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JESSE JAMESHAS DEPARTED THIS LIFE' His Brains arc Perforated by a Man Whom he Trusted.I Who Shoots Him from Behind and Does a Good Job.St. Joe is in a Fever of Excitement Over the Event.DEAD AGAINJcssc James is Again Killed, this Timein St. Joseph, Mo.Sr. Jonkfh, Mu., April'!. A groat sun sat ion was oroated in this city this morning by the aunounoomout that Josso Juntos had boon shot and killod hero in St. Joseph. The nows spread with groat rapidity, but most people rooelved it with doubts until in\estimation established the fuel beyond question. Then the exeitement became more ami more intense, und crowds of people rushed to that quarter of theeity where the shooting took plane, anxious to view the body of the dead outlaw and to learnTHIS PARTICULARS.In a small frame shanty in the southeast part of the eitv, on die hill not far from the World’s hotel, Jesse James lias lived with Ills wife since some time in November last. Robert and Charles Ford, two of his gang, have made their headquarters at his house. Charles, It is said, has lived with him in that shanty ever sinee Novoniber. Robert arrived about ten days ago, and the three have liven making preparations for a raiding expedition, on which they were to start to-night. James ami the'two Fords ls-ing in a front room together about nine this morning, the former took ofl' his licit and laid his pistols on the bed, preparing to wash himself, when Robert Ford sprang up behind him and sent a bulletTil not ion Ills it IIA IN.The I tall entered the Ixtck of his head, at the base of the rigiit brain, coining out over the eye. The l ord brothers at once made known what they had done and gave themselves up. They are now under guard at the court house. The body of Jesse James was conveyed to an undertaker’s, where it was prepared for burial and where a photograph was taken. James’ wife has telegraphed to his mother the news of his death. A number of nion have identified the body, and there is no question about its beingA Herald reporter viewed the body at the undertaker's when it was being photographed. lie was a tine looking man, apparently forty years old, with broad forehead, and iiis physiognomy was that an intelligent as well as a resolute and daring man. The house where James lived and in which he was killed, had the appearance of an armory. A number of guns and pistols, including a repeating riHo, a needle gun, and navy revolvers with a good store of ammunition, wore found there. Jessie was in the habit of wearing two belts with a brace of very tine revolvers and twenty-live extra cartridges. lu a small stable near by were discovered several tine horses, the property of James.THK FORD BROTH BUS claim that they are detectives, and tiiat they have been on James’ track for a long time. It is boiievod they were with James in the Blue Cut robbery and that they wore influenced in killing him by the hope of getting the big reward which lias been offered for James, dead or alive, by the governor and by tlieex-pressand railroad companies.In the light of all moral reasoning the shooting was wholly unjustifiable, but theHAW is VINDICATED, and the fifty thousand dollars reward offered by the state for the body of the brigand, dead or alive, will doubtless go to the mail who had tiie courage to draw a revolver on the notorious outlaw, even when his back was turned, in as this ease. There is little doubt that the killing was the result of a premeditated plan formed by Robert and Charles l ord several months ago. Charles had been an accomplice of Jesse James since the 3d of last November, and entirely possessed his confidence. Robert Ford, his brother, joined Jesse hoar Mrs. Samuels' bouse, the mother of the James hoys, last Friday a week ago, and oceoin- ! punied Jessie and Charles to tiiis city Sunday, March 23. Jessie, his wife and two children removed from Kansas City, where they had lived several months, until they feared their whereabouts w ould be suspected, in a wagon to this city, arriving here November H, 1HK1, accompanied by Charles Ford, and rented a house on theoornor of Lafayette and Twenty-first street, where they stayed two months, when they secured the house 1318 on Lafayette street, formerly the property of Councilman Avles-burg, paying f 14 a month for it, and giving tne name of Thomas Howard.TltK OUTLAW’S UOUSK.The house is a one-story cottage, painted white, with green shutters, and is romantically situated on the brow of a lofty eminence east of the city, commanding a tine view of the principal portion of the city, the river and railroads, and adapted as by nature for the perilous and desperate calling of James. Just east of the house is a deep, guleh-like ravine, and beyond that a broad expanse of open country backed by a belt of timber. The house, except from the west side, can be seen for many miles. There is a large yard attached to the cottage, and a stable, where Jesse had been keeping two horses, which were found there this morning.T1IK 1*LAN.lt; harles and Robert Ford have been occupying