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Jesse James, Outlaw, Was Slain Fifty-two Years Ago This WeekCompiled by State Historical SocietyFloyd C. Shoemaker, Seeretaiy.And tfcey laid Jes®« James in hi«grave.’*As violent and spectacular as had been his fifteen years of outlawry, was the death of Jesse James on April 3, 1882, the news of which flashed to an incredulous America in I from St. Joseph, Missouri, fifty-iod two years ago this week. A singlearySe-talhy-*heeetLndloteet,ndin 1002 he was re-buried in a cemetery at Kearney beside his wife. He always justified his career of outlawry on the grounds that he was driven to it because of persecutions during and after the Civil war.HOLD DR. EDWARDS ON CHECK CHARGEshot from the piBtol of a member of his own gang closed the career of the most notorious outlaw in Missouri history, and provided St. Joseph with perhaps the greatest news event in her annals.Unrecognized, the blue-eyed, slender, bearded, mild-mannered outlaw had been living quietly in St. Joseph with his wife and two children for nearly five months under the name of Thomas Howard. Since July 28, 1881, a reward of $10,000 had been offered for his arrest, delivery and conviction. With him were two brothers, Charles and Robert Ford, recent additions to his gang.The scene of the outlaw’s death was a small house at Thirteenth and Lafayette streets. Early that morning Jesse James and the Fords had been to the stable currying their horses. On returning to the house sometime between 8 and 9 o’clock, the noted outlaw took off his coat and vest because of the warm weather. His belt and two pistols were also removed for fear someone passing by might see the weapons. Picking up a duster, he stepped up on a chair to clean some pictures, turning his back to the Ford brothers.Seeing the notorious outlaw unarmed, the two Fords quickly drew their guns, but Robert was the quicker. With the muzzle of his gun scarcely four feet from Jesse James’ head, he pulled the trigger, and a bullet crashed through the outlaw’s head. There was no outcry. The notorious bandit swayed and fell heavily to the floor. Mrs. James rushed into the room from the adoining kitchen, and as she spoke to him, the outlaw seemed to want to say something to her, but a moment later he died in her arms.After the murder, the Ford brothers surrendered to police officials. Meanwhile excitement in the city grew rapidly and throughout Ameri-oa the news created great interest. Although there was general satisfaction that the career of the notorious outlaw had been ended, the manner in which his death was affected was widely criticized. The Fords were accused of killing the bandit for the large reward offered, with the encouragement of public officials.The death of Jeese James ended aremarkable career of crime and broke up the James gang. Jesse, the recognized leader, was born September 5, 1847, at Centerville, now Kearney, m Clay County. During the Civil War, with his elder brother, Alexander Franklin James, commonly called Frank, Jesse served with the notorious Confederate guerilla, William Clarke Quantrill. For a year after the war, while Jesse recovered from severe wounds, both James boys were apparently law-abiding, but in 1866, with Coleman Younger, they formed a gang that became the terror of a large area of the middle west. The gang at first specialized in bank robberies, but in 1873 they inaugurated the innovation of train robberies. For ten years their operations were successful, but disaster came on September 7, 1876, in an attempted robbery of a bank at Northfield, Minnesota., Of the eight men in that attempt, three were killed, three were shot and captured, and only Frank and Jesse James escaped.After a retirement of about three years, the James brothers with a new following robbed a train in 1879 and two more in 1881. But public opinion, which had previously tolerated, if not approved, of their actions, now changed. Arrests and deaths thinned the ranks of the gang, but the two James boys re-1 mained at large. It was the need of of new recruits that led Jesse to take the Ford brothers into his confidence shortly before his treacherous assassination. In their expectation of achieving popularity by killing Jesse James, the Ford brothers failed. They were tried for murder, although the governor of Missouri immediately pardoned them. Fur-Dr. A. Pace EdWarde, arrested on a charge of forgery, was bound over to the action of the criminal court Wednesday by Justice of the Peace W. R. Large following a preliminary