The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-11-10

In Isl Wells wife got a divorce on the
ground Of dcsertion. and was married 20
. her lover, Warncke. The couple kept up
their acquaintance with Wells ana often
urged him TO abandon his wicked lie ana
settle down. They liked him too wen 70
betray him to the officers VINO were CON
stantly looking for him, although Tempt
Ing rewards to do so were offered. Neh5
said that many people OF good reputation
in Iowa and Missouri frequently oherei
hir1 a friendly shelter when ne was hdiu
pressed by the sleuth hounds OF justice.
These kindnesses he Invariably reWa.ucu
with money or presents TO the chidien
OF the family. 1t has been sald tnat
whenever Wells was in trouble women De
friended him. and on numerous occasions
saved him from capture. Nelis poasleu
that he was always on lh-lliale teli
with trainmcn. and that conductors ire
ouentiv STONED 10 let him on or on trains.
Just before his death Wells related the
. following story.
I'm the fan Of 1875 shortly after the
famous Union Pacific train ROBBERY AT
Big Springs, Neb.. by Joel Collins ana ms
crown. 1 undertook the most caring ana
dcVilish scheme Of my lie. l joined
gang at Medicine Bow station, wyoming
for the purpose OF kidnapplns jay Houiu'
When could train arrived there IL WAS
by reason of the recent robbery, nedNliy
guarded and was OF course allowed 10
pass rnmOested. Then It was proposes
10 ditch II on its return eastward uuN
1 objected TO this, and the gang, ailef
"A general row, IN which l came near be-
] ing killed dissolved. The captain VIM
was once "A New York cabiteiist cialm-
ed that Gould and Jim tian hau' al loo',
robbed him of his fortune IN some tahN'y
speculation. Fisk being dead ne ptoPoS
ed 10 wreak his vengeanse on nvul"' go
make him pay the entire amount pach ioi
his release My objections 10 the Nleth-
age OF the train spoiled the deNlhsn 20,
was always proud Of my course IN thAt
case. ! certainly saved the sie1t lnee
nate a large sum Of money, lor III ne Hau
been captured he would have hau 10 pay
tho full amount to this man or lose HIS
In the spring OF 1851 Wells met and join
ed the notorious Jesse and Frank jane.
then operating with marked Sucstss
thrCughOut western Missouri. win theh
be helped 10 hold up and rob CnicaSo
Rock Island. and Pacific tram on llo"'
evening. july Is, ISL The train lett hdn,
sas CITY that night with passengers anu
about s. 900 of express money. AJriFlns
an Winston. about forty miles out. the
James gang stopped H. bound ana ta5-
ped the express messenger, ana TOOK .ii'
1850 ana OtAer Naluabies. Inc pasatI.
gers were then plundered ana Nlltitt'
Westfall the conductor. was Dru'd"y
murdered. There We're seven IN the s""o
and Polk Wells Was one or the most ~
tive. II was for Mesttall murueI tii'e
Frank James was tried ana a'quit,1"
after he surrendered about n year i"tcl'
The neat tain robbery that wells par
fiCluated i'm was the holding up OF the
easl-bOund Chicago and Alton passei1'l
train near Glendale, Mo, In September
1851. This Is known as the biue III. TO"
berry. having occurred AT 4 station OF thlt
name not far from Kansas Guy niie
frank James was the active leader lu me
Winston robbery. Jesse James was al lle
head of the Blue cut gang, win io4N
Wells as next ia charge. 10y TINS b'u'
cut robbery the gang secured poo'y
amounting TO about $1,000 About Sp'Wp
was taken from the express car ana iuIy
5000 from the passengers, ana so'"
watches. diamond earrings, brooches' anu
other icwclry valued az about Syvv "tie
secured. There were seven coaches load-
ed with passengers, but not one OF them
dared 20 offer amy resistance.
