Of September, 1872, they
committed one of the most daring OK
ploits in the history of crime. They
attended the Missouri State Fair at
Kansas City, where it is said 10000
people were gathered, and, Of course.
the receipts ct the gate were correspond
ingly large. They remained through
the day: took dinner on the fair
grounds, attended the races, and about
four o'clock in the afternoon, while the
attention Of the crowd was drawn to .
famous contest between Ethan Allen
and another noted horse, they rode up
to the office OF the fair association,
where they found Mr.. Hall, the treas
urer Of the fair, counting up the re-
ceipts Of the day, which amounted to
nearly $4,000. Mr.. Hall sat in the
Office with Q young man. The gang put
revolvers to their heads, pocketed the
money, and made their escape.
in the spring Of 1873, they raided q
bank ut st. Genevieve, Mo. During
the flight the outlaw who had the bag
OF money in charge dropped it. and the
pursuit was so hot that they had to
abandon the booty. It was while they
vere smsrting under this disappoint-
ment that their first train robbery was
planned, which took place on the Rock
Island road In June OF the same year.
About seventy-fve miles east Of Coun-
oil Bluffs they took up rail in sharp
curve. An express train was thrown Of
the track. The engineer and fireman
were killed and number Of passengers
badly wounded. The gang robbed the
express car, carrying away gold bricks,
specie, and notes to very large amount.
A large reward was offered for their
apprehension. but they found safe
refuge In Indian Territory.
After this affair they committed q
number OF stage robberies, one OF them
on the route to Hot Springs, Ark. In
January, 1874. the gang made its ap-
pearAnce at Gads Hill. dag station on
the Iron Mountain road in Wayne
county, Mo. They tagged the train,
robbed the express car OF Gil, 900. and
plundersi number Of the passengers.
The railroad and express companies
now determined to hunt the gang down
at any expense. Pinkerton's detective
agency took the case. and corps oi
detectives were sent to Missouri under
the command of Louis l.. Lull, formerly
0 lieutenant on the police force ol
Chicago. One Of his detectives by the
name OF Weicher went to the rendez
vous OF the desparadoes in the garb oi
. German Immigrant and applied 70,
labor. On the morning after, he wal
found dead, with several bullet holes ir
his body, tied to tree near the road. I
few miles from Mrs. Samuels' house
and also upon his person was found |
card. saying:
This shall be the fate Of all Of PinA
erton,a datectivaa VIM oome into Mia