Newspaper Clipping    Not Jim Cummings

Submitted by:  Mollie Stehno    shoop@orcacom.net

http://files.usgwarchives.net/ok/law/newspapers/njc.txt
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NOT JIM CUMMINGS

August 15, 1895
The McAlester Capital

Frank James does not believe that his old friend and pal, Jim Cummings,
was shot at Telluride, Col., last Tuesday.

"It's a thousand to one shot," said James to a Republic reporter yesterday,
"that the City Marshal of Telluride, Jas. Clark, was not Jim Cummings.  He 
may have been some Missouri Cummings, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't Jim.  
That man had too much sense to be City Marshal of any town.  He couldn't 
possible have escaped recognition, out in that country because it is full 
of people who knew him in the old days and wouldn't hesitate to give him up 
in the hope of securing a reward.  If I remember rightly there are a number 
of indictments hanging over Cummings."

Jim Cummings was born in Clay County, Missouri, 54 years ago, with in three 
miles of the home of the James boys.  Frank and Jesse James, Cummings, the 
Youngers and others of the band that became famous for its daring robberies 
in later years were boys and playmates together.  When the war came on they 
espoused the cause of the Confederacy, and all enlisted in the company that 
was raised in Clay County and the adjoining country by the notorious Quantrell.
Cummings served through the war with Quantrell's raiders.

Shortly after the war Cummings was suspected of having robbed a bank at Liberty,
but nothing could be prove against him.  Later he was arrested for stealing 
horses, gave bond and jumped the bond.  Then he joined the James boys and the
Youngers, and was with them in nearly all their big jobs.  When Cole and Jim 
Younger conceived the idea of go8ing up to Northfield, Minn., to rob the bank 
there, Cummings opposed the project strenuously, but the sentiment of the gang
was in favor of it, and the attempt was made with disastrous results that are 
a matter of history.  Cummings refused to accompany the party.

When the James boys came back to Missouri after their awful fight and narrow 
escape from the Minnesota mob, Cummings joined the gang again.  In 1879 or 
thereabouts, he, in company with Jesse James, Tucker Basham, Will Ryan and 
others, held up a Chicago and Alton train and furnished material for the 
history of the famous Glendale robbery.  Shortly after this Cummings rode 
into Independence on horseback and consulted an attorney concerning his 
chances of getting clear of the charge or robbing the train, if he 
surrendered.  The attorney assured him that conviction was certain.

"Well, then," said Jim, "I'll leave the country."

He walked downstairs leisurely from the lawyer's office, mounted his horse
and rode away.  Since that time Jim Cummings has not been seen in Missouri.

Frank James thoughtfully spat on the ground yesterday and remarked, 
quietly:  "That couldn't have been Jim.  You see, Jim was one of those men
that won't let nobody shoot him."