Connecticut western news., 1890-02-12

Newspaper literature about the James Boys has been for the most part confined to denunciatory character. It is not often that writer attempts to shun the recital of dark deeds laid at their door when speaking of them. But Rev. Myron w. Reed, while stop ping at Excelsior Springs, health resort not far from the homo of these roughriders, visited their mother, Mrs. Samuels, and was evidently nov ed to kind thoughts by the account which she gave him of the history of her sons. In letter to the Denver News he writes entertainingly of what he saw and heard. It is unnecessary here to refer to the errors he makes. Doubtless Frank and Jesse, says he, were both bushwhackers during the war; but as between rebel bushwhaclk- CTS and federal jayhawkers honors are easy. When the war was over both the boys would have been glad to set tie down on the farm, but that was not permitted. At this time began their irregular mode of life. Mrs. Samuels does not admit for one instant the crimes charged against her boys. When man begins to go down hill everything is greased for him. Every body made haste to account for any bold robbery anywhere in the United States by fastening it on to the James boys. They were endowed in the mind of the public with the attribute of omnipresence. It is simply impos- sible that they could have done tenth part of the business that has been shouldered on to them. They rode fast, but not fast enough.
 It should be kept in mind that the business of the James boys is a hard one to retire from. Once in it. it is nearly impossible to quit. Suppose them to change their names and set tie down to private farming as they did for three years in Tennessee. There is no wanting some vlrtuous person who knows them and their past history to inform on them.
 This can be said of them. They did whatever mischief is referred to them away from home. Their imme- diate neigh bors seem to have been their friends. They did no small business. They dealt for the most part with rail- roads and banks. One can rob a trust say the Standa I'd Oil company, with much less compunction of conscience 1 than the shark ought to feel who robs l. "a up,l Thooo hnuo h u6 the virtues of one of Mark Twain's heroes, they ''never shook their mother not attempting to make them out good citizens. They were good deal like Rob Roy: ''O'er bad for blessing and. perhaps, o'er good for banning"
 I prefer them to several men who assumed to hunt for them. The gen. tlemen who threw twenty-four pound shell into the west room of the cottage at midnight. which exploded and kill ed little boy, the youngest child of Mir. and Mrs. Samuels, and tore off the right hand and part of the arm of the mother, are welcome to the ir own thoughts of themselves. They are not good company for sneak thieves. We will put them hereafter into a room by themselves.
 asked the old gentlemen, Were the boys at home at the timeP"
 "Oh, mo-" he said.
 ''Would to God they had been. Those who threw the shell would never have got to the railroad. l" Which is very probable
 This kind of warfare and the shoot ing of Jessie James in the back by a man whom he was supporting at the time, makes plain, common robbery respectabl e.
 A robber can repent. One we read about in the gospel did repent. But for a coward there is no repentance. All he can do is to pity himself Says Carlyle, "A coward is hateful to God and to the enemies of God" Hunting the James boys was a good deal like hunting grizzly or ''silver tipped. ," As long as the animal is hundred miles away the hunter is full of anima- tion. He walks as one walks toward his sweetheart. But as the distance diminishes the gait of the hunter moderates. As a rule, with excep- tions. hunters were not anxious to find "the boys"
 On my visit Mrs. Samuels was not at home. She had gone away a short distance to call on her daughter. l got the directions and soon found her.
 "Oh," she said, ''this are like it used to be. Men always cme to see the boys when they were away from home, but they never went to see when they were."
 Mrs. Samuels was born in Kentucky. Her first husband, Rev. MT. James, was Baptist preacher and organized the New Hope church, of which Mrs. Samuels is member. Her Christmas present to Frank, who is now employed in a shoe store at Dallas, Tex, was a beautifully bound Holy Bible. Mrs. Samuels is very intelligent lady, has the Martha Washington kind of face, hair slightly gray and is as hospitable to strangers as Kentucky.
 She has given away four portions of the homestead to her children, and .till has small farm left. The house ;s comfortable and neatly kept. Pic lures adorn the walls and embroidered work, done by the skillful fingers oj her daughter. brightens the pleasant diving rooms"
 Mrs. Samuels is a philosoher prob ably she has not read Hegel on Car