The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-22

gang. and my small brother and surely did do
some shivering when we looked AZ INC picture
and recalled how we had been at the cruel dovll
mercy in the middle Of the Big Muddy nfew months
before. wit,
Asiew V who WED near n RcSfney No. and who
had reason to be in mortal fear Of the gang DO
cause he had given shelter 10 the detective who
into the home Of Mira Samuels the James boys
mother, came to Fort Leayenworth in a fruitless
effort TO get the commanding officer OF tho post
to send a squad Of regular army soldiers TO pro
tect him in his kearney home from the vengeance
on OF t one o the dsys he %ss of on
this GRAND Three days after his return TO kear-
ncy he was shot dead on his own doorstep,
| "One mid summer afternoon in 1879 my mother.
woman n and nervy besides, as beatted the wife
bar buggy on a very wild road called Sheridan's
! Drive. back of Fort Leavenworth. At sudden
that had been in the cavalry. came smack into
! a. prairie vulture that was feeding upon dead
backsnake lying across the road The yultu1e
wings and ID the crazy horse took fright bofod,
| and with his body almost touching the ground,
started on a dead run, bound for any old place
The road was narrow and circuitous. with heavy
trees lining il at both sides. but, as l say. my
stood de UPRIGHT brs"ed her feet against the foot
rests close to the dashboard. wrapped the re,ns
Ground her strong arms couple OF times, san, ana
afterwart that after the brute had raced for two
high bluffs overlooking Salt Creek valley not far
ef se aG's' ,w as 'S eaopng gait
when. at another sudden turn In tho road, where
my mother was absolutely certain that she would
only ten feet ahead Of the flying horse He waved
his arms and yelled and tho horse eased up sud
bride close to the bit the brute plunged and reared
and severely bruised the chap who had turned
were so badly maulcd that he could barely walk,
and my mother after pc ting the horse and cool
Ing him down; invited The strange, who nc, was vas
buggy with her and be driven TO her physicians
Office in the city, where he could have his bruises
thanked her and accepted the offer and she drove
him to pr. Van Dvne's office in down town
ing Of the doctors assistant A few days later
Or Van Dyne passed by our house In his buggy.
and dropped in. My father and mother received
p" Look here, my friend said the doctor to my
father, how long have YOU been permitting your
wife I" drive around with members OF the James
MY father looked puzzled as the doctor garded
he Who had stopped tho
and who had been driven to his Office few days
6r91e BY ny mother was no ohe5 on earth
bers Of the gang Of Frank and Jesse James Not
tw" months lA,es Cell Miller was KILLED in tho
ATTEMPT the James gang made TO rob the bank
at that place.
. Not long attcr thht was Sneak!nR a morse
back ride on y vicious horse of my fathers. that
had been condemned out Of cavalry outfit on
account Of vile temper The horse was born
bo ter, shier and runaway, and my father only
rode him once in while He was bit afraid
Of the beast in truth. His boys, Of course were
we used to sneak r.des on him occasionally, Just
the same. We couldn't get az saddles or brides
because my. father locked them up when he was
away, but used 10 snake the brute out OF the
nothing but halter TO hang on %. When he'd
bolt I'D take a couple of twists on his name, 1
had often seen the boys OF tho Nez Perce tribe
do with their fractions ponies, and hang on like
grim death The horse never succeeded in ditch
ing me up to the time my father got rid OF him.
On this occasion was, as usual, riding With the
halter alone, barefooted kid and letting the
horse take his own course as had to. in fact, be
ing without means Of guiding him. Tho horse
made for the head OF the Jim anc Road so called
because United States Senator Jim Lane blew
his brains out on that road, and l satisfied.
The horse was Just prancing along, waiting for
to happen that would give hun an ex |
cuse to jump for ii and try TO dump me, when |
100 feet ahead Of me Now, this ex cavalry brute |
couldn't hear the sight OF a whip. The man put |
the whip be hind him dor which lnwardly thanked
HIND, but Just as the horse was passing by him |
all his might across the rump. 1t was bit of
pure deyilishness. The horse bolted and ran |
five miles on clear road before he was winded. |
and had to hang on like grim death to save my |
piece of work had only recently come TO I.eaven |
worth. His name was Charlie Pitts, and he was |
engaged in the business of breaking horses to |
harness. He disappeared for seven or eight !
months soon after and the next time he showed |
up in Leavenworth il was quietly known around
that he member OF the James gang, and /,
high in favor with Jesse on account Of his utter
devilishness" |