New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-13
n BUSHWHACKERS REUNION
FRANK JAMES VISITED IN JAIL By HIS OLD Gov
PANIONs
m, q, c.,ss

FRANK JAMES VISITED IN JAIL By HIS OLD co,
PANIoNs.
From The st. Loufs Poet Dispatch
Crowded into the cell, which measures on,.
nine feet by six. and where squared stone WALL ~
wife, and admring group OF dozen Spectator ms
Mr. Jamess right hand sat Captain Fletcher TayioAt
tightly built OF about forty, whose earliest 1.
warfare was accomplished az lieutenant under ,ss
desperate leader but who being promoted Tor ga a..
service, captain Of company later. aud hal Prasr
James as his first lieutenant aud Jesse James "a a
the prvates in his troop Mr. Taylor is a resids.s
Of Joplin No, where he ~ engaged In mining ee,
prises and IA OF the stauncbest friends whom ~
James has to rely upon IN his present emergency. '
Near by him sat Bill Gregg OF independence ano,h..
OF the Quantrell gang, man OF forty five, remsrks
his earlier days Tor his skl 10 throwing the box
knife, his ability To open up a red az twenty psees
with this weapon a pr0jecte being at this dav ~
subject Of conversation with the rising generation q %
place.
mer solid and stOuDuilt and sun-Durned the eyldenes
of honest toll showing NJ in his bent shoulders and e
ful face. OF fOrtytnree. he. too, had ene,sS.
record having been private In (uaDtrelPs band frnrs
its formation 70 the end OF the and the time ~.
disappearing came and he and many Others Of the sasg
retired the OF their sanglnary eXblois an3
lay low until their acts had been forgiven II iOrgo
ten He had his with him Ia the cell, pleasant sns
well-deyeOye Jed lad OF twenty, who when ne was nlro
duced Frank James and heard that great man com
piment him upon the close likeness he bore his faths,
gowed with honest pride and gazed with evident assr
ton upon the author OF MS being Dir C0ger was an
WOrked by the compliment ana rushed forward
seized James by the hand, and ID voice trembling VIII
emotion cried, God bless you. Frank God bless yer
have hundred sheep and lot OF hogs on my ara
in the Sna hills, and you right down there vaes
you get out OF this trouble and wen have the grande
barbecue in your honor that ever was given In jackson
County"
John Barnhll another Quantre veteran, also helDes
to swell list OF the prisoners faithful cOnpanoas
Mr. Baruhil il now in the liquor business In Independ
ence aud Frank Janes's bead-like eyes danced WI
merTiment as he remarked 10 his old cOmrade
Z" Well. John, guess that more than me Will haTeD
cha ms 3 az
ing things around this way what are you going pds
On expect we shall have TO jug it," was the 10
ply which 81. all the audience laughing
The cOnyersaton was mainly carried on by the En-
e1lerillas Occasionally outsider would inerpOsea
remark but IL colby received and the veterans
once reverted the more interesting topic For "a
hour the gathering was nothing else tnan bushwhaek
ing reunion. some very stirring incidents OF guerilla
warfare narrated Ill the course OF the Conversation
No drawer man tnan john Jackson ever lived o.
died I" remarked Frank James. snail never iOrrs
his end About forty Of US were charging eornheld
which some Feds had taken refuge. Jackson had
just killed bue-cOat at long range with his reyOyef-
lovely shot, sixty yards II It was an ncn and the bal
entered as near the GENRE OF MS ioiehead as could be
Just at this moment another Fed raised his gun-s
Belgian muskct and ana drew terrible straight bt
on jackson, caught sight OF MN and tired TO dodge
but too late He flung himself over on the saddle BAT
the Fed was too quick for HIM, and the rife bullet
ranged through bis BODY from J., END 10 end
What became OF the Fed e. asked one OF the young
sters i'll the larty eagerly.
Z" | killed him." sad Mr James.
