The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-07
FRANK JAMES WAS SCARED.
His Wild Ride to Get Away from a
Herd of Friendly Mules.
From the Cincinnati Enaeirer.


has just had an interesting talk with a
weH-known Kentucky banker recently ar
rived from New Orleans, where he met
and conversed with the famous retired
outlaw, Frank James. The banker. while
IN the Crescent City, was the guest of the
hrm Of Martin, Thompson & Co. mule
traders. James is related in some way TO
one of the members of the firm, and it
was IN this way that the banker was
thrown IN contact with him. James, he
says, has the appearance of the plain,
ordlnary-loOking business man He
dresses modestly yet neatly, and refers
TO his past career with great reluctance.
He has not aged much, and his cold, steel
grey eye is as penetrating now as it was
when he rode unmOlested and spread
terror through the very mention Of his
name.
One evening the banker succeeded in
getting James to talk about himself, and
after the famous eX-outlaw had enter
tanned him while with scraps from his
past history the banker asked
Mr.. James, were you ever really
scared [ mean in any OF the close places
during your career, did your courage ever
leave you3"
We'll, yes, " replied James; "and very
frequently l worked big bluff when 1
was pretty badly frightened, l can assure
you, l have had associated with me men
that were the most arrant towards YOU
ever saw, and yet they could put on a
bold front and intimidate the most cour-
ageous Courage frequ entity consists in
making the other fellow believe you are
the better man.
. But to return to your question. I was
pretty badly scared one night near Colum-
bla, Tenn. 1t was during the war. Jesse.
one or two OF the boys, and / were work
ing our way northward to Join Quantrell,
who was Matching a plan TO go to
Washington city and there capture Presi-
dent Lincoln. We We're travelling by
night altogether, and before reaching
Columbia, Tenn. separated in order to
lessen the possibility of capture. with the
intention OF meeting again at some point
further north. When l arrived at COlum-
bia found myself minus horse, as the
one had been riding for several DAYS
was pegced out completely, and | was
forced to look around for better mount.
During the early part of the night l
looked through several stables, but could
find no horse, and finally came to 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 was full of soldiers. and so [
was forced to appropriate this old mule
In order TO get away as quickly as posi-
BILE. l saddled and bridled the old mule
and struck out in the darkness.
After riding about two miles ! fancied
| heard body Of hOrsemen approaching.
did not know whether they were sol
dlerS or not, and | was not certain but
come known. Any way, I was in no
humor to fight company of cavalry, and
was not prepared to hold out long against
such odds had l been inclined to show
fiQht. ! listened, and the noise grew
palmer. The following horsemen were
within half mile of me- and were ap-
preaching steadily and rapidly. There
was no fencing along the road, and | drew
my mule TO the right and pushed into the
brush to await developments. I was then
out of sight and hearing, and hoped
that my pursuers, if they were in
search of me, would pass me
by. l anXiously awaited their
approach. The country was strange to
me, or | would have struck further out
into the woods. In a few minutes | could
near them within few hundred yards of
me. A little longer ana they We're Just at
the pointi the road where | had left it
] could not see them, as it was the dark
est night l ever saw, but from the noise
made by the hoof beats / Judged that
there were at least fifty men in the
party. They stopped in the road opposite
me, and fancied that l could hear a hur-
ried conversation in whispers. | felt
sure that had been discovered, and did
not know exactly what to do
A few of the horsemen started in the
direction of me- and then the old mule
was on made noise This was a signal
Ter charge, and the entire company
started after me like a fash. l drove the
spurs into my mule aud went headlong
into the darkness, determined to give
them a race. Not word was said and
not a shot was fired, but felt that was
in tight place and prepared to sell my
life dearly.
THE party followed me and appeared
to be spreading out and surrounding me,
leaving me no avenue of escape. | saw
/ that as long as ! was riding my mule |
/ gave my pursuers an indication of my
! whereabouts, and thought that if I dis
mounted might steal OF in the bushes
afoot and hide. | halted, and one of the
/ pursuers passed within twenty
! the darkness. but could not
/ see what sort of man the rider was.
| Just then my old mule brayed, and then
/ the whole woods were apparently alive
/ with braying mules. The whole company
/ of supposed horsemen rushed rapidly in
! the direction of my mule, and | was sur
/ rounded by gang of young mules. There
! was not rider upon any of the animals
They were the mules | had left at the
barn, and had followed their leader,
which I had appropriated. How in the
world they ever tracked me don't know
but | suppose some one vested in mule
ology can explain the phenomenon.
never felt so cheap in all my life, but was
compelled to sit down and take a hearty
laugh over the Righteousness of the situa-
ton. This is as close as | ever came to
being scared"
FEEDING HAY THAT HAS BEEN
BALED WITH WIRE.
a Danger That Should Be Guarded
Against