New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-28
HE BEARDED FRANK JAMES.
OUTLAW IN HIS RETREAT
AND FOUND A MORALIST

81 knew every foot of ground for miles
around here Every trail and hog path was
familiar to me- and it was no easy job OF trail
ing that the Pinkerton operatives bounding US
undertook. We engaged detectives VINO
Swallowed the government sleuths and kept
close tab on their movements. We had to be
constantly on the alert, because we never could
tell when an enemy was lying in ambush wait
ing for US. Jesse and I carried two pistols
each, and il it came to the worst we made up
our minds to die with the pistols in our hands,
When he died Frank James had been for
years pursuing the peaceful life Of farmer.
With his wife he lived on the old James estate
in little frame building short distance from
the famous log cabin that was the family's
home for so many years. Frank had mar
ried son. who with his wife now occupy the
cabin.
This old house, which was built about seven
tv.6ve wears ago. has been the scene of some
exciting times in bygone days. The Pinkerton
men tried in vain many time to arrest the
lanes boys there But the outlaws were con-
stanty on their guard and frustrated all at
tempts at their apprehension
The Pnkertons were accused OF one act IN
this house for which innocent persons had to
suffer, and which at the time made FRANK ana
Jesse still more desperate against the men
whom they regarded as their enemies. Inc
detectives who were trailing the James brothers
knew that at certain times they visited their
old home and they hoped to get them on one
of these occasions. In the night or during the
&C 16 187S
one stole steathily through the woods sur
rounding the cabin and hurled bomb through
a window The bomb exploded and IN so
doing it tore off one arm Of the mother OF
Frank and Jesse and instantly killed their half
brother, Archie P. Samuel, then eight years
old. On this occasion Frank and Jesse were
several hundred miles away from their home
Frank said that they never found out positively
who hurled the bomb. but they were morally
certain it was the work Of the Pinkertons, who
were desperate in their eagerness to get the
Jameses dead or alive The men who threw the
bomb thought that on this night the despera-
does were in the house.
BECAME A CLOSE STUDENT OF I'M
PoRTANT WORLD PROBLEMS.
Frank James in his late years took keen in
terest in the progress Of world events. He
was great reader Of newspapers and maya
zines.
I asked him il he thought that battles be-
tween nations were necessary in order to settle
disputes. He replied: 81 have seen so much of
the horrors of war that am firm believer in
international peace War Is hell, to say the
least, and its consequences are awful to con-
template Wars claim the flower Of our man.
hood The youth Of the land must be sacri-
feed to uphold the dignity of the nation, and
it is tie home, from which father or son has
gone never to return that feels the loss the
most severely. hope the day will come when
all nations will be tied together by such IRON
bound agreements on international peace that
wars will be an impossibility, and that the fort
unes which are expended on our ornaments
may be utilized in more useful channels, both
for the education of the people and the better
ment of civilization"
Mr.. James had some definite ideas on bring
ing up children, and he pointed to some Of the
evil influences that are apt to lead boys astrsy.
Perhaps he was qualified to speak with some
authority on the subject. Dime novels and
certain moving pictures were subject to
scathing denunciation by the man who once
upon a time was terror to nearly all people
who crossed his path. He said to me:
HIS THEORIES ON THE RIGHT UP
BRINGING OF YOUTH.
"The mind of boy is influenced by his
environment and the books he reads. If he
.y;4, baJ bou 4. L&ca L.