The Inter Ocean from Chicago, Illinois • Page 28

28 JESSE JAMES 111 LIFE ,7 -Ksvwf Story of Guerrilla JLdTenttires Written by Bandit's Son. HIS CAREER AS OUTLAW Many Train Robberies Wrongly Charged to His Band. Irt Taktm by Jeuelaaei la th Gnerrllla History ef tae SsatkwMt. Jesse James, sou of Missouri's famous bandit, has written what he calls the story of his father's life. The sanative deal almost entirely with Jesse James, the guerrilla, and gives scant attention to Jesse James, the alleged train robber.

My object in writing this book, he says, two fold. Thousands hare asked me why I did not write such a book, and promised to buy one if I did write It. If all of these, keep that promise it will hare been a good business JBSSB JAMES. (From a Photograph Taken la 187S. venture for me.

One of my objects, then. In writing the book la la the hope that It will bring aom money for the support of my mother. My other object In writing It is to do something correct the false Impressions that the public have about the character of my father. Others may differ from me on this: point, but I believe It my duty to the memory ot my father that the truth about him told. I make no claim to literary merit in this book.

I have had little time in. my life to go to school. In the years that boys usually spend la school I was at work earning wages for the support of my widowed mother and the education of my fatherless sister. I have tried to make this book a straightforward- account of the things I write about as I see them. While we lived oa Woodland avenue.

In Kansas City (Jesse James was then, living Incognito as "Mr. there was a vacant lot behind oar house, and the father of Con Murphy, the county marshal, lived on the ether side of thle lot. At that time Marshal Morphy was very anxious to capture my father, and nearly every night a posse would gather at Murphy's house and start out for Muintra amiin Tftitnmin Iffc thit "Cracker Neck" district la search of members of the James band. My father used to walk over to Murphy house in the evening when the posse would be starting out. and talk to them about their plana, and wish them good luck oa their trip.

I told Mr. Murphy recently about this and he laughed heartily at It. I remember seeing my father walking with a eaae and limping, while we lived In- Kansas City. I bave beea told since that be did this aot because he was lame, but to help disguis himself. My strongest recollections of my father are ef the time after we moved te St.

Joseph. Mo. weat from Kansas City te St. Joseph ia a covered wagon, or "prairie schooner. drawn kv twA Rnrme mm A mnnt h.p linriA a.i saddled, leading behind.

Charlie Ford- drove the team. I sat most ot toe time on the seat with him, and father stayed Inside the wagon until we were well out of Kansas City. We crossed the network of railroad tracks in the west bottoms of Kansas City and drove np through Leavenworth and Atchison, Kan. It was my father's intention, whea a started, to stop at Atchlsoa and rent a house. Whea we reached Atchlsoa we drove through the town and unhitched the horse at the edge of the town.

Father and Charlie Ford, rode back through the town to see If they could find a house for rent. They came back very soon and said the people were watching them suspiciously, so they hitched up again and drove oa toward St. Joseph. It wa whit lived In this house on the hill in SU Joseph that I best remember my father. I was then years eld.

I remember my father aa a tall, rather heavily built man. with a dark sandy beard. He was. very kind to mother and: to sister and to me. I remember best his good-humored pranks, his fun-making, and his playing with Be.

I did not know that he was concealing anything from the public, or that ha was In danger of capture. He was living thea under t-h MMmm nf Thnm a ZTnwarifr la those days in St. Joseph, father always kept at least two horses tn the stable back of the house. Father was heavily armed at ail times. Ia the bouse he kept a double-barreled hot gun loaded with buckshot, a Winchester rifle, a torty-five-caliber Colt's revolver, a torty-five-eallber Seefleld revolver, and three cartridge belts.

He sever left the boose -without both of the revolver and th three cartridge belts loaded, and some cartridges ia hla. pockets. That -was the way be armed himself when he weat davi Ion. WWb aa went away to be gone any length ot time he carried, in addition to this, a small valise fall ef cartridges. When oa a trip he carried his Winchester strapped eo the Inside of a large -umbrella.

My father was a great deal of the time at home while we lived in St. Joseph. He often, took me with him tor rides on horseback whea the weather wa fair. I generally rod la front of him. sitting astride ef th horse's shoulders, and clinging with both hands to the man.

Sometime I would ride behind him and hold oa to his coat. These horseback trip led away out tut th country beyond sight or hearing of the Iowa. I recall very distinctly that oa one of these trip he sat me up en top of a rail fence, where I huag oa by the stakes, and thea he rode away and hewed me how he used to charge the enemy whea he waa a soldier under QuaaLrelL With th bridle rein la his teeth, and an unloaded revolver tn each hand mapping the triggers rapidly, he charred toward me on th aiim and I thought it waa great fun. Oae day the home of a preacher who lived In the suburbs of St. Joseph burned down, aad the next day my father took me over oa horseback to te th ruins.

He talked quite a while -with lie preacher and hi wife. -W found out after my father's death that this preacher used to live ia Liberty, Ha, near the home ot my people, and that both he aad his wife recognized my father. But they kept the secret welt. They could hay earaed the $20,000 reward by betraying my father, bat they were loyal, as all friend of our family wera la those days, and la the trying tlmea since then. The spring my father was killed there was a great parade in Joseph la- celebration of some public event.

