The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1913-12-23
BANDITS OF z ERAs
Outlaw, His Contemporaries in
SCOTS Day ard Ours.
Rob Roy and Jessie James-Both
Maurauders Had Their Friends
and Each Was Renowned for
Deeds of Kindness.

as to the date Of the death Of Rob
Roy, it may tighten our bushes to re-
member that Sir Walter Scott looked
on it as doubtful, says writer in
the Living Church. Reports varied;
the best authenticated tradition
showed that the daring McGregor had
outlived his widest deeds, and we
may take 1t for granted that he died
In the latter part Of the decade be-
tween 1880 and 1740. Assuming that,
we have some interesting compari-
sons to make. A man whose real life
was as sensational as that of the
feudal mess trooper, a chieftain who
levied blackmail on peaceful cattle
raisers, who plundered his enemies,
who long dreamed of upsetting Han
over and setting UP Stuart, char
acter half seventeenth century and
|, half sixteenth, was living during
part at least Of George Washington's
infancy Franklin may have heard
many story of him. Paul Jones may
have sailed with men who had caught
a glimpse Of Rob Roy through coast
and island traditions.
Take Rob Roy's own strong person
ality and add what the genius Of
Scott has thrown around him, and
he is fascinating last Of the Mohi-
cans" type. Part of the ancient Scot
land of claymore and coronach had
gone cut with the civil wars of Crom
wells day, the revolution had cut
short many life, the uprising OF
IT'S had quenched some bold spirits,
exiles had died heart broken in for
eign courts and cloisters. Rob Roy
was a link with the past. He fright
ened many who yet admired him,
even as hts estimable kinsman, Bailie
Nichol Jarvie, did. But a few dates
may startle even some who have read
SCOTS noble story half a dozen
times; and 1t is well to think OF some
who had come before Rob Roy had
gone.
At the time the outlaw breathed his
} last Joseph Butler had written the
Analogy, and George Berkeley was
!, past fifty. William Pitt had grown to
. mans estate Edward Gibbon had
: trodden many a step on the road to
, learning. Voltaire was In his forties.
, Adam Smith and William Blackstone
were launched into boyhood. Burke
: was an active child Button was a
man of some years standing. Elderly
men of scientific tastes looked back
on royal society gatherings and on In
genious hypothesis as the elderly
, | men among ourselves look back to
the Suez canal and the Pacific rail
roads The death of Rob Roy may
have been exciting news to the ard
, ! ent. young John Wesley, who never
: forgot his romantic loyalty to Mary
f queen of Scots, and to young Samuel
Johnson, who heaved many a sigh fol-
the luckless house of Stuart. What
most of us would call the real ad
vance of the eighteenth century had
; we'll started before the old freebooter
passed from the earth. After Rot
Roy's death. it is true. there was an
. other Jacobite fash and some brave
!. men paid with their heads for the up
rising of 40. but the cool judges saw
that the old Stuart times were at al
end. No one after all has so clearly
shown us how impossible it all was
as the novelist who admitted that II
y was 60 years since.
4 Some day the fragments yet re
naming of Jesse James life will bt
u gathered together by one who passe:
% over the transition stages Of history
,. Robbers there have been, and will be
- but few of the young people of today
understand how large a territor,
owned Jesse James as sort o
bandit baron Like Robin Hood ant
Rob Roy he had devoted followers
l. Quiet farmers and merchants made
8 excuses for Jesse James, not unlik,
g those Bailie Nichol Jarvie made To-
l. the McGregor. Stories about Jess,
d James kindness to the poor, hi
5. generosity to his friends, his courage
n and good humor were told in many
o tavern. There were many who, no
from cowardice but from sympathy
would have held back evidence tend
ing to convict the James boys, AM
l. who would have given the accuse,
W the benefit Of every possible doubt
a If the reader can recall how Ro
"a ROy's arms were bound and how tn
I guard let him escape just at the RICH
e time he can form some idea of TIL
II open or secret friendship for tn
n James boys by many of their cor
temporaries.
1t Is almost tantalizing that Ruff
Choate, who suggested the history @
+. New England as material to be trea
" ed after the manner of the Waverl
;, novels, did so little to forward tn
w | design. II we got at it, we shout
n find that the stock of romances of tn
10 daring and the lawless. the wild an
N the almost incredible LIS endless. p,
fore starting ourselves at the idea {
Rob Roy co-existing with Locke
philosophy and Berkeley's ideals. Ie
us remember that Jesse James wa