The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-01-08
BANDITS OF 2 ERAS|
Outlaw, His Contemporaries In
Scott's Day ard Ours.
Rob Roy and Jessie James-Both
Maurauders Had Their Friends
and Each Was Renowned for
Deeds Of Kindness.

New York.-If we are not certai,
as to the date, Of the death OF Ro
Roy, it may tighten our bushes to re
member that Sir Walter Scott locke,
on it as doubtful, says a writer IL
the Living Church. Reports varied
the best authenticated tradition
showed that the daring McGregor hat
outlived his widest deeds, and W,
may take 1t for granted that he diet
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 lif,
was as sensational as that of thu
feudal mess trooper, a chieftain who
levied blackmail on peaceful cattl,
ratsers. who plundered his enemies
who long dreamed of upsetting Han
over and setting up Stuart, char
! acter half seventeenth century ant
half sixteenth, was living during 1
part at least Of George Washington
infancy. Franklin may have heart
many a story Of him. Paul Jones may
have sailed with men who had caught
glimpse Of Rob Roy through coas
and island traditions.
Take Rob Roy's own strong person
atty and add what the genius OF
Scott has thrown around him, ant
he Is fascinating last Of the Mohi
cans type. Part Of the ancient Scot
land OF claymore and coronach had
gone out 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 link with the past. He fright
ened many who yet admired him
even as his estimable kinsman, Bailie
Nlchol Jarvie, did. But a few dates
may startle even some who have read
SCOTS noble story half a dozen
times, and it is we'll 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 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 9
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 t.
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 Mar!
queen Of Scots. and to young Samuel
Johnson. who heaved many a sigh TO-
the luckless house Of Stuart. What
most Of us would call the real ad
vance of the eighteenth century haC
well started before the old freebooter
passed from the earth. After Rol
Roy's death, 1t is true, there was an
other Jacobite fash, and some brave
men paid with their heads for the up
rising Of '45, but the cool judges saw
that the old Stuart times were at ar
end. No one after all has so clearly
shown us how impossible 1t all was
as the novelist who admitted that II
was go years since.
Some day the fragments yet re
naming Of Jesse James life will be
gathered together by one who passes
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 territory
owned Jesse James as sort OF
bandit baron. Like Robin Hood and
Rob Roy he had devoted followers
excuses for Jesse James. not unlike
those Bailie Nichol Jaryie made for
the McGregor. Stories about Jesse
James kindness to the poor, his
generosity to his friends, his courage
and good humor were told in many a
from cowardice but from sympathy.
would have held back evidence tend
Ing to convict the James boys. and
who would have given the accused
the benefit Of every possible doubt
II the reader can recall how Rob
Roy's arms were bound and how the
guard let him escape Just at the right
time he can form some idea OF the
open or secret friendship for the
James boys by many Of their con-
temporaries. ......
II is almost tantalizing that Rufus
Choate. who suggested the history OF
New England as material to be treat
ed after the manner of the Waverly
novels. did 30 little to forward the
design. II we got at It. we should
find that the stock Of romances OF the
daring and the lawless, the wild and
the almost incredible is endless. Be
fore starting ourselves at the Idea Of
Rob Roy co-existing with Locke's
philosophy and Berkeley's ideals. let
us remember that Jesse James was
the contemporary OF Ralph Waldo