Year: 1876

HOW THE JAMESES ESCAPED.


An UnwriIten Leaf of the NorthHeId Rob


bery-HOwithe Brothers Got Out of
''The Bresh"


From a gentleman direct from Mime


sofa, and who lives right in the neigh


boThood of where the YOungers were


captured, we obtained some interesting


incidents connected with the escape O


the James brothers, never before pub


lished.


He states that if the robbers had had 8
good knowledge of the country, there is


no doubt but what they all would have


made their escape as easy as they ever


did after enc of their transactions in Mis-.
souri,. After the gang got into thicket


they pushed ahead until they found
themselves upon a peninsula entirely


surrounded by lakes and marshes, from


which there was no escape except by a


narrow neck connecting with the main
| land. This neck was guarded by the


pursuers, and consequently they were
| hemmed in the trap into which they had


unwittingly walked.


While in a thicket. composed of sum-


ach and prickly ash, where it was impOs-
sible to see a man ten feet, the James
boys lett the Youngers and pro-


ceeded to strike out on their own hook


They followed up a small creek for a


considerable distance, and finally, trac-


ing it to its head, came out upon the


prairie in the direction of Garden City.


Here they were in a quandary. To pro-
ceed was dangerous; to turn back was
doubly so, for they knew they had es-
capped the thicket just in time to prevent


being surrounded.


There was but one course to pursue,
and that was forward. And forward
they went, straight to Garden City, and
straight through the town while it was
wild with excitement. With defiant,
easy nonchalance, they boldly passed by
the armed groups who were preparing to
take the field, who little dreamed that
the dreaded objects of their search-the
famous Missouri bandit chiefs-were
right at their elbows, and listening to
their conversation and plans. With a
domitable nerve and iron will Frank
James concealed the lameness OccasiOned
by the ball in his leg, and strobe along
with all elasticity of the step Of a youth.


Fortune, it is said, favors the brave,
and this very boldness was their safe
guard. The people who thronged the
streets and sidewalks did not dream that
any of the band dared to approach
country road, much less pass through the
heart of their town. Consequently no
attention was paid to the two stalwart
men, who wound their way amid them
and safely gained the outskirts of the
village.


Here they drew long breath of relief
and congratulated each other on their |
good fortune. Although the whole
country was alive and armed parties |
guarded every road, they were out on I
the broad prairie, where they could see
fer miles, and not i'll a treacherOus |
thicket, where they could be surrounded |
and shot down like dogs. The next |
step was to procure horses, and once well |
and armed as they were, they !
could bid defiance to the hosts who were
on their trail with the keen scent of



Here again fortune favored them.
After stopping at farm house and pro-
curing dinner. they proceeded on their
way westward Nearly all the farmers
in that portion of the state who were not
in pursuit of the robbers had their
stables securely locked, and it was some
time before they came TO anything that
looked like horseflesh. At last, just as
they were about to despair, they sud-
denly came upon a pair of magnificent
iron grays. They were beauties, and
the best horses in that part of the state,
having taken the premium at the fair
the year before. They belonged to a
gentleman who was off busy electiOneer
ing, little thinking that while he was
his expected constituents
upon the capture of the robbers, two of
their leaders were at that very moment
his idOlized horsefesh
AS may well be imagined, the bandit
brothers soon secured their prize. They
,oolly entered the stable took, two empty
,acks and filed them with hay, strapped
,hese on their horses IL lieu of saddles,
md in The next instant were at home
n the saddle


They took the high road and pursued
heir course unmolested. They frequent
V met parties, who, recognizing the
iorses, thought, of course, they were sent
mt by the owner on the same mission as
themselves. When not in sight of these
parties they struck into long, swinging
ope, which carried them over the ground
It an astonishing rate Of speed, and soon
,ut them ahead of their pursuers, who
W this time had discovered that the two
nen who had sauntered so carelessly
through the throngs of Garden City were
10 less personages than Frank and Jesse
lanes. Two hours after the Jameses had
eft the house where they had taken din
Ter, a party rode out in hot haste after
hem and learning that two men an
wering their description had been there
nd were on foot, they sped away on their
rack, confident of overtaking them.
When they came to the place where the
orses were taken, the pursuers knew
he speed, bottom and endurance of the {
nimals, which, united with the charac- '
ers of the riders, made their bright '
respects of contemplated capture very
linn. '


The gallant grays bore their riders to I
afety, and the reader knows the rest.


And this is the unwritten leaf In the
istory of the Mortified robbery.-'Seda-