Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 April 1882 — JESSE JAMES KILLED. [ARTICLE]

JESSE JAMES KILLED.

A Companion Amaminatea Him in His Home at St. Joseph* Mo.-Pro-tenna Excitement Threu«nout the Region Which Gloried in His needs. Jesse James, the famous outlaw, before whom the deeds of Fra Diavolo, Dick Turpin and Don Joaquin dwindle into insignificance, was killed at St Joseph, Mo., on the 3d inst His slayer was a mere boy of 20 years, a cousin by marriage. The affair created the most intense excitement at St Joseph, and 10,000 people assembled at the inquest The dead bandit was fully identified, and the body was forwarded to Kansas City by order of Gov. Crittenden. There has been a standing reward of <50,000 for Jesse James, dead or alive, which was offered by the Governor of Missouri in connection with the railroad authorities several months ago. which will in all probability be turned over to the youth who put an end to his earthly existence. Tue following account of the killing of the notorious robber, sent out from Rr. Jo«or>h. w P he read with i’lferest: There fs little doubt that the killing was the result of a premeditated plan formed by Robert and Charles Ford several months ago. Charles had been an accomplice of Jesse James since the 3d of last November, and entirely possessed his confidence. Robert, his brother, joined Jesse near Mrs. Samuels’ house, mother of the lames boys, last Friday a week ago, and accompanied Jesse and Charles to this city Sunday, March 23. Jesse, his wife, and two children removed from Kansas City, where they had lived several months, until they feared their whereabouts would be suspected, in a wagon to this city, arriving here Nov. 1,1881, accompanied by Charles Ford, and rented a house on the corner of Lafayette and Twentyfirst streets, where they stayed two months, when thev secured the house numbered 1318 on Lafayette street, formerly the property of Councilman Aylesbury, paying <l4 a month for it, and giving the name of Thomas Howard, •j.ue house is a one-story cottage, painted white, with green shutters, and romantically situated on the brow of a lofty eminence, east of the city, commanding a fine view of die principal portion of the city, the river and railroads, and alapted as by nature for the perilous and desperate calling of James. Just east of the house is a deep gulch-like ravine, and beyond a broad expanse of open country, backed by a belt of timber. The house, except from the west aide, can be seen for several miles. There is a large yard attached to the cottage and stable where Jesse had been keeping two horses, which were found there this morning.

Charles and Itobert Ford have been occupying one of the rooms in the rear of the dwelling, and have secretly had an understanding to kill Jesse ever since last fall. A short time ago, before Robert joined James, the latter proposed to rob the bank at Platte City. He said the Burgess murder trial would commence there to-day, and his plan was, if they could get another companion, to take a view of the situation of the Platte City Bink, and, while arguments were being heard in the murder case, which would engage the attention of citizens, boldly execute one of his favorite raids. Charles Ford apKsd of the plan, and suggested his brother rt as a comuanion worthy of sharing the enterprise with them. Jesse had met the boy at the latter’s house, near Richmond, three years ago, and consented to see him. The two inen accordingly went to where Robert was ; and arranged to have him accompanj them to Platte City. As stated, all three came to St Joe a week ago Sunday. They remained at the house all the week. Jesse thought it best that Robert should not exhibit himself on the premises, lest the presence of three able-bodied men who were doing nothing should excite suspicion. They bad fixed upon to night to go to Platte City. Ever since the boys had been with Jesse they had watched for an opportunity to shoot him, but he was always so heavily armed that it was impossible to draw a weapon without him seeing it. They declare they had no idea of taking him alive, considering the undertaking suicidal. The opportunity they had long wished for came this morning. Breakfast was over. Charles Ford and Jesse James had been in the stable currying the horses preparatory to their night ride. On returning to the room where Robert Ford was, Jesse said: “It’s an awfully hot day.” He pulled off his coat and vest and tossed them on the bed. Then he said: “I «uesß I’ll take off my pistols for fear somebody will see them if I walk in the yard.” He unbuckled the belt, in which he carried two forty-five-caliber revolvers, one a Smith & Wesson and the other a Colt, and laid them on the bed with his coat and vest He then picked up a dusting-brush with the intention of dusting some pictures which hung on tho wall. To do this he got on the cnair. .His back was now turned to the brothers, who silently stepped between Jesse and his revolvers, and at a motion from Charley both drew their guns. Robert was the quickest of the two. In one second he had the tong weapon to a level with his eye, with the muzzle no more than four feet from the back of the outlaw’s head. Even in that motion, though quick as thought, there was something that did not escape the acute ears of the hunted man. He made a motion as if to turn his head to ascertain the cause of that suspicious sound, but too late. A nervous pressure on the trigger, a quick flash, a sharp report and a well-directed ball crashed through the outlaw’s skull. There was no outcry, just a swaying of the body, and it fell heavily back upon the carpet The shot had been fatal, and all the bullets in the chamber of Charley’s revolver, still directed at Jesse’s head, could not more effectually have decided the fate of the greatest bandit and freebooter that ever figured in the pages of tbe country’s history. The ball had entered the base of the skull, and made its way Out through the forehead, over the left eye. It had been fired out of a Colt’s 45, improved pattern, silver mounted and pearl bandied, presented by the dead man to his slayer only a few days ago.

