San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-03-01
FRANK JAMES.
Lrraisned for a Crime Committed Fourteen
Years AGO.

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Gallatin, in Daviess county, in this
state, was robbed, and the cashier,
Capt. Sheets, murdered. 1t was cur.
rently stated and positively denied at
the time that the James brothers COM
mitted the deed. 1t is for this offence
that Frank James is now to be put on
trial in Gallatin. He was transferred
from Jackson county to Daviess coun-
ty ON Saturday last. The Kansas City
Times recites some of the facts of the
escape of the perpetrators OF the
crime for which Frank James stands
indicted, and hints at some OF the
evidence relied on by the state;
81 THE ESCAPE.
When the assassins reached the
horses the larger of them mounted,
while the other became entangled IN
the straps and trappings of a high
spirited and thoroughbred mare he
rode, and which, during the excite
ment, made her escape. Thus situa.
ted, both mounted one horse and
hurried off in southwesterly direc-
ton. When about two squares from
the scene of the tragedy, they met
the Rev. Mr.. Wilmot, who, thinking
the horse was beyond the control of
it's riders, essayed the role of a Sa-
marian and endeavored to check its
advance. His apprehensions were
speedily dissipated, however, by the
mounted men presenting their revolt
vers and commanding him to stand
one side, as they flew on in the direc-
ton of the brush.
A crowd soon collected. Pursuit
was commenced at once but without
results. The robbers, when two miles
out of town, met an old citizen,
Daniel Smott by name, who was on
horseback proceeding to the village.
He was compelled to dismount, when
one of the fugitives took his place,
and their race was against time and
popular vengeance. AS darkness des-
cended upon the landscape the blood
stained scoundrels reached the resi-
dence of settler, at which the Rev.
John Helm, an itinerant circuit-rider
of the Wesleyan faith, as also a book
canvasser, had put up until morning.
LOSING THEIR WAY.
The newcomers had lost their way,
and in the midst of the desperation
born of such ignorance, they COM
PEELED Helm to guide them across
the Hannibal and St. Joe track,
around Kidder station and then dis
missed him with a warning of the
if he informed of the
course they had taken. "They were
jhe James boys" they said, "and
came of family that kill" Once,
Upon the route, Helm became dazed
md lost the track. He found it again,
however, his apprehensions in that
behalf being quickened by threats
If instant death, emphasized at the |
point of a Derringer pistol.
The commencement of their iden-
ity with Frank and Jesse James,
coupled with the fact that the mare
which escaped at the time of their
light con frmed the impression as to
he personnel of the murderers. 1t
S stated that the mare belonged to
me of the young lady sisters of the
-ames boys, who claimed subsequent
Y that she had sold her to q man in
Kansas. From this time the hunt
Or the guilty parties was undertaken,
rosecuted, and the belief entertained
hat the mystery of the guilty parties
'ould he solved by the arrest of the
ames boys. Their fate has since be-
ONE part of the history of the state
ne sleeps beneath the sod whereon
e played in infancy; the other
waits his trial in the tolls of the
wv. CAS- summer flies in the sham
les"
THE EVIDENCE.
What evidence will be offered in
Import of the indictment for the
murder of Capt. Sheets was not
ccessible to inquiry. The prosecut-
lg attorney decline to state upon
hat the conviction would be sought
is said that he has a witness who
ill swear that he sold the mare that
as said to have been ridden in Gal
tin by Frank James one week before
lie tragedy. But such evidence is
,nsidered as entirely too diaphanous
n judicial orindividual consideration.
will demonstrate, say those with
HON your correspondent conversed,
ther the honesty of James OF the
3ininity of the witness. In any case {
would have no weight with jury. :
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