THE GALLATIN BANK TRAGEDY.
The sudden appearance among the people of a peaceful community of
a band of armed men, who whoop like savages, fire off pistols,
swear fearful oaths, and issue sharp commands, is calculated to
produce a feeling of terror, and, for a time at least, to paralyze
the energies of men. By pursuing this kind of tactics, the band of
robbers which commenced at Russellville, Kentucky, in 1868, and
concluded their last exploit at Glendale, in the fall of 1879, have
uniformly, with one single exception, been able to accomplish their
work and make good their escape.
The 16th day of December, 1869, will not be soon forgotten by
the citizens of the flourishing little city of Gallatin, Daviess
county, Missouri, because of an incident which created a thrill of
excitement that extended all over the land. Daylight bank robberies
were not events of frequent occurrence until these later times. The
affair at Russellville had taken place many months before, and it
was thought altogether unlikely that such another audacious robbery
would be soon attempted.
After the Russellville affair, it was known Jesse and Frank James
had made a journey to California, and it was not until late in the
fall that they returned. It was supposed that only the Youngers and
Jameses were capable of doing such deeds, and it was not known that
the Boys were at home by any considerable number of people.
Such conclusions as these proved to be fallacious. On the day
named--a gray, cold December day--the people of Gallatin were
suddenly startled by the presence, in the streets of the place, of
a band of armed men, who rode furiously, shouted loudly, and swore
fiercely at the people, commanding them, in sharp, decisive tones,
to get inside their houses and stay within their own domicils.
While a part of the band remained out in the streets, two of the
robbers rushed into the bank. The cashier, Captain John W. Sheets,
was behind the counter. He was instantly covered by a pistol, and
imperiously commanded to be still. The other robber proceeded to
secure the contents of the safe, placed the bank's assets in a
sack, and walking to the cashier, he placed the muzzle of a pistol
almost against his temple, and fired, the bullet crashing through
the brain, and the unfortunate gentleman fell dead at the foot of
his slayer. The robbers regained their horses, mounted, and the
whole gang rode rapidly away.
The citizens of Gallatin had seen them come and go. They did not
remain long. The whole affair was the work of a few moments. They
soon realized what had been done, and then there was mounting in
hot haste, and almost as quickly as the robbers had come and gone,
a well-armed posse was riding after them in hot pursuit.
Captain John W. Sheets, the murdered cashier of the Gallatin
bank, served as a captain in the Missouri militia, and had often
met parties of Guerrillas in combat during the war. He was
much esteemed, and his wanton assassination created a profound
sensation, and a strong desire to capture his slayers was
manifested throughout the community. The whole country was aroused.
Daviess county had sent many men to the ranks of the militia, and
somehow the impression rapidly went abroad that the robbery had
been committed by the James Boys and their old associates among
the Guerrillas. It stimulated them to greater exertions in the
pursuit. The robbers obtained the start, and the men who had ridden
with Quantrell never made a reconnoissance on indifferent steeds.
Besides, no dashing cavaliers knew better how to ride than they.
It was an exciting chase. The people of Gallatin had been taken
by surprise. The startling suddenness of the appearance of the
robbers; their matter-of-fact attention to the business in hand,
and the terrible tragedy which concluded the drama, were well
calculated to create surprise, not to say astonishment.
The robbers were trailed directly toward Clay county. The Gallatin
posse, after a hot chase, came up with the fleeing bandits. The
latter turned upon their pursuers in so determined a way that they
were compelled to call a halt, and retreat to meet reinforcements.
This gave the robbers time. They continued to retire toward the
Clay county line. It was not difficult to trace them into that
county. But after they had once penetrated well into the territory
of Clay, all traces faded out. No one had seen such a band of men
or any other gang like them, and all efforts to discover their
retreat proved abortive. They disappeared--like the picture thrown
out by the magic lantern when the slide is withdrawn suddenly and
broken--at once and forever.
Hearing that they were accused of the robbery, the James Boys, who
were then at home, mounted their horses and rode to Kearney to file
their protest against the accusation. Their manner convinced the
citizens--that it might be dangerous to insist upon the allegation
that they were the Gallatin robbers.
It was given out, in extenuation of the shooting of Captain Sheets,
that the person who did it believed him to be Lieut. Cox, who, it
is said, claimed to have killed Bill Anderson, when that noted
Guerrilla was attempting to force the passage of the Missouri river
in the face of a superior force of Federal troops. The murder of
the cashier has yet to be avenged. Not a dollar of the money has
been recovered up to this time.