My father rod on horseback, with me la front of him. with the parade orer its whole route. Leading the parade was a platoon, of mounted police, and father rod right behind them. On forenoon while my father was sitting at the window, with me on hla lap. he saw the chief of po'lce of St.

Joseph and four men coming up the hill toward the house. Father got up hastily and sat me in a rocking chair, and told me to be very quiet. He raa out to the barn, and in a moment, had. hla horse saddled. Then he came back into the house, and said a few words hurriedly to my mother while ha put on his cartridge belts and revolvers, watching out of the window all of the time.

He brought his Winchester rifle out of a closet and stood with it at the window. Just far enough back so that the chief of police could not see him. The chief stopped in front of the house and put one foot and hand upon the fence as if to come in, and I saw my father take aim at him with the rifle. Then the chief evidently changed his mind and went away. In a moment more he would have been killed.

My father thought, of course, that the chief had discovered who he was, and was coming after him. We learned after my father's death that the chief was simply showing some strangers over the city, and had brought them over the hill on which our house stood, because it overlooked the whole city. The last time that my father was at hla birthplace was as Ideal apring day. The grass and flowers were Just coming up green JESSE JAMES AND HIS SON. aad th leave wera budding on th big coffee bean tree la th corner ef th yard wher be lie buried aow.

Father was la a good humor that day and he sat all of th afternoon with my grandmother in th shad ot th porch aad they talked together of aid time. While they were sitting there a pretty red-headed woodpecker alighted oat a tree fifty yard away and dang te th bark. My father pulled hla -revolver aad said my grandmother: yon have heard about my being a good shot; I willahow you. He threw the revolver does ea the little bird, pulled th trigger, aad it eU dead. My father wa a wonderful marksman.

I have heard his old comrades tell that seated oa horseback, with a revolver la each hand, he would rid at full speed; between two tale-graph poles, or two tree, aad begin firing at them when he was a few yards away, aad before he was more thaa a few yards beyond them he had emptied the chamber ot both revolvers, and the six bullet from the revolver In bis left hand were buried la the pole te the left of him, while the six bullets from th revolver la hi right hand were la the pole to hi right. Th Ford boys had th confidence ot my father. Charlie Ford had beea with him off and oa for years, and father had befriended him and protected him and fed him when be was penniless. Father had not the slightest suspicion that the Fords meant to harm him, This ts proven by the fact that after break fast that morning father took off his belt aad revolvers and threw them upoa th bed and threw hi coat ever them. He did this he- cause It waa a very warm morning, aad th belt and! revolvers were tiresome te carry.

Another reasoa was that it waa necessary to have the doors and windows open, aad father thought that people passing th house might be suspicious If they saw him armed. After my father put th revolver upon the bed he noticed that a picture on the wall was hanging awry. He placed a chair beneath the picture and stood upon It to straighten It, and then he started to brush the dust from It- Standing thus, hla back waa turned the Ford boys, who were in- the room. This was the opportunity the lords bad been waiting for. It was the very first time they bad seea him unarmed since they knew him.

Bob Ford drew hi revolver, aimed It at th back ot my father's head, and cocked tt. Father heard the click ef the hammer and mad a movement a it to turn around. But before he could do ae Ford palled the trigger and father fell backward dead. Nearly three year after th murder, when I wa yeara old1, I wa In Kansas City with my grandmother. We were walking up Mala street.

I had hold of my grandmother's hand. Suddenly I saw aad recognised Charlie Ford coming down the street toward ua I knew him the instant I saw him. and I was very much excited. I -said te my grandmother: "Here comes the man who killed my father." It was the first time my grandmother had seen him sine that day he wa at her homo with father, tea days before the murder. Tbe sight of him made her weak and she sat down on a box la front of a shoe etorev Ford saw her and went to walk past with hi head turned the other way.

but she called to him: "You don't know me, Charlie" He stopped and said "Yes, I know you. Tou are Mr. Samuel. "Yes, and yon killed my brave boy; you murdered him for money. I ought to kilt you," she said to him.

He threw up both his head in treat ef bis face and answered: "Mr. Samuels, don't say that. If you only know what I am suffering, you wouldn't talk to me that way." I heard Charlie Ford tell my grandmother In that talk that he did not know that Boh Intended to kill my father till they get to St. Joseph, and then Bob told him If he did aot consent to it he would kill him along with Jesse. Ford repeated over and ever again that he was suffering the worst agonies of remorse.

The perspiration streamed down hla faee aad there were tears la his eye. He begged my grandmother te forgive him and she said: "If God can orglv you. I will." My grandmother asked htm what he did with th $10,000 he got for murdering my father, and he replied: "Mrs. Samuels, before- God, we never got but a few hundred dollar of that reward. My grandfather, Robert James, wa a Baptist preacher of wide renown la the early days la Western Missouri.

He was born and raised ia Kentucky, and was a graduate ef the Georgetown (Ky.) college. Hla family was oae of the old families of Logan county. Kentucky. My grandmother's mother waa a Lindsay, ot tbe famous old Lindsay family of Kentucky. Senator Lindsay Is a member of this family.

