The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1910-12-02
jesse JAMES HAD
DOUBLE IN KENTUCKY
Allen County Nan Bears ReSen-
blance to Despe-
RADIO.

kentucky WHO Is not famlllar WIN
the history OF the exploits OF the
James bro. hers. who fer vars terror
lied various sections of the United
States by robbing mail trains, banks
and citizens. Associated with thom
were the Younger brothers-CClo, Bob
and Jim Younger-who were finally
convicted and given long terms in
the penitentlary at Saltwater, Min
nesota.
But that Jess James had double
who lives, moves and has his being
in Allen county, and whose resem-
blance to the Missouri bandit was so
striking that n was cnc0 convicted
and sentenced to a prison term for
a crime, committed by him is not
so well known, but it is tru9 never
theless. The recent publication re-
garding the effort TO b. made to in
duce the Federal Government TO make
of the Mammoth Cave National
Park, recalled the story to an old
timer, who recited it in the following
language:
The James boys were often in
Logan county after the close of the
Civil War and had rendezous on
Vile. Travel to Mammoth Cave was
then entirely overland from Cave
City, and so heavy was the traffic
and constant the visitors that Mr.
Mccoy, proprietor OF the Mammoth
Cave stage, made an immense fortune
out of the traffic. One of his most
trusted helpers and lieutanants was
Mr.. p. w. Depp, who for the past
dozs years has been Chief Engi-
neer OF the Kentucky Branch peni
tentiary at Eddyville. On one occa-
sion Mr. Dpp turned over to his
chief 81 900 as the Result of one days
travel to and from the cave. Some
years ago MIR. Depp completed a
perfect facsimile of the old stag
coach which figures in the famous
robbery. 1t was a miniature coach,
and was placed on exhibition AZ the
Worlds Fair at S.. Louis.
The bandits evidently learned Of
/ the rich pickings to be secured by
robbing the Mammoth Cave slagc and
planned raid
"On the morning of the robbery
the stage left Cave City with only
four pass Judge Roundtrec and
daughter of Mt. Sterling. Ky, and
two Southernors--one from Tonnes
see and the other a citizen of Ala
bama Considerable booty was TAX
en- from the victims, among other
valuables a gold watch belonging to
Judge Roundtree and diamond ring
belonging to his daughter.
The robbers made good their es-
cape and for several days no arrests
We're made George Hunt, then ccle-
DRAFTED local detective at Bardstown
arrested a man, whose name was
Thomas Hunt and whose birthplace
has been credited to Simpson county,
On charge of being implicated in
the robbery. Hunt was carried to
Glasgow (as the robbery was COM
mitted before the stage crossed othe
Barren county line) and lodged in
! Jail. Considerable trouble was eX-
perienced in getting the victims OF
the robbers TO Glasgow 20 testify,
as the kentucky law at thai tim
made provisions for The la5 mont Of
mileage for witness rs from distance
The two Southern rs had already lost
Ii avily by the robbery and declined
to return TO Kentucky at their own
expense to st!fy against the accus-
ed. The kentucky /. legislature assem-
bled while Hunt was in Jail awaiting
trial, and the law now on the sta
tute books allowing mileage TO wit
ncsses is directly traccable so the
robbery of the Mammoth Cave stag.
At last all four of the witnesses APP
peared in court, and Hunt was placed
on trial. Three Of the witnesses pos
i.ively identified the prisoner rs tha
man who acted as spokesman for the
robbers, but Judge Roundtrec was
not SO positive. He said: "If the
prisoner is the man who acted as
spokesman for the bandits then my
faith in my own recollection is
very much shaken, though he strongly
resembles the man.
Hunt refused absolutely to make
any move to clear himself OF the
charge beyond denying any know
ledge of the robbery.
1.-The case was given to the jury
and verdict was soon reached Civ
ing Hunt a term in the Frankfort
penitentiary. Before he was trans