Mrs. Jumes was in the kitchen when the shooting was done, divided from the room in which the bloody tragedy occurred by the diningroom. She heard the shot, and, dropping her household duties, ran into the front room. Bhe saw her husband lying on his back and his slayers each holding his revolver in hand, making for the fence in the rear of the house. Robert had reached the inclosure and was in the act of scaling it when she stepped to tho door and called to him, “Robert, you have done this; come bacK.” Robert answered, “ I swear to God I did not.” They then returned to where she stood. Mrs. James ran to the side of her husband and lilted up his head. Life was not extinct, and when asked if he was hurt, it seemed to her that he wanted to Bay something but could not She tried to wash away the blood that was coursing over his face from the hole in his forehead, but it seemed to her “ that the blood would come faster than she could wash it away,” and in her hands Jesse James died. Mrs. James was greatly affected by the tragedy, and heartrending moans and expressions of grief were sorrowful evidence of the lovejshe bore the desperado.

The Outlaw’s Exploits. Jesse James was born in Olay county, Mo., in 1845. He is the son of the Rev. Dr. James. He has had little education. When 16 years of age he joined Quantrell’s band of guerrillas, and participated in the butchery at Centralia, Mo., and tho sacking and burning of Lawrence, Kan.* He was also connected with other events of the war of like nature. In 1866 he made his first robbery, which was at the bank of Liberty, Mo. In 1867 he robbed the Russellville (Ky.) Bank, and m 1868 the Huntington (Va.) B ink. Daring 1866 and 1868 he was connected with stage robberies in Texas. Frank James and Jesse, in 1869, robbed the Gallatin (Mo.) Bank and killed the cashier. In" 1872 he robbed the Kansas City Fair office, in broad daylight, of SIO,OOO. In 1873 St. Genevieve Bank was robbed, and in 1874 the Muncie (Kan.) Bank. In that year he robbed a stage at Hot Springs, and also Earticipated in his first train robbery on the ■on Mountain road. In 1876 the Minnesota Bank was robbed, at Northfield, Minn., and the cashier killed by three of Jesse’s gang. The Glendale train robbery occurred in 1867 ; the Winston and Blue Cut train robberies last year. Since then cfficers have been in pursuit of the desperado. He yas aided m all of his exploits by a gang rrom ms own neighborhood, it is estimated that his robberies amount to nearly $1,060,000.

The Mother of the Dead Bandit Appears on the Scene. A St Joseph telegram of the sth inst., says: “The mother of Jesse James reached here yesterday, and had an affecting meeting with the widow and children of the bandit After viewing the corpse with streaming eyes, she was taken to the Coroner’s inquest. H. H. Craig, Police Commissioner of Kansas City, testified that Robert Ford acted under his instructions, but Charles was not commissioned. The jury held Robert Ford for killing Jesse James, and charged Charles with complicity. Mrs. Samuels, the mother of the outlaw, created a sensation by a vigorous denunciation of Dick Little as a traitor. The remains will be handed over to her for interment. Rpbert Fojd engaged as a detective in July last, and secured his brother’s assistance. Bugler, one of the James gang now on trial at Independence, Mo., savg that the* Fords were in the Winston robbery. Gov. Crittenden has sent five men to identify Jesse’s body, when he will divide <50,000 reward between the Fords and some officers who have worked up the destruction of the bandit”