At the outbreak of the civil war my people lived Bear Kearney, la Clay Mo. My grandmother, being a native of Ken- TTTE SU2TDAX Iimill CCZLMT. SJPTTJ.rnint 1CCD. tucky, was naturally a Southern sympathiser, as was her husband. Dr.

her second husband. Ia the spring of 1863 a band of militiamen came to. the bona ot my grand-mother and demanded te know where Quae-trell was. Quaatrell's band had been la that neighborhood shortly before this, and these militiamen thought, I suppose, that my folks could be frightened Into telling where they were. If they knew.

My father was plowing corn with Dr. Samuels when the militiamen cam up. They took Dr. Samuels from the plow and drove him at the points of their bayonet to a tree near in Darn ana put a rope around his neck and hung nun to a iimo until he was nearly dead. Then they lowered him, loosened the rope, and demanded that he tell where Quantrell was.

He ma not Know, and. ot course, could not telL He would aot have told If he had known. Three times tney strung him up te the limb and lowered him. The rope cut Into his neck until it Died. The militiamen drove my father, who was a boy of 15.

up and down the corn rows, lashing his back with a rope and threatening him with their bayonets. They forced him up to the mulberry tree to witness the cruel treatment ot his stepfather. When they were through torturing Dr. Sam uels with the rope, they went to the house and pointing their guns at my grandmother, said: "Tou had better tell what you know." My grandmother answered: "I am Ilk Marion's wife, what I know I will die know- In" They took Dr. Samuels away and had been gon a short while, when three shots were heard la the direction tney naa gone.

ait grandmother thought they had killed him. and believed so for days afterward. But they did. not kill him. They rode with him until mid JESSE JAMBS.

JR. night, and lodged him, hungry aad auffertag great pain with bis neck, la th Jail at ub- ertv. After the militiamen had gone with his stepfather, Jesse James said to his mother: "Ma, look at th stripes os my back. My grandfather. took off his shirt aad hi back wa livid with long stripes.

My graad- mother wept at the sight aad he said te her: "Ma. don't cry. I'll not stand this again. What can yon dot she asked him. "I will join Quantrell.

he said. "But they have stolen all th horse; and yew have so money, she said. "Time will bring both. was the reply of my Soon after this my grandmother aad her daughter were arrested and takea to St. Jo seph and thrown into Jail, aad kept ther twenty-tiv days.

No charge waa mad against her. That same spring, after Jess James had beea beaten by the militiamen. Fletcher Taylor, a member of Qoaatr ell's guerrillas, aad on ef th moat desperate fight ers tbe world ever saw, came for aim aad took him to Join Quantrell March 14. 1865, the guerrillas la Missouri held a conference to talk over a plan of surrender. The Confederate armies every where had surrendered with the exception of Shelby a brigade, which was goiag into Mexico te espouse the cause of Maximilian.

Th guerrillas at this cooference decided to surrender, with tbe exception of Jess Jame. and several other, and. bearing a flag of trace, they marched late Lexington. Mw te allow all who wanted te sorreader te do so. My father rod at th head of th column and bore th wblt flag true.

They held a conference with Major Rodger, aad were marebtng oat again, my father yet ia front, carrying aloft the white flag, whea eight Federal soldier fired point blank at them, and were charged la turn by the guerrilla and routed. My father fell, aad his horse fell dead oa top of him. As the Federals galloped past five of them fired at my father as he lay pinned to the ground. My father pulled himself from beneath the horse and raa for th timber. Five Federal pursued him.

firing aa they My father turned once, and at a distance of 200 yards killed the Federal whe was leading the chase. This caused a momentary halt ot his pursuer, and during It pulled off hi heavy cavalry boots, which were nearly full of blood. Before be started agala to run la hla stockinged feet he fired at his porsuer aad shattered the right arm of oae of them. The other three Federal were pressing him close. My father was getting weaker and weaker from loss of blood.

Th leader of th three pursuers yelled at him: "Damn your soul, we're got you at last. Stop and be killed Ilk a gentleman." My father, at bay. tried to lift hla heavy dragoon pistol, bat waa toe weak te lift 1 with one hand alone. He grasped It la hla two heads and killed the Wlscoasia trooper who had cursed him. The remaining two of th five turned aad ran.

My father staggered 500 yard further and fell fainting upon the bank of a creek. This encounter occurred March 15, 18S. That night, the next day, and all of that Bight aad till aunset of th third day my father lay alone oa the beaks of the creek, bathing his wound and drinking the water. He had a burning fever, and tbe bullet hoi through his lung gave htm the moat intense pain. At sunset of March 17 be crawled tea field where a man was plowing, and this mta proved to be a friend.

He carried my father oa horseback that night to th home of Mr. Bowman, a distance of fifteen miles. Ther my father was tenderly nursed by his Inseparable companion. Arch Clements, till the surrender of Poole, March 21. with 129 guerrillas.

It was well understood by these guerrillas and also by Major Rodger, to whom tbey surrendord, that my father was considered one of the number who surrendered, although bis wounds kept him from actually surrendering. As soon as my father was strong enough to get around be attended revival service held in the Baptist church la Kearney, and waa converted aad professed religion, and was baptized and Joined the church. His was a sincere conversion. No one who 1 acquainted with th life and doings of my father will accuse him ef hypocrisy in this act. because a hypocrite I a coward, and even the worst enemy my father ever had never accused him of cowardice.

lie was bom only a short Urn when the horn guards smeller him out again, and drove him away. From that time to the day of hi death, fourteea years later, he waa a hunted aad aa outlawed My father waa anxious at all time to surrender te the proper authorities, upoa proper guarantees of protection from violence at the hand of hla enemie aad fair treatment at the hands ot the officers of the law. These overtures a his part were spurned. Ky grandmthr aad frieada ef th family went three different Governor ef Missouri and begged and pleaded) for fair term upon which te could surrender. He said to hi mother shortly before hie death: would be willing te wear duck clothing all my life II I could only be a free man.

