on the 26th of september, 1872, the people of kansas city had an opportunity for considering the cunning and bravery of the james boys, from immediate circumstances which suddenly involved the city in a furore of excitement. it was on thursday,[pg 55] the "big day" of the kansas city exposition, when nearly thirty thousand visitors were assembled to see the races, and particularly to witness ethan allen trot in harness against a running mate. the crowd was immense and of course the gate receipts were correspondingly large. about four o'clock in the afternoon mr. hall, the secretary and treasurer of the association, counted up the receipts of the day, which were nearly ten thousand dollars, and placing the money in a tin box kept for the purpose, he told one of his assistants to take it to the first national bank where, although it was after banking hours, arrangements had been made to make the deposit. no thought was entertained that any attempt would be made to steal the cash-box while so many people were constantly on the highway leading to the city, and the young man started off whistling gaily, carrying the treasure box by a wire handle in his right hand. as he reached the entrance gate, where more than a dozen persons were coming in and going out, three men on horseback (jesse and frank james and bob younger) dashed up to the young man with such reckless haste that a little girl was badly trampled by one of the horses; at the same moment a pistol shot was fired and jesse james jumped from his horse into the confused crowd and snatching the cash-box from the hand of the affrighted messenger, he leaped into the saddle again and the three highwaymen disappeared, with a [pg 56]clatter of fast-flying feet, like the sweep of a whirlwind. for several minutes it was thought that the little girl had been struck by a pistol ball, but after she was carried home it was ascertained that her injuries, which were not fatal, were caused by the horse of one of the robbers knocking her down and trampling upon her hips.

the news of the robbery spread over the city in a few minutes, and marshal shepherd sent out some of his detectives, while several gentlemen mounted fleet horses and used every possible endeavor to capture the robbers. the trail led over the hills east of kansas city and about ten miles into jackson county, where every trace was suddenly blotted out. the outlaws had reached their favorite haunt where no pursuer had ever been able to find them. the writer was a reporter on the kansas city journal at the time of the robbery and reported the details as here related.