animosity against the James Boys and turned the sympathy of people
in western Missouri somewhat in their favor. Those who had been most
earnest in their desire to see Jesse and Frank James brought to
punishment, began to think more lightly of their crimes, attributing
them partly, at least, to the manner in which they had been hunted and
persecuted. It is a notorious fact that for some time this sentiment
predominated in Clay and Jackson counties, and the same feeling
extended to other parts of the State, and in March following led to the
introduction of an amnesty bill in the Legislature, granting immunity
for past offenses committed by Jesse and Frank James, Coleman Younger,
James Younger and Robert Younger. The bill was introduced by Gen.
Jeff. Jones, of Callaway county, and contained a provisional clause
that amnesty would be granted the parties named in the instrument for
all offenses committed during the war, provided they would surrender
to the lawful authorities and submit to such proceedings as might be
brought against them in the several States for crimes charged against
them since the war. After a stormy debate the bill was defeated,
although had it passed none of the bandits named would have accepted
the terms, for surrender meant either execution or life imprisonment.
A rejection of the terms of surrender, by the Legislature, afforded a
fresh pretext, however, to the bandits to pursue their crimes of blood
and pillage, and it was not long before the country was again startled
by the daring deeds of the outlaws.
ASSASSINATION OF DANIEL ASKEW.
Immediately after the defeat of the "outlaw amnesty bill," as it was
called, the brigands planned the execution of new and direful schemes,
one of which involved the assassination of a respectable citizen of
Clay county.
The James Boys concluded, for reasons known only to themselves, that
Mr. Daniel Askew was a member of the posse which made the attack on
the Samuels residence, and this belief was justification sufficient,
in their estimation, for murdering that gentleman; but the plan of its
execution was equally as dastardly as the casting of the hand-grenade
blindly and savagely among the several members of Dr. Samuels' family.
The circumstances of the assassination were as follows: Mr. Askew was
an unpretentious farmer, living about five miles from Liberty, in a
neat frame house, but with no neighbors nearer than one mile. He had
returned home from Liberty, late in the afternoon of April 12th, 1875,
and after eating supper took a bucket and went to the spring, which was
fifty yards from the house, after water. This was about eight o'clock
in the evening, but the moon was shining brightly and objects were
plainly discernible. He returned from the spring with the water and
sat the bucket upon a shelf on the porch, after which he proceeded to
take a drink, but as he was in the act of lifting the cup to his mouth,
three sharp shots rang out upon the still air and Mr. Askew plunged
forward on his face dead, the three bullets having taken fatal effect
upon his person, one entering the brain and the two others reaching
vital spots in his body.
At the sound of the shots and the heavy fall on the porch, Mr. Askew's
wife and daughter rushed out of the house just in time to see three
men steal out from behind the cover of a large woodpile in front of
the porch, and regain their horses and ride swiftly away. The three
assassins were undoubtedly Jesse and Frank James and Clell Miller, for
within an hour after the murder these three met a gentleman upon the
highway and informed him of Mr. Askew's fate, and told him the murder
was in consequence of the acts of Pinkerton's detectives.
This cowardly act, by which a peaceable citizen had been made to
surrender up his life for the sake of a savage revenge, destroyed again
every spark of sympathy for the desperadoes, and the determination for
their capture was renewed. Armed posses of Clay county citizens set
out in search of the assassins, but the pursuit was in vain, and after
a week of earnest effort, finding no trace of the brigands, the party
returned to their homes, each one recking how soon his turn might come
to add to the gory record of the remorseless freebooters.
THE SAN ANTONIO STAGE ROBBERY.
After the murder of Mr. Askew, the bandits, in anticipation of renewed
efforts to effect their capture, left Missouri and visited their
old haunts in the south-west. They spent several days in the Indian
Territory for the purpose of learning with what persistency and the
character of the search being made by the authorities. Finding that
all effort at their apprehension was confined to western Missouri, the
outlaws rode into Texas and soon formed a plan for robbing the stage
running between San Antonio and Austin. To plan was to execute, and on
the 12th of May, 1875, Jesse James, Clell Miller, Jim Reed and Cole and
Jim Younger selected a spot on the highway, about twenty-three miles
south-west of Austin, and there ambushed themselves to await the coming
of the stage.
