The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-16
Shelby and His Gang.

Ohelby and his Gang.
General 10. O. Shelby. for he ever signed
his name in that way. whose death is re-
ported from Kansas City, was "a charac-
| ter with more phases than are ever
wrought out by the moon. / knew him be-
fore, during and after the civil war. more
intimately after peace was declared and he
| had returned from self-expatriation in
| Mexico.
| As boy / saw him In command of q red
shirted troop of Kentucky cavalry en- route
TO Kansas in "the bleeding days" to save
| that state to the slavery cause. He landed
| his command at Boonville, No., and was
there joined by j. ". Draffin's company.
and, both commands embark.ng on the
steamboat Polar Star. sailed up the river
to Kansas to join ex-senator Dave Atchi-
| sons pro-slavery army.
| After the Kansas war was over I was
once guest at his home in Waverly. Lafay
cite county, Mo. Shelby owned a great
hemp farm near Wayerly and hemp was
raised in those days ike cotton down
south" and was shipped away in bales.
| Shelby had compress or baling factory
| in Waverly, and not only baled his own,
but the hemp of all his neighbors. Pros
porous and popular, he was young man
] looked up to and not little feared when in
| a turbulent mood.
| In June, 1851, I recognized him among the
| hosts of rebels that mustered at Boonville
under Price and Marmaduke to dispute
| with General Nathaniel Lyon the posses
sion of Missouri and prevent his trimuphal
| march through the state. His voice was for
war, battle clar.on-toned, and his influence
contributed most to having the Battle of
| Bonneville assigned TO the pages Of history
as one of the earliest defeats of the Con-
| federates in the civil war. But he repaired
his error after recruiting "Shelby's Brigade
| OF Cavalry" which became as famed in the
| west or transMississippi region as did For
| rests command east of the Father Of
Waters"
| After the war I first encountered General
| Shelby IN connection with 1.-THE James Boys
Gang and was especially intimate with
| him during Frank James trial at Gallatin.
Davfess county. the home of Congressman
Dockery of the Third Missouri district.
Jesse James had been assassinated in ST.
Joseph by Bob and Charlie Ford, and in the
summer Of 1883 Frank was arraigned for
trial at Gallatin for the Winston train rob-
a railway laborer, Callahan, had been kill
ed by the raiders. Gallatin, an antiquated
Missouri village, became scene of excite
ment continuing for three weeks. Stores
were emptied to give sleeping room to those
attracted to the trial. Among these were
hundreds OF ex-Confederates. Chief among
these old soldiers of 1.-The lost cause was
General 10. o. Shelby Frank James had
been a soldier in his command, land good
one, sah," he emphasized in his Kentucky
dialect an I'm hyar. sab, to see far play"
And besides the general there were troops
of rough riders men who had rid with
Quantrell as well as Shelby, and who had
raided with Morgan. Not only exciting.
but the times were tempestous and at any
moment, il the word had been given, Frank
James would have been whirled out of the
court room at the head of as desperate a
lotto men as ever rode through the brush.
But it is undoubtedly due to General Shell
by, though never avowed, that "the word
was not given. But to better illustrate his
control Of these men, who came into town
from ali parts of Missouri. Arkansas, Texas,
Indian Territory and Kentucky. let this
story tell:
One day during the trial the general in
vited a detachment of his friends, as numer-
Gus as a squadron of cavalry, to join him
in drink. Repairing to the one saloon in
the town, on entering 1t was found to he
full of ex-bushwhackers. who at times had
belonged to Shelbys rough riders. A good
many of 'em were full, too. The general
stalked in and commanded:
You men get out Of here. You have had
enough. Get out.
They meekly obeyed. Bill Pool, Bill
Gregg, bud Palmer, who married Susie
1or -sa,So &c 10 49,. a,l HoIf
hundred more walked out without word
their kquor untouched.
Now" said the general as the room was
cleared. I'VE gentlemen will take drink"
Turning to Frank Tut. Missouri Pacific
detective, / whispered: Those men do not
seem to realize that the war is over
you bet they don't" he replied, when
the old general is around
General Shelby was a witness for the de-
PENDANT, Frank James. When summoned
into court. quite early in the morning. after
a campfire seance the night before, the old
general was in an elaborate mood. When
called upto take the oath by the clerk he
assumed a naughty, military pose and ex-
claimed:
Not until have had an Introduction 10
the court, an honor which have not yet
enjoyed
Paciied, the general gave his testimony
and was taken in hand on cross-examina
ton by William II. Wallace. prosecuting
attorney. Wallace asked:
DO you know Bill Ryan," "a forme-
member of the gang)
81 do. sah," was answered CURLY and
pugnaciousiy.
'FWbaf kind Of linking man ie re7't
He has as villianous a countenance on
him, sab, as you have yourself. Mr.. Wal
lace"
The animus of the generals testimony
throughout was to vindicate Frank James
as soldier and to condemn his prosecutors.
including Bill Ryan, who after conviction
was said 20 have helped Dick Liddle ana
others OF the gang TO betray the leaders.
Frank and Jesse.
As brave a man as ever lived, as SOL
der. his men, Quantrel. the Yongers and
James boys, when with him were held in
check by the iron hand Of discipline. AS
friend ne stood by a friend 10 the death and
as an enemy he was willing TO be in al the
death OF an enemy. He was a courtly caya-
lier and in his cups was holy terror.
Meeting a lady he would take of his
oiodu-UTIIh' stouCh "iHee .et anu oO"-s
low would say in a most deferential tone:
your servant. madam" and stands IN
covered before her, TO matter how long the
conversation was protrscted. Confronting
an enemy. his hair, iron gray and profuse.
bristled Ike name. and he would stare
him out Of countenance IL he diin', fairly
damn him out of existence.
Al his home In Bates county. one o. the
largest wheat farms IN Missouri he was