The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-07-06

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC
Jesse James's relatives were shocked last
Sunday, when they learned the condition OF
his remains. They were supposed to have
been embalmed and buried in & $500 me-
Sallio casket Even after a lapse OF twenty
years It was believed that the corpse would
be In a fair state OF preservation.
The mystery Of who paid for the coffin
IN which the noted bandit was originally
buried has never been cleared. When Jesse
James was Killed by Bob Ford at s..
JosepA. Me-, April 13, 1852, the body laid
there several days. awaiting the arrival
OF the bandits mother, Mrs. Zerelda
Samuel. who went from the farm near
Aearney to claim It
Before she arrived an undertaken received
an order TO provide q coffin. which would
be OF the best metal used for the purpose.
He declined 70 state from whom the order
came, but the impression was general that
the funds were raised at Jefferson City.
The condition OF the casket last Sunday
indicated that II was Of cheap tin, badly
soldered.
When the picks and shoveis, welded by
. small party Of relatives, on the Samueis
farm, penetrated the soft earth and struck
the ~casEet, anticipation. mingled with
varied emotions, was written upon each
countenance. Young Jesse James. under the
dripping shelter OF a bullet-riddled tree,
stood with his arms folded. How should he
AAA1 LIE LGLAAEts hANEE "EFH4 Ildl1le HA never
knew until after death7
Perhaps at that moment, while the rain
fen in Eweepins gusts. ths grassy hiIlsides
and deep Tavines surrounding the farm
were 1orgotten-blotted out BY the memory
Of days when as a lad OF Z years he had
stood at his fathers knee and heard him
read to his faithful mother newspaper ac-
counts OF Jesse James. Little Jesse then
bore his fathers sssumeG name, Howard.
and was known as Tim" He did not
then realize the significance OF his fathers
frequent absence from home or the alert
ness ever prevailing in that home. Nor did
he appreciate the full purport OF a brace
Of pistols, which lay constantly in reach,
no matter where his father moved.
ZIP POLLARD LOCATED HOLE
MADE BY FORD'S BULLET.
Now he was to see bis father es the world
had known him. provided the undertakers'
art had been fairly successful. Childhood
impressions were TO give place TO a mental
imprint from glRncinE at the corpse In no
other way has It been possible for young
Jesse 70 form q mature idea Of how his
father looked at the time OF his noted ex-
ploits, for Jesse James. after he was %
years old. never had q photograph taken.
Out OF the grave, seven feet deep. Zip
Pollard, one Of the diggers. called to young
lesser
send The boy to the side and we win
lift # up"
Through the drenchtnE rain the small
group Of byssanders moved to the open
place. while Pollard end Zach Lanoon. both
ooyhood friends OF the bandit, began to
raise the moldy, rr~st-covered casket. When
near the surface the bottom Ct the coffin
fell cut
The remains dropped With the excelsior
bed back into the grave. and the skull
rolled TO one side Young Jesse turned his
face away for a moment, then gave direc-
lions TO throw out the top and sides Of the
s This was done. Pollard picked up
the skull and placed IL again in the collar
Of fhe black broadcloth suit which ep-
peaTed bright and glossy, and In strange