The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-05-02
IN JESSE JAMES GANG.
Mabel Ford Who Claims to Have Been
the Wife Of Bob Ford.

MapeI fOro VINO NIalmS 70 0aVS oSeu
the Wife Of Bob Ford. /
The return to Butte of Mabel Ford,
who claims to have been the wife of
Bob Ford, of the notorious James |
gang, and her Imprisonment in the |
city Jail on a charge of disorderly
conduct, has set a good many of the !
old timers talking about the exploits
of the famous gang of train robbers
and desperadoes. Mabel is not much
OF a talker being usually pretty we'll
soaked with whiskey or morphine, and
it is not an easy matter to get very
connected account from her of the do
ings of Ford and others Of the gang.
She strenuously insists, however, onI
The distinction Of having been welded
to the desperate named Bob Ford.
Several years ago the country from
Texas to Minnesota was terrorized by
a gang of outlaws and desperadoes
known as the James gang, having be en
organized and led by Jesse and Frank
James. The gang consisted Of the
two James brothers, the Younger
brothers-Bob, Jim and Cole-Charlie
Pitts, Bill Chadwell, Glen Miller and
Ford. Train, express and bank rob-
berries were their specialties, though
they were not above stage and high
way robbery. Their plan of opera
tions was to ride suddenly into a
town, terrorize the inhabitants, and
drive them within doors by shooting
indiscriminately take what they want
ed. and before the panicstricken citi-
zens and demoralized authorities could
regain their senses or courage ride
off as suddenly as they came. Thus
they managed to defy both the law
and it's officers.
The last exploit of this gang was
the celebrated raid upon the bank
in the town of Northfield, MINI. They
dashed into the town about noon one
day, unheralded and unannounced, and
began shooting right and left, and
driving every person off the street.
into houses and stores, when they
rode direct to the bank. Here they
demanded the keys of the vault and
the treasure. Instead Of complying
Cashier Haywood closed and locked
the vault, when he was shot dead by
one of the gang. This brief delay
was fatal to the raiders. It gave
the citizens time to regain their pres
ence of mind and their courage, and a
number arming themselves opened fire
upon the robbers in and around the
bank. Two of the gang were brought
down by the first fire and by this time
the band of infuriated citizens had
50 increased that the outlaws broke
and fled in different directions, getting
out of town as fast as their horses
could carry them, leaving their dead
comrades where they had fallen. It
happened that the two James broth.
ers went one way and the rest of the
gang another.
| News of the attack and retreat was
wired to st. Paul and Minneapolis
and officers and detectives at once
hastened to Rochester and instituted
a vigorous pursuit of the robbers
Prominent in the pursuit were Chic
OF Police King, Detective Bissette, ant
Officers Brosseau and Clark of st
Paul, assisted by officers of Saltwater
and Minneapolis. Among the officer
engaged in the capture were Sheriff
Glispin, Captain William Murphy. Col
Thomas P. Vought, George Bradford
Ben M. Price, James Stevenson an,
Charles Pomeroy. The larger por
tion of the gang, including the three
Youngers and Pitts, were finally sur
rounded while in camp, to which they
were directed by young Swede
named Oscar o. Suborn. In the bat
tie that ensued, Charles Pitts was shot
dead and all the Youngers more OF
less seriously wounded before they
were taken. Frank and Jesse James
made good their escape and returned
= to their home in Missouri, where Jesse
James was subsequently killed by one
of the Ford brothers. Frank James
|, in some way managed to evade thu
law and reformed. Stand
ard.