one of the rooms in the rear of the dwelling, and have secretly had an understanding to kill Jesse since last fall. A short time ago, lie fore Robert had 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 l’latle City bank, and while the arguments were being heard in the murder ease, which would naturally engage the attention of the citizens, boldly execute one of iiis favorite raids. ' Charley Ford approved of the plan and suggested his brother Robert as a companion worthy of sharing the enterprise with them. Jesse had seen the boy at the hitter s house near Richmond three years ago, and consented to see him. Yhe two men accordingly went to where Robort was and arranged to have him accompany them tlt; Platte City. As stated, all three came to St. Joseph a week ago Sunday. They remained at the house all the week.' Jesse thought it ls»st that Robert should not exhibit himself on the premises, lost the presence of three able bodied men who were doing nothing should excite suspicion. Thev had tixed upon to night to go to Platte City. Ever sinee the hoys had been with Jesse they had watched for an opportunity to shoot him, but he was always so heavily armeu tiuU it w as unpossible to draw a weaponwithout James seeing it. They declare they hn«J no idea ofTAKING HIM A 1,1 VI'.,considering the undertaking suicidal. The opportunity they had long wished for emno this morning. Breakfast was over. Charley Ford and Jesse James had been ill the stable currying the horses preparatory to their night ride. On returning to tiie room where Robert Ford was. Jesse said, “It's an au fulh hot day. He pulled oil' his lt;■lt;,iit ami vest and’ tossed them oil the bed. then lie said, ‘‘i guess I'll takeoff my pistols for fear somebody will see them if I go in Hie vard. lb' unbuckled the bolt In which lie carried two forty-five calibre revolvers, one a Smith A Wesson and the other a Colt, and laid them on the bed with Iiis coal ami vest. lie then picked up a dusting brush with the intention of dusting some pictures that hung ou the wall. To do {this lu* got mi a chair. Iiis hack was now turned to the two brothers, who silently stepped between Jesseand Iiis revolvers, and at a motion from Charley lioth drew their guns. Robort was the quickest of the two. In one quick move lie had Hie long weapon on a level with Ids eve with the muzzle not more than four feet from the back of the outlaw’s head. F.ven in thatmotion, quick as thought, there was something which did not escape the acute ears of the hunted man. Ho made a motion as if to turn his head to aseer-the cause of the suspicion* sound.HUT TOO LATH, a nervous pressure on the trigger, uquick flash, a sharp report, and the well direet-hail crashed through the outlaw’s skull. There w:is m outcry, just a swaying of the l*odv and it fell heavily backwards upon tin* carpeted floor. The shot had been fatal, and all the bullets in tlie chambers of Charley’s revolvor, still directed at Jesse’s head, could no more effectmilly have decided the fate of the greatest bandit and freebooter that ever figured 111 the pages of a 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 boon fired out of a Colt’s l.j improved pattern, silver-mounted and pearl-handled pistol, presumed by the dead man to his slayer only a few days ago.MHH. JAM KK was in the kitchen when the shooting was done, divided from the room in which the bloody tragedv occurred by the dining room. She hoard the shot, and dropping her household duties, ran into the front room. She saw fier bus bwand lying extended on iiis back and his slayers each holding his revolver In his hand, making for tiie fence in tin* rear of the house. Ho I km* t had reached the enclosure and was in the act of sealing it, when nIu stepped to the door and called to him. “Rolxirt. you have done this. Come back. Robert answered, “I swear to God I didn’t.’’ They then returned to whore she stood. Mrs.James ran to the side id' her husbandand lifted up his head. Lifewas not extinct, and when she asked him if lie was hurt it seemed to tier that she w anted to say something, hut couldn’t. She tried to wash away the blood coursing overIiis face from the hole in his forehead, but it seemed to her that tin* blood would come faster than she could wipe it away, and in her bundsJKSSK JAM KS 1HKI).Charley Ford explained to Mrs. James that “a pistol had accidentally gone off. “Yes, said Mrs. James, “I guess it went off on purpose.' Meanwhile, Charley had gone back into the house and brought out two hats, and the two boys loft the honse. They went to the telegraph office and sent a message to Sheriff Timberlake, of Clay County, to Gov. Crittenden and other officers, and then surrendered themselves to Marshal Craig. When the Ford boy* appeared at the jKilice station they were told by officers that Marshal Craig and a posse of officers had gone in the direction of the James residence, and they started after them and surrendered tliem-solves. They accompanied the officers to the house and returned in custody of the police to tiie marshal's headquarters, where they