But all hi pleading for a fair chance to surrender were Hi eld enemies were working! constantly te prejudice th public and th officer againat him. For twelve year every train robbery and every bank robbery in th country wa attributed ta him. I have looked through th old files of th dally papers published in Kansas City during those years, and it Is really ridiculous te see what crimes were charged up te th account of my hunted and outlawed father. This week there would be a bold robbery somewhere In Missouri, and the newspaper In great headlines charge It to "The James Gang Again." The next week there would be a robbery In Texas, and again It would be th Jame Gong. To have committed oae-fourth ef the crime charged to him my father would have to hare been equipped with an air ship or some other mean of aerial night, for no known method of terrestrial transportation could have made It possible for him to rob a bank in West Virginia Moaday aight and hold up a train ta Texsa three nights later.

Yet the eredfflou publie believed the meat of thea stories. Aad th gangs whe were doing these robberies wishes the public to so believe, aad la most ot the robberle the leader always took pains to inform the robbed people that he wa Jess Jame. or to write a notification to that effect and leave ft where It could be found. The very day upoa which my father wa killed there wa a peculiarly born ana successful hold-up aad robbery ef a train la Texan, and the newspaper over all the coaa- trv attributed it ta Jess James, If ther Is an one who doubts this to be true, he may prove It true by turning back te th file of tk dally paper 01 tat oaie ana naa in account of this train robbery upon the first page. In most of th nswspaper the nam "Jess James" 1 th first and most prominent headline, and th succeeding headline tell of how he and hi "gang" held up and robbed tbe trala.

Aad at the very moment this trala waa robbed my father waa lying dead la 8U Owing to the fact that my father had only two photographs ever taken, nnd that then wars la the hands of his family aad were eever seea by those who were searching for Urn. ao correct picture of him was ever printed, and consequently hi features were unknown te all except a few. aad nearly all of these were loyal frieada whe could be depended on never te betray him under any circumstance. My father used live, ia city and ether cities, and go and com on the busleat streets la broad daylight, aa any other citizen would, even whea a large reward waa offered, for am capture, ui course, be waa la great danger ef discovery at all time, and he waa alwaya heavily armed i WbU th officer were hunting for aim at oa time there waa a county agricultural fair held la Kansas CHy. aad among the prise offered was one for the best ladles' abddle horse, which must be show in action before the at the fair.

He attended thU fair and entered hla favorite Stonewall, for the prise. Ia the eom-petltloa for the prise Stonewall was ridden by Miss Aaale Ralston, and the horse took first prize. At that very moment ther wa a big reward offered for hla capture. At another time my father eater a nor la the races at the Jacksea (Miaa.) fair. He auspeeted that the Jockey wa hold tag the horse la deliberately aad for the parpsss ex him' tbe race, so he- rode th horse himself la the- last two heata aad wen th race and the purse.

A year or two after tn close or toe war my father and a companion whe had been with him la Qaantrell' command were rid ing en horseback through the meaatala dis tricts of Tennessee. Tney stopped for aia- Eer- at a house along a country read, and vhil resting there learned that the woman ef th boose was a widow who husband had also bees a guerrilla with Quantrell, aad had died a short time before ef wounds received la one ef the skirmishes ef th last day of th war. The widow told my father that her bona and Itttie farm were mortgaged for Jaee, th loan fell due that very day. and she expected tbe-eheriff end the money lender to come that altera eoa hod foreclose themrt-gag aad order her off th place. He said te her: "Suppose yea had the $50 1 pay the money lender whea be caste, would yon knew how te sign ap th papers and get your receipt all correct, there would be ae flaw la It?" She told him she Old.

He thea gave ler $00. with Inatrnctioaa ta be very particular te see that th mortgage waa taken up. My rather inquired from her th road by which the sheriff and mortgage would drive eat. end then he and; hla companion bad the woman good-by and rode away. But they did not go far.

They dismounted- net far from th widow' horn, and led their horses Into th brush and concealed themselves. Tbey saw two men go past la a buggy driving ta the direction of th widow home. Ia an hour or two whea these twe men came eriv-trg back ever-the same road tbey were halted by my father and hi com pan ton. Are you. Sheriff Sq and SoT "And Money Lender So and So?" "Yea." -i "Throw up your hands," Th sheriff and th money lender Obeyed.

acd were relieved of th 2500; aad then were told to drive on. This -aet ef my father' was certainly open te criticism, but by It the wldowa home and farm were saved te her and my father regained the money which he tad to have to eontjau hi Journey. I give this aa aa example of what desperate chances Jrase Jame would take to aid th widow ef a comrade In dlsireo Ia the later years of hla life my father topped at th horn of General Jo Shelby, la Lafayette county, to rest himself and hla horse from a long Journey. General Shelby had a negro bey whom he thought a great deal of. This boy was a wait of the war.

whe WE HAVE SEEN North Cat it ttf PMILAKfY1rOPlC AiD -J I ill had drifted tnt General STtelbr'a camp dur ing th war te get something te eat, and Ehelhy and adopted him. This boy- bad gees that day te a a ear-by town with load ef areweod te sell. On a gmmcr trip- te town this aegre boy had been set upon and beaten by th white bey ef th town, and thia time he took with him an ok army pistol that he had takea from the General's room. Whea he reached town th boy set upon him agala. ad the aegre boy pulled out hla pistoi and shot oa ef them tn a leg.

