The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1908-06-03

nal course, Jesse had with him Bill An
derson, the Centralia butcher, and four
of the Younger brothers, as well az
some others, Including his own brother
Frank. Frank has been for many years
now a reputable, laW-abiding individ-
ual. He always lacked initiative, AMI
never had 1.-THE Of the singular abil-
ity OF Jesse. The first act known to
have been committed by the gang was
the robbery Of bank at Corydon, Iowa,
bold and open raid, which the per
petrators announced to a gathering Of
citizens as they rode away, firing their
pistols In .TEly. 1873, they robbed
train on the G.. Il. l. & P. near Council
Bluffs, numbering an unarmed engi-
neer. At intervals followed robbery
on the Iron Mountain, netting $4,000,
one on the Union Pacific, where the
loot was $4,000, and another with u
$4,000 haul on the Missouri Pacific. In
each instance there was displayed ut
ter Indifference as to the killing Of
trainmen or passengers, although pos
sibly an inclination to leave few dead
to lend impressiveness to the OCCASION
With sporadic outbreaks the James
gang did nothing especially notable
after the Missouri Pacific robbery un--
til September, 1876, when they under
took to rob a bank at Northfeld, MINI.
The citizens fought good fight upon
learning that the bank cashier had been
killed. Bill Caldwell, Clell Miller and
Charley Pitts were shot to death and,
Bob and Jim Younger, with jesse
James, were wounded The wounded
Youngers, together with their brother
Cole, were captured and sentenced to.
prison for life. Bob died in prison.,
Cole and Jim were pardoned In 1901,
and year later Cole committed sui
eide. Frank James managed to get the
injured Jesse into Dakota and away.
Killed by Treachery.
Such life as Jesse James led was
bound to eliminate in tragedy. Gov
ernor Crittenden Of Missouri. disgustecn
at the futile efforts Of officers and de-
tectives to take him. offered a reward
~ pAciSoC
Ford, with his brother Charles, deter
mined to secure this sum. They had
won the confidence Of the outlaw. the.
solitary instance, perhaps in which hiss
judgment of men led him astray. These
boys had the freedom of the James
home. They We're both there one warm
day in 1882. Because Of the heat Jesse
I, = -
aside his arms, lack Of precaution he.
had never before been known to exhib-
it. Observing that q picture on the
wall was askew, he mounted a chair
to adjust it. This gave the Fords their
chance. They had edged between jesse
pistols. Bob then shot him in the back
Of the head. There were a few gaspss
and Jesse James, bandit and outlaw,
was dead. He lived just long enough
to be gathered into the arms Of hiss
wife. The revolver that was used for
his undoing had been his own gift to,
the man who used 1t. The Fords got
their money, a pardon from the Gov
ernor and the detestation of even the
enemies of Jesse James. Thereafter
they knew no peace. There was none.
so mean as to extend hand to them
Charles Ford committed suicide iD
Richmond There were no mourners
Bob Ford drifted to Colorado, became,
an unwecome habitue Of gambling
halls and was shot in drunken brawl.
For long there has hung in the Sam
uels home framed scroll bearing this.
Inscription:
In Loving Remembrance Of my Belove6
Son
JESSE W. JAMES
Died April 3, 1882
Aged 81 years months % days.
Murdered by Traitor and Coward
| Whose Name Is not Worthy to Appear
Such is d brief sketch Of Jessee
James, dauntless, desperate, brutal, n
soldier of vengeance, who warred upon
society, his hand against every man,
his legacy the memory OF bitterness.
At once loving and merciless, the
strange and paradoxical product Of
heredity and environment, 1t may be.
said Of him, 1--WE never shall see his.
like again." but in the saying there.
can be no cadence OF sorrow.-Henry
| Yev-ir