A contradiction

Special to the Republican

Hannibal, Mo., July 21. A the statement which has been going rounds of the press since the train robbery at Winston, that Frank James shot conductor Westfall because he was conductor of the train that carried Pinkerton’s party of detectives to the house of the mother of James several years ago, is declared by Mr. Richard Packham of this city, who claims to be acquainted with the circumstances of the case to be erroneous.

Mr. Packham says that Westfall was not conductor of the train, and that the man who was is still living and in another state. When asked to give his nane, Packham declined, giving as a reason that the James boys had vowed to take the life whoever he was, and that divulgence of his name would be only the means of the man sooner meeting his which he (Packham) thinks will inevitable overtake him.

—————-
The Gallatin Democrat, August 6, 1881, Page 2. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gallatin-democrat-winston-train-robb/199837161/ : accessed June 19, 2026), clip page for Winston train robbery – Rumors 2 by user darryl_gpc54