were furnished with dinner, and about 3 o’clock w ere removed to the old circuit room where the inquest w iih held in tiie presence of an immense crowd. Mrs. James also accompanied the officers to the city hall, having previously lefl her two children, aged seven and throe, v boy and a girl, at the house of a Mrs. Turnal, who iiad known tiie Jameses under their assumed name of Howard ever sinee they had occupied the adjoining house. She wasORKATLY AKKKCTKD by the tragedy, and her heart-rending moans and expressions of grief were sorrowful evidence of the love she ls»re the dead desperado. The report of the killing of the notorious outlaw spread like w ildfire through the city, and, as usual, the report assumed every variety of form and color. Very few credited the news, however, and simply laughodat the idea that Jesse James was really the dead man. Nevertheless, tiie excitement ran high and when one confirming re-wirt succeeded the other, erowds of uindrods gathered at the undertaking establishment where lay the body at, the city hall, at the court house, and in faet on every street corner, the almost incredible nows constituting the sole subject of of conversation to the exclusion of the barely less engrossing topic of the coming city election.GOROXBR HKDDKNS was notified and undertaker Sidenfaden instructed to remove the body to his establishment. This was done at alsmt 10 o’clock. A large crowd accompanied the coroner to the morgue,but only a few, including reporters, were admitted. The body lay in a remote room of the building. It had Ixten taken out of the casket and placed upon a table. The features appeared natural, but w ore disfigured by the bloody hole over the left eye. The laxly was neatly and cleanly dressed. In faet, nothing in the appearance of the remains indicated the desperate career of the man, or the many bloody scenes of which lie had been the hero. The large, cavernous eyes were closed as in a calm slumber. Only the lower part of the face, the square cheek inmes, the stout, prominent chin, covered with a soft, sandy board, and the thin, firmly closed lips in a measure betrayed the determined, wild and iron courage of the dead man.A KVRTllKH INSPECTIONof the laxly revealed two large bullet holes on the right sid© of the breast, within three inches of the nipple, a bullet wound in the leg and the absence of the tip of the middle finger of the left hand. Alter viewing the remains the coroner repaired to the court house, w hither, soon after, Mrs, James, in custody of Marshal t’raig, and the two Ford liovs, both heavily armed, followed. Thev were kept in separate apartments until the jury nad announced itself ready to hear the testimony. The jury was empaneled its ’ follows: \V.H. Chouning, J. \V. Moore, Warren Samuels, Thomas Norris, Wm. Turner and Wm. H. George. The witnesses examined wore Mrs. James, the Ford lx»vs and James A. Little. The inquest will be continued to-morrow.THK BODYof Jessie James is to be delivered ox er to Mrs. Samuels, his mother, who willlmry it near her home in (May county. This city is full of strangers who have I»een attracted from every direction by the news of the tragic death of the notorious outlaw.WK KILLKP THK HKAlt.K vnsasCitv Mo., April I. The news of the killing of Jesse James created an inimciiMo sensation in this city, though the report w as treated with inereduaiity, and even at this late hour many uniie-licvers can i»o found. This afternoon as soon as the news was received here, C’-oro-missiotici t'raig left for St. Joe with a heavily armed posse of men to guard the body of Jesse .lames and protect Ford, the man who killed him, at tiie police-station. It was learned that Bolt Ford, a young man who has boon hanging about the station house for several weeks past, is the person who shot and killed Jesse James. Ford left the city about a week since and joined James in the vicinity of St. Joseph, remaining with him until an opportunity to kill him was found. From tiie police it is learned that Ford, who is said to be a member of tin* gang, was under tbo control of t'raig, and lias Iw-en used us an instrument for James' destruction. Ford is a young man alHHit twenty-two years old, looked like a verdant youth from tiie country. In appearance he is n mere boy, and is the last person In the world to la* taken for the slayer of the Simons outlaw.The Chinese “Suspension.San Franccsuo, April !. -The lt;\iU publishes an interview with John F. Swift, ex-treaty commissioner to Uiinu, w ho says : “Regarding the twenty yearsuspension clause of the Chinese iiill, that the commissioners of both countries contemplated a considerable longer period when discussing tin' treaty. The ('hinese commissioners understood, even better than we did, the problem of over-competition in labor, and were willing to agree to any means of relief. The time of suspension was thoroughly discussed, and it was agreed that a suspension of thirty-three years, or one generation, wonfd l»e necessary to remedy the evils complained of. I fully hoped suspension could have been proposed for