The Body of the Freebooter Turned Over to the Kelatives. St. Joseph, Mo., April 6. The body of Jesse James was shipped from this city yesterday evening in custody of Marshal Craig, of this city, and the family of the dead desperado, consisting of L. W. James, cousin of Jesse, B. T. Minims, the widow’s brother, Mrs. James, Mrs. Samuels and the two children. It wm tjtken tp Kearney Clay

county, Mo., and buried on the James Homestead. There has been considerable of a wrangle over the remains between fL H. Craig. Police Commissioner of Kansas City, Sheriff Timberlake, of Clay county, and the local authorities, who insisted upon seeing the body placed in the keeping of the relatives instead of being taken to Kansas City. The body was officially turned over to Mrs. James by Coroner Heddens on an order from the Grand Jury of Buchanan county and the dispatch of Gov. Crittenden. The jam on the depot platform, as the relatives stepped from their conveyance to take tbe train, .was tremendous. Mrs. Samuels was the most conspicuous personage in the throng. She insisted on having an official escort from the citv, fearing that an attempt would be made to take the body from the train at Kansas City. TheFordboys are close prisoners at the county jail, and when interviewed this morning they betrayed a nervous anxiety about their fate. Up to within twelve hours ago they did not seem to realize the gravity of their situation, but to-day Robert confessed to a reporter that if he had known that he would be thrown into a dingy cell he would not have killed Jesse. The arms and jewelry found in the outlaw's home are in the hands of the police, who refuse to surrender them until the question of their ownership has been fully determined. The households effects will be sold to the highest bidder. Capt E. Ford, a brother of Robert and Charles, arrived here yesterday. In an interview he said: “ I have been in this thing since last fall, and tried for several months to get Charley and Bob into it Jesse has said that it •nv of us wont back on him he would kill *u. We thought he was after us, and for that reason went into it. I knew the boys had him located, but I did not know just where they were. It was only a question of who should shoot first, Jessie or us. We tried to get him to our house, and he did come there twice, but I was not at home either time, and nothing was done. I know where Frank James is, but don’t propose to tell, just now at least. He is somewhere East Frank will revenge Jesse’s death, and somebody connected with the affair will undoubtedly be killed. This matter is not yet ended.”

The Funeral of the Desperado. The funeral of Jesse James, the dead trainrobber, took place at Kearney, the home of Mrs. Samuels, mother of the James boys, and was attended by a vast number of people, many of whom had known the outlaw from his boyhood days. The services took place in a little Baptist church, where Jesse was converted, in 1866, through the influence of MissMimms, his own cousin, who afterward became his wife. The funeral party left the hotel at 2:10 p. m. First came the wagon with the corpse and next the family, next mounted officers, and last a wagon with tho reporters. An immense crowd, on horseback, on foot and in wagons followed. The pall-bearers were Sneriff Timberlake, Deputy Reed, Charley Scott, J. B. Henderson. J. D. Ford, Ben Flanders and James Vaughan. On the hill around the church was a big crowd. After the body was carried into the church, the services began with the. hymn, “ What a friend I have in Jesus.” The Rev. Jones followed in prayqr, after which the hymn, “ Where shall rest be found ? ” was sung. The Rev. J. M. Martin followed with the funeral sermon. After the Rev. Martin had concluded his remarks, which were full of comfort ror me mourners, and in which he dwelt on the for-, bearance and willingness to forgive of Christ, the procession started for the farm in the same order in which it went from the hotel to the church. It was followed by an immense irowd. The services at the church were very dramatic, as Mrs. Samuels raved and made herself so obnoxious that many persons left She denounced the slayers of her son as cowards and murderers, and invoked the vengeance of Heaven upon their heads. The body was taken to the Samuels home, about four miles from the town, and buried in the dooryard of the house where as a boy he had played boyish pranks, and as a man driven off detectives and officials scores of times.