The Oskaloosa herald., 1908-07-23
SLEPT WITH ROBBERS
A Je Sc James Story By An 0ska-
loosa Resident.


To j. c. Alcorn, of the grocery firm
of Alcorn & Stevens, we are indebted
for an interesting incident relating
to the career of one of the most des-
perate. outlaws ever known, Jesse
James. The story is of his own per-
sonal experience with the well known
desperate, of how he slept in the
same room with him and testified
at the trial of his accomplice, C1ell
Miller.
1t was in the year 1872 while Mr..
Alcorn was living with his father, j.
&C. Alcorn, on farm about five miles
southwest of Corydon, Ia, near the
present site of Allerton, in Wayne
county. In the evening Jesse James,
and Clell Miller rode up to the Al
corn home, representing themselves
to be clerks from store at Quincy
H., off on a vacation, and asked for
nights lodging. They were admit
ed and Mr.. Alcorn assisted them In
putting their horses in the stable.
Each of the men wore heavy cart
ridge belt and large caliber revolvers
but they conducted themselves in a
most gentlemanly manner and arous
ed not the least suspicion. At the
supper table they inquired about the
lay of the land and, when told that
the nearest timber was fourteen miles
away, they expressed their dislike for
such a country. They had, however,
already laid their trail and planned
their escape through the timber taf-
ter the celebrated Corydon bank rob-
berry, which they accomplished spc-
cessfully on the following day. Their
two other accomplices, Frank James
and his pal, stayed that night at the
home of John Bracewell, two miles
southwest of the Alcorn home. -
On the next. morning Henry Gay
Dean, the distinguished Missouri
democrat was to speak in Corydon
and a large crowd turned out to hear
him Mr.. Alcorn's father went to
town for that purpose and, as he
crossed the Madison creek near Cory
don he noticed the four men herding
stock in the pasture nearby. They
took this means of escaping attention
while the crowds were gathering and
when the attention was centered on
Deans lecture, they made their des-
perate raid on the Corydon bank and
relieved the cashier of $4,000 In
greenbacks. The robbery was made in
the middle of the afternoon during the
regular banking hours.
When they had accomplished their
purpose they retraced their trail
across the crountry and, as they pass
ed the Alcorn home they shouted to
Mr.. Alcorn, telling him to warn their
.purspers, who were then close on
their trail, that if they continued the
chase there would be some widows
and orphans left to mourn for them
They all escaped and when Clell Mil
Ter was captured later, he was brought
to Corydon for trial and Mr.. Alcorn
was called to the stand as a witness.
Nothing was proven against him,
however, and he was released.
Mr.. Alcorn ofter recalled. the ac-
ton of the two guests at their home on
that memorable evening, ana, AFTER
the deed on the following day, he re-
membered incidents which, at the
time, attracted little attention. The
bedroom at the Alcorn home was only
eight feet wide and in 1t were two
beds, with very little room between
them. The two desperadoes were
given lodging in one of the beds and
they slept with their belts and revolv-
ers under their pillows. Mr.. Alcorn
was in the other bed in the same
ROOM During the night a neighbor
was taken sick and someone came to
the house for assistance. AT the first
rap on the door, Mr.. Alcorn says he
can remember how the two strangers
jumped to their feet and, in the
twinkle of an eye, slapped on their
belts and placed their hands on their