Outlaws
Jesse James and his family were on the run when they rented a house in St. Joseph to hide. Robert Ford was one of the only people James trusted, but unbeknownst to James, Ford had been communicating with Missouri governor Thomas Crittenden behind James’ back. He was going to help capture the fugitive during a …
He may have been an outlaw, but that didn’t stop Jesse James from being a good friend. At the height of his infamy, James disguised himself so he could be a pallbearer at the funeral of his good friend John Sallee, Jr. James would evade capture and live for nearly another 5 years, dying at …
In the stories told about them during their careers the Youngers were often cast in the classic Robin Hood mold. It was an image they worked hard to cultivate, but it was only half true. They did steal from the rich but, as biographer T.J. Stiles wrote, “There is no evidence that they did anything with their loot except spend it on themselves.”
After having robbed dozens of banks and trains over nearly two decades, Frank James finally turned himself in October, 1882. His trial began in Gallatin on today’s date. It was held in the city opera house in order to accommodate the crowds of spectators. Read what he did after the trial in Tales from Missouri and the Heartland.