Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-06-19

Some Gossip About the Big Out
laws and Their Wives.
Kansas City Times.

| life of the James boys, which deserve
prominence in writing the history {
their career, was the marriage {
Frank James to Annie, the prett
daughter of Samuel Ralston, of Inde
pendence, which occurred in june
| 1874, aud now all the facts in conneC
ton with that affair are revived by tn
return home of Mrs. Frank james
nee Annie Ralston, who, unexpected
and unannounced. reached her father
house late on Friday night last iron
| st. Louis, over the Chicago and Altol
road. Not since 1874 has her form
darkened the door of her father
house, and at that time, when she de
parted, it was to visit the family o
Mrs. Ezra Hickman, in this city, anC
from here she went to Omaha, where
she was clandestinely married v
Frank james. The young girl whC
thus linked her life to that Of the
notorious outlaw was as we'll known a:
any young lady in jackson county
Her father, Mr.. Samuel Ralston, be-.
fore the war, was one of the richest
and best known men in Jackson couD
ty, and owned and lived on what is
now the Preston Roberts farm. There
Annie Ralston was born, and her edu
cation was the best that could be
obtained. During the war Mr.. Raj
ston's farm was raided time after time
BY jayhawkers, his horses and blooded
stock stolen and stampeded, and
shortly before the celebrated Order
No. IL" was issued, he received a
special order FROM the commander Of
the district to leave the country for
his supposed leaning toward the Con-
federates. He was then forced to
leave his home and farm, which never
again came into his possession in such
shape that he occupied it, even if
he had anything like legal title
The war swept everything from him,
and he was left a comparatively poor
man. Allthis time his pretty daughter
remained with the family, and during
1870 or 1871 she secured the position
Of school teacher in the county, which
she was in every way capable OF filling,
and it was about this time that her
path crossed that of Frank James,
and her life was changed in all its
bearings. To say that the return
home Of this girl after all these years
caused an excitement at Indepence is
but expressing it mildly,and on Friday
night last, when she went into her
fathers house she was greeted as only
a returned child could be under the
circumstances. With her was a fine
boy seven years of age, who answers
to the name Of bob" and all the
family say he looks just like Frank.
On Saturday and Sunday last when it
became known in and about Indepen-
dence that Annie Ralston James had
returned to her fathers house, large
number of friends and relations called
upon her. 1t is said the eight years
which have passed since she so sud
denly went away have worked great
changes in her appearance, and that
she looks careworn and weary and at
least fifteen years older. She refuses
to talk about her husband iu connec-
ton with the crimes lad at his door,
but says he is alive. She knows moth
ing of the reported negotiations for
his surrender, and declares emphati.
eally that he will do nothing Of the
sort, unless a full and complete pardon
be granted him by the Governors Of
the States where the charges are hang
ing over his head.
A Times reporter lately had an in
terview with Mr.. Samuel Ralston re.
garding his daughter, and he states
that during 1873 and 1874 his daugh-
ter taught school during the larger
portions of the year. and was often q
guest at the house of Mr.. Ezra Kick
man, in Kansas City, whose wife was
daughter Of Mr.. Ralston's second
wife,
During that time had you any idea
that Frank james was counting your
daughter"
Not the least in the world. She was
a very pretty loving daughter, and was
unlike most girls of her age. She did
not court the attention of the young
men Of the neighborhood; but, on the
contrary, she rather Stunned and re-
PEELED them"
Where and when did Frank
James meet her and do his love max
ing2"
"That [ do not know. She taught
school sometime at New Santa Fe,
and | presume it was there. Frank
James, however, was an occasional
visitor at my house after the war,
and from 1870 until Annie left US he
was at the house perhaps half doz-
en- times. The IDEA that be wanted
my daughter for his wife, or that
she would accept him, never entered
my head. knew all about his actions
during the war, and didn't want such
a man for my son in law"
when did she leave homer"
Il think it was in June, 1874, that
she left for Kansas City. | came to
town with her and brought her trunk,
and from the time she took the cars
have never seen her. From Kansas
City she was going to Omaha to visit
young lady who had been her school.
mate. After she had been away some
time, we received letter postmarked
Kansas City, telling US that she wa
married and going to Nevada or Colo
RADIO. She said that she had deceived
me, and asked forgiveness for the same
signing herself simply, Annie Rey
nOlds. You can imagine how sur
prised we were, and tried in every wa,
to find out who the man Reynolds wa
she had married, but for long tim,
failed"
Flow did you discover it at last?
my son John found it out one da
in Kansas City. He was travelling for
st. Louis house, and while sellin
goods went into store and was aske,
| ~ ho Vuau ony rclok,o. A.. Al G. ID l