Gilpin observer., 1911-02-09
CONDUCTED osseouiEs
OVER JESSE JAMES
Rev. J. M. p. Martin Relates Inter-
esting History Of Famous
Missouri Desparado.
Grand Junction sentinel.)

NAoAceso wv, NAO.p III i uc ocuCu0l u
few days ago, announced the divorce
granted the wife Of Jesse James, Jr.,
from her husband. Many people Of
this community may not be familiar
with the fact that the funeral SER
vices over the remains of the cele-
brated bandit father Of young James
were conducted by local PASTOR
Rev. ]. M. P. Martin, pastor Of the
Pear Park Baptist church, was, at
the time of the end of the career of
the James boys, occupying his first
pastorate in the little town of Kearn-
ey. Mo-. which was the postoffice
address OF the James family.
Rev. Martin. referring to the mat
ter when approached by a Sentinel
reporter this morning, told much of
the early history of the famous Miss
ouri desparadoes, of which SO much
has been written and SO little truth
fully chronicled.
1.-THE James boys, Frank and Jesse,
were about II or IS when the war
broke out" said Mr.. Martin, land
from popular repute were little better
or worse than the average country
boys Of their time However, they
Joined the guerilla band under the
leadership OF Quintrell and during the
troublous times Of the Civil war they
were. mixed up in the unwarranted
brutalities and law-breaking esca-
pades of that gang of bushwhackers.
They became adopts in the art OF
DISCUSSES and the majority of their
old neighbors wouldn't have known
either of them had they met them
in the road. Their deeds of outlawry
became SO bold and successful that
they gradually bred a wholesome
spirit Of fear among the residents of
the section where they committed
their robberies and murders, includ-
ing their former home
Mr.. Martin declares that a great
error has been made in supposing
that his former neighbors upheld
Jesse James and his brother in their
lawless work. On the other hand,
they were disguised as any citizens
but were naturally in consid cradle
dread Of the bandits. Their mother
was a woman who probably had much
to do with molding the characters Of
her boys. according to Rev. Martin.
Her character became SO shady that
!, her husband. himself a Baptist min
lister had to leave her and that neigh
borhood and sought surroundings
more compatible with his ministerial
work in California. Mrs. James mar
ried a man named Samuels who lack
ed any force Of character and was
simply a chore boy about his wife's
place. Mrs. Samuels upheld her sons
in their work and was. indeed. able
to secure almost anything at her bid
ding under threat OF having her much
feared sons set upon her enemies.
Rev. Martin cited instances where
Mrs. Samuels had boarded a train at
hearney for st. Joseph and when the
conductor asked for her fare she re-
fused and when he became insistent
announced her maternal relations
with the James boys and thr oa.ened
to have him shot to pieces II he re-
fused her free passage. So terrible
had become the James name at that
time that Mrs. Samuels was seldom
crossed In her desires and SO became
In some measure desperate herself.
Speaking Of the Incidents which
led up to the death Of Jesse James.
Rev. Martin spoke very Interestingly.
After the Mortified raid said
he., 'twhen the Youngers were captur
ed and others were wounded. Frank
and Jesse disappeared. AS 1t after
wards developed Jesse went to St.
Joseph, where under an assumed
name and In disguise he lived for
some time. Gov. Crittenden., angered
by the long list Of outrages the
James band had perpetrated. offered
q reward of $4,000 for Jesse. dead or
alive. Charles and Jim Ford were
members Of the gang but Charles. 80
he afterward declared, was firing Of
the lawless life and was trying to get
clear OF the outfit He found that to
desert meant death at the hands Of
the leader and he rebelled against
further participation as the band
was committing from time to time.
Ford also declared that plan which
was to be Immediately executed was
to rob a bank In a small town near
St. Joe. in which the cashier was to
be killed. The announcement Of this
decided Ford and he went to Jesse's
retreat In st. Joe. probably with the
intention of numbering him.
1.-The most authoritative account Of
the actual killing Is that Jesse, un-
armed, was arranging picture on
\ tho wall Of tho house in which he