The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1898-11-30
REUNION OK FORMER BANDITS,
OUANTRELL'S OLD BAND AT A
PICNIC.
Frank James, Now q Reputable Citizen
the Central Figure. Band to Meet
Once Year.


Once Year.
Former Bandit Frank James, now a
reputable citizen of st. Louis, and door
keeper of the Standard theater in that
city, was the other day the central figure
at reunion of thirty seven survivors of
Quantrel's famous guerrilla band, held
at Sni-a-Bar, Mo.
A picnic had been arranged. The
word went around that at given time
all of the old "bOys" who had served in
that famous band ana who could be
present would leave the main body of
the picknickers and meet at point IN
dictated. At noon thirty-seYen men,
with Frank James in the center, lined
up in front of stake-and-Iider fence.
james was the youngest looking mem
Der In the party. He was stylishly
dressed, and his hair and mustache were
we'll grOomed. 1t was difficult to i'm
agine that he was the man on whose
head the government held price of $10,-
600 tor a number of years. He raped
on the fence with light cane and brief
ly announced that it was his desire to
have reunions of the once notorious
band at least once year. He spoke
feelingly about the past, about those
that had gone before, and after hls adj
dress was at an end he asked for the
old>time rebel yell, which was given
with such lustinesS that it aroused the
interest of the hundreds of other pick
nickers, who were in ignorance of the
unique drama that was under way in
another part of the grounds.
Thirty-five years ago all of the men
who stood with their backs against the
fence were terr0rs TO the border. With
Quantrell as their leader and such man
as James as one of his lieutenants, these
terrOrs, then several hundred in num-
Der, made life burden for northern
sympathizars in the border region. A
singular fact in connection with the
meeting the other day was that there
was no evidence of the old spirit. There
was no wishing for the rough riding days
and there was no disposition to recall
IN detail any of the terrible experiences
vi the border warfare that made the
name of QuantrelI one to be feared. In
deed, nearly every man of the lot that
stood with their backs to the fence while
Frank James, in his city garb, talked to
them are reputable and, in some lu-
stances, important citizens. There are
prominent farmers, even bankers, mer-
chants, and retired capitalists, all of
whom have successfully lived down the
bad Iepute of years ago.
One of the most interesting men in the
company was Bill Gregg, who " as one of
QuantrelPs most valued men, He was
called captain, although he did not act
TALLY command a company as a captain
does in the regulation Service. He was
really an aid to Quantrell, whose men
called him "ca. :"
Gregg is now a well-to-d0 farmer. but
in the old days he was the most daring of
all the rough riders in the notorious or.
ganlzation. He was known TO be able to
shoot with his left hand as well as with
his rig t, and more than once he used
both hauds effectively at once. He was
the embodiment of all that was dare-del-
ish in horsemanship. Quautrell used to
expect all his inspiration tor his band to
come from Gregg. Before a hot Skin
mish he would call to him and say:
81 Bill, ~waas--See4'to ex pose yourself
Tecklessly; ride down the line and shoot
with both hands. Don't get killed, for
couldn't get along without you. What
] want you 70 do is to play hi, in looks
and get all The fight out of the men that
they've got in them"
Many a time Gregg was hit, but he was
never unhOrsed, Now Ills hair is white
and his face is of the benevolent mould;
but under his bushy eyebrows there are
eyes that CLEAN and glisten when the
stories Of the old days are told over
again. ,...
Typhoid fever ana ell kindred ailments
Drevenled and cured NV the uSa of