Th wounded boy ran away howling, aad the otaer bey lot- lowed him. The aegre boy knew that th whit folk would get after him for this, so he hurriedly anhitched his mules, mounted oae of them, aad started en run for Genera" Shelby bouse. My father had taken one of General Bheiby'a shotguns and wa out be yond la a pasture hunting quail waea no saw the mob ride up to the gate. He very natu rally apposed that th mob had discovered that he waa there aad had come after him. He went ea a raa for the stable to get his horse, but before be reached ther he saw th mob riding away with th aegre boy.

General Shelby waa aot at home. There were mere thaa a doses men la the mob. My father overtook them as they had halted oa a high bridge ever a creek aad were getting ready to lynch th young negro. All of the men were armed, bat my father rod right In among them aad demanded: "What are you going te de with that boy? "Lyach htm." answered oozea men cfioraa. "What has he don?" "He a hot a whit boy.

Th niggers are getting too bold; and we're going te make aa example of this on." "No. yoa are not," my father said. "That la General Shelby's boy. and I am General Shelby's friend. If that boy has harmed a white man he must tavj a fair trial fee it." Th argument might have lasted longer aad become more pointed and animated, but a man ia th mob recognized my father and exciatmea: Jesse Jam." The men la th mob grew respectful at once, ana asked what had better be dose.

"The beut thing for you to do is to take this boy to Lexington and turn him ever te th sheriff aad have him put ia Jail, and let him get the same sort of fair trial that a white ooy would get. That will satisfy General Shelby, it will satisfy me, aad- it ought i ratisry you. The men la the mob agreed te It. and weal to Lexington and. did a agreed.

My father rede behind them to th outskirts ef Lexington, snd then rode away. -The negro boy was tried bv a lurv and ae. As narrow an escape as my father ever had from capture waa ta the 70s. whea he and a companion were through Jacksoa county one warm day la August- They had beea riding all day and were tired aad dusty whan they cam te th Little Blue river, aad oeciaea to nan mere and take a plunge bath. They tied their bones In the brush, undressed and left their clothing en the baak aad plunged late the water.

They were ia th water an te their necks aad were taikian to each other, aad never dreaming ef danger. waea auanenjy rrom tn sank came the stern command: "Threw op your hand." Jess James, and hia companloa turned their heed ojsickly, aad ther ea the bank waa standing man with a doable-barreled abotgoa to hia shoulders aad th twe muzzle pointing fair at th men in th water. There wa nothing for th two naked men te de bat to obey the command, and ap went their hand. "Coca out here." waa tbe next eonrmanvl. There waa aot time te erm a plan of epera-tJon.

But my father and hia comoanloa were aaed to surprises and te the aeeeesliy of quick action. Experience together in differeat "tight places" had sharpened their wit so that each aim divined what waa nine- ea la the mind ef the ether, and without either having spoken a word te th ether they acted lr. concert a plan ef cap. At tbe command of the man behind thehot-gua my father waded alewty ashore, talking and arguing all the time with the maa ea the baak te distract aad cento hiss. A oa a my father reached th aid of th man en th baak, hla companion, whe waa la the water.

gave shrin war whoop and dived beneath the aarfae. This shrill yeB so mirprtssd aad disconcerted the maa with the shotgun that he turned, his head quickly aweyNfrosn my father, aad looked at the man la That was the chance my father had been wart- I hag for. Quick aa a flesh he sprang upoa the man. grabbing hla ahetgun aad him at the same time, aad they rolled ever In the weeds locked together In a fierce wrestling mates. They had hardly grappled each ether before the man In the water wa oat and got bold ef ae of his own revolvers, aad th rest ef It was easy.

This is a story told me by my grandmother. Mrs. Samuel: "On day when a sheriff I won't meatloa hla name, because be Is living yet came ta my bow aleae after Jesse. -1 had te harvest hand at work In the field, aad Jesse wa hiding- tn the attic d.nner was ready I brought ease do wa to eat first before th hands cam la at Boon. Joat aa he came dowa atalra there waa a knock at th doer.

Jesse peeped eat the wtadow and aid It the sheriff. He drew his revolver and id: 'Open the door, mother. "I opened It and the sheriff walked lav Tour gun. pleaae. Jeese said, a cool as covin be.

end the sheriff took eat hia re volver, Threw It ever on th bed; ordered Jesse, and he did so. "Now. sit down and have dinner wtth as. eommaaded Jesse, end the twe down at the table and chatted tike old frieada while they at a hearty meal. After It was ever Jesse handed the sheriff hit revolver aad bM him good-by.

