The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-20
BEGIN TO ARRIVE
Horses for the Great Races
Already Coming In.
FRANKJAMES INTERVIEWED
Tells Some ofHis Experiences
as an Outlaw.
FRANKJAMES In TERVIEWEE

Work is progressing on the new grand
stand at the race course. and yesterday
the horses for the great contests began to
| arrive. The number of horses which are
entered is unprecedented in the history Of
the west. There have been contests hare
and there in the west in the past but
never before such an array OF talent as
is now gathering for the great meet in
Wichita next week.
The track is in the best shape. II is
fast. and on Wednesday next it will pass
under the great Patchen and Gentry
faster than track ever went under hoofe
of horses in harness before. Eastern
papers understand that the records are
likely to go to smash on the Wichita
track and are ordering their local CORE
spondents to send in full accounts. A
week from today will see in Wichita the
greatest horse-loving crowd ever gathered
together in this part of the nation.
Frank James who is TO start the
races at Wichita next week. last
week Started the races at Burlington,
Kansas. While there a Kansas editor in
eral appearance the Frank James of to-
day is, to quote from Shakespeare. ''as
mild hammered a man as ever scuttled
a ship or cut a throat" Those who ex-
pected to see a profane, staggering.
heavy william of the dime novel type, were
disappointed; instead there appeared a
quiet, unassuming, gentlemanly fellow of
good address, neither loud of speech nor
dress Nothing ABOUT him would indicate
the desperate, but TO the student of ply
siognomy the cold steel eye betrayed the
iron nerve that carried Frank James in
and out of many an encounter where
other men would have failed.
To the surprise of many. Frank James
is not at all backward in talking of his
past, although he never speaks of the
killing episodes which ran as a red
thread through the web and wool Of his
life prior to his surrender. Some of the
anecdotes are thrilling, others ludricous,
and some pathetic, while the sentiments
he expresses are worthy of a patriot
whose hand was never raised against his
country's flag What he lacked in early
education has been overcome by travel
and contact with the world and the |
Frank James of today is a well informed |
man of excellent and interesting CONVEX |
sationaI ability
when I was in Jail at Independence just |
after my surrender" said Frank James. |
Il had a severe attack of pneumonia, and |
while L was convalescent my cell door |
was left open that I might have access
to the wood fire in the corridor. One |
afternoon there came to see me an elder |
ly couple from New England, Maine.
think. 1t was plain to be seen that the |
lady had prepared herself to see a wild !
man and had many misgivings as to the
outcome. That she was badly frightened |
was evidence by the terrified look upon
her face, and I honestly believe that had |
1 had a log chain that 1 could have rat
tied. she would have dropped dead of
fright. They stayed an hour, and long
before their departure we were engaged
in friendly conversation. Before leaving
she said; MIR James. I want to confess
that on my way here 1 said TO my hus-
band that believed you ought to be TAX
en- out and hanged to the nearest tele-
graph pole. but I now believe that you
ought to be allowed to- go home to your
home and wife and boy
while on my way to surrender I took
a train in Indiana. There was but one
vacant seat and it was filled with bag
gage belonging to a couple who occupied
the seat facing it. I asked permission to
sit down, which was granted. and we
fell into conversation which to my sur
prise and somewhat alarm was turned to
nd I
being obliged to take part in discussion
of which 1 was the subject. We wonder
ed why the authorities did not apprehend
Frank James. I agreed that he must be
a shrewd fellow TO battle the detective
force of the United States. If had rose
up and announced that 1 was Frank
James. they would simply have laughed
at me-"
1T has been said that both my brother
Jesse and myself were with Quantrell at
the sacking OF Lawrence. but such was
not the case; Jesse was too young and
had not then Joined Quantreli and I was
aid up with wound which prevented my
being along. otherwise I would probably
have been there as l belonged TO Guam
treIIs command at that time"
My boy was soldier in the Spanish
war. and served in Cuba. where he was
taken down with yellow fever. Many peo-
pie can not credit me with patriotism be-
cause I was a rebel. but The flag q my
country is as dear to me today az Il is
to any citizen and since the day sur
rendered 20 Governor Crittenden I have
tried 20 live a good citizen and earn the
respect Of ny fellow men. No one who
has not bee an outlaw car have a con
,eption OF the awful feeling OF one who
8 constantly hunted. Why welrh thirty
pounds more Than used 10: I xas con
SANITY being Jumped ont Of the grass
md woods Ike a jack rabbit. and was in Q
Almost constant flight was as drawn
.s greyhound and never knew q peace
nj moment"
The war Is over: the members q the 8
lanes gang except Frank. are AL either Z
lead - behind prison walls. he has sur 3
en6erad. stood trial and Tor 4 dozen 3
ears has acted the part % a good c5ti-
en- TO err IS human. % forgive. divine" ,
BAUM KN0RR'S CHANGE