hearing. Edwards, unable to furnish a $1,500 bond, was committed to the county jail.Dr. Edwards was charged on two counts, the first with uttering a forged check and the second count with passing a forged check to Tom Bresse in the amount of $25.U was stated in the hearing that the check carried the name of Gaylord Neff written on the First National Bank of Dodge City, Kas. and was passed by Dr. Edwards Dr. Edwards was given credit for $10 which he owed and received in change $12, the remaining three dollars to be paid to Jack Mullaley for meals received at the place.Dr. Edwards said Wednesday that Neff had made the check good and he, Dr. Edwards, had the money.Two other charges against Dr. Edwards, o*e for driving a car while intoxicated and the other for petit larceny, were dismissed after a statement was made in the court that the complaining witness, Noel Maness, a taxi driver, had stated that he saw Dr. Edwards driving in Benton county and that a gun which Mr. Maness reported stolen was taken before he reached Pettis county.SURPRISE FORWILLIAM CLOSSERWilliam dosser was pleasantly surprised Sunday when neighbors, relatives and friends met at his home to assist in the celebration of his 86th birthday anniversary. Dinner was served at the noon hour and the following were present and contributed to the dinner:Mr. and Mrs. Greer, Reuben Cran-field, Mr. and Mrs. Will Thierfield-er and family, Jim Cranfield, Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Hall and family, Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Glenn and son Kenneth Glenn, Mr. and Mrs. Russell Bransetter, Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Scott, Sam Scott, Fern Scott, Tom Rector, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Hammock, John Beaman, Dick Beaman, George, Harold, Norma and Robert Cooper, Roy Hammock, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Miller and family, Ruby, George and Mary Ross, Jess Closser, Jeff Closser and Ethan Closser, Frieda and Marsh Hall, Wilma Gillmore, C. A. Higdon, Jr.. Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Parker and family and Mr. and Mrs. Walter Smethers and family of Sedalia.In the afternoon conversation was enjoyed.DEATH OF MRS. PFIFER AT WINDSORLola Dora Morgan Pfifer, daughter of Will and Emma Morgan, born at Green Ridge, Missouri April 22, 1907, died at Windsor Saturday. She would have been 27 years old this month. She was reared in Benton County near Union Community, and joined the church at the age of fourteen.She was married to Ewing Pfifer on February 11, 1933.She is survived by her husband, Mr. Ewing Pfifer, her mother, Mrs. Emma Morgan, four brothers, Herbert, Edward, Emmett and Arvii.Funeral services were held from the Baptist church in Windsor, Monday April 2nd with her pastor, Rev. Geo. Humphrey in charge. Interment was in Laurel Oak cemetery under the direction of Ellis Huston.The pall bearers, Mrs. Cleo Ferguson, Mrs. Raymond Smart, Mrs. Woodie Edmondson, Juanita Butcher, Mrs. Melvin Owens and Mrs. Clayton Miller.MISS DOROTHY REAMWEDS DAVE J. DRI8KELLThe marriage of Mi6« DorothyReam, of Chillicothe, Mo., and Dave thermore, only a small part of the J J. Driskell, of Sedalia, the latter I $10,000 reward ever reached their j employed at the Bothwell hotel was hands, and both men met tragic j celebrated at the home of the ends. Frank James surrendered to J bride’s sister, Mrs. Mildred Mills, at Governor T. T. Crittenden of Mis-1 Kingston, Mo., at 3 o’clock Tuesday souri on October 5, 1882. He was j afternoon. The couple were accom-tried at Gallatin for murder in»panied to Kingston by Forrest August, 1883, and acquitted, and the | Yoden of this city, next year was acquitted on charges They will make their horns at of robbery at Huntsvile, Ala. j 423 East Seventh street.Other charges against him were | —-dropped because of lack of evi- Just a Cut-Updence. His later life was in all Insurance Man—“Have you everLoisp€MilMnrespects honorable, and he died had appendicitis?'* near Kearney in 1915. Prospect—“Well, I was operatedJesse James was first buried on on one time, but I have never been the homestead of his mother, Mrs. i quite sure whether it was appendi-Zfrplda Samuels near Kearney, but citia or lust vulgar curiosity.”ShipasedFpio:visiandTTult;tickcauficema]firsmaisestE.meielecScoWilThi:firsi
Newspaper Details
Sedalia Democrat
Sedalia, Missouri, US
Fri, Apr 06, 1934
Page 13
Full Page
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Joplin P.
MO, USA 03 Sep 2024
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