Th sheriff never earn back He was alwaya a great meno? of my beys after that." Methises is-tsw. "After all," said Mrs. Greatheart. "there are mothers-la-law and mothers-in-law. "Certainly." replied Mr.

Greatneert. "Tv no complaint te make againat your: it's only mine I grumble aboet." Household Words. THIS ToTftAMPS RttfQ THE SELL YcV VJILI GrX-50ME FOOD a 1 I Weary Waggles (disgustedly) Bah! Theyr all alike, these 'ere philanthropic ser-cletles: ther alius suthink yer got to do afore yer git any relief. 'Ere. bow.

jus' ring this 'ere bell for me, will yerT EXITOPTRAIIIBAUDIT Death. Penalty in. th West the Cause of His Decadence BIG DECREASE IN CRIME Only of Great Herre Will Now Attempt Robbery. Relief Casne Jam as Beatdlte Were Dyaarat.lt. It Is -held by railway men aad express agent whoa tin traverse Arisonathat th efficacy of a law affixing th death penalty to a crime against property ha beea proved by th utter decadence of th oae thriving Industry of train -robbery.

Ther was a time when It was a common mode of making a living. Within a year ef th passage of the law defining it aa a capital offense it had dwindled la Arizona by more thaa percent. The men of th road have gone back to robbing stag coaches. take their chance la looting- detached express ofllce la small town. Ninety per cent, of them think toe much ef their aecks te raa them late aim eertaia noose.

There ha been, however, one carious re-salt- ef the law: While it has enormously decreased th number of train robberle. it has Increased th percentage of fatalities attendant upoa thea. This la due to the fact that with capital puaiahmeat hanging over them, only the moat desperate kind of criminals bave beea willing engage ia looting trains at all. end once la It they were prepared ta atop at nothing. In these days th light show of resist 1 met with Instant death, Th robber that a tbey are going ta be banged anyhow If caught, they might aa well be hanged for something worth while.

Eight years ago la Arizona there was a train robbery a month, aad this Is a large number when th comparatively few raUlroads ia th territory and the few train are taken Into consideration. Into aeh condition of desuetude ban th pursuit descended that It has now beea mora thaa a year since anything like a "decent hold-up" ha been accomplish ed. That which is true of Arizona to tru also of California, tn which state th law covers train-wrecking aa well aa train robbery- It is alio true of nearly all the states la which train robbery once Boorished. Not all these state have prescribed the death Density- for the Crime, but the robber eem to think they have- Th Inactivity ef their brethren In th far Southwestern states has ousooaragsd them. In Texas, for Instance, there ha been ae sous of this kind wortny of the name for more than a year, yet la Texas, ha than ten year ago.

there were five distinct baade of robbers operating simultaneously. Very few of the men are aow attve. Most ef then were killed before mere was a chance eead them the penitentiary. So far aa ieoot-da extend, aad they are believed te be reasonably complete, th vartou railways nnd xprs companies having kept a careful account of their losses la this way. as well aa of their aamereua encounter, th first trala robbery tn the United States occurred ta Indiana, Th year waa Ueg.

One sight tn September aa express oa th Ohio aad Mississippi road slowed ap at Brownstown. Thia place la ninety miles west ef Cincinnati. Twe men climbed on the locomotive, covered the eaglaeer aad fireman wtth revolver and eoa versed pleasantly. They were heavily masked. A they talked their companion uncoupled the express car and the engineer waa forced to haul tt Bve miles aown me roaa.

Her tbe car waa entered, the messenger obliged tn unlock th safe, aad J11.0O8 waa taken. The affair cause a fever of excttcmeat all through the oountry. and tn railway people at once that a new and terrible war had begun against them. For this crime the members of a family named Bene were nein to be responsible, but ther waa no evidence of their guilt and they were not molested. Ten LynvehlavaT ia tadteae.

A few moath later two boys, inspired by th fire of Imitation, held up a train on the read and near the same point. They were taken tn hand by their parenta, whe delivered them to- the anthoritie along with the $3,008 they had tolea. No parUewmr punmhment waa given them. This waa th ad train robbery, a year later tare Reno brothers. Frank.

Jess, and Sim. along wtth a relative named Andersen, captured a train oa the Indiana polls. Madison and.Jef- fersonvlile road at Seymour, which waa their home. Tbey threw the express messenger out of th car, broke open the safe, aad got 1135.000, with which they Bed te Canada. Ia that country, after a long chase, they were overtaken and forced te surrender.

Long extradition proceedings followed. While- these were tn progress six yourg feflows of Seymour organ tied a band Cor tbe purpose of robbing train. They proposed to gt Into the busies thoroughly and on a large scat. Their plaa were perfected to tbe extent of a acting their hiding places and means of escape, when they were betrayed by aa outside confederate, who waa to share In th plunder, though he had not been aakad to de any of th work. They stopped rain aad found themeetv face te face with a resolute force ef armed deputies.

They were captured without trouble and locked tp. daybreak next morning luO dtlzece of Seymour took them from their cells and hanged hem to a tree a mile west of th town. Sooa after this lynching th three Reno and An' derson were brought back from Canada. They were lodged in the Jail at New Albany. lnd, for afe keeping, the temper of th Seymour folk making It unhealthy for traia rsbbers in their neighborhood.

