The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-09-13


be Tried at the October Term.
THE DEFENSE.
GALLATIN, Mo-, Aug. 81.
Shortly after the opening of court this
morning General Shelby appeared and pro-
ceeded to make an apology for certain irreg-
ularities in his conduct the day previous while
on the witness stand, and after listening to a
rebuke from the Court and settling fine Of
ten dollars which had been entered up against
him. withdrew. The testimony for the de-
James S. Demasters Justice of the Peace of
Richmond, testified that he Officiated at the
inquest on Wood Hite and that Mrs. Bolton
then testified that she had not seen Frank
James for two years.
James G. Mason, a neighbor of the Fords,
testified that Captain Ford told him that he did
not think Frank James was in the Blue Cut or
winston robber1es, as Frank had left the bal-
ance of the boys and settled down; had had
conversations with Mrs. Ford and old man
Ford TO the same effect, the latter stating that
Frank James was not in the State at the time
of the Winston affair.
told him just after Jesse James was killedthat
he had never seen Frank and did not know
when he was in the State.
W. d. Rice, living near Richmond, testified
that Willie Bolton working for him just
after the Wood Hite inquest and that Willie
of his own motion told him that he had told a
story at the COrOncr's inquest and that his
mother made him do it.
John T. Samues, half-brother of Frank
James, testified that he last saw Frank before
the Winston robbery in the year 1876, when he
was at home in Clay County, next saw him at
independence after his surrender; was home
ali through the summer of 1881; saw Jesse in
May, 1881 at home in company with Dick Lid
dell. he stated that they had come from Ken
lucky; they arrived at night. After they got
there mother asked Jesse where Frank was.
He replied he had left Frank in Kentucky, and
that Frank was in bad health and was talking
of going South. Mother then spoke to Dick
Liddel about Frank, and he made about the
same response. Jesse remained at home for
two or three months of and on; last saw him
there about the last of July or the first of Au-
IlnTInF months I
Iiddell, Clarence and Wood Hite and Charley
Ford about the place. There was striking
family resemblance between Wood Hite and
Frank James; saw nothing of Frank all that
summer.
Mrs Zerelda Samuels, mother of Frank
James. testified that Jesse came home in May,
1881. Dick Lidden was with him. 'fThey said
they came from Kentucky, I asked where
Buck was, that being the name call Frank.
He replied that he had left Frank in Ken
lucky in bad health. said Son, you know he's
dead. You may as well tell me first as last,
] then turned to Liddell and asked him, and
he said Frank was alive, but was in Kentucky
and was in bad health. During that summer
Clarence and Wood Hite and Dick Liddell and
Charley Ford were at the house frequently.
Frank was not there during that summer, and
/ did not see him from the time, seven years
ago, when Sheriff Broome and others came
and shot him, till l saw him after
his surrender. Jim Cummings was at
the house some time in June of 1881. did not
at that time know where Frank was, but
thought he was dead. am ffty-nine years
old, and have six children. I was in my f1f-
t1eth year when my arm was shot on and my
lE5IS pGE was Killed. Being asked WncC0er,
when the men left the house after the Win
ston robbery, they did not take some strange
apparel with them, she said: "Yes; ] gave
them a dress and apron and a bonnet, so
that one of the gentlemen could pass off as
a lady and you all couldn't catch en-
Allen Palmer, a brother-in-law of Frank
James, testified to returning to his home in
Wichita Falls Texas about the 1st of August,
1881, and found Frank James there with his
family; he wore nothing but a mustache on
his face; at that time there was no railroad
nearer than Fort Worth, one hundred miles
from where he lived; Frank seemed to be kind
of i'll; said his lungs were affected.
Mrs. S. Palmer, wife of above witness, testified
that Frank James was at her home at Wichita
Falls, Tex, from June, 1881. to July 1st, and
after an absence of about four weeks return
ed the latter part of July and left finally in
September. He talked about surrendering,
saying he would like to have some Of his
friends negotiate with the Governor of Mis-
souri,.
Frank James was placed on the stand to
testify in his own behalf and gave a detailed
account of his movements from the winter of
1876 till his surrender, stating among other
things that he was in Texas during the sum-
MGR of 1881 at the residence of his sister, and
heard of the Winston and Blue Cut rObberes
while on a trip into the Indian Nation and
Immediately returned to his sister 81 feeling
sure his name would be connected with it and
it bchooved him to be among friends. He
positively denied the statements made by Dick
1iddell connecting him with the Winston rob-
berry.