It was late in the evening, the sun just descending behind the hills
and the chirrup of twilight insects had begun to echo in the solitude
of the place. Eleven passengers, three of whom were ladies, were
cheerily cracking jokes and relieving the discomforts of the journey
by agreeable conversation. Suddenly the driver descried five horsemen
riding out into the road one hundred yards ahead of the stage and
advancing leisurely. Their appearance and conduct looked suspicious,
but as no robberies had been perpetrated on the highway for many years,
the driver did not realize what the act portended until, as the stage
bowled up, the five men, drawing their pistols, commanded a halt.
The order being accompanied by such persuasive authority of course
the obedience of the driver was prompt. Then the passengers wondered
what it meant, but before they could propound a question four of the
brigands rode up on either side of the stage and ordered the inmates
to get out. The women, seeing such cruel looking men and their fiercer
looking pistols, screamed and scrambled over the male passengers with
utter disregard of propriety, and created much confusion. Jesse James
and Cole Younger did the talking for the bandits, and in courteous
language assured the ladies they had nothing to fear provided the
passengers acted with discretion. Soon the eleven but recently gay
travelers were arranged in single file along the road behind the stage,
and as not the slightest resistance was offered Frank James and Jim
Younger had no difficulty in expeditiously relieving all the passengers
of their money, watches and other valuables. Among the number was John
Breckenridge, president of the First National Bank at San Antonio, from
whom $1,000 were obtained; Bishop Gregg, of Austin, contributed his
gold watch and nearly $50 in money, while from the other passengers
sums from $25 to $50 were obtained.
Having completed the personal plunder, the bandits cut open the two
mail bags from which a goodly sum of money was secured, but the amount
has not been estimated. The haul aggregated, perhaps, $3,000, which
they placed in a sack carried for the purpose, and then, bidding the
passengers adieu, the border desperadoes rode swiftly into the shadows,
leaving the surprised party to resume their journey in a less amiable
mood.
THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY AT MUNCIE.
Nothing was heard of the bandits for several months after the stage
robbery, and their crimes were again relegated to partially forgotten
incidents of the past. In December following, however, another attack
by the outlaws refreshed the memory of their deeds and threw Missouri
and Kansas into a fever of intense excitement.
The band of desperadoes, by some means known only to themselves,
learned of an intended large shipment of gold-dust from Denver, via
Kansas Pacific Railroad, and that it would be carried by a train
arriving in Kansas City on a certain day. The place selected at which
to intercept the train bearing the valuable shipment, was Muncie, a
little station six miles west of Wyandotte, Kansas. There was a water
tank near the place, at which the engines almost invariably stopped
to take a fresh supply of water. At this point six bandits stationed
themselves and awaited the train, which was not due until after
nightfall. Prompt upon time the engine blew its shrill whistle, and
then rolled up under the tank and stopped. In a moment the brigands
left their place of concealment and boarded the train, one of them,
Bill McDaniels, being deputed to cover and remain with the engineer
and fireman. The robbers rushed through the cars and commanded every
passenger to remain quiet under penalty of death. Two of them stood
on the platforms of the cars while the other three proceeded to the
express car. The bandits presented their pistols at the head of the
messenger and forced him to open the safe, from which the sum of
$25,000 in money was taken and gold-dust valued at $30,000. This total
sum secured was so large that no attempt was made to rob any of the
passengers, and after the valuable plunder was placed in a sack, Jesse
James blew a keen whistle and a moment after all the free-booters
abandoned the train and regained their horses.
Soon as the passengers reached Wyandotte, which was speedily, the alarm
was given, which spread to Kansas City, and another large body of men
was sent in pursuit of the daring highwaymen. They chased the fugitives
southward into Indian Territory, but the pursuit was abandoned in the
Creek Nation, where all traces were blotted out.
