Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-06-10
IT BLlGHTED HIS CAREER
MISREPRESENTATION OF GOVERNOR
oRITrENpES's PLANS
TO sxserminnsc the Notorious James
snns Lost Him the Mexican Mis-
sion, Hut Tn. Error wur niahs-
ed Eight Years Afterward.

From the New York Herald
Il was In little group Of Western
politicians in an uptown hotel, few
evenings ugo. that one o. them, Mis-
sourinn. remarked rcficctively. "lt IL
odd that one OF the most courageous
public actions since the war should
have served TO blight the political ca
reer of pcrhaps the ablest man west
of the Missouri river. Stranger still,"
added the Mlssourinn. that the story
should never have found Il way into
print. | refer 10 the break up OF the
Jesse James gang by Governor Crit-
tvnden and the curious Nemesis which
his brave act became IN the governors
subsequent career, II Involves the In.
side story OF the end OF that famoua
gang which, In It's entirety. has never
been told"
The speaker was w. a. Anderson,
formerly a prominent attorney IA Kan.
sas City, now OF New York.
The party was all attention, and
through a cloud Of fragrant smoke tho
Missourian told his story,
ITO BEGIN ut the tail OF things, us ]
usually do. when Grover Cleveland
was first chosen president Governor
cuttenden was a candidate for the
Mexican mission. His ease WIS pre-
scented to the president lly the two
Missouri Senators, Vest and Corisrell.
They told Of the governors eminent
services not alone 10 the Democratic
party, but 10 the state and TO the West
as well, The president heard them pa
ucnty TO the end. and turning abruptly
snid
81 win never appoint 20 office n
man who has contracted tor the life
OF a human being l cannot make tho
appointment you desire.'
"The prtsldentH reply Senator Vest
communicated TO Governor Crlttenden
IN remarkable letter. Any one who
knows the governor knows that his
dignity and pride ARE hardly less prom'
incnt characteristics than his upright
ness and courage, II was this that
had led him 10 bear In silence all the
calumny which had been honped upon
him by his political enemies, and he
had little DISPOSITION 90 undertake TO
refute the 5i,sUJfsr then, senator Cock
rell had been his former law partner
and Senator Vest had been his friend
from his youth IN Kentucky. They knew
as wen as he that the poison which
had taken root IA the prtHidents mind
was absolutely groundless, and he felt
that rofutatlon was their oihce, and
not his. In q dignifled but stu In
dulgent, letter he replied;
II will never stoop 10 refute so base
a Islander. ANY honorable man would
never be guilty OF such an action nv
the prerident believes that was
guilty Of. and any man who knows
me knows that | would be the last
TO think Of such n thing
"Whe.her n was hetnufe the gov
ernor stood IN direct line OF succession
to one OF the senRtor1hlpE or what
know not But mt any late, neither OF
the Missouri senators ever took upon
himself the Office which the governor
mud tho lul-
ter's reply was never communicated TO
the president. The result was that the
friendship Of long standing between the
senators and the governor was ah-
ruptly broken aud TIT breach was only
hoalcd at very recent day Elght
years INTERVIEWED and Cleveland again
returned "a office. The suEgesuon was
made 70 the governor that he again
seek the office. and that the president
be epprlsed OF the trnth. He spurnod
the suggestion. Of course, but his ac-
zion becnme known to his lifelong
friend Secretary Carlisle. aud the lat
ter wont 10 the president and told MN
the whole story. The Mexican mis-
sion had already been hlled. pnt INC
next day Governor Crltteudeh reSelVru
word OF his appointment aN copsul-seu-
erni TO the city Of Mexico. which po-
sltion he now holds.
nrenLing Up the James Gang.
$50 much for n bit or political his
tory. Now for the inside story Of the
killing OF Jesse james and the break up
OF his notorious gang, When governor
Crlttenden took Office IN 1881 the chieii
step he had determined on WAS % ria
the state OF these outlaws Glehhe
Cod he said, I will make TINS state
as SAFE 10 dwell IN as New York or
Massachusetia' The undertaking was
moi 40 easy a one as II might appenr.And
what II meant 10 the sihte or Missonrl
can only be computed by those who
recall the conditions that then existed.
II was worth TO the state millions OF
dollars. for the day after Jesse James
died every foot OF real estate 10 west
ern Missouri was worth, well. ! should
say, NJ least 40 per cent moro than the
"The gang which was made up OF the
Janes boys, the Younger brothers and
n crowd OF survivors OF the old guerilla
DAYS, had 50 long terrorsKed the west
ern half Of the state that despite ita
natural resources and the oheapneHh OF
ali sorts Of property, Northern man
gould about aB soon have contemplated
emigration to Patagonia az 70 those
hnrbnroiis wildF. They went through
II on the railway train IN fear and
trembling, or tlmidly around II, and
settled IN the less favored, but more
1fnEtIulr hANHtA7f ftN f|f'%Nf - tsf+ttf'
had existed for well nlgh twenty yeafs.
''rhe governors ffst step was 10 is-
sue a proclamation Offering a reward
OF $50 900 for the capture OF the gang
or the delivery uf Frank or Jefse James
10 the sheriff OF Jackson or Dsviess
counties But there was no clause Of
dead or alive nj all, and, moreover,
this reward was not. az Is commonly
supposed, the direct cause OF the death
Of jeege james have had the whole
story. not only from Bob Ford. who
did The killing. but from Bob'f brother,
Charile. who was with him at the time,
and also from sheriff Timberlhke and
Police Commissioner Craig. Of Kansas
CITY all Of whom were directly com
cerned The truth about the trannac-
lion. a. ! have u from these direct
sources, was about this: In the James
gang was a Dick i.iddie. who after
ward becafne O rucccasful horse dealer
over here 10 Pafsaic, ". J. He was
with me James boys on many a raid,
and although he WIS thin. slender
fellow, he was as game a. any man
who ever lived.
wen. along Ia the beeinnig OF the
SOS. while Jesse was absent ~ Ten
uesseo trouble broke out between Lid
de ana Wood ffitc. another notorious
member Of that delicious crew n was
over a woman. and Idddle seemed 20
be the favorite N the race. He was
oaflinr On the family. which lived on o
liftlo Niraoffri farm when Wood Blfe