Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-03-10
NEW JESSE JAMES .
APPEARS IN WEST;
IS DARING BANDIT
BY n. D. WELTY
Ueased Wire Service to The Journal.)
Copyright, 1921


BARTLESVILLE! Okla, March g..
A new Jesse James has appeared
in the west. Unmasked, he is lead
ing his gang of desreradoes in a
series Of bank robberies that keeps
the border counties CT Kansas and
Oklahoma terrorized. A jewelry
store and eight banks have been
rifled by bandits, under his direc-
ton, in the past year. Rewards to-
falling $4,000 have been offered for
him, dead or alive.
He is Al Spencer, who forsook the
peaceful pursuits of farming in
Nowata county to enter upon a ca
reer of banditry that promised to
approach ife not eclipse. the record
Of his notorious predecessor. Cool,
clear-headed and hard as steel, Spen-
Ger is recognized as a real 'bad
man." and the scores of officers who
are securing the border counties for
him are convinced that the only
way they can bring him in is in a
coffin. Spencer has not resorted to
killing yet, but officers believe he
would not hesitate should the neces.
sity arise.
This short, stocky-built man has
entered banks at Talala, Dewey and
Usage. Okla; Cambridge, Elgin.
Chautauqua, Tyroes and Dexter,
Kan. His command in each case
has been much the same.
THE easiest way OUT he says,
lis to give me all you've got and do
it in hurry"
In the raid at Talala, Spencer en-.
countered in the bank a young wom-
an with whom he attended school.
Ne chatted for a moment with her
as his confederates made away with
the banks money. In another
Spencer conversed with one of the
officials whom he knew.
Spencer's connection with each of
the raids has been established
through pictures Of him circulated
by the Oklahoma penitentiary of
ficials.
He is an escaped convict, but is
said to have made the boast that he
doesn't intend to serve any more
time. His boon companion and con-
federate is said to be Dick Gregg,
| a twenty-two-year-old boy, who is
also a fugitive from justice, having
| jumped a $1,000 bond after he was
arrested in connection with the Elgin
| robbery.
Spencer has become known in
I Oklahoma and Kansas as ''the ban
| dit of the Osage." A half mile west
Of Bartlesville, the Usage county
| line is drawn. Five miles west OF
| tho+ ic Lob Ir1,iY INF nf hills rxyito
which few white men are entirely
familiar. Trails and by-paths wind
| about through these hills. 1t is here
| that the bandit has his refuge and
| divides his loot, but he maintains
| ports at Okesa.
Each time he stages a robbery he
heads in the direction of Okesa and
the hills. His last robbery was al
| Chautauqua, Kan, when he had but
! one partner. He secured 81 900. The
robbers headed south and a posse
that formerd quickly followed him
! toward Okesa. Five miles south OF
| Chautauqua the bandit car was
found with a broken wheel, but two
grim looking men with high pow
cred rifles were standing guard over
| it. They were said to be Spencer
and Gregg. The hurriedly organized
and poorly armed posse kept at q
respectful distance while the ban
dts withdrew afoot. An airplane be
longing to a wealthy Usage Inc ~
was pressed into service for scout
ing purposes, but they disappeared
in underbrush too thick for any OBJ
servation to be made.
This is the last the officers have
| seen Of the VESTS new deSneradO