FEW QUANTRELL'S MEN THERE.
Former Guerrillas Are More Inter-
ested in the Crop Prospects.
Only twenty-five men responded yesterday morning at the roll call of the Quantrell guerrillas, now in reunion in Independence. Cole Younger was not present, being on a lecture tour, the subject of his lecture being "Keep Straight." Frank James, another noted guerrilla, is down in Oklahoma in the Big Pasture, farming, and did not have time to attend. James has not attended any of the reunions since his noted speech made in the Independence court house yard, in which he declared that his friends were in the North and that he was never turned down except by those of the Southland.
The headquarters of the reunion were in the Brown building, North Main street. Here the scattered membership met and registered and it was here that it was noted that among the absent ones were John C. Hope, ex-sheriff of Jackson county, and Cyrus Flannery Wolf of Bates county, both having died within the past year. Captain Benjamin Morrow was present, Lieutenant Levi Potts of Grain Valley and Warren Welch were busy among the veteran guerrillas. Captain Gregg, who has been in about as many tight places as the next guerrilla who followed Quantrell, was present with his family. Also Dr. L. C. Miller of Knobnoster.
There was no formality about the reunion. "They just met and that was all there was to it," was the way one of them expressed himself. Some of those from Kansas City and nearby points brought well-filled dinner baskets, but the greater portion of those present had to go to restaurants. It was a day of reminiscent stories for the guerrillas and the oft repeated stories of the civil war were gone over and over again. Gabe Parr, who as a boy shot his way to freedom, yet lives, and others with equally hair raising stories were present and passed the day, telling of the yesterdays of their early manhood. The thing that interested these men most was the state of the crops.
The veterans will hold another session today and adjourn, in all probability to meet in Independence next year.
