The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-08

seph, where he was living under the
name of Howard.
DICK Liddle was in love with one
MATTE Collins, who lived in jackson
county, fourteen miles from Independ-
ence, but while the woman was devot-
ed to him she would not consent to
marry him while his life was in con-
.lnued jeopardy on account of his law
less and murderous deeds. Several
years before this a former lover had
lnsulted Miss Collins, and in a fit of
rage she shot him dead. She was pros
ecuted under an indictment of murder
IN the first degree and her attorneys
nad a hard time to save her from a
long, II not life, term in the peniten-
tlary. Her lawyers were Maj. William
warner, afterward member of Cop-
gress from the Kansas City district
and William H. Wallace. 1t was Wal
iace's extraordinary defense, however,
which secured a verdict of acquittal
Tor the tawny-haired woman, and she
was ever afterward exceedingly CRATE
rul to him. In her present emergency
she paid Wallace a visit. She told him
she and Liddle were sweethearts, also
that Liddle desired to surrender and
settle down. Wallace counselled her to
go see Gov. Crittenden, and lay the
matter before him, promising to abide
by whatever the Governor advised.
One day ''veiled woman called at
the State Capitol and said that she de-
sired a private interview with the Gov
ernor, and was shown into Crittendens
private office. In an hour she was
bowed out by the gallant Kentuckian
who had snatched kiss from the lips
of the great Patti. Much speculation
as to the identity of this yelled woman
was INDUCED in. One rumor had it that
she was the wife of Frank or Jesse
James; another thought it might be
Mrs. Samuels, their mother. But Meth
er Crittenden nor Wallace would TELL
and 1t was long time before those
less interested than the principals
knew.
The next startling thing that oc-
Cured was the mysterious placing of
note in the hands of Sheriff Timber
lake of Clay county. The note was de-
livered so deity, the bearer made his
escape so easily, that his identity was
completely lost. Upon reading the
note, Timberlake found it to be from
Dick Liddle, asking him to come alone
to a certain place in the woods near
Liberty that night at midnight. Tim
berlake was a man of considerable
nerve, but it was some time before he
could gain his own consent to attend
the tryst. However, it was fame II
he succeeded, and fight if deceived,
and he went. Liddle met him alone
and unarmed, and offered to surrender
and be taken to Liberty a prisoner II
assured of pardon and protection in
case he would divulge the secrets of
the James gang. Undertake promised
protection and said he had no doubt
that the Governor would pardon him
If he would faithfully aid in breaking
UP the band. Whereupon Liddle stepped
to where his pistols were lying, hand
ed them to the sheriff, and the two
were soon at the Clay county jail
where for the first time perhaps in his
wayward life Liddle had the key of
jaildom turned upon him.
Affairs now eliminated rapidly. On
April 3, 1882, Bob Ford shot and killed
Jesse James in st. Joseph, and in the
following October Frank James walked
into Gov. Crittenden's office and sur
rendered. The Ford boys received
their reward of $4,000 for killing Jesse
James and each went his way Char
ley to marry. and settle down, Bob to
go West and get killed by Ed Kelley,
the keeper of a Creole (Col.) dance
house. Dick Liddle appeared as a
witness against Frank James, who was
indicted for the murders committed at
the Winston train robbery, but his
testimony availed the state nothing,
and James was acquitted. Liddle mar
ried Matte Collins.