About one month after this great robbery a police officer arrested
Bill McDaniels in Kansas City, for drunkenness, his participation in
the train plundering not then being suspected. But when searched at
the police station a sheep-skin bag was found on his person filled
with gold-dust. In addition to this he had a large roll of money,
and being known in Kansas City as a worthless fellow, suspicion was
at once excited that he was a confederate of the train robbers. He
was placed in the calaboose and allowed to sober up, and then taken
upon a requisition to Lawrence, Kansas. On the following day after
his arrest the city marshal and Con O'Hara, the detective, went into
McDaniels' cell and spent two hours in a persistent endeavor to obtain
a confession from him of his complicity in the robbery, or the names
of those who committed the act. But he remained as silent as if he had
lost the power of speech, and not a word concerning the robbery did
the officers ever hear from him. Two months after his apprehension, in
taking him from the jail for trial, McDaniels broke from the deputy
sheriff and escaped. After a week's search he was found, but resisting
arrest, he was mortally wounded by a member of a citizens' posse named
Bauermann. McDaniels died, however, refusing to reveal anything in
regard to his confederates. It has since been ascertained, however,
that those engaged in the Muncie robbery consisted of Jesse James,
Arthur McCoy, Cole and Bob Younger, Clell Miller and McDaniels, the
latter only being captured.
THE HUNTINGTON BANK ROBBERY.
After the train robbery the highwaymen separated, some going to Texas
and others to Kentucky. In April, 1876, Frank James, Cole Younger, Tom
McDaniels, a brother of Bill, and a small black-eyed fellow called
Jack Keen, alias Tom Webb, confederated together for the purpose of
perpetrating another bank robbery. Keen had been raised in the eastern
part of Kentucky and was well acquainted with the mountainous regions
of West Virginia and his native State. It was decided to attack and
plunder the bank in Huntington, a town of 2,500 people, on the Ohio
river, in West Virginia.
About the 1st of September the four bandits rode into the town under
the leadership of Frank James and proceeded directly to the bank,
which they reached at 2 P. M. Frank James and McDaniels dismounted,
leaving Younger and Keen standing guard on the outside. When Frank and
McDaniels entered the bank they found only R. T. Oney, the cashier,
and a citizen who was making a deposit; these the robbers covered with
their pistols and compelled the cashier to open the safe and deliver
up all the money in the bank, amounting to $10,000. Having secured the
booty the four outlaws rode rapidly out of town, not a single person
in the place having the least suspicion of what had occurred until Mr.
Oney spread the news.
A posse of twenty-five citizens, headed by the sheriff, set out in
pursuit of the bandits at three o'clock, one hour after the robbery was
consummated, and followed the trail with the greatest persistency. The
officers in other counties were notified by telegraph, and armed bodies
of men were sent out from a dozen towns. One hundred miles south-west
of Huntington the robbers were sighted and in an exchange of shots
McDaniels was killed. This encouraged the pursuing party, who pressed
the bandits so hard that they were forced to abandon their horses and
take to the mountain fastnesses of Kentucky. The pursuit continued
unabated for four weeks, and at length the outlaws were driven out of
Kentucky and into Tennessee; here Keen was captured and taken back to
Huntington, where he made a confession and was sentenced to eight years
imprisonment in the penitentiary. Frank James and Cole Younger eluded
pursuit and returned to the Indian Territory, where they met Jesse
James and his band of highwaymen, and forthwith new plans were laid for
another big robbery.
THE ROCKY CUT TRAIN ROBBERY.
Seven months elapsed after the Muncie robbery before the desperate
brigands, under the leadership of Jesse James, made another attempt
to increase their ill-gotten gains. But in the meantime the band of
highwaymen was increasing and organizing for another bold stroke.
