The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-04-23

Jesse Sanses's First Bnuk Robbery. ~ DO
sortbed ~ Eye witno.s.

Frcm as So bovt, e,oeo Demecrut
My opinion Is given from my personal
knowledge Of some OF the acts Of the Jpmes
DC WIN n whom ,p, was on aute Intimate tr n,
student with u relative. in Buasellville. and was
james boys, AZ that tine lsnsse llv,llp had II
reputation Of about 1000. The bank w,ts u
tie name Of n. Long 4 Co. and was situated At
one end OF the town. Mr.. Long. the principal
proprietor Of tho bank. had beon u particular
Vicinity Of hussellville. MIR. Long had. with
MIR. Norton. donated u sufficient amount OF
money to tho father Of Frank and Jesse James
10 support him during the several years he N,,s
in college, studying for the tninlstry and lle
Wps s9o friend Of George Hite tho father OF
wood Htc. ana uncle OF tho James boys.
During the civil war. Logan County. In
which kusseliville is situated, sent two COM
aud tho town was 80 largely Southern in ,s
sympathy that there were only four or five out
spoken Yn,on men in tho place; even IT the time
the Confederate service from that town. and
while Ia the army bec,me personally Mluaint-
The Shepherd family lived Il few mixes from
mussellvilie and we're vel known ,, After the
TO college, and one Of my classmates was Wood
Hie. and from him heard frequently about
the war adventures OF his cousins. Jcsso and
About the middle Of March. 1868, Ave men
came to Russe,Iville. two stopping ut one botc!
rocognzed Cole Younger and George shep-
herd, and / discovered that the others were
Frank and Jsss James Sna Dct o Little
and Little ns woods. Younger associated with
tho merchants Of the town. and acted as though
he WAS gong to establish new store in the
place, Shepherd. Little. and tho James boys
,,ssociated with the horse traders. and engaged
in jockeying horses while in town. In tho
evenings tue visitors gave poker party in
Jess, Jamess room in the hotel, and for three
nh;,te l took n hand IN several poker games
wifi han. an "A irin al nf
dinner hour Of saturtiny. Mercii 40. 1868. While
House. about s0S foot distant IRON the bank
and on tho Same street. Five men rode down
tho street. facing the bank two stationed thom-
eat tho bank. behind u row OF trees which lined
tho sidewalk. and three entered the bank one
Long and asked him II it was good wlren told
that 1t not the three drew their pistols and
Gans ss in H. ~
should surrender. Mr.. Long ATTEMPTED 70 es-
cape, and WIS shot, the ball taking effect in the
wound only, He WIS then tSiied 70 the iioor
10y a boy from . pistol. The robbers then
surfing them that they. would not be harmed;
but. nothing dauntod. Mr. Long sprang into
the the street and gave the alarm. whe tne two
struck BY 1em: By This 'D limo 80 the - alarm '
and the citizens came focking to the scene
Of action in u great hurry. but. being I'M
along thu street. some few managed to secure
weapons Of II very inferior character and. while
the loads held out fired ut the robbers quite
freely. But for evory shot fired by the ciu-
zons. the mon on horseback and one Of those
in the bank. who had come to- the door. sent
residence Joins the bank. stepped from the
door and hred at the man on the steps. who
returned the fire, striking Mr.. Owens In the
side. inAictipg II severe. though not dangerous
wound. The alarm having spread al. over town.
and tho place being rather too hot for comfort
them Irlng down the street Hs they rode on.
heard the first shots liret and ran into the
street aud went toward the bank saw shepherd
section ot the streets In front OF the bank saw
Little standing IN the front doorway of the
AZ / approached the bank 1 saw Younger and
street and I met Long rum ing toward me with
MS face covered with biuod Not boing armed
Wishing to UNNECESSARILY expose mysoif to the
From the information 1 collected In tho
the one who first attacked Mr.. Long. his ia
theirs peneactor. in the bank. while Little as
suuited Mr.. Owens in the doorway. and fright
ened Messrs. barclay and simmons away
through u side door thus leaving Frank james
to secure ne money in the open safe If 1t was
that the bank was rohbsI Of about 81 $50. No
one was killed at the shooting in and about the
Tho day after the robbery a. we'll Unknown and
reliable cItizpn Of kussevlle informed mo
on. OF the richest and most respectabie citi.
zens helping the bank robbers. but he would
not give any name. since then circumstanoos
strongly indicate that he meant Wood Hite
VINO was known TO have been in Russellville an
hour before the robbery: The day before the
james boys were seen by several persons seat
ed on grave OF an ex-GoSernor Of Kentucky.
in the suburbs Of Russellyilla. in close CONSUL
tnt rOhhNrV
Several days after the robbery Shepherd was
and on trial was identified by number OF tho
c,tl2ons ms being the man on horseback who
ssises Of M at the bnh Drps me se
trial Of Shepherd his WIFE who was u f,is-
cinating woman. was at his side in court. and
by her winning ways. had apparently such in
fuence on the jurors AS to cauFe them to assess
the lightest punishment possible on Shepherd.
He was sent TO the penitentiary; While Shop
tho vicinity of Louisville led Mrs Shepherd to
believe that she was divorced from Shepherd
took hor as his wife. When Shepherd camo out
of prison. his wife deserted her foster husband
herd left the old man he publicly accused her
Of having taken about $4,000 in cash from
hW on tho d SnS ran of Win ShSPF4sd
Jesse James in Russcllyille. before the bank
robbery. they acted in such Gentlomanly and
companions. They dressed neatly. as though
they were rich and were gentlemen Of leisure.
Frank James was the most Intelligent. and had
received u fair education, and have heard him
tax MS well in the French, Spanish. and Ger
man languages IA IN the English. and rom his
have easily passed as u priest or minister.
Frank james was good impcrsonator and |
am Of tho opinion. from some information in
my possession. that he visits tho large cities
disguised as newly arrived Fronchman.
spsniard or German, md can easily travel on
cars ana steamboats, under such DISCUSSES.