, 1884-03-14
THE JAMES GANG.
Jim Cummings, One OF Them, Tnlken
Into Custody BY sferIn Can
ton, OF ohnson County.

Some days ago we mentioned the
fact of the capture of one Cummings,
at Buffalo, in johnson county, and
since then some new and interesting
facts have been developed in reference
to him which are well worth perusing.
The Buffalo Echo relates the particu-
lars of his arrest as follows:
"On the morning of March 3 Sheriff
Canton was greatly astonished by the
cobbler, johnson, walking into his
office and giving himself up as Jim
Cummings, one Of the members of the
notorious James gang OF Missouri out
laws. johnson has been in our midst
for months, quiet and gnobtrusive, but
by many regarded as a crank. In CIV
ing himself up he stated that as Frank
James had come out of his difficulties
so we'll, there was a show for him Cum
mings). Sheriff Canton was loathe to
believe this story but upon telegraph
ing to Liberty, Missouri. a description
of the man, he was identified as Cum
mings, and Canton was instructed to
hold him until an officer could come for
him.. In the meantime the sheriff of
Clay county, Missouri, had applied to
Governor Crittenden for a requisition
upon the Governor of Wyoming for
Cummings, but this Governor Critten-
den refused to do, upon being informed
of which Sheriff Canton refused to hold
the prisoner longer, and he was set at
liberty. Cummings face, on being
told that he was no longer wanted, was
a study, the most prominent feature be-
ing a grin that seriously threatened the
existence of his ears. He has been an
outlaw since 1865, he being but 20
years old when he commenced the ca
reer that has blighted-t the best half of
his life. Cummings Joined the army in
1862, at the same time Jesse James did,
both being sworn in by Colonel Cal
houn Thornton to join Quantrell; join
ing Andrews company instead, wa
actively engaged lin the guerilla war
fare in Missouri; surrendered at Lex
ington in 1865; went to Texas with
James in 1864; was at the James, house
in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1880; was
accused of participating in the Glen
dale train robbery, the winston train
robbery, the Blue Cut robbery, and also
with being an accessory to the murder
Of Detective Whicher.
When asked by the representative of
the Echo what he proposed to do, be
said he proposed to stay here if the
people did not run him off. AS his
behavior in this community has been
quite exemplary, and as his people do
not want him sufficiently to send for
him, he was assured he would not be
disturbed.
Cummings gives the following &C
count of the trouble which led to the
falling out between the James, and
Ford boys, resulting in the death of
Jesse James:
My brother-in-law was the uncle of
the Ford boys. Miller, one OF our as
sociates, had been killed by some one,
and l had reason to believe that Jesse
James had killed him. l accused Jesse
of it and offered TO fight him, but he
would not come out of his house to
fight. Just before this 1 had prevented
jesse from killing Dick Little. 1t was
in February 1881 that this occurred,
During the next three months L was in
louisiana, when l returned to my
brother-in-law's, and Jesse sent two of
his men to lay in ambush for me and
put me out Of the way. They did not
find me, but caught my little nephew
and abused him shameful, to get him
to disclose my whereabouts. This he
refused TO do. Ny brother-in-law be-
came incensed at this treatment of his
son, and went to the sheriff and offered
to disclose the whereabouts of Jesse
James. Jesse could have been captured
in Kansas City, for 1 know the officers
were informed that he was there. The
Ford boys finally. turned against Jesse
on account of their uncle's feeling
against him, and killed him. | regard.
ed the act Of the Ford boys as most
cowardly, although Jesse would have
killed me on the first opportunity"