Evening star., 1938-07-09
Concerning the Defense
OF Frank and Jesse James.

AZ lue ColtoI o1 Inc otar
We have read in the newspapers
recently that a Western lady who
claims, apparently with some pride, to
be the granddaughter of the notorious
outlaw, Jesse James, is about to publish
some sort of book which will deal with
his life, and wherein it will be shown
that the brothers, Frank and Jesse
James, were really not so bad as they
have been painted; that they have been
much maligned by history, etc. In other
words, if and when the book is pub
lished, it is intended to exculpate the
characters of two cowardly, utterly bad,
wanton killers, within whom, the record
shows, there was not one redeeming
trait Of human morality, and for whose
many savage crimes. including murders
by the score without justification or
even reasonable excuse, mankind has
never been able to devise adquate
punishment-only God himself.
Among the gang of bloody rufdans
led by the guerrilla Quantrell, who
sacked and burned the town of Lawr-
ence, Kans., in August, 1868, and shot
down scores of defenseless, unarmed
men, with savagery that has almost
no parallel in American history were
Frank and Jesse James; both young
men, and each of them, it has been told,
made mark upon his saddle for every
victim that fell before his six-shooter
Thus early in life they learned to kill
wantonly and without the slightest
qualm of conscience. Neither of them
ever fought real fight with any man.
They merely robbed, killed, and plumb
cred when every advantage of arms and
surprise was upon their side.
Upon another occasion, when they
were robbing train, Jesse James shot
down in cold blood the unarmed, in
offensive conductor of the train, who
had made no resistance whatsoever and
done nothing to provoke the bandits
deadly bullet. Apparently, it was moth
ing but sheer lust for killing. This is
the man whom the granddaughter
alleged-wlll present to the world in a
better light. She says he had a reason
for everything that he did. How naive!
It is an old story-that belated effort
to rescue some wretch, some rogue, some
vile human character from the certain
earmarks Of utter depravity that history
has fastened upon him. One notable
instance will suffice, although there have
been many such misapplied efforts
throughout the years.
There was one such depraved human
being known to the French Revolution
period as Barere. We cannot tarry now
to lndict him for his high crimes and
misdemeanors, but he sank to new levels
Of all that Is despicable in human nature
Years afterwards, M. Hippolyte Carnot
rose to defend that human vulture, in
a book entitled Memories de Bertrand
Berere," and it fell upon public notice.
Thomas Darlington Macauley noticed it;
then he took his pen in hand and wrote
one OF his great critical essays-part Of
the worlds best literature. He ad-
dressed himself to M. Bsrere's record
throughout the French Revolution and
afterwards, to the close of his long and
ugly, misspent life. He also addressed
himself to his biographer, M. Hippolyte
Carnot, for dragging the vile bones out
OF the grave and attempting to dress
them in mans at-least-semi-d decent
clothes, that history might be revised;
as no doubt the author hoped, unless
his motive were otherwise purely pecu-
mary and devoid of altruism.
Macauley ended his analysis Of
Barere and M. Carnot's attempt to pre-
sent him in more favorable light, with
these words:
1T is no light thing that man high
and honorable in public trust -
should come forward to demand ap-
probation for a life black with every
sort Of wickedness and unredeemed by
a single virtue. This M. Hippolyte Car
not has done. BY attempting to en-
shrine this Jacobin carrion, he has
forced us to gibbet it; and we venture
to say that, from the eminence Of
infamy on which we have placed it, he
will not easily take it down."
There is a wealth of meaning in that
terse paragraph that the renowned Eng
lish essayist and historian wrote long
time ago. "The eminence of infamy'
also records the names of Americas No.
and No. 2 numbering desperados, Jesse
and Frank James; and from that gioble
pinnacle I'VE venture to say that"
granddaughter, whatever her motives,
Will not easily take It down"
MOCH A. C6AeE.