San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-06-01
THE JAMES GANG.
Discovery OF One OF Their Former haunts in
Tennessee.
danatin Tenntssean.

, GaIlatin Tennt ssean'
. During the last few days great inter
est has been taken by our citizens u
visiting the cave on the farm OF Col
! James Alexander, the well-known bank
| or of this place. His farm adloins tn
/ Hite farm, of Logan County, KY, an'
J is lust over the State line, on the Ten
nessee side, and the cave spoken o
above has for years past been the rem
devious of the James brothers gang o
outlaws, and was safe depository ioi
valuables of all kinds that they secured
on their numerous raids. In this cave
the celebrated bandits have rested and
Toasted after many hot pursuit by
the officers of the law, and it is said
that not few too inquisitive persons
have lost their lives while endeavorlng
to explore the wonders Of the caverns,
while the bandits were in possession
of the same. The cave is located in an
isolated spot upon the farm and is sur,
rounded by a dense underground, and
the entrance to it is mere sink
hole, into which the water from the
earth's surface flows, forming in the
cave q beautiful stream OF water as
clear as crystal. The entrance, how
ever, is large enough to admit the pas
sage of man on horseback, and the
bandits horses were frequently corralled
there for days and nights together,
while their masters rolled themselves
up in their blankets and enjoyed such
sweet and refreshing sleep as only a
sense OF perfect security could give
them.
The farm upon which the cave is
located has for the last five years been
rented by party giving his name as
f. j. Howard. The rent was always
paid in advance promptly, and no
questions were asked him by, Col. Alex
ander, who paid only an occasional visit
to the place, as it was located quite
distance from Gallatin. There was a
log house on the place containing four
rooms, which were neatly, but plainly
furnished. Howard was absent the
greater part of the time, but where no
one in the vicinity seemed to know
and the only person seen about the
house generally was an old colored
woman and her husband, who appeared
to have charge of the things generally,
keeping the fepce in repair and attend
ing the few head of cattle that grazed
upon the farm. There was ever an air
of mystery and cold unsociability about
the place, and as it was at least a
mile off the main road from here to
there were but few visitors
TO it, and their visits were of but few
duration. A better place
could not have been selected by the
bandits for the particular purpose to
which they applied it.
The discovery of this RENDEZVOUS of
jhe bandits was made last November
by Detective Bligh, of Louisville KY,
who, with a number of Logan and
Warren County officials tracked the
noted robbers to the cave. Col. Alex
lnder was duly notified of the state of
lffairs, and with the gang, gave Howard
notice to leave the premises January l,
It which time his year was up. This
vas very imprudent step upon the
part of Col. Alexander, as it served to
lotify the bandits that their rendezvous
vas discovered, and foiled the detec-
ives in their efforts to capture them,
nd an attack was never made upon the
ave, for reasons best known to the
detective. And now come the strangest
,art of the whole thing. Col. Alex
nder, subsequently believing he was
about his tenants connection {
nth the gang, wrote to him, request
ng him to keep the farm on the terms
s usual. The request was readily COM
lied with, and the farm was occupied
ntil the day of the killing of JesseJ James
,as reported, when Howard suddenly
as did also the old colored
ouple heretofore spoken of, also the
Id household goods.
On Saturday last Col. Alexander
aceived letter from Sedalia, Mo-, a.,
'hich read as follows:
Sedalia, Mo-, April -, 1SS2.-Col. ,
as. Alexander, Gallatin. Tenn:
,EAR SIR have vacated your prem ,
lises forever. 1 thank you for the
lany courtesies extended to your mys- /
,rious tenant known as Howard. Visit !
le cave on your farm and you will find a
to interest you. l shall c
venge the death of my brother or die $
/ the attempt. I am, sir, yours with /
aspect. FRANK JAMES, L
Alias T. J. Howard. 9
The RECEIPT of this letter greatly as Y
,nished Col. Alexander, who called Q
bout him a select number of his L
lends to whom he read the document, a
I'd who were as equally astonished. a
eeping the matter secret, they left {
lie same evening for a visit to the cave, q
Id entered the same with torches, &
range weird-sight met their view. 6
irst, the skeleton of four horses, evil s.
entity left there by therobbers on their Il
ST raid, as they still emit an unpleas- C.
a L. Rlonla4c op1 mattresses q