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A BOY BANDIT.DUPED BY JESSE JAMES.John Land Tells the Whole Story of the Blue Cut Train Robbery.A Parcel of Boys Led into it by old Hands at the Business.Jesse James the Leader of the Regular Gang.Kansas City, Mr eh HI.—John Knud's confession was given tut ho press to-day. It is the same as anticipated in a previous dispatch, ami inculpates the .lames hoys. Miller, Little, Hurler, Cummings, Motts, Armstrong and Creed Chapman. There is some dispute between the county otlieiais and Commissioner Craig, tin* latter desiring to honor the parole given to Little, while the former declare that 1 inasmuch as he has contradicted some of• his statements and may ho playing false with the authorities, he should he arrested.LAND'S CONFESSION r is as follows: At three o’clock p. m.,| two men came to 1110. They were John Bugler and Creed Chapman, and said, “John, what do you want to work so hard for? Wo don’t work, but get lots I of money easy.’’ Bugler said, “How would you like to go and help us roh a train?” I said, “1 am making forty dol-1 lars per month, and don't believe I will 1 make more money robbing trains than• digging wells.”Bugler said, “If you will go we will in-• sure you more money.”I said, “Boys, who is going in with you?Bugler said, “Jesse James, Frank James, Dick Little, James Cummings, Fd. Miller, Henry Bugler, John Motts.F Charlie Deordolf, Armstrong, Creed and myself.”1 said, “All right, 1 will go in with you.” I quit work at once and all three of us started up the railroad toward (jilendale. After walkinga short distance they left me and struck ofl' across the country, while I went on to Glendale. I 1 think it was about 4 o’clock when I ' reached the platform of thestation. I went inside and John Motts wsis there. We had a short conversation about the drill which I wanted to use, and then stepped out of the depot on to the platform, and 1■ saw a man riding down the road 1 toward the de]oi on a large bayhorse. He hitched his horse, came up to us, and shook hands with 1 Motts, who, turning to mo said, “Mr.! Land, I will introduce you to JESSE JAMES.”Immediately after shaking hands, ho and Matts walked away to the other end of the platform and held a short conversation. Jesse then came up to me and said, “Mr. Land, I understand you are going in with us to rob the train to-3 night.”I said, “Yes, sir.Jesse said, “Have you any arms?”I answered, “Yes; a breach loading ritte.”He said, “He sure and bring it with you. Moet us at the cut back of Jack Cole's farm as soon after H o’clock as 1 convenient. Come alone. When you get within two or three hundred yards of the spot, signal us by whistling twice. The answer will lie once.”I then turned and went hack home.1 My folks, except inv brother, who was not at home at the time, re-; tired soon after sundown. We ’ had no time piece. 1 think my brother , got home about 7 o’cloiik. 1 then went to bed with him, he on the back and I on the front side. As near as 1 can judge, it was a little after eight when 1 got up, took down my ritle and slipping out 111 my sock feet got awav without rousing any of the famllv. Ctpon arriving at the ' cut IGAVE THE SIGNAL ’ agreed, upon. It was answered, and I ' stepped forward and was met by Jesse James. All the old gang were there, six of thorn, and Armstrong and Deerdolf. who I knew before, and who had joiuou the regular gang a short time before, but I was the only one of the neighborhood boys who had got there. Shortly after Creed Chapman and John Bugler gave the signal and came in. Following them came John Matts alone. Fret t v soon the train was heard coming and Jesse said, Boys, we who are older hands at the business will stop the train, go through the ears and get what there is .there. You fellows run along lt;11 the outside and tire fifteen or twenty shots ’ apiece toSCARE THE PASSENGERS.”. Jesse stood upon a pile of rooks on the . track and swung a lantern and the train came to a stop within a few ! leet of the obstruction. lt;'reed,! John Bugler and myself stood on the south side of the track, while John \ Motts and two others were on the other side. The tirst thing they did was to | break into the express ^ear. We'all had ‘ on white masks, and as I began at once to tire and the excitement raised, I did not notice who ’ it was went into the ear. Before we had f been long at work I saw a man come from the train with a lantern and start to run east. John Bugler railed out, “Look there! What does that mean?”Creed Chapman at once tired at him, » followed by Bugler, and 1 tookTHE THIRD SHOT.. Just then some one railed out from the { train, “Don't shoot him. He is going to , flag the freight.After the men in the cars got through t they came to the head of the train and4 were joined by those on the north side, . and then all of them came over aim■ joined on us on the south side. We all started oft together, went\ through the wire fence and ; went due south for some dis-tanee, when we were halted bv Jessio . Janies, who said, “ Boys, it is death to . any man who gives ibis away. Goto your homes as if nothing had happened, and meet me on thceast fork of the Blue next r Wednesday night [one week from that ’ night[ and we willDIVIDE EQUAL.”I Wo then separated and I went home and to bed without disturbing the family. I went to work next day, taking my gun with me, and that is what gave me aw ay ; for some one saw me and told the officers of it, and whefl they came to where 1 was at work they found it ami took me in, and nut me in jail here . |Independence.| We had all agreed notto give the tiling away, imt the tiling got too hot for me, and so 1 now tell the I whole story just as it was.”
Newspaper Details
Lincoln Weekly Nebraska State Journal
Lincoln, Nebraska, US
Fri, Apr 07, 1882
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Joplin P.
MO, USA 03 Aug 2024
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