Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-07-14
JESSE
JAMES
JUNIOR

Jesse James, son of Jesse James,
the Missouri outlaw, is now full
fledged lawyer. Last week he passed
a successful examination before the
state board of examiners of Missouri.
iand was enrolled in the courts of this
state as an attorney In class of 81
James stood first. His average in all
branches was 81 per cent. Henry d.
Ashley, chairman of the board of ex.
aminers, said after the examination
that James has the brightest legal
mind of any young man who had ever
appeared before the board.
| Jesse James is self made man.
He was handicapped as few boys are.
The SON of an outlaw, he became
fatherless at 6 years of age. without
money and with bad name to live
down. Soon after the burial of his
father, his mother anne to Kansas
Citk and made IA living for herself and
her two children by sewing. Jesse
went to school until he was IL years
ODD when he decided that he was old
enough to work for his mother. One
Sunday he saw the following adver-
tis@nent in q newspaper:
"WANTED-Am office boy j. T.
Oritteuden Jr'
Jesse answered the advertisement
the NEXT morning Twenty other boys
answered it, too, and Jesse was the
youngest of them all. Mr.. Crittenden
at his desk looked over the crowd of
boys and beckoned to the smallest
of Them
"What do you wish, my boy'" he
asked.
CT want to be your Office boy"
"Whau is your name'"
"Jesse James, Jr."
4 Mr.. Crtteuden was surprised. He
was the son of r. T. Crittenden. Sr.,
who, as governol' of Missouri, had Of
fere,l reward of $50 900 for the cap
ture, dea | or alive, of the outlaw,
Jesse James. To get this rewarA
"Charley" and "Bob' Ford killed
Jesse JameS And now, here was the
son of the dead bandit asking work of
the son of the governd,. Crittenden
hirdd the boz and he testifies that he
was faithful.
: A few yeas later Jesse went to
work ia Armour's packing house as u
clerk. He studded at home. His
mother was his teacher. After a few
years he opened cigar stand in the
county c urt house. He wrote book
, in defense of his father and had it
published 1t sold well. When he was
81 years old he had 800 in the bank
anil owned a cottage in which his
mother and sisteu lived. Then he
opened cigar store in the business
center of Kansas City.
At this period in his life, when he
was on the road TO prosperity. and to
an honored manhood, he was arrested
for the crime of train robbery. 1t
was charged that he, with accom-
plices had he'll up Missouri Pacific
train and robbed the safe in the ex-
pres car of $4,000. 1t was a dra-
matte train robbery, as much 80 as
was any of the robberies of a similar
nature which had made his father 8
name notorious throughout the world.
He was tried, was ably prosecuted
and was acquitted
But the criminal charge against
him was a serious setback 10 his hopes
ami ambitions. 1t had taken all Of
his savings to hire lawyers to defend
hims6lf- and the worry had caused
his mothers health to fail. Soon after
terwards she died
jesse worked harder than ever AT
his business. He had chance TO sell
out anal he did so at a good profit
Then he opendd a pawn shop, and
about the same time he married. But
he wished TO be a lawyer and 80 went
!. TO the night sessions of the law school
here. and all day long he sat In his
pawnshop noading law. He gradu-
ated with highest honors, his preeep-
tors complimenting him. Then he
passed the states legal examination.
James lais sobl out his pawnshop
and .openad law office. In the hrs'o
aaaa IN which ka aDDeared In court in