Year: 1878

ST.. LOUIS. Nov. 4. 1878.


Your correspondent. while sojourning recently in
the wilds of Western Missouri. some un-
published leaves from the history of the guerilla war
fare that ragged almost necessarily during four years.
from Iowa to Louisiana QuaEtrell was the chieftain
par excellence of the Southern gueras and the South
vest people in the recital of his exploits
and those Of his redoubtable leutenants. Long be-
fore the closed these men became the most daring
band Of highwaymen and freebooters ever known TO
America and it has been well established that the
series Of audacious bank express and train robberes
tha& electrified the West few years ago. are traceabe
10 these same desperadoes. During the war they
learned to live plumber and when peace came the
worst Of them. headed by the celebrated James
brothers and Younger brothers kept up the business
II numbering and stealing. What they did was done
with high hand in the broad daylight. They rode
Into towns. shot down citizens. broke open banks.
carried OF thousands Of dollars They stopped rail-
road trains stripped the passengers of their vausbles
and robbed the express They rode the eetest horses
had no fear. dead Shots and for ten years es-
eaped capture in Q time Of profound peace. They
were in Texas to-day. in Missouri tomorrow.
Their lives appeared to be charmed, and they seemed
70 travel on the wings of the wind. sort Of mystic
romance grew up around them. There were those
who declared that the Jameses and the Youngers
we're not connected with these incredible feats Of
deviltry but the best informed knew that inexpe
rienced man could ride they rode, shoot as they
shot and fight Is they fought There . boldness
and rapdity Of execution about these robberes that
sould be attributed fresh hands The detectives
sould do nothing They followed the phantom riders
BY day and by night and from State State yet they
we're always bafhed.


FIRST CHECK TO THE cUTrHRoATs.


More than detective bit the dust in his zeal to
eapture the noted land pirates. Where they lived
and who were their friends and abettors o mys-
terry. Yet it was known they had some place for
kind Of headquarters and that they must have those
TO whom they confded their secrets These mysteries
remained unsolved until the great Northfeld
Bank robbery in Minnesota. The end had come at
Last and the truth was revealed. 1t was demon
strsted that the Younger brothers q part
Of the desperate gang. and but little doubt left
that the two escaping the James brothers.
Here ended the operations Of these The Young
put in prison for life and the Jameses have
concluded to run further risks. Where they are
and what they doing must for the present at
least. remain q secret Some say they are in Texas
raising cattle. while others say they In Colorado
trying TO make honest living in the mining dis
icts. It reported. lately. that Frank James
In Missouri. and that he all broken down in
health from old wounds and exposure Be this as it
may they stn being hunted by the detectives and
there hangs over them . shadow in whatever land
they may be- These two brothers the last Of that
famous band of highwaymen that grew up out Of the
remnants Of what was known as "Quantrel's COM
mand." the bravest and most successful body Of
men that took part in the late civil war. They
nurtured in the troubles Of 56 the border feuds
between Missouri and Kansas. No other circum-
stances could have produced such class Of men
They delighted in blood and pilage, but they had
show Of honor after all. Their bravery q virtue
II they had other. and it this that made them
friends out of people who ought to have been their
enemies This much in the way Of an Introduction OF
some Of those to whom this article relates.


THE CONFEDERATE SERVICE.


In the fan Of 1863 Quantren left Missouri with
company of 40 men, passed through Arkansas and
attempted 10 go into Louisiana. They notified
by Kirby Smith. then commanding the rebel army in
that country. that they could not join his army
would they be allowed to remain in Louisiana
It appears that he did not want them on &C
count Of tho bad that had preceded
khem. and he believed they would do his army
more harm than good in the way Of estroying its
asciplne. The headquarters of the Lousiana State
government were then at Shreveport and Henry W.
Allen was the chief executive. BY some means he
heard Of Kirby Smiths refusal TO allow the men Of
Ousntrell's command to become soldiers in the regu-


lar army remain in the State, and he for them
himself and told them he would like them to Join the
State scouting service and be under his immediate
put . number Of his followers. among them the
James and Younger brothers. accepted the offer of
Governor Allen. These elected their commander
ane Of their number named Joe Lee, who had come
rom near Independence. Mo. Since that little town
Known a. Iees snm slae OF M
given in honor OF Joe Lees father. Lee was a
young man and ~ desperate as any. He knew
nothing of fear. and had been in many close en-
counter the Kansas border. He six feet high,
built from the ground up. had wild. dashng air
That always distinguished him in any company, and
had that altogether pleasing than dis


agreeable. The place of rendezvous for this company
y state scouts was Carroll parish now West Carroll
parish about twenty FIVE miles from the Mississippi
River. directly across from vicksburg. Previous to
The this county had been in high state Of cult
vAon but the neglect Of the river levees had made IL
subject 10 inundations. For many miles in every
Airecton much Of the land covered with water
lived there Many Of them had been wealthy plant
and the owners OF large numbers of slaves. 1t
Of the richest portions Of the State, being In
he centre OF the great cotton belt OF the South.


GAY, RECKLESS BAND.


Joe Lee and his followers had no trouble in finding
friends and abettors and that too. among the most
respectAble people Of the community. There were
wo little towns In the parish-F1oyd and Delhi. At


ese two hanles and in their vicinity the guerillas
" hiDdrance. and were always full of money. Joe
Lee Frank and Jesse James and John Jarrett stopped
with planter named Dickson. and Dickson lives
there at this time. He above ali others Of the parish
was the confidential friend Of the guerillas. They
AL active well built men. of that dsshing reck-
less air that captures the hearts women They kept
the community in a state Of perpetual excitement
and enthusiasm and made sad havoc among
wives and maidens. II was one round OK
revery from week in to week ont Every night there
was party or ball at the house Of planter The
guerillas the lions all these occasions They
Bported the most gaudy dress, hourished the finest
pistols and rode the best horses. They were only
heroes the people there could have with them To
the negroes they were terror. In fact, they were
supreme In the mastery of Carroll parish Now and
then they would go away on forays and would return
with various amounts and kinds Of plunder. They
would wayiay some small detachment Of the federal
army, shoot the men and rob them of their
money and their horses. They kept on hand q
large supply Of government mules, harness. wagons
end various sorts Of silitsry appendages they
dressed in federal uniform whenever they were on
one OF the raids This fashion with the Missouri
guerilias Thus disguised, they decoyed many poor
soldier into the Jaws Of death.


DARING PLAN To CAPTURE GENERAL GRANT


There could be much said Of the daring exploits Of