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HOWARD COUNTY TAX BOOKS.Our renders will remember that a short time ago we published a brief account of the reported defalcation* of Mr. Burkhart! t, former collector of Howttid county. It srepoite 1 that the defalcations amount to $28,000, which amount vet remains unsettled. Suit has been commenced by Howard county against the defaulting collector and bis securities for the amount of the deficit. The defendant has taken a change of venue to Cooper county where the suit is now ponding. The defaulting collector has also repleviued nil the old lax books covering the period of his collections, under the claim that they are his own specific personal property, and of course is now in possession of the means of success-It not, whv not ?JESSE JAMES.It is rumored that Jesse James, the notorious ont-lair, was killed near Short Creek, about seven miles from Joplin, this state, lost Sunday afternoon, by a former confederate in crime, one George Shepherd.The following account of the affair is taken from the Kansas Cit y Journal of Tuesday: “Sunday evening Marshal Ligget received a dispatch from Short Creek, a mining town on tnc extension of the Ft. Scott road from Baxter Springs to Joplin, that Geo, Shepherd had had an encounter with the James brothers gang and had killed Jesse, wounded' Jim Cummings, and had been wounded himself. The Ft. Scott Kail road company at once placid a ejiecial train at his disposal, and he left the eity with Whig Keslilear, one of his deputies, and several other men upon whom he called for assistance.The report that the train robbers were in the vicinity of Galena and Short Creek was quite a surprise to the public, and it did not take long for some one with a fertile imagination to add to the above that I he gang of outlaws were attempt ing to ROB A TRAIN on the Ft. Scott road when the encounter took place. Many were puzzled, too, to understand how George Shepherd came to be fighting the outlaws, knowing that, for several years be win engaged in the same business for which the James and their gang are notorious. Here is the explanation. George Shepherd ami captured in Kentucky a few years ago and convicted of complicity in the robbery of the bank at Cynthiana. Ho served out his term .IN THE KENTUCKY PENITENTIARY,and was discharged a little over a year ago. After his release he resolved to try to he an honest man, and with exception of the past two months he is'd to have been in the employ of one of the Ciearys, mining operators at Galena. During the past two mouths he has spent much of his time in this eity, sometime# engaged a* driver of a sand wagon, and his wife is living in the city with her father. When the Glendale robbery occurred suspicion fell on Geo. Shepherd, as he was known to have been in that kind of business at one time. Marshal Ligget has received letters from a score of old war lime bush whackers since the Glendale robbery, all of whom expressed their disapproval oT the affair, and assured the marshal that they had nothing to do with the robbery. GeorgeShephcid made linato to clear hie skirls, and oven went so far as to offer his services to Marshal Ligget to assist i n theCAPTURE THE OUTLAWS.Mr. Ligget had confidence enough in Shepherd to employ him and buy u good horse and turn it over to him to use. The plan was, in brief, that George should join his old cohfedemti again and betray them. He had been out of the hnsim.-as for some time and hail been engaged in honorable labor. It was necessary that lie should have some adequate reason if he undertook to get back into the gang forgiving up hia good reputation earned since lie was discharged from the Kentucky penitentiary. Tlte scheme hit upon was that he should by means of mutual acquaintances get an audience with Jesse James, tell him that he is getting credit for being engaged in the robbery of the C. and A. train, and that having failed to escape suspicion on that account he had decided that he might as well be in the business and get some of the profits as to get thi name and blame and no plunder and that he wanted to join the gang.In support of the story that he was getting credit for being engaged in the Glendale affair be was to present the following which seemed to have been cut from a newspaper:HIS CREDENTIALS,* It is now .currently reported that George Shepherd, brother of Ol. Shop herd, who was killed several years ago( was connected with the Glendale train robbery, lie waa with the gong at the robbery of a bunk in Kentucky, waa arrested and served a term in the penitentiary of that state.This was never published in any paper though the decoy slip had every appearance of being a newspaper