The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-04-29
The JAMES BOYS.

notorious Jessie James, the Missoui
outlaw, virtually breaks up band Il
desperadoes which has terrorized te
western country for many years. AMI
which had its origin in the lawless eh
of the war of the rebellion, This garg
has made the States of Arkansas, KeE
lucky, Tennessee, Kansas, Iowa, AMI
portions of Minnesota and Texas il
stamping ground, and has kept all thai
region in condition of abject fear, de
flying thel officers of the law, raidina
peaceable communities by day or night
disturbing routes of travel and commuI
nication, pilaging, robbing, and murder
ing with seeming impunity. Nothing in
the annals of brigandage can furnish
more romantic and sensational incidents
than the exploits of the famous James
gang.
The two James boys, who were the
acknowledged leaders of the gang, Frank
and Jesse, were the sons of Baptist
clergyman, Rev. Robert J. James, of
Kentucky, who left his wife and re-
moved to California. where he died.
1845. Their mother, who is still living,
is represented to have been the initial
cause of the boys wild and reckless
course in life. they inherited from her
quick, fiery, passionate dispositions, and
imbibing from her example reckless
disregard of the consequences of giving
full play to their evil impulses and in
clinations.
Early in 1861 Frank james, then q
years old, went to the war. His inclina-
ton led him to join Quentrell's band of
guerillas, in which he soon became
noted for his daring and murderous fe-
rocity. Jesse, only IA years old, sought
service at the same time, but was reiec-
ted as too young. Returning home he
became serviceable as a spy for the guer-
illas infesting Clay and adjoining coun.
ties of Missouri. His stepfather, DIR.
Samuels, was pronounced secessionist,
and old Mrs. Samuels gave unbridled
license to her tongue in advertising her
sympathy for the South. The family
thus making themselves conspicuous
were marked for vengeance by the
Union militia of the State, who were
stationed at Kearney, and other towns in
that locality. Sometime in the early
summer of 1862 the Federals visited the
farm DIR. Samuels was encountered
and abruptly told it was their design to
hang him. A rope was produced, and
condcting him few rods from the
house, he was actually swung up with
out giving him time to expostulate. His
wife, fearing danger-having seen the
squad of soldiers meet her husband and
go off with him-followed and reached
the scene of the hanging just after the
Fedelals had turned from their work,
thinking it a completed job, and cut him
down. He was resuscitated with great
difficulty. Jesse James was threatened
with hanging, but his youth saved him.
He escaped with many cuffs and blows
at the hands of the soldiers.
Later Mrs. Samuels and her daughter
were arrested and confined at st. Joseph,
which so enfaged Jesse that he again
and was finally accepted. Frank had al
ready risen to eminence in that gang of
murders and cutthroats, and Jesse, en-
lating the example, soon eclipsed him
and became the leader in all expeditions
where nerve, daring and reckless dis
regard for lives were required. A
book could not begin to tell in detail the
war adventures of the James brothers
or those of their associates. Coldblooded
murder became their delight and their
pastime was to seek foe, armed or un-
armed, and slaughter him. In Guam
trells command they found congenial
spirits in Cole and Jim Younger, JAR
rette. Clell Miller, George Shepherd
and others, who have been partners in
.heir robberies since the war. Both
were in Quantrell's band of 200 when
Lawrence, Kansas, was sacked, burned,
and nearly every male inhabitant
ruthlessly murdered. Jesse James
boasted at this time to have shot down
thirty-six.
At Centralia, way station on the
Wabash railroad, in September, 1861,
Bill Anderson, assisted by Jesse and
Frank James, displayed their fiendish
spirit. They first raided the village,
and sacked the stores; then waiting for
the east bound train, they robbed it. and
robbed the passengers of their money.
Among the passengers were 80 sick sol
diers, en- route from st. Joseph to st.
Louis for bet er hospital accommoda.
tions. These poor wretches were
marched into line by Frank and Jesse
James, and Bill Anderson, with his own
hands, shot and killed every man of
them, pistol being handed him by
either Frank or. Jesse as fast as he emp.
tied the one in hand. No amount. ol
pleading saved single life, and no pro
test was uttered by the guerrilla band.
They rather stood by and gloated ovel
the intrepid nerve of their monster chief
Scarce had the diabolical massacre beer
finished before company of volunteers
appeared in the distance, and they, too
became victims to the unerring aim oi
these bandits. Thns within two hours
so corpses were piled about the village
and perfect carnival of blood was en-
ioyed by these fiends.
From 1865 till 1868 the exploits of the
boys were on small scale and unde
serving of mention in comparison viii
their earlier and later deeds, though they
lived all the time by robbery, and made
murder mere pastime.
In the spring of 1868 Jesse James, ac
companied by Cole Younger, Al ant
George Shepherd and Jim White, dashed
into Russellville, Kentucky, and robbed
the bank of $14, ,000 There they first in
augurated the tactics that they have al
ways followed in their operations. Par
of the party entered the bank, while the
others remained outside and began 1
fusilade up and down the street to pre-
vent the approach of succor. Accom-
plishing their object, the robbers rod'
away, and though vigorously pursued
escaped.
The Gallatin bank robbery, in Mis-
souri,, is still mentioned as q typical cas-
of daring. Not only did they rob thu
bank, but deliberately shot and killed
Captain Sheetz, the cashier. after they
had collected all the money in the bank
Frank and Jesse James and Cole Youn
ger were the only ones concerned in th,
robbery. Frauk guarded the avenues
of approach while Cole Younger ant
Jesse entered the bank and forced tn
tribute. In the spring of 1870 the ganl