Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-25
AFTER THIRTY YEARS
Revisiting the Former Haunts
of the Missouri Outlaws.
OLD FIGHT RECALLED
ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE THE JAMES
AND YOUNGER BAND.
Bloody Repulse of the Assailants-
Part Played by Young and
Energetic Reporter.
BY WILLIAM F. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Cbcspo
Record Herald.

BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS
special Correspondence Of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
OSCEOLA. Mo-, June 16, 1905.
Th1rty-one years ago last March a PARTY
or Pinkerton detectives, in command of
Louis L. Lull, previously lieutenant upon
the police force of Chicago came down
into this country for the purpose OF cap
turing gang OF outlaws led by the James
and Younger brothers. who had been mem
bers OF Quantrelfs infamous guerilla band
during the civil war. After the surrender
they were not satisfied to return to peaceful
occupations and made 1t their business to
hold up railway trains and stage coaches
and to rob banks. merchants and private
individuals whom they suspected of hav-
Ing money. They were not ordinary high
waymen. They operated upon a large
scale The scene of their exploits extend
ed through all the states west Of the Mis-
sissippi river from the Canadian border to
the Gulf Of Mexico. Jesse James was final
~ shot by an adventurous boy after an al
most incredible series of escapes from the
vengeance of the law. His brother, Frank
James, retired from the bandit business
upon obtaining a pardon from Gov Crit
tenden through political influence. He
afterward became doorkeeper in the
Missouri legislature, has appeared frequent
ly In melodrama upon the theatrical stage,
has played conspicuous parts in wild west
shows and has been engaged in various
other peaceful occupations.
The Youngers.
Four members Of the Younger family.
were actively engaged in the bandit bust
ness They were born In ST. Clair county,
Mo-, OF which Osceola Is the seat and be-
longed to a very reputable and at one time
influential family. One Of their uncles sat
upon the bench in this district for several
years. The two older brothers had an ex-
cellent education. and they were all men
OF more than ordinary natural ability and
doubtless would have been quite as sue
cessful in earning an honest living il they
had devoted to it the same energy. ability
and determination that characterized their
criminal career John Younger, the second
in age and first in ability, the recognized
leader of the family. and who shared with
Jesse James the chieftainship of the Mis-
souri, banditti. was killed by Luis party
Cole. the eldest of the brothers. who had
attractive traits Of character. with James
and Robert, the younger brothers. were
captured by posse of sheriffs and citi-
zens after having murdered the cashier Of
bank at Mortified, Minnesota. during a
MONDAY attempt at robbery. They were
followed more than three hundred miles
into Dakota. arrested convicted and sent
water. from which they were released on
parole after more than twenty years of
confinement. James Younger has since died.
Cole Is said to be working farm near
Lee Summit, east of Kansas City, while
Bob was a travelling salesman for some
novelty house the last 1 heard of him.
Since their release from prison both of
them have behaved in manner to do them
credit and to justify their parole.
Pinkerton Detectives Employed.
At the height of their criminal career.
when they had successfully robbed dozen
railway trains. a dozen stage coaches and
nobody knows how many banks and stores
they emptied the till of the treasurer of
the Missouri state fair on the day of the
largest attendance-as one might say in
the presence of 10000 people. The state
officials and the railway and express COM
panies, which had suffered severely from
their depredations, then employed the
Pinkerton detective agency to hunt them
down. At one time. I believe, rewards
amounting to 10000 were offered for their
capture by various state authorities, cor
porations and associations who had been
their victims. The gang was composed of
eight or ten desperadoes in addition to the
two James bays and the four Youngers;
and while the organization was not COM
pact both families usually worked together
and shared in the plumber they captured.
Frank and Jesse made their headquarters
at the farm of their step-father DR.. Sam
uels, near Independence, Mo. The Young
ers made theirs in inaccessible and
about ten miles from Osceola. known as
Monigaw Springs. The nearest railway
point Is Appleton City. on the line Of the
Missouri. Kansas and Texas road At that
ton City and Osceola. Roscoe and other
towns In the southern part Of st. Clair
county.
Monigaw Springs Is beautiful spot and
- tLn nixril rxx.ao favv ~tt
sort for the people Of western Missouri.
who went there to drink the sulphur waters
that bubble out of the earth and enjoy
the scenery and climate. A large hotel
built partly of logs and partly OF lumber
was erected during the 40's on a crest above
the springs. and from its veranda may be
seen one Of the most charming landscapes
that can be imagined.
Rendezvous Of the Robbers.
This old hotel, having fallen into dis
repute as well as dilapidation. became the
rendezvous of the robbers. The members
of the James and Younger families. with
their followers. used to spend great deal
of time there-particularly after commit
ting their sensational robberies. The place
was scarcely accessible by carriage. The
bride paths which wound around through
the forests and among the rocks were so
circuitous and obscure that strangers had
they furnished both protection and an easy
means of escape to the bandits. who were
familiar with them.
The few farmers and other settlers in the
neighborhood were either In sympathy with
or afraid of the outlaws and gave them as
sistance and information, both voluntarily
Or involuntarily. Through them and through
several colored families which had for
merly been slaves OF the Younger family,
and still occupied cabins in the Monigaw
wilderness, the boys" they were COM
monty called, had safe and sure communi-
cation and reliable sources OF information.
They lived most of the time with an old
gentleman named Theodolite Snuffer, a
quaint and interesting character.
Shortly after the hold-up of train on
the Rock Island road and the capture of a
large sum of money from the express car.
Lieut.. Lull and his party appeared at APP
pleton City, where they were accidentally
met by a verdant young reporter from a
Chicago newspaper who had been sent to
Kansas, Indian territory and Texas to
write up the Industrial and commercial de-
yelopment that had followed the construc-
ton Of the NJ. X. and T. railroad. The
reporter had enjoyed somewhat intimate
relations with Lull while the latter was
on the Chicago police force. and 1t was not
difficult for him to secure the confidence