The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-11-23
Romantic Wedding of An Ex-Out-
law.

| law.
Marriage and a promised book to be
called "Our Lives are the outcome of a
few days courtship between Miss Gather.
inc nellie Bunyan, formerly society editor
of the Guthrie Leader, and Frank Jen,
nings, local real estate dealer. The two
were married at the home of John Aber-
nathy, United States marshal of Guthrie,
where Jennings was guest. The mar
riage was kept secret for more than week.
There is slight tinge of certain kind
of romance in this wedding. Jennings
was one of the leaders of the band of out
laws that held up and robbed Rock Is
land passenger train in daylight near
Chickasha, I. T., seven or eight years
ago, says Lawton (Ok.) dispatch to the
Kansas City Starr.
He pleaded guilty and was sent to a
United States penitentiary for five years.
His brother, Al Jennings, was sent to
the federal prison in Columbus, O., for
life, and was pardoned by President Nc
Kinley after serving five years. Before
he turned trainrobber Al. Jennings had
been attorney of Canadian county. He is
now in the practice of law and has many
clients in criminal cases.
Frank Jennings did not WOO his bride
by deception. He told her what he had
been, and that he now was in reputable
business. This was satisfactory to Miss
Bunyan, and J. G. Strang, probate judge
of Logan county, was called to perform
the ceremony. Friends Of Mrs. Jennings
assert that she is preparing to write a
book, "Our Lives in which ostensibly
she will have something to say of herself
and of the exploits of her husband.
AS the story runs, the Jennings broth
ers were preparing to leave Oklahoma and
establish themselves in Central America
when they plotted to rob the Rock Island
passenger train in Chickasha. They were
in need of money for their trip to Central
America, and train robbery offered itself
as the most feasible plan for getting money
quickly.
The outlaws had heard that the south
bound passenger train that day was carry
ing about $10O,0 in cash for the men
and officers at Fort Sill. The band met at
Siding No. l, where Frank Jennings
turned the switch to throw the passenger
train on side track. There were rumors
that outlaws were in the country preparing
to rob a bank in Minco Railroad EN-
ployes had been warned to be on their
guard, and when the engineer saw man
signaling to stop his train, he pulled his
throttle wide open to run past the siding
This alarmed Jennings, who feared that if
the train ran into the siding at full speed it
would collide with number of freight cars
and cause heavy loss of life. He threw
off his mask and ran up the track short
distance to warn the engineer, who finally
saw the open switch and stopped his train.
By the time the train had stopped it
was almost past Jennings. This one in
cident proved to be misfortune for the
outlaws. Nitroglycerin, soap, fuse, dyna-
mite, etc., had been brought to blow open
the safe. Jennings was to apply the nj
troglycerin, but he was so far from the
express car that to save time another mem
Der of the gang undertook the work. This
man was inexperienced and nervous. Usu-
ally one charge is used to loosen safe
door and second to blow the door off the
safe. After applying his nitroglycerin to
the safe and lighting the fuse for the first
explosion the robber, in his haste, forgot
to remove his dynamite and surplus nitro
glycerin from the car, and when the crash
came the entire supply Of explosives was
destroyed. Only the trucks of the express
car were left standing. The safe was SO
badly damaged that the robbers could al,
most reach the contents inside, but were
compelled to abandon the treasure for lack
of nitroglycerin.
Disappointed in not getting loot from
the safe, the robbers took all express pack
ages within reach and decided to rob the
passengers. Frank Jennings had been
having lively time keeping passengers
from climbing off the train to learn the
cause of the excitement. Only threats of
shooting kept them back. Many were
badly frightened A woman on the rear
platform of the last Pullman sleeper came
near jumping over the railing into Jen-
nings' arms in her alarm and desire fol
protection.
The passengers were lined up alongside
the train and searched. Two dollars was
taken from priest and then returned to
him when it was learned who he was.
Further down the line stood man dressed
in suit of conspicuous pattern, whom
Frank Jennings mistook for member OF
the sporting fraternity. The man s wife
said, "Certainly you will not rob minis
ter" and Jennings replied "No, OF
women and children. Jennings, how
ever, could not be persuaded that the man
was minister, and when the latter pulled
from his pocket large roll of bills with q
SO note on the outside, Jennings said,
"Well, old boy, that must be your flash
roll" and stuffed it into his pocket. When
the roll was examined it was found to be
sound to the core. The man who lost II
was minister and still lives in Oklahoma.
After their flight from the scene of the
robbery the outlaws were pursued fol
weeks, and finally rounded up in Indian
Territory and captured 1t was the last
train robbery in Oklahoma.
|
$4,000 Murdered in 5 Years.