St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-10-05
JESSE JAM E SON.
Unknown to Gov. Crft6snden EEe Eas
Given Rmploy nent..

UnkHownt to GOV. Ssrsg6sndeh KAe sN -
Given RmPloy aegat.
ssThere was curious little page in
the history Of Jesse james, or rather
that Of his family, said Representa-
tive. Hall, of Missouri, recently
(which was never written. Gov. Crit
tenden, now consul general to Mex
leo, was, as you recollect the chief ex-
ecutive of Missouri at the time the re-
doubtable Jesse James was killed
Bob Ford, who shot Jesse and after
ward pleaded guilty to d charge OF
murder III the first degree, and was
sentenced to be hanged by the st. Joe
court, was Immediately pardoned by
Gov. Crittenden.
This, of course, was an agreement
made long before to cover just such q
contingency, and excited neither sur
prise nor comment at the time. Why
did Ford plead guilty? Because he
wanted a record OF once Id jeopardy
as d bar to any future indic6ment
which might have been preferred after
Crittenden had ceased to be governors
and when a chief executive might NOT
have been so prompt with his pardon
But abonD the curious page in the
James history to which ! referred
Jesse James had a son about thirteen
wears old. After Crittenden had ceased
10 be governor, he opened law Offices
FIN Kansas city. After organizing for
business he needed an Office boy, and
put an advertisement in one OF the
local papers In response we'll
dressed, handsome, very Intelligent
| boy put Id an appearances. There mad
been score of responses, but Gov.
| Crittenden was very much attracted to
this particular boy--he seemed SO
quick md bright and frank. Alter
| talking with him bit, Gov. Critten-
den decided to employ him The boy
said he lived on Seventeenth street IN
Kansas City with his mother, who was
d widow.
| assWhat Is your name2 said Gov.
Crittenden
/ James, replied the boy.
AT this point somebody came IN to
distract Crittendenss attention, and he
simply adopted the boy into his busir
ness without further inquiry. The boy
turned out to be, q very energetic and
/ valuable youth, and the governor was
delighted with his choice. He sup
posed all the time that the name
/ James given him by the boy vas his
arst name. At the end OF week Gov.
i Crittenden. had occasion to draw o
check for his Office boys salary.
.'sWhat did you say your name vyasY
asked Gov Crittenden, as he dipped his
pen in the ink bottle. s
James. replied the boy.
is that your last nane@ inquired
crittenden.
Yes.
sssWeil. what Is. your first name,
then2 asked the governor, some hat
fsurprised
Jesse, answered the boy. My
name is Jesse James,
Il .sTo say that Crittenden was aston
4 ished would be a mild way to tell it.
i He began an inquiry into his Office
4 boys antecedents, which developed the
i tact that he was the oldest son Of the
i dead OUTLAW, and bore his fathers
q name No, there was no plot IN it.
8. The whole thing was one Of those accl-
y dents which now and then aabonish
Il men. 1t did seem strange that the
Ioface boy whom Crittenden selected,
d as ii were, In the dark, should be the
son lot that celebrated robber whose
bloody taking of the energy of Crit
!. tenden had brought about. No, Crit
'fE tenden didn't keep the boy, but he did
. ! what was better still He hunted him
up situation where he got 2 better
chance to expand and received tsgics as
nuch salary. Washingts ton Star.