The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-04-29
CULTIVATING HIS WINGS
By the Time Frank James Has
Been Acquitted by a Few
More Juries,
He Will be Full-Fledged Angel, Just
Like the Sainted Jesse-The
Hero of the Hour.

BooNvnLE, Mo, April 28.-The biggest
citizen of Cooper County to-day is Sheriff
Rodgers, who arrived this morning, eld-
Ing the redoubtable Frank James
at the tail of his triumphal car, though
| crowned with the laurel wreaths of MIS-
| sci Shoals and the glorious victory at
| Huntsville. The prisoner was immeli-
ately lodged in the County Jail to await
trial for completely in the Otterville trim
robbery. A large miscellaneous crowd
gathered at the depot to meet him.
In the old days when the thoroughbred
horse and his silver-mounted pistols were
| among his best friends, Frank James occa-
sionally honored the adjoining county of
Pettis by visiting Major John Edwards in
Sedalia. One bitter cold night lone
horseman pulled rein in front of the DEM
ocrat office there and asked to see Major
John. He politely but firmly declined to
dismount and warm himself, but sat firm
ly in the saddle with the holsters UNI
buckled and the pistol hits in easy reach
The talented editor, with
SILVER AND AN ovERCoAT,
went down to the street and, standing
upon the curbstOne for an hour, earnest
ly discussed the particular scheme that
Frank James then proposed for return
ing to good citizenship. In those days
Frank was always planning to remove
the stigma of outlawry from himself and
comrades, and trusty, influential editors
in Central and Western Missouri were
not infrequently consulted by him.
But this distinguished soldier of the
highway has not paid an official visit to
Cooper County since the Sth of July,
1876, on which date the Grand Jury rec
ords narrate that James and his COM
panions had train inspection to make
in Rock Cut on the Missouri Pacific Road
near Otterville. 1t was the first serious
business
SINCE HIS HONEYMOON
with pretty Annie Ralston and the last be-
fore the evil day of Northheid. Anne was
wee bit of girl wearing short petit
coats and long pantalettes in the sulphur
GUS times when Frank, beardless boy,
was making for himself name of terror
in the fierce border vendetta OF
| Quantrelrs Guerrillas and Jenni-
sons Jayhawkers. The close
of the war found her father,
| Colonel Sam Ralston, of independence,
not as wealthy as he had been, but still
in comfortable circumstances. She re-
ceived the best educational advantages
| that Independence could afford, and is
| said to have carried off the highest hon
ors of her class. Colonel Ralston's
hoSpitable doors was always open to
the prescribed men, and as she grew
| into beautiful womanhood Anne saw
them often. She listened to Frank
James tale of love much as Desdemona
listened to Othello, and loved him be-
cause she did pity him. One fine day
in 1875 there was an elopement from In
| dependence and a marriage in Leayen-
worth, kas. Colonel Ralston had lost u
daughter and Frank James.
| HAD WON A BRIDE.
| 1t was the best thing that ever hap
| pened to the outlaw, for probably saint
nor sinner ever had more faithful and
| devoted wife.
| Doubtless Frank would have been will
| ing enough to have shaken off his wild
companions after his marriage and set
| tied down to quiet life. But that was
impossible; and man of family must be
up and doing. The story of the
| oTTERvILLE ROBBERY
| is that it was arranged in the lead mining
| districts of Southwest Missouri by Frank
| and Jesse James, Cole and Bob Younger,
| Charlie Pitts, Bill Caldwell and Hobbs
| Kerry. Jesse James was the leader in
| this as in all similar enterprises. A few
days after the first of July the bandits
appeared in groups of three or four in
| the neighborhood of Otterville. On the
eighth day they rode, by pairs, to the
rendezvous near Rocky Cut Bob
Younger, Clell Miller and Charlie
Pitts were detailed to capture the
Waterman at the bridge. Bill Chad
we'll and Hobbs Kerry-a green hand at
the business-were told to mind the
horses. Other members of the gang
piled stones and old cross-ties on the
track at the mouth of the cut. When the
train came along at eleven O'Clock that
| night red lantern waved by Charlie Pitts
| brought the locomotive to Standstll
| with the cow-catcher just touching the
pile of Instructions. The robbers imme-
diately surrounded the train and with
drawn revolvers compelled the passengers
to stay quietly inside the coaches. Jesse
James sprang into the express car, and in
his own persuasive way soon induced the
messenger to open the safe. He emptied
$4,000
into sack and the freebooters rode off
into the woods to divide the spoils. After
this interesting ceremony had been per-
formed by Frank james, the robbers re-
mounted and rode off rejoicing, each
going his own way. Hobbs Kerry went
travelling about in Southwest Missouri
Kansas and Indian Territory, trying to
destroy all the whiskey in that part of the
country, spending his money freely and
talking with both ends of his tongue
The detectives finally gathered him in,
and he gave away the story of the Otter.
vile robbery.
Frank James Is the only survivor of the
Otterville reunion. The gangs next adj
venture was at Northheld Mimi, where
Clell Miller, Charlie Pitts and Bill Chad
well were killed and the three Youngers
we're captured, after being riddled with
bullets.