The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-02-26
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Excelsior Springs. Mo. Feb. 10
Frank James. one of the last surviv-
ing members of the notorious James
gang. died on his farm near here
James. who was seventy-four years
old. had been In III health several
months and was stricken with apo
pleNy.
One OF the last members of n noto-
rious robber band, whose unparallel-
ed career of crime during the Civil
war and the unsettled period that fol-
lowed. kept the people OF dozen
states I'm terror. Frank James had
been living the life OF n quiet farmer
for more than thirty years.
The son Of minister, respected
throughout the community. Frank
James joined Quantrells guerrillas In
the Civil war, with his brother Jesse.
and took part in the sackins Of Law
renee. Kan.
When the war came tn an end they
were hunted far and wide by relatives
OF those who had met death at their
hands.
Driven here and there. the James
brothers soon became outlaws. Many
notorious crimes Of the decade fol-
lowing the war have been laid at the
door OF the James Younger gang. OF
which the only surviving members
were Frank James and Cole Younger.
the latter of whom Is living at Lees
Summit, Mo.
James never served term in the
penitentiary and never was convicted
OF crime.
= Raid Is Recalled.
st. Paul, Feb. l9.-The death OF
Frank James in Excelsior Springs,
Mo-. recalls TO old time Minnesotans
the daring raid on Mortified Sept. Z,
1876, in which he and his brother
Jesse headed band of eight outlaws
in an attempt to rob the Northfield
bank. The attempt was one OF the
most desperate in the annals OF crime
in Minnesota.
The gang rode into the town on
horseback. The brothers entered the
bank while the other six held back
the crowd. Jesse James ordered the
cashier, J. ID. Haywood. to give him
the combination OF the safe and shot
him dead when he refused.
The citizens, unawed by the bandits
on the steps of the bank. obtained
rifles and attacked the raiders. One
was killed and a second wounded and
the others forced to flee. The james
brothers separated fro m their COM
panions who were surrounded I'm a
forest swamp. One was killed in the
gun battle that followed.
Bob. Cole and James Younger were
among those captured and were later
sentenced to life imprisonment at Still
water.
Another posse pursued Frank and
Jesse James, every crossroad being
watched. IL seemed that the men
could not, escape. Both were serious
ly wounded i'm their flight. but man.
aged TO reach Kansas City where they
lay in hiding. Later they fed to Texas.
From Fridays Daily.
h A verdict for the defendant was
rendered late this afternoon by the
jury that tried the suit of Mrs.
Frances B. Rhodes, to recover $1,000
for personal injuries she received i'm
being struck by an automobile at
Third and Liberty streets on the
night Of June "a. The suit was
originally brought against II. Glenn
Allyn. George w. Allyn, Nicholas
Schneider and william j. Gruber.
automobile dealers. Henry l.. Ullman,
chauffeur and mail carrier.
Today on molten by S. B. Wilson.
attorney for the defendants. the case
was dismissed against all the de-
PENDANTS except Ullmah. and the jury
found in his favor. The plaintiff
claimed that the automobile was
being negligently driven and ut a
rate of speed-exceeding twenty-five
miles an hour. The defense main
tanned that the automobile was
driven no faster than six miles an
hour and that the accident was due
to negligence on the part Of the
woman herself.
The court next took mp the trial
OF the suit OF w. w. Clements and
r. b. Clements, automobile dealers.
against Charles Block. farmer OF
lie Ray, an action for 81 1000 on
account of the refusal OF the defend
ant to accept an automobile which.
It is alleged. he ordered. The de-
PENDANT maintains that the auto was
not delivered within the specified
time. Ivan Bowen Is attorney for
the plaintiff and s. d. Wilson for
- A. eEtst.