Las Vegas free press. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1891-1???, 1892-06-11
LAS VEGAS FKEE Press
TIE KrlINa OF JESSE JAMES.

April 8, 1882. Bob was relative of
Jesse, second or third cousin. A
few months before the killing one of
the members of the James gang,
Bill Ryan, was apprehended. tried
and convicted. He was sent to the
penitentiary for long term of years.
The capture and incarceration of
Ryan at Jefferson City resulted in
the breaking up of the gang at that
time.
Dick Liddel, through his mistress,
Matte Collins, opened negotiations
with Police Commissioner Craig
and Chief Speers, of Kansas City,
and Sheriff Timberlake, of Clay
county, which terminated in his sur
render. He was promised immun-
ity. Soon after his surrender he
made confession, duplicating Jesse
and Frank James, and number of
others, in the Blue Cut, Winston and
Glendale robberies. While Dick
Liddel was making his confession,
Charley Ford, brother of Bob Ford,
capitulated to Police Commissioner
Craig, and was taken into the pres
ence. of Governor Crittenden. To
his excellency he stated that he had
been out in the "brush" with Frank
and Jesse James, and had partici'
pated in some of the train robbenes
they were accused of having COM
mitted.
There were at that time rewards
aggregating 100000 for each of the
James boys. The rewards were Of
fered by the railroad companies
whose trains had been held up and
robbed and by the state. After a
few conversations with Gov. Critten-
den Bob and Charlie Ford agreed to
meet Jesse James and remain with
him until they could either capture or
kill him. The house in which Jesse
James lived with his wife and two
children was upon knoll in st. Joe,
and overlooked a considerable part
of the city.
Bob and Charlie Ford remained
with Jesse James several days, but
found no opportunity to capture him.
Then they resolved to kill him. On
the day of his death, for the first
time in many years, Jesse removed
his revolvers, which he wore suspend
ed from his hips by a belt around his
waist He stepped upon a chair to
dust and hang picture. AS he did
so the Fords stepped behind him
with revolvers in hand. Bob Ford
fired, the bullet entering Jesse's skull
at the base of the brain, and he fell
upon the floor and expired without
utterlng Word.
Charlie Ford afterward took his
own life in New Mexico, and the kill
ing of Bob ends the bloody chapter.
In connection with the death of Bob
Ford the following, from the Globe
Democrat, is of interest now:
81 had chance to pick up $4,000
once, and didn't know it," said Z. p.
Bowen, Hawkeye insurance man, at
the Southern. 81 went into a bill
lard hall at st. Joe, and finding a
stranger knocking the balls about,
asked him TO join me in game. lie
consented and we played until mid
night. took great fancy to the
stranger, and having a large sum OF
money on me, and being fearful of
the Jesse James gang, asked him to
walk with me to the hotel. He con-
scented, and declining an invitation to
drink, babe me cheerful good
might. Two days later Jesse James
was killed for the $4,000 reward. !
went to the undertaker's to see the
dreaded outlaw, and my hair fairly
rose on end when in. the dead man
recognized my companion in that
midnight walk to the hotel. / might
have captured him and secured the
reward, and then 1T might have turned
out differently. Anyhow, / do not
regret allowing that $4,000 to slip
through my fingers"
A letter received by Mr.. A.P.Dun-