Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-09-10
III D BRIDE.
TrustfuI Mrs. James and the
Telegram she Sent Before
the Winston Robbery.

early one u mOIulug says =
correspondent Of the Kansas City
Journal, a neatly dressed woman
stepped into the telegraph Office at the
Union depot, and, picking up a West
ern Union blank, she took a ANAL
pencil out Of her pocket and wrote out
q brief dispatch. Being 10 a hurry,
she asked me the day Of the month,
and as she looked up to make the in
Quiry / thought l detected in those
pretty features the c%ountenance Of q
former Independence belle, whom |
knew at sight from the fact that she
had occasion to use the wire before.
My impression was confirmed by the
signature to the message, which was
simply Annie" This was Annie
Ralston James, wife Of the most re-
noWned bandit of modern times. and
the telegram was addressed, without
any attempt at %concealment, to no less
a parsonage than Frank James him,
self, then living at the pretty little
town OF T, not over a thousand
miles from Kansas City
Rec Mt train robberies, especially
the Glendale one, in which the name
Of Frank James was conspicuously
coupled, we're live topics Of discussion,
and the search for the outlaws was still
being prosecuted vigorously, although
it had been some little time since the
last robbery was committed. Consid.
ering the heavy rewards offered and
the complete failure Of the pursuit in
every conceivable direction, the exact
location Of Frank James at the time
would be worth thousands Of dollars
to the officers, and they would have
undoubtedly paid Literally tor the in
formation. .
In view Of these facts Mrs. Frank
James, even though she oOn,idered
her husband innocent, eyinced what
might be looked on ss a remarkable
degree Of confidence in openly sending
q telegram 10 her noted husband while
the whole country was resounding with
the query: Where arc they2 meaning
Frank and Jesse. l counted the
words in the message; there we're Just
nine. | told her the rate, and, as she
paid the change, | noticed that her
features we're calm and unrufled, in>
d:oating a trustful disposition. With
me in the Office at the time was Sam
Bigger, who died six months ago. |
handed him the dispatch very uncon.
cernedly, and he started TO telegraph
it to the up town Office, all messages
being repeated there. When he got
as far as the name Of the party ad
dressed he abruptly stopped, uncon.
sciously turned bis head in the direc-
ton OF the counter to see if Mrs.
James was still there, and then looked
over at me, accompanying the glance
with a knowing wink. and then En-
ished the message. We talked Of the
matter alterward, and, although i'm,
portant secrets we're 4 daily occur
renee, so much so hat they were sell
dom commented on. Sam said that.
considering the hue and cry that was
being raised, he naturally expected
that If the great bandit received any
telegram it would be under an assumed
name. Sam is now 10 his grave, and
can say for him that She wealth OF the
Indies would not have been suefioient
inducement for him to breathe a
word outside about this or any other
telegram.
| made the remark that il a train
robbery should occur In the vicinity
OF Kansas City within "a hours. Frank
James would be accused Of partieipa-
ton beyond a doubt, although too far
away to make his connection with il
a possibility, mentioning in i~llustra
ton Of the fact that a crime was com
mitted several years before in which
Jesse was accused Of having a hand.
although he had sent q Telegram from
q town in Tennessee, far away from
the scene Of the robbery, the day il
was committed. Strangely enough
the first thing TO greet my ears as
was on my way to work the mex
morning alter Mrs. James dispatch
was sent was: Here's your mornin,
Journal; all about Frank and Jess
James rObbing the Rock Island traiI
at Winston "
If you feel dull, drowsy, debilitated
have BsllOW color Of akin or vallnwi.t