Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-20
Cousin Of James Boys,
Missouri Bandits, Is
Resident Of the CITY

Edgar c. James, a cousin Of the
James boys-jesse and Frank
Missouri bandits who terrorized their
state and the southwest for twenty
| odd years, is a resident of this city.
Mr.. james. a quiet hammered man. is
living at 703 East Linn street and is
laborer and Waterman employed
by the Lennox Furnace Company.
He has been resident Of the city
since last September, but for many
years he lived in Lucas county where
in 1911 and ~ he was sheriff, elected
| on the democratic ticket.
| Being James and a democrat. Mr..
James is, as might be expected. a
Misso urian. He was born in Bates
county of that state, June 16. 1851
his native county adjoining Clay
county where Jesse and Frank James
were born and reared Mr.. James
was q very small boy when the James
boys broke out in their wild career
Of crime. But during his boyhood
and until well into his young man
hood his cousins were killing and
robbing and defying the law. in
spite of the $4,000 reward that was
| placed on jesse head.
| Came to lows in '62.
Mr.. James father was w. j.
James. a brother Of John James the
father of Jesse and Frank. In 1852,
when Edgar C. James was mere
/ ht,h ,, hi 70 1nff
Bates county. Missouri and came to
Iowa, settling in Clark county. The
elder James took up land there and
rema ned for four years. He then
moved over into Lucas county where
he bought land and started saw
mill, one OF the first in the county.
The farm was ten miles north OF
Charlton and 1t was there that Mr..
James father died. Another son Is
living on the farm now.
1t was to this farm that the James
and Younger boys came to stop on
their way to Northfield, Mimi, to
rob the bank Of that place, which re-
SUITED In the death and the capture
of the Youngers and the breaking up
of the gang. Mr.. James recalls their
visit. and while the family did not
know at that time where the gang
was going, they knew after the
Nortllfeld ROBBERY that the stop In
Lucas county was made while they
We're on their way to the scene Of
that robbery.
Threaten Uncle With Burning.
To, hn ya11 rov hxNp
the warning the James boys gave his
father at that time and at other
times.
Uncle Billy (they always called
their uncle, Billy. Mr.. James says)
IL you ever give US away we'll surely
burn you out"
Nj. james is confident, and SO was
his father. that the nephews would
have kept their threat regardless OF
relationship.
Ard while the elder James did not
upheld the James boys In their law
lessr ess, he took the position that 80
long as the United States govern
| mem and the Pinkerton detective
| ager Cyl had started to run down the
boys. they could do 1t without his
help
That was the attitude, Mr.. James
says great many of the Clay
cour ty people took, some Of whom
mpathized with the James boys,
whom they regarded as having been
started on their lawless careers by
persecution. It was chiefly this at
titude OF refusing to give aid. OF the
help OF sympathizers and of fear for
the James boys that made II possible
for them to ecape the law as long as
the. did.
Eventually Jesse was killed by Boz
Ford and Frank James later gave
him self up, was tried but was not
| convicted. He died a few years ago.