Jesse James Meets His Death

Between 8 and 9 o'clock on Moaday morning, Jesse James, the Missouri outlaw, carne to his death at the hand of a young man named Robert Ford, at St. Joseph, Mo. Ford had been an accomplioe oí James since November last, and had his conlidence, and the killing i3 supposed to have been premeditated and planned by Ford and his brother Charles, to get the reward of $50,000, oöered for the brigand, dead or alive. James and his family had been living at Kansas City some months, but fearing they were suspecued, came to St. Joseph iu November, accompanied by Ford. They had discussed plans for robbing the bank at Platte City, and üxed on Monday uight, April 3d, for that purpose, the Fords meanwhile watching their opportunity to take James' life, but he was heavily armed and they found it difiicult to draw a weapon without his seeing it. The account proceeds, under dispatch of April 3rd: The opportunity they had long wished for camo this morping. Breakfast was over, Charley Ford and Jesse James had been in the stablo currying the horses preparatory to their night ride. On returning to the room where Robert Ford was, Jesse said, "It's an awfully hot day." He pulled off his coat and vest and tossed them 011 the bed. Then he said, "I guess 111 take off my pistola for fear somebody wiü see them if 1 walk in the yard." He unbuckled the belt in vvhich he carried two 45-calibve revolverá, one a Smith & Wesson and the other a Colt, and laid them on the bed with his coat and vest. He then picked up a dusting brush with the intention of dusting 8ome pictures vvhich hung on the wall. To do tfals he got on a chair. His back was now tui ned to the brothers, who silently stepped between Jesse and his revolvers, and at a motion from Chariey took down tlieir guns. Robert was the quickest of the two. In one motion he had the long weapon to a le vel with his eye with the Jmazzle no more than four feet from the back of the outlaw's head. Even in that motion quick as thought there was something whicl did not escape the acute ears of the hunted man. He made a motion as i to turn his head to aacertain the cause of that suspicious sound, but too late. A nervous pressure on the trigger, a quick flash, a sharp report aud the well directed ball crashed through the out law's skull. There was no outcry, jus a swaying of the body and it feil heav ily back upon the carpeted floor. Th shot had been fatal and all the bullet in the chambers of Charley's revolve still directed at Jesse's head could no more eftectually have deeided the fat of the greatest bandit and freeboote that ever flgured in the pages of th country's history. The ball had entere the base of the skull and made its wa out through the forehead over the lei eye. It had been flred out of a Colt' 45, improved pattern, silver mountec and pearl handled, presented by th dead man to his slayer only a few day ago. Mrs. James was in the kitche when the shooting was done, divide f rom the room in which the blood tragedy occurred by the dining roon She heard the shot and dropping he household duties ran into the fron room. She saw her husband lying o his back and his slayers each holdin his revolver in his hand, making f o the f ence in the rear of the house. Eob ert had reached the enclosure and wa in the act of scaling it when she step ped to the door and called to him "Robert, you have done this; com back." Robert answered, "1 swear t God I did not." They then returnec to where she stood. Mrs. James ra to the side of her husband and lifted u his head. Life was not yet extinc and when she asked him if he was hur it seemed to her that he wanted to sa; something but could not. She tried t wash away the blood that was coursin over his face from the hole in the fore head, but it seemed to her "that th blood would come f aster than she couk wash it away," and in her hands Jess James died. Charles Ford explainec to Mrs. James that "a pistol had ace: dentallygone off." "Yes," said Mrs James, "Iguessit went off on purpose, and meanwhile Charley had gone bac into the house and brought out tw hats, and the two boys left the house They went to the telegraph office anc sent a message to Sheriff Timberlak of Clay county, to Governor Crittende and other officers and then surrendera themselves to Marshal Craig. Gov. Crittenden says the result wa an understanding bet ween Ford, wh killed him, and Dick Little, who sur rendered to the Sheriff at the same tim Ford did. Ford was to receive one fourth of the reward and immuniti The coroner's jury returned a verdic of murder in the first degree agains Ford, and the authorities of Buchanan county ref use to give him up. Mrs. Samuels, methei' of the dea outlaw, arrived at the scène on Tues day morning from her home in Cla; county. She is a large woman, 5 years old. black hair, well sprinkle with gray. She was ineredulous upon her arrival about the dead man bein her son Jesse, and was not f ully coe vineed until she was driven to his lat residenee, where she met the widow who embraced the old lady and bott manifested great emotion. Mrs. Sam uels, accompanied by Mis. James and her children, were driven to the under taker's where they viewed the body o James, and the scène was very affecting, the mother, wife and children all joining in lamentations. Mrs. Samuels said the body was that of her son, and in great emotiou exclaimed: "Would to God it was not."