River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-04-13

reporter who was present she said:
knew it had to come, but my boy Jesse
is better off in heaven, to-day, than he
would be here with us. Friends
fiocked around and each was greeted
by name by Mrs. Samuels, with word
about the trouble. The.party went d.
rectlv to the Kearney hotel, where DR..
Samuels met them. The body was
taken to his office and the casket
opened, and the crowd was admitted to
look. Mrs. S., and Jesse's widow en-
tered with the children at 2
q. m. The scene was terrible
There were shrieks, means and curses
and L. James, John Manning and DR.
Samuels tried to get the old lady away
from the body, but before she and Mrs.
James had got to bed all the friends
had looked at the remains and identi-
fed them as Jesse James.
A big crowd was in town all night and
the excitement was intense though not
openly manifested. At day light the
sky cleared and though the sun rose
upon roads deep with mud, horsemen
began coming from every direction at
the earliest hour. The coffin still lay
uncovered in the Office of the hotel and
this magnet attracted each new conner
and they lowered around as by instinct.
This mornings trains are bringing fresh
arrivals and the scene is that of a
swarming fair. w. r. Woodward and
]. B. Carson, supt. and gen'l manager
of the Hannibal l. st. Joseph railway,
were passengers on the southbound
train which passed at 40, and it was
stopped long enough to permit the of
| ficials and passengers to view the body.
The hotel being only half dozen rods
| from the station two other passenger
trains were stopped for the same pur-
pose. The avidity of the people to
look upon the remains of the dead
man seems to be one of singular pow
er. There appears in it more than
passing curiosity, and on many faces
traces of compassionate emotion are
perceptible as they gaze upon the now
CHASTITY countenance. The wife and
mother are more subdued this morning,
but their color has treacherCus aspect
which forbodes an outbreak at the fu-
neral, which is to take place this after
noon at the Baptist church. At the
close of this dispatch preparations
were being made for the funeral. Sam
Kaufman. noted desperate, and party
arrived this morning and viewed the
remains. He was telegraphed to come
by Luther James, cousin of the dead
man.
The funeral party left the hotel at
2:10 %. m. First came the wagon with
the corpse, and next the family; next
mounted officers, and the last wagon
with reporters. An immense crowd on
horseback and on foot and in wagons,
followed. The pall-bearers were Sheriff
Timberlake, Deputy Reed, Chas. Scott,
J. B. Henderson, ]. D. Ford, Ben Elan
ders and Jas. Vaughn. On the hill
around the church, was largo crowd
At door of church, Rev. Martin met the
mourners and asked Mrs. Samuels il
she objected to Brother Jones assisting
in the services. She said she did not
After the body was carried into the
church, services began with the hymn
"What Friend | have in Jesus" The
Rev. Jones followed in prayer, after
which the hymn, Where shall Rest be
Found p was sung.
| The Rev. J. M. Martin followed with
the funeral sermon. After the Rev
Martin had concluded his remarks
which were full of comfort for the
mourners, and in which he dwelt or
the forbearance and willingness to for
give of Christ, the procession started
for the farm in the same order IL
which Invent from the hotel to the
church. It was followed by an i'm
mense crowd.