clip ping. It was prepared at the request of Marshal Ligget, by a Journal reporter. The paragraph above quoted was set up in the Journaloffice by the reporter, and printed on a proof press ou a piece of paper which had already been printed on the other side. This was done about two weeks ago. The slip was used by Shepherd as intended and the scheme worked successfully. After having succeeded in again getting into the presence of Jesse James he presented the decoy, told his story, and having been known years ago ue a bold and (tarring fellow, he was gladly admitted as a member of the gang by the James boys, who do not find so easy to get brave and trusty followers now aa formerly.All aorta of rumors were afloat yesterday in the city alxiut the fight between Shepherd and the other members of the gong Sunday afternoon, but the account given below is as near the truth as it was possible to arrive. It was obtained by a Journal representative from passengers who came up from Galena yesterday on the Ft. Scott train and who had seen Shepherd at Short Creek, and heal’d his story. He was the only witness to the shooting of James and Cummings, except Cummings, and there is no way to verify hia tale, bat it is known to the officers that he swore when he left here that he would kill or capture Jesse James.SHEPHERD'S STORY.In accordance with the above programme, Shepherd on Monday last repaired to the camp, or rendezvous, on Shoal Creek. Showing the decoy slip [ referred to above he offered reconciliation with Jesse James, and was admitted «s one of the gang, which, after this arrangement, consisted^ besides two, of a man named Miller, from Clay county. Mo., whose brother was killed at the Northfield bank robbery: Cummings, from Clay county; Kauf-niann, from Texas; and a man (said to belong to a high-toned family) named Taylor. Rogue Wand, in the Maraib des Cygnes river, near Ft. Scott, it seems was a camping point one night last week for this gang and five othera of the Glendale outfit, and it was from this place that, by hard riding, they reached Shoal crcck. Treating Shepherd as aHAS AND BROTlirr.They readily entered the scheme to rob Street A Arthur's bank at Short Creek, and Sunday last was selected as the time with 3 o'clock p. m. as the hour. Meanwhile the details of the scheme were given to Marshal Ligget, and it was expected he would be in at death. The hand were to be corralled while at work inside the bank, and to be captured, or in case of refusal to surrender, to be shot down without further parley. Too late it was found int that some one had blundered, and consequence the guard for the outside of the bank went on watch on Sunday morning and Were noticed by Jesse James, who had come into town that morning from the camp. Meeting Shepherd he communicated to him that some one had given the game away, and that it must- be given up and camp broken at once. Shepherd waa to join the party in the afternoon, and a start was to be made for Texas. Seeing that the job had failed. SHEPHERD ARMED HIMSELF HEAVILY,and declared his intention to provoke a row on going out to the cuiup in the afternoon, ami kill Jesse James. He was to do tills first, and on pursuit being given bv I be rest of the gang, wue to lead them into un ambush, where a party consisting oi Mike and Tom Clean' and a man named flantu-ry ware to lay concealed until the proper moment and then shoot down the survivors. Shepherd was to mark u trail out to camp by means of small pieces of brush scattered at intervals along the road, and when a point was reached where two pieces were laid.nil bide the rmmiit. The programme was only partly carried out. After proceeding to the camp alone Shepherd found the } rty ku alarmed that preparations were in progress for a speedy departure. Nothing daunted he joined the party, though he well knewTHIS NEW MOVEwould throw his friends nearly two hours behind the time agreed upon. When the party were all mounted they scattered a rod or two apart, excepting James and Shepherd, who were quite close together, with the latter slightly m the rear. Watching his opportunity he drew from his breast-pocket a 42-cnlibre Smith Wesson five-shooter, and riding close up to Jesse, shouted: “ God d- -n you, Jesse James, thirteen years ago yon killed my cousin, OI. Shephard. At the first word James wheeled his hom and started to draw bis revolver, but too late, for when I be weapon Was but half Way out Shepherd hud fired, the «hut taking effectJUST BEHIND THE LEFT EAR. James fell from bis horse to the ground striking upon his head, apparently lifeless. Putting spurs to Ins horse, Shepherd started for the point of ambush, closely pursued by Cumminge, Miller going to