Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-26

SaIe, IN spite or tne JhIee'OS VI ~ -.
timidated guards. In his excitement
the man left his bottle containing the
explosive on the floor near the lighteu
fuse, and when the charge went OF
the coach was all but demolished, the
employees of the government scurrylls
to safe places. The top of the sate
was blown nearly off, but the Jop
could not be finished with improvised
weapons. and as the ammunition
was exhausted the gang was forced TO
stand and peer through the crevice at
the fortune beyond reach
Frank Jennings, in relating his story.
laughed when he came to this part.
1T was enough to make a man feel
mean the slim haul we got" he said.
For pure deviltry we decided to hold
up the passengers and the guards, so
we lined EN- up alongside fence ana
went through the bunch"
The searching process was thorough,
too. Not a woman or child was both
cred, but the men were compelled TO
turn their pockets inside out while
four grim faced men behind as many
guns stood quietly by a man dressed
bandits. on the instant Frank Jen-
nings spoke.
'1s that all you have?"
at is"
without further parley Jennings
handed the clergyman back his money
and held out a So bill which he had
taken from one of the other passen-
gers. The priest shook his head, but
smiled.
When the train load had been
plucked the gang was anxious to be
off, but Frank Jennings had more
foresight. and he climbed in the loco
motive cab with gruff command for
the engineer TO kill his fire. This was
done only at the point of revolver.
The band then cantered leisurely
away, and scattered i'm the direction
of the Cherokee Nation. planning to
meet at a point near the little village
of Claremore. This was in october.
OF the gang none had more escapades
than Frank Jennings. AS 1t happened
he came across the tramp whom he
and his companions had held while
they were waiting for the train. Jen-
nings Immediately recognized the wan
derer and, reaching down i'm his grip,
where he carried the money taken dur
ing the ''holdup' he handed the ragged
witness a handful of bills and silver.
well, how'd you make it?' asked
the tramp. That's how" replied
Frank, and rode off.
One day while Jennings was riding
pul " al Cl6dIIlS nc ran lIllO u DlS
bunch of deputy United States mar
shals. VINO spotted him instantly.
The subsequent happenings are told in
jennings own words.
II knew 1t would take some tall
strategy to get out of this hole" he
said. Fortunately for me, l was dis
guised as 'nestor,' and simply bluffed
'em out. ] told the fellows I was a
Missouri giHaser; that my wife was
io1r t1nA nf In
family We're lost I even told my Mis-
souri, name. It looked like things were
going smoothly until one of the officers
remarked: That's mighty good horse
for a Missouri squatter to be riding
but by that time l was riding eff un-
not daring to look back.
Pretty soon l heard the cla.ter of
hoofs and l knew they were after me.
Then I realized it would take fight.
/ opened fire and the men scattered
like prairie chickens, giving me time to
swim the creek and escape"
Another time Jennings was riding
through a heavily shaded ravine, not
suspecting danger, when volley from
behind a tree killed his horse and
caused him to fall to the ground.
Jennings heard a man declare trium-
phantly: Nov / got him!" He turned
and emptied his gun in the direction
from his dead horse and walked away
with the fortune in the grip swung
over his shoulders. When the outlaw
crept up to a house where some farm
ers were staying he saw a dozen horses
tied to the fence near the front door
He walked over, picked out the best
animal, substituted his own bride and
saddle and rode away. When he got
to a safe distance he turned the animal
loose.
In December, nearly three months
after the sensational "hold up" the
four outlaws met at Spike S" ranch,
near Claremore. man whom they
had once befriended owned Spike S.
The fugitives were betrayed and q
posse of twenty-five marshals and dep
uties was put on their trail. 1t was
then that the biggest fight of the south
west, not excepting any of the thrill
ing battles of the notorious James
boys, was pulled off in a little clearing
on Spike S."
The officers were under the command