Many outlaws who had found safety in the Indian Nation were anxious
to attach themselves to the James and Younger brothers, but very few
were received. The noted bandits were excellent judges of human nature,
and they were exceedingly careful not to repose confidence in any one
who did not possess indisputable evidence of cunning and bravery; men
who, in the event of capture, would not betray their comrades at any
sacrifice. In July, 1876, arrangements were completed for rifling
another treasure-laden train and the Missouri Pacific Railroad was
chosen as the line for their operations. The reorganized party of
highwaymen, consisting of Jesse and Frank James, Cole, Bob and Jim
Younger, Clell Miller, Hobbs Kerry, Charlie Pitts and Bill Chadwell,
nine in number, left their rendezvous in the Indian Territory and,
riding separately, reached Otterville, Missouri, by a preconcerted
understanding, on the 7th of July.
The capture and confession of Hobbs Kerry enables the giving of a
minute narrative of all the circumstances connected with the robbery
about to be related.
About one mile east of Otterville, a small station in Pittis county,
is a place called Rocky Cut, which is a deep stone cleft, from which
the train emerges only to strike the bridge across Otter creek. On
the south side of the cut is a heavy wood, and in this the robbers
concealed themselves to await the train which was not due there until
nearly midnight. A watchman was stationed at the bridge, whom Charlie
Pitts and Bob Younger arrested and, after taking his signal lantern and
placing it in the track at the bridge approach, they securely tied the
helpless fellow and then joined the main party. Hobbs Kerry and Bill
Chadwell were detailed to watch the horses and keep them prepared for
sudden flight.
As the train came dashing through the cut the engineer saw the danger
signal and at once concluded something was wrong with the bridge, and
he lost no time in having the brakes set and the engine reversed. The
train came to a stop directly in the cut, and as it slowed up seven of
the dare-devils leaped upon the cars and with one at each door, the
robbers had no trouble in so intimidating the passengers as to prevent
attack. Jesse James, the boldest of the bold, was the first to enter
the express car, followed by Cole Younger. At the mouth of two heavy
navy pistols the messenger was forced to open the safe, which contained
fifteen thousand dollars in bank notes. This money was hastily thrown
into a sack, and the shrill whistle was given by Jesse, which was
the signal for the bandits to leave the train and mount. No effort
was made to rob or harm any of the passengers, the single purpose of
the bandits, agreed upon before the attack, was to secure only the
valuables of the express.
When the train reached Tipton, report of the robbery was telegraphed to
every station along the line, and also to St. Louis and Kansas City,
and from these points all over the country.
Hobbs Kerry's statement is, that after the perpetration of the crime,
the bandits rode southward together very rapidly until nearly daylight,
when they entered a deep wood and there divided the money, after which
the band rode off in pairs, except the James Boys and Cole Younger,
who kept together. Kerry soon separated from Chadwell, who was his
companion, and went to Fort Scott, and from there to Parsons, Kansas,
thence to Joplin and then to Granby, where he remained for nearly a
week, spending a great deal of money in gambling dens, and in his
drunken moments let drop such remarks as led to the suspicion that
he was a member of the gang that robbed the train. He next made a
trip into Indian Territory, but after a short stay in that country
he returned to Granby; there he was arrested in the latter part of
August. The authorities had no difficulty in obtaining from Kerry the
full particulars of the robbery and the names of his confederates.
Detectives from all parts of the country, stimulated by the large
rewards offered by the express company and Governor Hardin, set out in
search of the bandits. Every State was penetrated, every suspicious
character put under surveillance, and all the ingenuity that could be
devised by experienced hunters of criminals was exercised.
[Illustration: HOBBS KERRY WATCHED BY A DETECTIVE IN A GAMBLING DEN.]
The James and Younger boys and Clell Miller, finding the pursuit at
an end, returned from the Nation, whither they had first fled, and by
stealthy night marches succeeded in reaching Jackson county, where they
retired to the robbers' cave and were there safe from pursuit.
THE FATAL ATTACK ON A MINNESOTA BANK.