the aisnstunee of Jesse. Cuminings gained rapidly on Shepherd, and, coming within close range, opened so hot a fire that, wheeling bis horse, the latter made a stand for a tight, the chase having already extended over a distance of three mib-s As he wheeled a shot from Cummings' pistol took effect in the calf of his leg, and then the firing became fast and furious, and ccazed only when both revolvers were emptied. Cummings turned and rode oif, bearing, as Shepherd thinks,A MORTAL WOUND IN HIS SIDE.A mile further on the party from Short Creek, who were to have ambushed the pursuers, were met, but. too late to pursue the gang through dense timber, though they followed the trail over the scene of the Skep-hcrd-Cumin i ngs fight. The wound received hy the former is simply a flesh wound, and is not considered dangerous. He was stopping at the hotel in Short Creek last night, and will be back to Kansas City within a week.THE PURSUIT.A posse of twenty men made up of the ciUens of Short Creek started in pnranit Sunday, and when last heard from were hot upon their trail. Another party of eighteen more started out yesterday and as the whole country is aroused and alive with excitement it is more than probable that the hitherto unreliable, stereotyped phrase, “they will undoubtedly beiptured soon, will at last be found a correct and reliable prophecy.Shepherd reports that when the gang of robbers broke camp on Sunday Jease James had over $9,000 in his possession, and that the complicity of the entire gang in the Glendale train robbery was admitted to him.JESSE JAMES' DEATH.There seems to exist no doubt hut that Jesse James has finally met theiolent death that is almost invariably the fate of men of his class and deed?. It is true that his body has not yet been found and that the whole story rests upon the unsupported testimony of the luuti Shepherd. Inquiry bring# out the statement that lie is not a man given to boasting, and general credence seems to be given to hia story. The grouud in the vicinity of the fight is covered by deserted mining shafts, and it is supposed that Jesse's body has been hastily concealed by his companions in one of these.In the course of several interviews held with various parties from Short Creek, theACTION OF MARSHAL LIBGET was severely condemned, the claim being made that it was through a blunder of his in telegraphing the bank authorities that the scheme was brought to a head prematurely and the capture of the entire gang defeated. It is also claimed that he has been guilty of inaction since he arrived in Short Creek, in nut joining either of the pursuing parties or organizing a posse of his own as soon as the escape became known. These statements do not, however, accord with Mr. Ligget's record here as a public official and his vigilance hitherto in a tireless pursuit for oflenders against the law.Shepherd has a wife and two children residing in this city with Mr. Thoa. Waters, his father-in-law. Ilia wife waa nearly crazed yesterday hy the rumors that ho had been killed, and was not relieved until furnished last night by a Journal reporter with the news of his safety.Chandler would have been an oven greater blow to the Radical party ten months ago than it is now. He wue the chief instrument in bringing Mr. Hayes over to the stalwarts, Though holding that weak and wavering politician in hearty contempt, and keeping aloof from him from 1877 to 1879, the senator made him a kind of companion thereafter, frequently visiting the White House and was the first to announce that a little Radical Iwiek-boite existed in him. Senator Chandler thus received credit with bis party, and his name was mentioned of late with ranch more respect than ever before by Republican papers. He bad even been mentioned by respectable Radicals us a possible candidate for the presidency. He was the embodiment of Northern hate for the South, is clear headed, determined, and tn the ordinary affairs of life nn honest and liberal uuui.The reported reduction of the public debt for October waa over $10,000,-000. A part of this is merely nominal, us under the rule of Secretary Sherman, many obligations heretofore discharged, from month as fhey accrued, are now postponed to the time when congress shall make the necessary appropriations.The number of post offices as shown bv the last rejKirt is nearly 40,000 and the number of persons receiving pay from the post office department is about lf0,fwnR END.
Newspaper Details
Keytesville Chariton Courier
Keytesville, Missouri, US
Sat, Nov 08, 1879
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Joplin P.
MO, USA 20 Sep 2024
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Keytesville Chariton Courier
