Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-03-20
OUTLAW FROM IOWA
Parents of Desperate Man Reside
Near Lineville.
ARE HIGHLY RESPECTED
Ben Cravens and His Meteoric Career
IN Crime-story of Younger Days
and His Start on the Road to ostra.
ciSm.

=, Corydon, March 17.-(Special.)-
ne history OF Ben Cravens, the noto-
rlous desperate, train robbers, outlaw
ana escaped convict. and the luck that
mas followed him, has but few paral-
ieis' IL any, In the history of crimes in
this county. 1t hardly seems possible
10 the good and law-biding citizens of
thls vicinity that this is the same GRAY
ems who was born and reared on a
farm but few miles from this city.
the story of his younger days and
MS career of crime in later years is
recalled by his recent desperate fight
with officers in the Wichita mountains
IN the klowa reservation, Oklahoma
IN winch hight one marshal was killed
and another desperately wounded. This
story OF Cravens is but another in
stance of man who prefers a life of
crime, begun without any apparent
cause, to that of life of honesty. To
one who knew Cravens and the home
surroundings of his youthful years,
can only wander what his thoughts
may be if they ever go back to the
home life on the farm.
The traveller pursuing his way over
the old state road to the Missouri bor-
der, which ends at :iie little town of
Llneville, some eighteen miles south
east OF here, passes an old but neatly
Kept farm house standing but a few
rods from the side of the road two and
one-half miles north of the above nam.
ed town. Just how one catches a
glimpse of the green that is beginning
TO creep up over the wide, pretty lawn,
and the swelling buds of the trees in
the large orchard back of the house
give evidence of the near approach of
spring. From the roadside can be
seen a broard porch running across
the entire front of the house over and
around which still cling the ivy of
summer past, cool ad cosy retreat
for the tired family to pass the sum-
mer evening after the long weary
hours of the harvest time From here
also may be seen the large barn in
which are kept a number of thorough
bred horses, the long cribs which still
contain hundreds of bushels of yellow
corn, and in the distant pasture is
herd of fine shorthorn cattle. MUNICH
ing the grain and hay beneath long
cattle sheds built for their protection
from the snow and sleet of winter.
There is nothing unusual or remark
able about this old farm place, except
the air of peace and plenty which sur
rounds it. Yet this is the home of
Ben Cravens, the desperate, and out
law. In this house Cravens first saw
the light of day thirty-two years ago,
and it was on this farm he spent his
boyhood days. What led him to stray
from the teachings of his old father
and mother is hard to determine, but
fondness for the flowing bowl and
liking for the old yellow back Beadle
dime series probably had something
to do in starting him on his downward
coures. Uncle" Ben Cravens, the
father of the desperate, is one of the
most respected citizens of this county.
He is typical Kentuckian. 20 years
old, tall and straight as an arrow, clear
gray eyes, smiling countenance and
gentle manner that gained for him the
respect of his fellow men. For fifteen
years Uncle Ben has been the demo-
cratic assessor of his township. a
township which has always been over
republican, and in recent
years, the republican party finding it
to defeat the old gentleman,
has made no nomination for that office
For twelve years he has been secre-
tary of Hiram Abiff Lodge A. F. & A.
NJ. of Lineville.
But of Ben, the outlaw. 1t was in
1889 that he first appeared before the
public, as a law-breaker One night
in May of that year an attempt was
made to wreck the Chicago and Color
ado express of the Rock Island rail
road a mile north of Lineville and only
4 short distance from Cravens' home.
It SO happened a freight train was run
ming wild" that night just ahead of
he express and struck the pile of ties
and timbers that had been placed on
he track. The engineer and fireman
Jumped from the locomotive in time to
save their lives. The engine was
wrecked and eight cars of merchandise
we're smashed to kindling wood This
wreck saved the express and no doubt
he lives of many passengers. Detec-
ives were put on the case and suspi- |
zion pointed to Ben Cravens and his
brother Frank as the guilty parties
rom remarks made by them, and a |
short time afterward We're arrested |
and lodged in the county Jail in this |
city, While in Jail awaiting trial they
secured saw and cut their way out
md escaped. Frank was recaptured,
ried and sentenced to the penitentiary
or two years. He served his time,
ess that allowed for good behaviour,
.ame back home. and has since lived |
IN honest life.
In the stable on the old farm was
inc race mare, the property of Ben
ind after eluding the officers for sew
,ral days he went to the barn one dark |
light, took the mare and left for the
lew territories of the southwest. For
several years nothing was heard of
Jravens by the people in this section
,ut in 1895 dispatches from the states
md territories south began telling of
he deeds of lawlessness of the desper-
dos and Cravens' name was nearly al
Ways mixed up in fights. 1t was
claimed he was member of the Dali
on gang, but he himself denied this.
When next heard from he was with
Dynamite Dicks" gang of outlaws. 1t
vas while with this gang that his luck
eemed to desert him. The federal Of
icers had been on the track of this