The efforts of the detectives to capture the outlaws seemed to be
chiefly confined to the south-western States, and learning this the
bandits, after remaining within the seclusion of their undiscoverable
haunts for a few weeks, grew tired of the inactivity such life imposed,
and as Bill Chadwell was well acquainted in Minnesota, it was decided
to send Bob Younger out to find him, and through him to perfect a plan
for raiding one of the banks in that State. The means of communication
between the bandits was such that Chadwell was soon found and brought
into conference with the other members.
The purpose of going into Minnesota could not have been merely because
of a supposition that a mere ample booty might be secured in that
State, for there were many richer banks much nearer.
One of the prime motives of the outlaws was undoubtedly to make a
stroke in the far north which would confuse the officers in pursuit of
them, and thereby draw the attention of the detectives away from the
favorite haunts. Aside from this, no sufficient reason for the strange
determination of the brigands is assignable.
A decision was soon reached, and it was decided to make an examination
of the country, and raid the bank which gave promise of the largest
reward with the least chances of surprise or capture. Cole Younger and
Chadwell were accordingly despatched as a reconnoitering party, and
were to ride three days in advance of the others, take observations and
make report by leaving certain pre-arranged signals along the route
decided upon. Those engaged in the intended enterprise were the two
James Boys, Cole, Jim and Bob Younger, Charlie Pitts, Clell Miller and
Bill Chadwell. The expedition started for Minnesota about the 3d of
September, 1876, proceeding by railroad directly to Mankato, the place
appointed for a meeting with the two bandits sent in advance. A second
consultation, held at that place on the 6th of September, resulted in a
decision to strike the bank at Northfield, Rice county, a town of 2500
people, on the I. & M. division of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad.
On the afternoon of the 7th the eight desperadoes entered Northfield
at a furious pace, discharging their pistols and by direful threats
endeavoring to so intimidate the citizens as to prevent resistance.
They rode direct for the bank, which was located fronting the public
square, and stopping in front of the institution. Frank and Jesse
James and Bob Younger quickly dismounted and entered the bank while
the other robbers were left to guard against attack from the outside.
J. L. Haywood, the cashier, A. E. Bunker, teller, and Frank Wilcox,
bookkeeper, were the only persons in the bank at the time of the
entrance of the bandits. Jesse James drew a pistol and presented it at
the cashier's head and commanded him to open the safe. Haywood promptly
refused, and the next instant he lay dead at the bandit's feet, his
brain pierced with a bullet. At this Bunker and Wilcox fled out at the
back door, but as they reached the step a bullet from Frank James'
pistol plunged through Bunker's shoulder, but it did not impede his
flight. The robbers were left alone in the bank, but beyond a small
amount lying upon the counter no money could be found, and the bandits,
hearing firing in the streets, rushed out just in time to see Bill
Chadwell fall from his horse, his heart pierced with a musket ball, and
in a few seconds after Clell Miller received a bullet in his breast,
and with a groan tumbled mortally wounded to the ground while his horse
galloped riderless up the street.
By this time the citizens came rushing to the attack and the firing
became general. Jim Younger was shot in the mouth and a horse was
wounded. The effective shots were fired by Dr. Henry Wheeler from a
second-story window in the Damphier House, facing the bank. The six
unharmed bandits rushed for their horses and rode at their highest
speed out of town, followed in fifteen minutes afterward by fifty
well mounted citizens. Then succeeded a flight and pursuit which for
persistency, endurance, courage and results is without a parallel.
Information of the murder and robbery was telegraphed in every
direction and each hour the pursuing force was augmented by volunteers
who sprang up in the pathways of the robbers and guarded every highway
and bridle path. The chase led through Shieldsville and from there
into LeSeur county where, being pressed closely too, Jesse and Frank
James insisted on killing Jim Younger, the blood from whose wound was
furnishing a trail for the pursuers. This proposition resulted in a
separation of the outlaws, Jesse and Frank James remaining together and
the Younger boys and Charley Pitts, (whose real name was Sam Wells),
remaining in a body. The country was fairly filled with resolute men
determined upon the death of the bandits. It was very soon discovered
that the robbers had separated and the pursuing parties were divided
and put upon the two trails.