The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-07
hers and danger and had given them a

bers and danger and had given them a
thirst for adventure.
The result was twenty years of the
most daring robberies ever perpetrated
The James boys astonished the world by
their exploits, which, while criminal, were
so brave as to challenge the admiration
of the men who would hang them or
send them to jail. They and their fol-
lowers preserved a strictly military type
of organizati ton. There was always an
able leader, implicitly obeyed-an organ
ization, small, but thoroughly drilled.
They were always armed and never cared
whether or not they took life in their rob-
berries. They were the modern prototypes
Of Robin Hood. Their policy was to make
quick attack and then retreat, dividing
into two parties, to make their pursuit
more difficult.
The first robbery of the kind was that
of the Commercial Bank of Liberty, Mo
on Feb. a. 1866. when $40, 900 was secured
The Youngers had no part in this, it be-
ing done by the James boys, who follow
ed the same tactics as employed after
ward time and time again. and which al
ways succeeded until the Mortified rob-
berry, which proved the undoing of the
Youngers.
They dashed into town. A guard stood
outside with loaded revolvers. which they
fired at the crowd in the streets while
other men went inside and rihed the bank
The Lexington Bank robbery, on Oct 30.
1885, and the Savannah Bank robbery fol-
lowed in quick succession Then they
moved to Russellville, KY. and on March
20 robbed the local bank The same tao
tics were employed. There was a dash
of well mounted and heavily armed men
into the town, loud swearing and yelling
in the streets and a rapid fusilade of re-
volvers, while two of the gang dismounted
and with cooked revolvers forced the CASH
Ter to hand over the banks funds.
There was no direct evidence against the
Jameses in any of these robberies: but
there were strong suspicious, as the rob-
berries had always occurred while they
were in the neighborhood They. there
FORE lay low for a time, but on Dec. 10,
1859, the Gallatin robbery occurred. This
was followed by highway and stage rob-
berries in kentucky and Tennessee. by
this time detectives were on their trail
and there were many brushes between
them, the bandits and armed posses, in
which the bandits always came out ahead.
The Younger boys are first known to
have been with the Jameses in the rob-
berries at Columbia. Ky. when the same
dash was made into the town. Citizens
were driven into their houses at the point
of the revolver. The cashier. refusing to
give up the money, was killed. Five men
were concerned in the robbery They
were Frank and Jesse James, Cole Bob
and Jim Younger. together the five most
daring bandits the west has ever known.
The cashier was killed, 1t Is said. because
he knew Frank James by sight and might
afterward identify the robbers.
The scene of the next raid OF the gang
was Iowa. Three men were then added to
their number-Jim Cummins, Clell Miller
and Charley Pitts, who were afterward
killed at the Northheld robbery. At Cory
don. Iowa, they succeeded in robbing a
bank OF $4,000. on May q, 1873, the st.
Genevieve Bank was robbed Of $4,000
During this year they began to rob rail-
way trains, being the first train robbers in
criminal history. The Chicago, Rock Is
land and Pacific Railway was selected for
the victim, and the robbery was made IF
teen miles east OF Council BLUFFS, and the
eight men who had been at Corydon met
there on the night Of July 20. 1878.
They lOosened the rails, and when the
eastern bound train came along II was de-
rallied and thrown down the embaukment
The engineer OF the train was killed ord
several Of the passengers, including two
women and three children, were severely
inturd. No money was got in the express
car. and so the bandits entered the pas
senger coaches and relieved the passen-
gers of their valuables.
Next the cash box Of the Kansas City