The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-20


also said to have hired a buggy at
Sells livery stable in which he and
others of the robbers rode to Leeds on
the night of the robbery, September %,
furnished the dynamite and masks used
in the robbery, and was said by the
cOnfessOr to have been the first man IN
side the mail car.
Lowe was arrested on suspicion of
being implicated in the robbery october
l. and made his statement to the police
ten days later. He named as members
of the party besides James, Andy Ryan,
Caleb Stone, Charles w. Polk, man
named only as Evans, and a man char
acterized as the big fellow. Ryan
was arrested at the Armour Packing
company's plant, where he was en-
plOyed. Stone, who is an old man ana
the proprietor of a boarding house, and
Polk were arrested on the same day at
1872 Harrison street Stones home.
The train robbery at MacOmb, Mo, on
January 8, resulted in the arrest or John
Kennedy and a man who said his name
was William Jennings. Soon after the
police developed a theory that Jennings
was Bill Ryan, a member OF the old
Quantreu gang, and that he was the
man Evans named by Lowe IN MS con-
fession, and of whom no trace had been
found.
Immediately after his arrest Jesse
James was taken to the circuit court,
where his release was secured on the
ground that he was illegally held by
the police. After his Indictment by the
grand jury he was released on pond
of IS 600. Pending his trial, which mas
been delayed several times from one
cause and another, he has continued to
tend his cigar stand in the court house
without exhibiting any worry as TO the
outcome of his troubles
Should loves confession be proven
false. and a mighty effort will be made
by the defense to show that the state
ment is a fabrication, there Will De
small chance of convicting any one of
fr-6T 1fT
confession makes James one of the fore
most participants in the crime, and II an
aIibf is proven by Jesse the foundation
will be knocked from under the state
case against all of the alleged train rob-
bers.
Jesse James seems more inclined to
be elated than depressed with the re-
alization that the charges against MIN
are to be brought to a test He has
abandoned his cigar stand in the court
house for the time being, and is with
his lawyers most of the time. Some
giving his case into the hands of his
attorneys he has maintained an abso-
lutte silence concerning the charges
against him, but he so far relaxed yes
terday as to comment upon the coming
trial When asked what he anticipated
as a result of the hearing he said:
$50 far as my expectations are con-
cerned I can only say, as l have SAID
from the moment first heard my name
mentioned in connection with the crime,
am innocent. I know that trial viii
demonstrate that fact to the world
There is nothing more could say.
Enlisted in the defense are Attorneys
Robert L Yeager, Frank Walsh, F. c.
Farr and Milton J. Oldham, a tormid-
able quartet They have spent great
deal of time and energy on the case and
profess the utmost confidence in their
ability to clear jesse
The defense does not believe that
panel of fOrty-seven jurors can be Sc
cured from the $50 names drawn from
the jury wheel One possible juryman
out of each four drawn, they say, would
be fair estimate of what to expect.
It is expected that $50 more names will
have to- be drawn before the required
panel can be secured.
The trial will. in all proba bility, be a
record breaker in length The defense
has at least seventy-dve witnesses and
there are said to be more than 100 for
the state that are to testify solely with
a view to breaking down the defend
ants alibi. 1t is not unlikely that the
selection of a jury will occupy all OF
one week.