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When I Was A BoyThe Jesse James Gang Was Reaching Its ZenithBy .lark Blanton(In The Glob eDemocrat)When I was a boy the James gang was reaching the zenith of its activities in Missouri, and elsewhere. Bankers and operators of passenger trains lived in constant dread of raids, like the spectacular ones those bandits occasionally staged.I recall very well the sensational news that Jesse James had been , assassinated at his home in St Joseph, and the indignation most everybody voiced against Bob Ford, the gang member who shot him. Our local photographer, James T. Moss, hurried to St. Joseph and managed to get a pic ture of Jesse in his coffin. Copies of this photograph sold like hot cakes to Monroe County people. Most of them were voilently pro Southern, and of the opinion that Jesse and Frank had been driven to banditry by Northerners who persecuted them because they fought for the Confederacy.My mother, however, wasted no sympathy on them. This was because the James boys. together with the Youngers and Quantril. took possession of her father’: farm home during the war, and forced the women and their Negro slaves to cook everything in sight for them. They ate heartily at noon, then carried off additional supplie: ol food that hud been cooked on their orders. The farm was near the Howard and Boone County! b irders, and this incident was just before the terrible events which happened at Centrnlia and near Sturgeon, 25 miles from Paris.A BLOODY BATTL1At Centralia, a lot of Union soldiers were taken from a train and shot to death. In an effort to avenge that tragedy, Major..1 ihnson led 40(1 Union troops out of Paris, contacting the James I g ng near Sturgeon. In the battle I v tiich followed 380 ol Johnson'.,4 -0 men were killed. A monument .o their memory stands in the Na-t onal Cemetery in Jefferson City.I belivee the name of every victim l inscribed upon it. Southerner.\ ere thrilled as descriptions of tin*1 attic came in The James gang attacked in line Western film thul-1 t style, dashing forward at top speed on then hoi es. with bridle t enehed in their teeth and pistol I i i each hand. The Union force w | annihilated be fore it could get i into action.The death ot Jesst J. mes soon j ’as followed by the surrender of 1 is brother and partner in crime.Frank James. The surrender was negotiated by Gov. Morehouse. The first the public knew about it was when the desperado walked into the Governor’s office at Jefferson City, unbuckled the belt from which two big revolvers hung, laid the belt and weapons upon the desk, and received a hearty handshake from Morehouse. He later was tried in a court of justice. The trial, however, was a mere formality because the state was unable to put upon the witness stand anybody who really knew anything that could be used as a basis for conviction. Following his acquittal, Frank James starred at a number of county fairs, ostensibly as an employe but in reality as a box office attraction. Until the novelty wore off, tremendous crowds turned out.Civil war sentiments were still running high when news of Jesse James’ assassination spread over Missouri. In the southern counties there was much indignation. In the northern counties there was much rejoicing. Immediately, myths a-bout the bandit’s herosim and benefactions gained wide circulation. In due time, the general pub-i lie came to believe that the robberies he committed were for thlt;‘ purpose of getting money for distribution to the poor. Gradually, a new generation which was neither northern nor southern came upon the Missouri scene. Like all ether generations, it was disposed to exalt a dead man’s virtues and forget his failings. In due time. Jt.se Janies became a second Kobin Hood. Today, one of the biggest attractions motion picture producers put out is one which depicts Jesse James as a reckless, fast shooting, generous daredevil who robs the rich in order to get money tor the poor. A picture of this type comes out every year or two. Theatrical box offices fatten on them.MUSICAL PKA1SLImmediately after Jesse’s assassination people everywhere were singing the lines or humming the tune ot a song which praised his virtues and expressed contempt for Lob Ford, the pre-NOTICETo the members of the Association ofMISSOURI DELTA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL You are hereby notified that, pursuant to the provisions of the bylaws, the annual meeting of the members of this association for the election of seven Directors to fill the vacancies caused by I the expiration lt;f the term of of-| tended friend who shot him down. 1 I The song still persists. Only a few ] evenings ago 1 heard it over the ] radio. The chorus was something i like this.“Jesse had a wife, a mourner i1 all her life.Children they were brave.‘Twas a dirty little coward that !shot Mr. Howard And laid Jesse James in his : grave.” 1The Mr. Howard mentioned in 1 that chorus was none other than * Jesse. It was the name by which ' he was known to everybody except his intimates. While at home in St. Joseph one day, Jesse laid his pistols aside, mounted a chair ] and set about the task of adjusting | a large picture to a better position. ! His guest and companion, Bob f Ford, seized upon this opportunity . to earn the $10,000 reward that ; had been offered for Jesse James. 1- - ■ ] * FOR RENT— IFOR RENT—Four unfurnished 1rooms and bath, one block from *Post Office, 122 North St. Phone * 301 or 644-M. (19-tf-3-5) *FOR RENT—Two unfurnished jrooms, private bath, hot water, ^ adults, reasonable. Phone 032-R(13-3-3-5) i'•( m REN F House. PI i 55, J Walker’s Grocery. (7-tf-3-5)FOR RENT Furnished apartment, adults only. 241 E. 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Newspaper Details
Sikeston Daily Standard
Sikeston, Missouri, US
Mon, Mar 05, 1951
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Joplin P.
MO, USA 12 Sep 2024
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