Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-04-06
JESSE JAMES.
Governor Crittenden a Party tt
His Taking Off.
Arrangements Made That James
Should Be Captured
or Killed.

u
nunciation of the treachery of Dick
Little.
Governor Crittenden has just ar
rived here It is unknown at pres
ent what will be done with the body,
but the Governor has ordered it to be
turned over to his relatives.
ST. LOUIS, April A dispatch
frem Kansas City says: It is now
known that the taking off of Jesse
James was the fultilment of an ar,
rangement between Governor Crits
tenden and Bob Ford, and that Ford
was to receive one-fourth of the
reward and immunity.
In an interview with Dick Little
and the reporter on Sunday night
last the scheme was foreshadowed,
but Little said it was not to have
been accomplished before Wednes,
day or Thursday, and only then if it
was found impossible for Timber
lake to capture the bandit leader
alive.
Governor Crittenden stated here
today that his first meeting with
Ford at the st. James Hotel in this
city, was on February 22d, when
arrangements by which Jesse
James was to be either captured
or killed, were. consummated He
was non-committaI as to the dispo-
sition to be made of Ford and Lit
tie; but admitted that their ultimate
pardon was not improbable.
Sheriff Timberlake, Dick Little
and Mrs. Samuels, mother of the
dead bandit, passed through this
place last night en- route to st.
Joseph, where they have since
identified the body under oath.
The double confession of Dick
Little is still a mystery, and the
officers are endeayoring to solve it
and learn which is correct.
The trial of the Blue Cat robbers
is still in progress at Independence,
and the utmost Efforts of the counsel
are directed toward proving an. alibi.
Matte Collins, wife of Dick Little,
recently showed correspondent
letter, received about two weeks ago
from Jesse James, in which he stated
that he would stay in this country
until he had killed Dick Little, and
that then he and his brother Frank
and their families would put the At
lantic Ocean between them and the
United States.
KANSAS Cry, April 4.-Gov. Crit~
tenden, who arrived here this morn
ing, asserts positively that the body
is that of Jesse James, and that his
death was the result of an
understanding between the authors
ties and Bob Ford, who killed him,
and Dick Little, who surrendered to
Sheriff Timberlake at the same time
Ford did
The inquest at st. Joseph was con-
cluded at noon to,day. Mrs Sam-
uels, the mother of Jesse James, his
wife, Dick Little and Sheriff Timber
lake identified the body, and during
the proceedings Mrs. James and Mrs.
Samuels made highly sensational
scene by attacking Little and calling
all manner of curses down upon him
for having conspired to betray his
leader.
The coroner's jury returned yer,
dict of murder in the first degree
against Ford and the authorities
of Buchanan County refuse to give
him up. The body of James will
probably be taken to an old farm
near Kearney, Clay County, for
burial. The confirmation of James
death has created a profound sensa,
ton in western Missouri, and the
farmers near this place and Inde>
pendence, who have not been in this
place for years, rode into town this
morning in order to investigate the
rumor Some denounce Ford as an
assassin, whose only object was
blood money, while others excuse
him upon the ground of expediency.
The Governor will return to
jefferson City Tonight. where some
steps will be taken to protect Ford,
who is thought to be in danger from
the friends of the dead robber.
"Cracker Neck was upon horse
back this morning, and some threats
of vengeance are said to have been
made against the lives of Ford and
Little. The Ford brothers reside
on farm about two miles from
Richmond, county seat of Ray County,
in this State. Robert, who did the
shooting, is only about twenty years
old. Their house is said to have
been the rendezvous of some of the
James gang, and it was there that
Dick Little killed Wood Hite,
brother of Clarence Hite, who was
recently sentenced to 25 years in the
penitentiary, and is now in prison.
1t is said both belonged to the James
gang at the time, but this statement
does not seem to be verified. The
family came from Virginia, 15 years
ago; has always been considered
very respectable. For some time past
both brothers are believed to have
been in the detective service and
specially engaged in hunting out