Later eveeta showed that the precaution wa useless. The trouble wtth New Albany was that It was net far enough away. A lynching party which had been formed at Seymour for the reception ef the Reno went te New Albany 1.00s strong. battered dowa the Jail door, and mad their way to th cell occupied by th men. Here followed a long and desperate fight.

Th ceils were small that not many of the mob cotJd get at the priaoaers, aad they did at want to ahcot them. The unarmed but un daunted ruffians tough with all their strength and It was halt an hour before, battered iron; head to teels and covered with blood, they were dragged out aad hanged. There wae another Reno brother named Jack, who bad been concerned In their last robbery. He was not captured at the time the four ran away to Canada, but was taken aft erward and enter. ced to a term In the peni tentiary, on day, yea 13 after the lynching, be walked into the Chicago office of the Adam Ex pre company, asked for the manager, and announced that he was Jack Reno, th last of th gaag.

saying, also, that he had lust been pardoned. He asked the company's rep. reeeatatrre what he Intended to do against aim. aa mere were other charges pending. He produced a "marbl Bible which he had made when a convict, and laid It on the deak as evidence of his goodf intentions.

Th express manager told blm to go hoiu. Jack remarked tnat the business did not oav enough equalize tie punishment It en tailed, went back to Seymour, and. settle-1 down to work. He la ther aow, a respected. tax-paying citizen.

Worst ef the Janes Gaag, The lynching of thee ten men 1 Indiana appears to bay discouraged prospective rob bers for a UttI whU. They broke out agala. however, ta 1870. Oa July 21 of that rear eight men tor up th track ef th Chicago. kock laiana ana jiicine roaa sear Council Bluff.

low. Th trala was derailed, the ea glaeer was killed, and more thaa a dosea passengers were badly injured. As the crash cam the outlaw rushed from hiding- places near ta roadibea, robbed their wounded and terrified victim, aad took M.000 from th ex press car. This waa known a th "Council Bluffs, outrago." and th daily papers of the tlm were tremendously wrought up vtr lr Thirty thousand dollars was offered as a reward for th capture, dead or alive, of the perpetrators. but they got clear with their booty.

-The Council Dions affair waa reason ably successful from the criminal point of view. yet. strangely enough, it was followed by a long atagnatlon la the bus la ess. It wag IS 75 before the country was startled by an at-temptto rob a Vandal la lln express car at Long Point, 111. The land Its shot and killed the engineer, Ho Eamcs.

uncoupled the pees car from the remainder of the trala, and raa It two mil dowa the track. The express meenger refused 1 open ths safe, and fought Ilk a Uger. They were still battling with him and apparently as fir from success ss ever, when they were frightened away by th approach of th trala conductor, wbo headed party of armed passengers. These robbers were not th genuine article, and had llttl nerve. Tbey threw away sot only their weapon ia th flight, but at various places on their headlong stamped thty threw away body suits of mail which they had worn under their clothing.

Aa offered reward of $40,00 failed te land aay of them iaJalL Ia this year the Jame boys, who were genuine all through, cam to the front as train robbers. Tbey had beea previously merely raiders of banks and stage ecacbes. They forced the station agent at Cadehili. ea th Iron Mountain road, to flag a passenger train, which they held up with little trouble. Their booty waa J12.C00, taken from the passenger and express messengers alike.

A year later, at Ot-tervtile. they robbed a Missouri Padfls trala of 1 15.000. On Oct. 7. 1877.

the James aad Younger bey took 135.000 from a Chicaen aad Alton trala at Glendale. Mo. Their big- gt haal waa mad at uncle. ta De-. comber.

1878. when they hrlii una Knu clfic train, obtained lis. 000. and Bed. into th Indian territory.

They reappeared aa trala robbers to 1881. At Winston. they boarded a Rock Island trala. Ceadactor Weetfall. wh made some show of resistance, was shot dead by Jess Jame.

A passenger earned McMillan wa killed by a random bullet. They got only 15.000 eathls raid. Two month later they went through a Chicago and Alton train at Glendale and rode away wtth 20,004 la money and, Jewels. This was the last train-robbing exploit of the Jam boys. Jes was shot by th Ford brothers next year, and Praak fled Into Tennessee, subsequently steading trial, getting aa acquittal, and settling down to a quiet life.

He is now the doorkeeper of a theater In St. Louis. Bin Baal ea Calea Paeiae. In the latter part of the 70s train-rob-' bicg was ia a flourishing condition In many part of ths South and West. It was la 1877 -a tone of th most success ful Job of this kind ever planned was put Into execution- Out at Dig Spriogs, a party of Texas cowmen, headed bj Hank Mcbocald.

boarded aa overland trala on the Union Pacific without at tracting snecial attention, rot Into the ex. orsi nr snI K.lnl thMnt.l.M Ia mo AAA a long pursuit followed, three of tbe robbers -were killed, aad 8M.0V ef the money recovered. The rest of It and th mea who had It. with one exception, were never beard of again, Tbe afterward famous Sam Bass of ex- was member of thia gang. He got back to hi ewa state, organised a band, and for some years terrorised a large extent of country.

He wa killed by rangers lan running fight In th eastern part of ths stat. Oee of the moat celebrated of trala robbers was Brack COrnett, alee ef Texas, better known aa "Captain Dick. Th Southern Pacific railway waa hi special prey. He robbed It a trains Its ttaaen in a. veer, atwavs obtain ing a respectable booty.

