The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-04-06
DEATH OF JESSE JAMES.
The Notorious Bandit Chief Killed
by One Of His Gang.
A PULL ACCOUNT or THE KILLING.
c,,ac;a1 IN Times Damocrot


ST. JOSEPH, Mo-, April 3.--Jesse james,
the outlaw, whose name has been terror
throughout this section for many years, Is
dead. His death is not SO much surprise
as would have been the report Of his cap
ture, for nobody who knows anything Of the
man or his record ever thought he would
be taken alive. The manner OF his taking
off, as gathered from conversations with the
officers and those conversant with the facts,
is about as follows: jesse James came to
St. Joseph some time last fall, and made
his home here with his wife and two chill
dren. aged 7 and 4. 1t seems, in pursuance
of plot made by Robert and Charles Ford,
two young men, brothers, whose home is in
Ray county, Mo-, and who have been mem
beers of the James Gang. Charles has been
living with Jesse ever since last November.
Three or four days ago Robert also came to
the house, and the three were planning a
raid which they were to make tonight.
Robert Ford is the man who has figured in
all the train roberies, but who has only been
known as mysterious Bob" Nobody SEEM
ed to know who he was.
On February 22d last, Gov. Crittenden
went to Kansas City ostensibly to attend the
Craig Rifles ball, but his visit had great
er import. On the midnight of the 22d he
made appointment with Mysterious Bob
young man of % or thereabout, to meet
him at room II of the St. James Hotel. At
| 8 o'clock the next morning dob" was on
hand and then and there agreed to deliver
Jesse James dead or alive if given free
scope. Bob was himself train robber, but
desperate remedy was necessary for des-
l..noea aud Rob rlnvnd Eu-
er since that date he has been in and around
Clay and Ray counties keeping sharp
lookout. A few days ago Bob received a
visit from jesse james and another CON-
panion at farmers house in Clay county,
and started away with him riding behind
one OF the party, but making an excuse he
slipp-d back to the house for a moment and
charged his host, former friend of the
James, but who, perceiving the game was
closing in, had turned against them, to de-
liver message to Capt. Craig and Sheriff
Timberlake that he would, within 10 days,
either bring in jesse James, kill him, or be
killed in the attempt. The message was
duly delivered to the officers. Robert hav-
ing been with the great outlaw. knowing
him we'll evidently knew the difficulties at
tending the job he had undertaken. He
waited and tried until he concluded that it
was an absolute impossibility to take him
alive SO he decided on the other thing.
Accordingly this forenoon about 10 o'clock
he was sitting in the front room of the house
in conversation with the robber chief. His
brother Charles was not in the room, but
according to one account was keeping Mrs
James in the back part of the house, that
she might not witness the coup de grace tc
her husband.
The great bandit, all unconscious of his
impending fate, laid his coat to one side
and taking off his belt containing his
pair of revolvers, laid it to one side pre-.
paratory to washing himself This was
the opportunity Ford had been waiting fol
for months. Quick as flash, he jumped
to his feet and pulling and cooking his
navy six at the same instant sent bnllet
crashing through Jesse James brain. He
was standing only about arms length
from his man in the rear, and the bal
striking at the base of the brain, little tt
the right, ranged upward and came out JUS
over the right eye.
The news spread like wild-fre, and il
seemed the entire population Of the city
focked to the scene.
| Inc ioroo hau W mdkc run ior IL, III
the dead outlaw had many friends, ant
there was fine prospect for a lynchng
They gave themselves up and are now ii
the courthouse under strong guards. No
body is allowed to talk with any OF them
as it is feared that some one of JAIME.
friends might slip in under some pretex
and serve them as they did Jesse. The deaG
bandit was taken to an undertaker's and
after being washed, photographed. He il
a large, fine looking man about 40 years
of age. and while his features show him to
be resolute and desperate man, still he
has not the look of wicked man. The
outlaws wife and children are with the
body at the undertaker's The body will
be taken to Kansas City. The Fords will
claim the reward.