The Monticellonian., 1916-06-01

Man" to be largely myth, so far as courage Is concerned, and 1 think I demonstrated this theory of mine in the following instance, which hap pened while l was chief of the secret service of the Missouri Pacific railway. onY of whose leased properties was the> Missouri, Kansas & Texas.
 In the year 1882 the memory of the James brothers was still green in the regions of their exploits. Though Frank James was then living the life of a good citizen in Tennessee, and Jesse, his brother, was also in that state, the rumor of their presence in any of the parts where they had op- erated was enough to raise a scare. Especially was this the case in the eastern portion of the state of Oklaho- ma, then known as the Indian Terri tory, which had been the scene of many holdups and brutal murders.
 In the year aforementioned 1 re- eeiyed telegraphic dispatch from Col onel Eddy. the general manager, in structing me to proceed to Vinta at once. to investigate a murder which had occurred there, and to prosecute all persons connected with the crime
 On the night of September IS, as a northbound passenger train was being shunted upon the main line from a sid ing about mile north of Vinita, two men climbed upon the front platform of the smoker. "Ghick" Warner. the conductor. saw them and opened the door Without word one of the men drew revolver of small caliber and fired at Warmers head, the bullet pass ing through his cheek and inflicting a fired was immediately shot and killed by his companion, his dead body fall ing across the platform of the car. The name of the murderer was John Barnes Sweeney, and he had formerly been a resident of Clay county. Missouri.
 When I arrived at Vinita I learned from the express agent there that Sweeney, after shooting his compan- ion, had returned to the station and in formed him that the train had been held up by the James brothers and an outlaw named Ed Miller. Sweeney stated that the gang had been camp ing in the brush on Little Cabin creek. about four miles northeast of the spot where the train murder occurred. that he had known all the members of the gang before coming to the Indian Ter ritory, having been born in Clay eoun- ty, near the former home of the James boys, and that he was connected with them by blood When the gang en- camped on Little Cabin creek. Sweeney continued, he himself was staying with This sister on neighboring farm. The James brothers had told Sweeney that they intended to hold up and rob a number of trains on that line. and had invited him to join them Sweeney said that he was an expert rifle-shot. and that for this reason he would have been valuable to the gang He had accepted the invitation for the purpose of causing their arrest, and the man whom he had shot dead was Ed Miller
 Inquiry showed that the man who had been killed by Sweeney had put in an appearance at Vinita only few days before the shooting He was looking for job, and in the course Of of his search, had gone to the farm of Sweeney's brother-in-law. who owned the farm near Little Cabin creek where the outlaws were alleged to have had their camping place. The brother-in-law needed help in his corn, field, and employed the stranger, who appeared to be Scandinavian and spoke English very poorly. Sweeney had made the mans acquaintance there and. 1t was believed, had induced him to assist In holdup, and had sup piled him with the revolver of small caliber, almost a toy, with which he had shot the conductor, and which had been picked up near the scene of the ffagedy.
 Sweeney was a man of sinister repu- 'tation. He was of middle height, about thirty years of age, with black, luxuri- ous hair, and the dropping mustache which the bad man" affects. Like most bad men" he was a coward and a braggart. He was 1.-the and agile, and never failed to talk of his wonder ful craftsmanship with revolver and rife. In Clay county, Missouri. he had passed for a horse thief, treacherous coward. and a notorious liar. He had been arrested and tried for the mur- der of a reputable farmer. who was shot dead one evening while sitting on the porch of his house with his infant