Daily Republican., 1882-04-13
KILLING OF JESSE JAMES.
An intsrvlew with Governor Crit.
tondSn.

An inierview with Governor Crit
sonAen.
A special despatch from Washingto
to the N. Y.World says: Governor Crit
tenden, of Missouri, arrived here thi
evening. He consented to make som
statements to q correspondent in re
gard to the circumstances COnneCtet
with the killing of Jesse James. Hi
attention having been called to recen
reports that the victim of Bob Ford
pistol was not jesse James, he laughet
at the statement and said there was n,
doubt whatever OF the identity of thu
individual killed by Bob Ford, an,
that he was jesse James. He ther
narrated some of the principle circum
stances leading up to the shooting o
Jesse James in Jefferson City. In tn,
10Th of February last, the sister of tn,
Fords, the mysterious woman il
black" as the papers entitled her a
the time, TO see him and asked him or
what terms train robber could com,
In the surrender, and receive pardon
Supposing her to be Jesse James,
wife, Le replied that he would not &C
cept the surrender of either Frank OF
jesse James, but If any other member
of the gang came In he would accep,
his surrender, and, while not promis,
ing pardon, would agree to use his in
tiuence in his behalf, on the condition
that he would give the authorities al
information in his possession rs TO the
gan Z and aid in their capture. She told
him she was a sister of the
Ford land had come to make overtures
to allow them to come in and also tC
allow Dick Little, another of the band,
to surrender Three days afterward
Bob Ford came to the Governor at
night ON the street and told him who be
was.
The Governor told him to come and
see him at his office next day. He came
as req uested, and they had long con.
versation IN which the Governo! made
the same statement to him az he had
made to Ford's sister. Their con versa
tion closed, according to Governor Crit,
tenden, in this way: II said to him, "
said the Governor, II want Jesse James
brought in and will give you $4,000
for him, dead or alive" He then left
and my next direct communication
from him was the despatch stating that
he had Jesse James. Continuing, the
Governor said Bob Ford went to Sheriff
Undertake aud Captain Craig, and
with them made all his arrangslne on Is.
Captain Craig armed him with two re-
volvers belonging to the State and
placed him in house in CLAW county
to await the appearance of James. The
latter with Charlie Ford, who knew of
his brothers proceedings, was planning
the robbery of the Platte City bank,
and AZ Charles solicitation came to
seek Bob Ford, rs they needed third
man.
James had begun to suspect Bob and
told Charlie 30, but the latter reasoned
hi III out of iS As soon ~ James and
Charlie came to thu cabin where Bob
was they rode up to the fence and called
nim out, and James explained what
hey wanted him to do. This was to
stand in the street while they were in
he bank and to shoot at every one who
,ame along. Bob agreed, and said he d
20 back TO the house for some things he
needed. He went instead and wrote a
despatch to T.mberlake as follows: 81
lavs gone after Jesse James, and in ten
lays I'll have killed him or he'll have
lilled me- This he gave to one of. the
heritf's men who was at The cottage
With him and then he took horse and
ode off with his brother aid James.
Tim berlake forwarded the despatch to
he Governor and they waited then to
lear from Bob. The ten days passed
nd TO word came, and they concluded
hat Bob had been killed, when on the
thirteenth day the Governor received a
espatch from Bob Ford, saying, 81
ave got Jesse James" He did not be-
Ieve it at first, as he didn't thiuk
ames was in the neighborhood of 81.
oseph, but corroboralive kilograms
Oon poured in that James was killed.
The details Of the shooting he did not
epeat, but in answer to question
'hether the civil authorities mad not
al information of Jamess whe1e-
bouts for six months pvior to the
looting, he said, "Not at any time
'ithin six months" He was asked |
t here had been any attempt on the
art OF the Fords to apprshend James
etors they shot him. He said Not
sc'',t that two days before the shoot.
X sob Ford, who perhaps wished to
+! wbether they could secure James
iLhout killing him, invited him to
Iestle with him. Jesse agreed and
ley took hold, and James without any |
pparent effort, In moment doubled J
le boy up and threw him to the other
Id OF the room. Bob then became |
'nvinced that any attempt te capture
ames would result in the killingof him
If and his brother"
The Governor was asked at this point:
Did you not know when you sent Bob
ord cut to take James that he could
lily bring him in by killing him that
capture him would be a physical i'm
He replied somewhat hotly, | knew
thing about 1t. l had never seen
lmes, aud | know these men are con-
lually quarrelling with each other,
Il sometimes tne weakest may get tne
tier of the strongest"
He was then asked If he understood
at an act If outlawry had been pass
against these men. He replied that
tlawry was unknown to the consti-
ton of the s ate. No person could be ,
tlawed under the State laws, bat as
ese men were public murderers aud {
ndits, any Person was authorized to 3
empt their capture, even If they had /
Dot them in sodoing. The question was d
IN put to bin If he believed that the :
' authorized him to offer reward for {
'se men, dead or alive, as he was said
have done in q proclamation last fall.
replied that hs had Issued no such
and that such an offer
uld not he justified under the laws of .
State. He was then asked If he did Z
consider he had overstepped the lin
Of his authority in instructing Bob
I'd To b. iAs Jamesin, dead or alive,
to this reply was that the offer had
been made in public. In conclusion, q
Governor said he had no arprehep. .
4 of assassination st the hand of Il
nes, though the latter was in the T
to- Healso said that nine out of every
H. H. H. I