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Show 11 " wherever he may go, despite the -fact that he; has for"many years been a law-abiding citizen in good standing in the community in which he has resided. .There is a healthy sentiment against men of his type appearing on the. stage after escaping the meshes of the law, but Mr. James has lived down his, as far as it has been possible to do so, and no one can seriously criticise him for earning an honest livelihood behind the footlights. - (Frank Jie&qj on tht Stage. Ex-bandits on the stage are a novelty. Pugilists there are galore marching up and down the mimic ' stage, anon issuing challenges to prove their supe- riority over other men in their particular class, main-lj main-lj for the purpose of keeping their names in print. This stunt Would hardly befit a bandit, so he must rppear as one whose "occupation's gone." So it is with Frank James, reputed bank and train robber and . desperado in general, who is booked to appear for. a season at a local theater. Although for many years Mr. James has been a quiet, self-respecting citizen, he was once the central cen-tral figure in one of the most noted gang of desperadoes despe-radoes that has figured in history since the days of Robin Hood.; x ' It will be remembered that after a series of exploits,' ex-ploits,' that for a century to come will furnish blood and thunder pabulum for dimenovel reading youth, the gang was finally destroyed as the result of a raid upon a bank in Northfield, Minn. x While a number was killed, the Younger brothers broth-ers were taken captive and imprisoned for life, Frank James, and his brother, Jesse, alone escaping. escap-ing. Jesse was subsequently shot through the treachery treach-ery of Bob Ford in St. Joseph, MoJ, whTTe Frank James, after considerable work on the part of his . friends, consented to surrender to then Gov.' Thomas Crittenden of Missouri. He was promised a fair trial by a "jury of his peers," which resulted in" his acquittal. Afterward he settled down to the quiet life of an ordinary citizen. ; Not long since "Cole Younger and his only surviving sur-viving brother were released fpm-the Minnesota penitentiary on parole, Cole returning to Missouri and settling down, his brother having committed suicide shortly, after his release. V Notwithstanding the career of the James "boys," the leaders of their organization have had the gravity grav-ity o their offenses measurably toned down siifce the public has learned to realize the conditions under un-der w-hich their criminal career began. They returned re-turned from service in the Confederate army at the , close of the Rebellion only to find themselves the victims of a most cruel persecution, being practically forced to resort to outlawry in self-defense, until it finally became a vocation, more or less profitable1 up ' to its tragic termination in Minnesota. Under these circumstances Frank James, who, with the exception of Cole Younger, is the'sole sur-" sur-" viving member of the most desperate gang of outlaws out-laws of modtrn times, will excite n;o little interest |