The conversation was held pretty well down 10 the
days OF Quanire. IL very seldom treated OF the deli
cate subject OF Mr. James's outlaw career but Ouee be
carried away by the enthusiasm OF the moment aud
told the story OF the scrimmage which he aud George
shepherd with detectives IN Kentucky. TIE nara
ZION was preceded by warm defence OF shepherds
fidelity the part OF James, VINO insisted that shep
herd gull yOf the Frankfort, KY, bank robbery
for which ne sunered a term IN the penlteniiary.
d" AT the time we wtre attacked by detectives" heer
planned, " were sitting III room Dy the river side,
waiting for ferry that was to take US over into ono
shepherd was Sitting In chair when Informed lin
that saw some parties approaching ana that iet ces
they detectives. onep1eid got excited and
moved about nervOusy i'll his CHAIR ald cooked his only
remaining overln the direction OF our promised V
tOrs out my revolver held II across my lap 10 ny
right hand ana flung my hat carelessy over IT. ee
tectiye and shot at the time. His bullet struck
me in the mouth and hit hin In the side"
Kill him ." asked the youngster who had previously
No, he recovered Shepherd tried to rise in his chat;
but his revOvers got caught in the rug and the ehM
lifted with him and "a detective downed him wilma
terrible blow the head While he was wriggng aDOai
the floor he cried out, shoot the id detective,
Frank; the id detective. In the ght that ensneG
we MANAGED to beat the detectives Off but tlght
squeeze and that day have never doubted that
George Shepherd was "a good man and a true"
John Coger, tnere," said James, " indicating the
burly farmer who blushed at his sudden fame, go
than any who was in the bush with US When
fight was over the question was always asked, Well
where was John Coger shot this timer"
Roars of laughter followed TINS sally, and the ex.
guerilla at whose expense the laugh was Joined In the
merrlment as heartily as the rest
These are only a few specimen bricks culled from the
conversation which carried on by the bandit and
his od-ume comrades anu greedily taken In by As
crowd in attendance, most OF whom the younger
relations the veterans and were Ysbly Impressed
the recital OF their aWless deeds. IL looked Though
the guerilla reunion bound TO last all morning, Da
an Incident occurred which broke in upon IL. few
days before "A welknown young man or Independents
mad eloped with belle OF Kansas City, aud bride
and ner enterprlslng young husband were brought IN
and introduced the outlaw, who greeted tnem Win
especial warmth and urbanity. The nearest cAan %
Mr. James was given the little lady, whose eyes fairy
devOured the outlaws form.
rm right glad 10 YOU" be remarked " feel that
If we can Ony the ladies side shall 0af
all right. TEey rule the world, the ladies' do"
At This the jail guard approached the cell and
informed Mr.. James that the crowd below, which, Ne
said numbered about 800, had become so obstrepeiOH
In their demands Tor sight OF the great bandit hA'
they were not TO be refused longer
Let 'em in, thirty at time" Mr.. James an
swered from the bed upon which he nad beea
sitting and excusng himself 10 the company w4kei
down stairs and took scat AT the eud OF the jail oor
The door opened, and before II could be eiosei
again about nifty OF the mob outside hal gained ad,
lance. The Jail guard win eye TO business, - s9Sa
raj her pontedly nasmuch cost money 70 Keep
the ail corridor clean he hoped would refuse
contribution, at the time jnging some loose ssei
MS haud To emphasize the mint. lie ntmated tn1
about quarter was proper OF the fee ana tle
was not the lighest objection from any TO the e LUG
puUlic lcVce lasted over hour, ANA by actual eo'
between 800 and 400 people, among them iaiF spaA
ing OF ladies, attended it. one pail-oOSlng lAlno
his wife TO the outlaw, stating rs ne da 81
- Frank, Old boy. promised the old lady tnat ese
able ia bring her around To you, ana "eu"''
IN thiFty-tiv miles this morning"