The Hartford republican., 1913-08-01
BANDIT HAD
CLOSE CALL
Oregon Man Shot Frank
James Twice.
Old Friends We're Enemies Then
and Pistols We're
Busy.


piece IN paper a month or 80 ago
about Frank James," said B. X.
,Searcy of Condor. "The piece said he
Nas still living in Missouri on the
old farm, and that he was in good
health even II some of the papers
did try to make out that he was dy-
ing of consumption. That piece is
right. know that Frank Is still
alive and well, and u you've got
little time to waste Id like to tell
you about time that Frank James
was a whole lot nearer dying than he
is right now, or probably ever was
In all his mixups.
"The James family and ny family
moved from Anderson County, KY,
when was a baby and Frank was
only a few years old. We went to Clay
County No., and setteld there. My
father and Franks father were both
Baptist preachers and worked tOgeth-
>er a great deal in revival meetings.
and they finally built the New Hope
Church, a brick building, that stood
for sixty years. II was torn down
lately and q bigger one built there.
The James family and our family
were always the best of friends in
those days.
'Well, the war broke out when |
was only boy. but every one was
needed, and l enlisted in the Fifth
Missouri Cavalry. The James boys.
who were getting pretty wild at that
time. were rebel sympathizeres. o~i
although they did not enlist in the
Regular rebel army. they did join
Quantrill's gang of bushwhackers and
were members of that gang which
caused SO much suffering through that
section. Our regiment was stationed
in Missouri during almost all OF that
time, and of course we had many
skirmishes with Quantrells gang, the
majority Of whom We knew. although
of course not SO we'll as the James
boys and several others from our
home in Clay County. Many times
detachment from our regiment sur
prised the James boys and others
of Quantrelrs gang when they least
expected II, and naturally they laid
this to me. for l knew every hog
path in the whole country there.
"They finally became convinced
that was the cause Of their troubles
at that time, and word was brought
to me that the James boys had said
they were going to get Searcy.
paid no attention to that. and shortly
after Quantrell and his hushwacking
gang left that part of the state for
al time. Soon after this. u the battle
at Glasgow, our regiment was al 'st
wiped out of existence. only eighteen
men being left. We were sent to
Missouri City only short distance
from our home. and were stationed
there for several months. together
with remnants of other regiments. We
had nothing to do. and it was easy
to get leave, SO when Lieut.. Smith
asked the Clay County boys to go To
a dance at his house We jumped at
the chance, thinking maybe we would
see some Of our folks. and possibly
our sweethearts.
when we got to that dance we
did not know that. the James boys
were I'm that part of the state. but
they, with others of their gang, had
also come home, and that night at
the dance they surrounded the house,
but did no shooting. because some OF
the girls there were sympathizers OF
theirs. They didn't bother us that
night, and In the morning there was
no sign of them. so. with four others.
went to the stable to feed my
horse and get ready to return to Mis-
souri, City. did not notice 1t at the
time, although | did soon after, but
was the only one going to the
stable who had his pistols.
"We had been In the barn only
little while, when. looking out thru
The logs, I saw Frank James on his
horse jumping over the fence anu
several others close behind. l knew
that they thought 1t was their chance
TO get searcy. SO | wasted no time
" turning loose at Frank. but miss
ed him. At the first shot his horse
started jumping. which Ii was train
ed to do, and this made IL hard tor
me to get aim between the logs,