Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-10-12
WAS ARRESTED ONCE BEFORE
Jesse James, Jr., Taken In ON Suspi-
ciOn by Detectives Last
SATURDAY..

For about six months Jesse James. Jr,
ran cigar stand in the corridor of the
county court house. Previous TO that time
lie was employed for about eight years, or
since he was 10 years old, at the Armour
packing house. As a boy he attended the
public schools until he found the position at
Armours.
Jesse is a young man of good habits, and
since he commenced working he has saved
money, having accumulated enough to pay
for the home where he lives with his
mother and sister. He is a friend of Jack
Kennedy and was one of Kennedy's alibi
witnesses when the quail hunter was tried
for the Schumacher murder.
Because of his known friendship for
Kennedy the police have claimed from the
first that young James helped to plan the
Missouri Pacific train robbery. For the
same reason W. w. Lowe was suspected
Lowe testified in Kennedy's favor at the
murder trial and James was a frequent at
tendant upon the hearing of the case.
a woman who lives near Lowe on West
Sixteenth street, informed the police that
lie had told his wife that he had had a
hand in the robbery and upon this informa-
ton Lowe was arrested, while Mrs. Lowe
gave the police. as they believed. sufficient
evidence to hold him. The police assert
that when Lowe was searched, after being
arrested, letters from both Jesse James
and Jack Kennedy We're found upon him.
Their contents they refuse to divulge, but
lueS tidlin lndI Iney COHlalN eNl-
dence TO make a case against the noted
bandits son.
Before this, however, Chief Hayes claims
to have suspected both James and Lowe.
train robbery reached him he dispatched
detective to James house to shadow his
movements and since that time he has
been under police surveillance.
Jesse James, Jr, was arrested one week
ago last Saturday by the detectives and
an attempt was made to get confession
II L into 1ft,n1 u tc ~,
nocence, and after being held for short
time was released. After the detectives
had given him his liberty. James wrote
the following statement of his whereabouts
on the night of the robbery:
Il was at my home at 3l02 Tracy avenue
on Friday night of the train robbery un-
ty-third and Troost avenue with my mother
and some relatives to the street car lines
The relatives were my aunt. Mrs. Allen
Farmer. and two little daughters. who live
near Wichita Falls, Tex, and who were
on their way home after a visit with us.
Il carried their baggage to the cars,
got on, and went to the depot. On the
car which carried them was Mr.. and Mrs.
Levens, whom We know and who spoke tc
me. did not go to the depot because |
never leave my grandmother alone in the
house.
After placing the folks on the car I
stopped in at Hill & Howard's drug store,
This was along about $50 o'clock. should
we went TO take the street car. Here |
had a glass of ice cream soda Mr.. Hill,
one of the proprietors, waited upon me,
and in the store at the same time were
Charles Hovey and number of the cable
men whom did not know. / stayed there
talking for a little while. possibly half an
hour. but not more than that. and then
started home. Mr.. and Mrs. Bunch. neigh
borS of ours, saw and smoke to me as /
was going home.
There Were present at the house my
grandmother and my sister / did not 90
out again, but went to bed about II o'clock,
my usual time.
Il am a young man trying to make an
honest living for my mother and sister. and
il seems hard that I should be obliged to
defend myself this way. Newspaper noto-
riety Is something that I try to avoid, but
| would like for all who have an interest
in me to see the parties I saw that night
and they will find that my statements are
correct. JESSE JAMES,
Besides writing out the above statement
young James denied in the most emphatic
at the time in local paper. He stated
that he had only accounted for his where
abouts on the night of the train robbery
to the reporter.
Il do not see why anyone should misrep-
resent me-" he said, in sorrowful tone.
My life has been hard enough and I have
tried TO be straightforward and honest. ard
| was beginning to believe that perhaps !
might make success of my life.
can never recover from the imputation
ly. Just tell my friends and the public
that / know nothing about the train rob-
berry nor any of the people who were con-
cerned In it Tell them that | never wrote
a letter TO this man Lowe. whom / barely
Know, that | never cursed the police or
anyone else, and that must now 90 home
and tell my mother and my grandmother
and my. sister all about this And that is
the hardest of IL all -