The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-13
KANSAS NEWS.
OuantreII's Survivors Hold a
Reunion In Missouri.
Frank James is the Hero Of the
Occasion.
SACK OF LAWRENCE.
Massacre Discussed In a Cold
BIOoded Manner.
Claim That They Have Been
WOefully Maligned.

Oak Grove. No, Oct IA combina-
ton Of three circumstances made this
the biggest day IN this towns history
They were the street fair, the reunion
of QuantreIIs men. and the presence
here Of Frank James. And the greatest
of these like charity, was the last
The reunion Of Quantrells men brought
here forty-three Of the grizzIed old
chaps who went to Lawrence after Jim
Lane. and, falling to ind him. burned
the town. They, with TIP Hays camp
Of coufederates. whose guests they were,
added much to the Importance Of the &C
easiou- They wore red badges. the con-
federateS wore white ones and many
Of each still wore clothes Of their beloved
srraav Nearly all showed plainly the
signs Of age their boards. which almost
al wore, were Streazed with gray, ana
their forms were somewhat bent with
the weight OF years But SI1ll EIGy were
a hearty and hale set Of old fighters and
they were exceedingly glad to be to-
zether again 50 near to where they made
the start for the sack = lawrence
And there was Frank Jan6S-E0E the
Frank James that most folks know. but
the man among his friends the jolly,
genial conrade, who greeted every one
with the greatest cordially and never
failed to remember something OF him,
his family CT his history 1t was Frank
lanes as he would have been, had he
wrought no such history as ne made
he had been d regular soldier not a
guerilla a peaceful citizen not an out
law It was as # he had Jumped IN
one bound from the time Of the war 70
the present. leaving behind all the mem
cries Of the james boys days
He was a new figure and as such he
was greeted
And that's why Frank James was the
center OF the crowd, the cynosure- the
guest of honor James came here from
St Louis as the guest Of QuantreIIs men
and they were mighty proud of It And
they Immediately put him Up on a Pc
destaI and made him an object Of Wor-
shfp-n0t because he was a bandit and a
train robber IN later days. but because
he was q guerrilla Ike themselves be-
fore them because he would not submit
to what he deemed unwarranted author
tty5 because he defied the laws they has
tened to observe and lived Tor years al
ter peace was declared IN open outlaw
~ under the government they had
fought yet had sworn to support And
SO they made Of Frank James hero
for what he represented TO them not for
the deeds which made his name terror
to railroads all over the land
This part Of Jackson county IS fIIed
with memories Of Quantreu and his
raiders Many Of that band came from
hereab0uts and most OF the survivors
1--we around here now. They have never
been reconstructed in their heart Of
hearts and they never viii be They are
black nag OF that prescribed band they
are proud Of It, and Instead OF speaking
Of il IN whispers. they hold uu their
heads with much feeling and wear
badges to advertise Their Membership
They are hardy. honest and deceilt-they
love the memory Of their leader and re-
we're hIzas they have the strongest Of ties