thirty years, and tiie Chinese government would not have considered the faith of the treaty trespassed on if it had been made for fifty years, or even more.The Advance Postponed.Nkw York, April f. —Commissioner Fink yesterday issued a notice stating that on account of the impossibility of perfecting arrangements for the maintenance of the live stock and dressed beef rates before the tenth of April, the stand ing committee had agreed to postpone the advance of rates until such a day as arrangements may be perfected, which will probably be during tin- coming week, and that it was also absolutely necessary that arrangements for tiie division at Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Peoria for livo stock and dead freight should at once be perfected. Therefore he calls a meeting of interested roads at such points for April 12th, at his oifico, to perfect those arrangements.WASHINGTON NOTESTHBUUINKSK RILL VBTOKD.Washington, I). April 4. ThePresident’s veto of tin* Chinese bill was received at 1:20 p. in., and read immediately. The President said that after eareft.il consideration he returned the hill with objections. He held that it conflicted with the trmty obligations and violated tiie faith of the nation, and hoped congress would endeavor to find another that would meet tin* oxjxx*tations of the people of the Ciiitcd States and not conflict with flu* rights of China. The President maintains that neither the representatives of the United States or China, in making the treaty of 1**0, contemplated any such restriction of Chinese immigration as that projxwed in the bill. Ho opposed the passport system promised in tne bill as undemocratic, and said bethought it unwise to introduce such a system in this country. The passport system, he said, is falling into disuse in Europe, and 1 amides lie maintains that experience has shown that jiasHjKjrts are easily borrow ed or even forged.The President said that Chinese laisr had been of great value in this country, and that monuments to their industry existed. They had largely built the Pacific railroads across this continent, but it might wisely rw? considered now whether some limitation may be put upon the immigration of this labor, but if there iw too much of it in one section of the country, the same lul*or may be needed m another section, and the law should consider this and make such limitation as would permit this labor to go where needed.In discussing the meaning ot the word “laborers, as used in the treaty, the President concedes that it includes artisans or skilled laborers. “In regard to the term of suspension, he says, the examination which 1 have made of the treaty and of tiie declarations which its negotiators have left on record of the meaning of its language, leaves no doubt in my mindjthut neither contracting party in concluding the treaty of IKSO contemplated the passage of an act prohibiting immigration for twenty years, which is nearly a generation, or thought that such a period would be a reasonable suspension or limitation, or intended to change the provisions of tin* Burlingame treaty to that effect. 1 regard this provision of the act as a breach of our national faith, and being unable to bring myself in harmony with the views of congress upon this vital joint, the honor of the country constrains me to return the act with this objection to its passage-adding that good policy, as well as good faith, requires a modification of the twenty years susjien-sion. The President says, “Our first treaty w ith China is not yet forty years old, that it is only since we acquired California and established a groat seat of commerce ou the Paeefic that we may l*e said to have broken down the barriers which fenced in that ancient monarchy. Under the spirit which inspired tiie Burlingame treaty many thousands of Chinese lalnirers came here. These have been instrumental in building railroads, tuui the country lias prospered by their industry. Tliere may be other sections of the country where this sjxM’ies of labor may lie advantageously employed without interference with laborers of our own race.The message sjxaks of the opening of China to the world’s commerce as having enormously benfltted the Pacific, slope, and deprecates a policy which w ould drive oriental trade and commerce from us. It concludes to the effect that while the protection of our labor from Asiatic comjietition may justify this policy, it is wise now to make a shorter experiment, with view to maintaining permanently only such features as time and experience commend.A gentleman front Wostport, Missouri, who was in the city yesterday, informed a Journal roporterthat he was acquainted w ith ‘Jesse James, his mother, Mrs. Samuels, and Ford, the man who killed the outlaw. The stranger says the Jameses have many friends in Platte county, Mo., who will avenge the Outlaw’s death if they get half a chance, and he wouldn’t give a fig for Ford’s chances on life when he is turned out of jail.
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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