The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-29
CAREERS OF TWO OUTCASTS
Rev. VIM. Wilson, Who Married aSena-
tors Daughter, an Outlaw and Thief.
Confesses to Having Been q Member of the
Younger Band-Dsath of James b Dow. q
Pauper, Who Wasa0nce Wealthy Bostonian.

WOOSTER. o.. Nov. 2s.-Born of Christian
and raised as tenderly as q potted plant,
was q young man who left this country in
1858. He took up his residence in Missouri,
where he studied and practiced medicine.
The last heard of him by his parents was
early in the civil war. when he married the
daughter of Senator elmer, of Missouri.
He has long been mourned as dead, but
now comes word that he is still living, and
fills the cell of o convi:t in the far-off State
of Texas. This. too. after having been
preacher and doctor and, by hts own con-
~fession. . member of the Younger brothers
gang Of desperadoes and an associate of
Frank and Jesse James. Such. In brief, is
the history of Rev. William Wilson.
The information which came to relatives
here from Waco, Tex, is to the effect that
he had been preaching near that city when
he borrowed a horse from q neiahbor. I.
II. Sapp. and sold it to q policeman named
James Hall. He was arrested and entered
Q plea of guilty. Before being sentenced
he made IN affecting plea for mercy, but
was given the full extent of the law. 1t
had long been reported that he served
with the Younger brothers in theirexploits,
and to Sheriff Ford he confessed that, I'M
der the name of Robert shepherd. he had
heen an officer in the Younger brothers
gang. In his confession. he said: Il was
born In Wayne county, Ohio, In 1895, and
am hIty-four. years old. My father was
Rev. L. s. Wilson, a minister Of note. l
moved to Missouri in 1858 and married Miss
Mary elmer. daughter of Senator elmer.
/ had received q liberal education and for
the hrst few years taught school. The
war broke out and / enlisted in the Second
Kentucky Cavalry. served with
Gen. John H. Morgan until his capture,
and was with him when he was taken, but
escaped, and was sent afterwards by Presi-
dent Davis as q secret agent of the confed-
crate government to Northern States. My
mission being suspected, / was thrown into
prison, and when | returned to Kentucky
/ found my house in ashes and my wife
II children dead. IL was then | met the
ioungers. They befriended me. and l aft
onward joined their peculiar band. hey
gave me the secretaryship of their ~associa-
tlOn. While L was with the Youngers /
met Frank and Jesse James. / grew re-
morseful and left the Youngers, settling in
buchanan county. Missouri. where / was or
damned a minister of the Christian Church.
While preaching and practicing medicine
/ got caught in a tornado, and was Grip
pied. l then took to drink. but reformed
and came to Texas. | was engaged in
preaching at aDd abOut Eddy when, dur
II q Va L oOAo II 4 L eOb MI
Sapp: the policeman. and you know the
rest"
Death of an Outcsst, Who Was Once Wealthy.
ST. LoCIs. Nov. 2S.-On q slab at the
morgue lies the lifeless form of James B.
Dow. who, at one time was q wealthy and
hIgbly-respected citizen of Boston, Mass,
but when death checked his career was q
social outcast and almost q pauper. The
body was found late yesterday in the Erie
House, at No. GIG Market street. a resort
frequented by the commonest laborers.
Whether death had been due to natural
causes. or whether the man had taken his
own life, remains for the coroner to ascer-
tain at the inquest. Everything points to
suicide. A pint bottle half full OF some
unknown white liquor was foun in the
| room. and IL Is supposed to be poison.
Dow came to the Erie House Saturday
afternoon and engaged a'room. paying for
| one night in advance.t He carried q small
satchel, and left it In the apartment select
ed by him. The next five hours be spent
wandering around the city in the vicinity
of the hotel. About @ o'clock he returned
and proceeded directly to his room. He
was not seen alive again. Yesterday Mary
DOnnely, q chambermaid, went to the
room to clean it. The door was looked,
and knocking failed to arouse the inmate.
Becoming alarmed she summoned the pro-
| pTleLOT, JBlleS SnlVcy, duu uo CLUE beu
through q transom, and, looking around
the room, saw the form of Dow on the bed,
lying perfectly motionless. The face bore
q fixed expression of pain and agony. The
man was but half attired. and from appear.
ances seemed to be dead. Numerous let
tiers found in the satchel show hum to
have been at one time q wealthy citizen OF
Boston. Besides personal letters there are
numerous legal documents and q few pawn
tickets. Among other letters are some
written in . neat. small female hsnd, un-
doubtedly by some young lady, who. at the
lime they were written, just after the close
of the war, resided in Boston. They are
full of love. and in them Dow was addressed
as "My own darling JIM and they END NJ
with "Your own loving Birdie" A faded,
finely-woven linen handkerchief. trimmed
on the edges with fine lace, yellow with
age, found in one of the love epistles. il
probably all Jim" had to remember his
Birdie" by. He had kept il for years. In
another of the letters was a lock of golden
hair, tied with a faded pink ribbon.
LATER-A post mortem examination on
Dow's body shows death was caused by
s%oftening of the liver, and not By any
poison.