The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1894-05-16
Frank James's worst Scare.

the famous Frank James was also
spending a few days. James. he
says, has the appearance of the
plain, ordinary looking business
man. Ho dresses modestly, yet
neatly, and refers to his past ca
reer with great reluctance. He has
not aged much, and his cold, steel
gray eye is as penetrating now as it
was when he rode unmolested and
spread terror through the very
mention of his name He says he
has been lied about in very reck-
less manner, and that few of the
deeds attributed 10 him in the So
called Life of the James Boys are
authentic. Asked one night If he
ever lost courage IN any oi bis tight
places, he said:
al was pretty badly scared one
night near Columbia, Tenn. 1t was
during the war; Jesse, ono or two
of the boys and 1 were working our
way northward to join Quantrell,
who was Matching plan to go to
Washington and there capture Lin
coin. We were travelling by night
altogether, and before reaching Co.
lumbia, Tenn, separated in order to
remove the possibility of capture,
with the intention of meeting again
at some point further north. When
l arrived at Columbia l found my
self minus horse, as the one 1 had
been riding for several days was
pegged out completely, and l was
forced to look around for better
mount. In the early part of the
night looked through several sta
bles, but could find no horse, and
finally / came to a shed containing
a lot of mules. They were nearly
all young ones, but in the lot was
one old fellow that was quiet and
gentle. The country about was full
of soldiers, and SO 1 was forced to
appropriate the old mule in order
to get away as quickly as possible.
| saddled and bridIed the mule and
struck out in the darkness4
After riding about two miles 1
fancied 1 heard a body of horsemen
approaching. did not know
whether they were soldiers OF not,
and was not certain but that our
presence in that section had become
known. Anyway, was in no hu-
NOR to fight company of cavalry,
and was not prepared to hold out
long against such odds, had been
inclined to show fight. listened,
and the noise grew palmer. The
following horsemen were within a
half mile of me, and were approach
ing steadily and rapidly. There
was no fencing along the road, and
drew my mule to the right and
pushed into the brush to await de-
velopments.- / was then out of
sight and hearing, and hoped that
my pursuers, if they were in search
of me, would pass me by. 1 anx-
iously awaited their approach. The
country was strange to me, or L
would have struck further out into
the woods. In a few minutes /
could hear them within a few hun
dred yards of me. a little longer
and they were just at the road
where 1 had left it. 1 could not see
them, as it was the darkest night 1
ever saw, but from the noise made
by the hoof beats 1 judged that
there were at least so men in the
party. They stopped in the road
opposite me, and L fancied L could
hear a hurried conversation in
whispers. l felt sure that 1 had
been discovered, and did not know
exactly what to do.
ga few of the borsemen started in
the direction of me, and then the
old mule 1 was on made noise.
This was signal for a charge, and
the entire company started after
me like a flash. l drove the spurs
into my mule and went headlong
into the darkness, determined to
give them race. Not word was
said and not shot was fred, but !
felt that l was in tight place, and
prepared to sell my life dearly.
The party followed me and appear
ed to be spread out and surround
ing me, leaving me no avenue of es.
cape. 1 saw that as long as / was
riding my mule gave my pursuers
an indication of my whereabouts
and thought that if 1 dismounted ]
might steal off in the bushes afoot
and hide. 1 halted, and one of the
pursuers passed within % feet Of
me. neered throuoh the dark.