Polk Wells aiterWard appeared az Ran
sas City alone, cracked safe ana so'
about $1,000. tie next showed up az Siu-
ncy. Ia. ln broad daylight he looted tne
principal bank and rode away with Tue
' sviftness of the wind. For the next TWO
years he was not heard OF ia Missouri OF
IOWA, and his whereabouts was a inya-
/ terry. 1t was developed afterward that ne
| won't 90 Randolph, WIS. and changed his
! appearance and name. lie bought hotel
/ there with the money taken from the sid
d new bank and led the life OF country
+ landlord. lie was finally traced there by
Sheriff Dan Farrell OF sidney. faifei
/ Attempted 90 arrest him aud hshI oc-
+ CURED u the dining GROOM OF the hotel.
. ioth men drew reviewers AZ the same
time. Wells shot first. hitting Farrell IN
/ fne head The Sheriff fell and Welis
/ Jumped over his body and ran Tor the
/ door. The BAN had simply gtazed the
/ scalp and I'm an instant Farrell was OF
/ biz feet and shot Wells. who turned BACK.
| They then clii6hod. both firing as rapidly
| as possible. Wells was shot in the wrist.
| lung. and head. The two men fell ana
! Farrell got ON top. The people rushed IN
and were about 10 mob Farrell. lie eX-
! claimed:
II am the Sheriff Of Mills county. Ia.
| This man SIS fugitive from Justice
In helpless condition they We're both
/ carried from the battlefield Tn ieW
/ days they We're able TO go back 10 iowa.
/ where few weeks later Wells was con-
| vIctod of bank robbery and sentenced 10
| eight years at Fort Madison. While sery-
/ mg this sentence Wells and convict
| named Cooke administered chl0rololm 10
I p guard. causing lis death Wells PLAN
ned the crime. but Cooke committed the
: deed. The latter was hospital steward
J and knew the use of chlOr0fofm. which
/ Wells did not Wells had been receiving
Z liquor regularly. o~ine 90 his physl,il
/ weakness. Finding that the guard was
/ willing 90 drink Doe told him one day that
} he dii not want the whisky and save 90
/ t0 the guard after DO had been loaded With
/ chiDrOflIm by Cooke. Then Wells ana
! Cooke threw a cloth saturated with the
/ drug over tho face OF the guard and made
! their escape. In a few minutes the guard
/ died
! Wells was captured n few days later IN
/ ii peculiar manner. In fleeing across the
! country Doe took refuge IN farmer ) hay
. loft. Presently the farmer came 70 toss
4 hay 10 mis- cattle and uuwittiusly iahbed
ile sharp prougs of the pitclfork into
. Wells body a howl Of pain lctrayd his
presence. Tho farmer had heard Of the
reward offered for Wells and suspect
. ing bis identity. held the outlaw with his
nitclfor; until be got assistance. Wells
P Has taken back 20 Fort Madison. where
D. la received a lie sentence. IL was IN 49,
I chat no pcritcntiary locks clicked behind
him to- imuIison him until he died.
ODD December. 1893. Wells health was
/ completely broken down, owing 10 his
7 many wounds and Ions Incarceration. lie
f petitioned Governor jackson for a par
don saying boz had been sufficiently pun
7 i-hcd. and had but few months 10 I've.
. Ho ayorrcd that the chlOrOtOrm mad not
D. been administered 10 the guard with IA
F tai intent. but 20 render MIN unconscious,
D tuat Isis 8ccomplicos. including Cooke. hau
d aU been pardoned. that during MS thii-
+ teen wears OF servitude he had never Dr0k-
/ en- Tie prison rules. and was thoroughly
broken In health and strength. The War
4 den endorsed his petition, and said ne
/ considered Wells "a thoroughly reformed
! man. As Governor Jackson had but two
F weeks to serve he declined to grant the
3 pardon. The matter was left for the m
B coming Governor, Drank VINO also re-
4 fused "a pardon. But few protests were
Fled AGAINST the pardon. and none IRON
/ tie section Of the country where W ellis
/ had committed most OF his crimes. Wciif
! friends reuti0ned the legislature for Ms
/ pafdon. but Il vas not granted.