On one occ ton be cut off the cars of an expre messenger wbo had resisted him and snbaequcntly mailed them to hi victim. After hehJiag up train east ef Del Rio. he kept ta duress for aa hour an aged maiden school-teacher and compelled rer dance upon th prairie to lewd cowboy ditties, accempanylng himself en a guitar. "Captain Dkcfc wa killed acre a camp are by Alfred All shot aim throagh tbe Jrt for a reward ef Rube Barren affected th Texas Pacific road, bat ocra-ttoaairy switched te th Illinois Central. On a train ef this railway la 18S he hilled Chester Hashes, a pass a agar, who resisted.

He wa csptared finally In Alabama and killed while aWravormg to escape, or alt tk hloedv mea an the road indebU- bly the shrewdest snd one ef the boldest was Jnhn Koeta af California. He was trapsed sad snot tn the Sierra Nevada, nut ant oaus be had sent four detective to their Ion; ae-. conns. He seemed te have a geaian for ue- Hla passing left bat aa band of organised train robbers is tbe country. This gang waa composed mostly of the famous Daltoa brothers, a family of dead shots, which had th peculiarity of shooting rifles always with the rifle butt below the hip.

Holding a gun la this way. Bill Daltoa would account for thro Ren-fa tea aecoads st a cUstanee of 20 yards. He was aothtng less thaa phenomenal, aad-only a shade better thaa his ktnsmea. The Daitens began their career near Tnlarc, CaL. wher they held up an express trala aad forced the engineer te break epea th sate for them.

They got 810.00. Their majt noted exploit wa stopping and robbing- a tiaia which carried an armed guard of twenty mea. This was done near Adair. T. The robber kept such a fusillade that the guarda did not dare to show head until the expresa mt nan uvea guiiu.

vav phkkiu killed aad several wounded by the flyUc L-uiic k. Alter meir crirnam nw opwa uw bank la Coffey Till. whea they fought aa entire Bill Daltoa was th only on ot tb brother left alive, the other two having fallen then. He was killed la the soatk-c-rn part of Indian territory not a great while afterward. In single combat by a maa much hla Inferior la quickness and accuracy.

KtUlag ef aaeBser Kletaela. it was tea years after train robbery became a common enough crime before the leae robber mad his appearance. The first Instate of th hind was the braining of Express Me- eeager ea a Rock Island and Facia train near Joliet. IIL Hi assailant captured, hot for some ressea was net hanged. Some time afterward, near Pacific.

on fuui.H mm mi mmm named Fotheriagheja and took from the safe SlM.vuo. This iadividual's same was Wltt-rxck, but he was aoeeh better knows a "Jim letters to the itessuasers while evading- ar rest- He wa Anally csptared and served a tr-na in the peniteatiary. Almost all of th uutM mrmm mmvwmI WlttrA.b Kavinv W. kept too busy cadging to spend much of it. Equally da ring was the exploit of Olivet Cur tie Perry, who gained entrance to a New York Central express ear at Syracuse, latiml-datcd the messenger, abstracted $26,909 from th safe, pulled th bell cord, and, whea ths train slowed.

Jumped off late the darkness, The trot successful attempt with dynamite wa made la 1889 near Glendale. Mo. Four masked mea blew epea an armored car aad rot 830.000. Two of them, Hedgepeth and SI ye. war arrested snd convicted.

So effective Waa ths aseof the explosive apoa this occasion that It may be said te be the parent of ait subsequent dynamite robberies. In twe years a stick tt became a much a part of the robber outfit ss his pfcrtol. Probably th most unsuccessful attempt at train robbing In all the annals of the craft recurred at a water tank five miles southeast of El Paw. Texas, la 1888. -The east-bound Southern Pacific passenger train stopped there one sight te fill the boiler.

The targe c'oor ef tbe expresa car stood vide open, snd ineide was a messenger knowa ta associate as "Windy" Smith. His lamp was valighted. To the doer came two men. evidently sew te tne Business, who stood oa tbe prairie, peered Into the dark Interior, and called upon whomsoever might be there to threw ap his hand. Smith, being totally Invisible te I hem.

picked up a shotgun, poked it within three- feet ot them, and calmly killed them both. Ceaalasr Eveats. Bookkeeper It will pay as all to stand la with the stenographer. Ofllce Boy Why? Bookkeeper The bo signed a check payable to a jeweler yesterday, and she wear a new diamond ring this morning. Jewelers' Weekly.

Excursions GRAND TRUNK. ta urwh acac Keats. Scrantoa. Pa aad return Sept. 1 to 4.

inclusive; limit. Sept. 12. New York and return. ...818.43 Sept.

1 to 4. inclusive; limit. Sept. 12; Si cents extra. limit, Sept.

SO. 5tsvr Niagara Falls snd Philadelphia. Philadelphia end .818.45 Sept. 1 to 4. inclusive; limit.

Sept. 12; 6 cent extra, limit. Sept. SO. -Detroit and return 87.24 Sept.

8 and 7. Inclusive; limit, Sept. 11. Detroit and 7.n Sept. IS and 17; limit, Sept.

80. Ticket afflces. 249 Clark cor. Jscksos house. Crest Northern, Aadl torium Annex.

Dearbora station..