Breakfast With Jesse

Finally I had a day of shooting without heavy downpour. Unfortunately this was the only shoot of the day. Then I spent the day driving north  to Northfield, Minnesota.

When I first arrived in town, I thought the site of the robbery was the bank. I spent quite a bit of time filming outside the bank. I am always surprised that no one called the police or came outside to see what I was doing. I could never get away with that in a big city. 

No longer a bank, now City Hall

On June 3rd, 1871, the James Gang came to town until to rob the Ocobock Brothers' Bank. They didn't expect the town to be empty. Most of the townsfolk were at a town rally at the Methodist Church across the street from the bank. The noted speaker Henry Clay Dean was discussing the merits of a proposed railroad. 

The robbery was accomplished without any injuries or deaths. Not content with stealing the $7000 without fanfare, the gang furious at being upstaged by Dean stormed into the  church and "shook the stolen money at the crowd", saying that the bank was robbed. As the townsfolk ran to the bank, the bandits made their getaway. 

My favorite part of the recounting says that "the gang cooked up some stolen chickens over a hastily made fire, and ate, and rested."

Methodist church where renowned orator Henry Clay Dean 

was speaking during the robbery

The most interesting story I read about the robbery came from Frank Eugene Barber's personal family history, which he dutifully recorded and made available to the Mercer Historical Society. Breakfast with

Jesse: 

My great-grandmother, Mary Bright was boiling clothes in an old iron kettle when several men in dusters rode up out of the cornfield. 

She asked the men what they wanted, the tall skinny one with a scraggly beard said, "We would like something to eat."

Mary put out some cold biscuits that had been wrapped in a tea towel and she added milk to the left over gravy from breakfast. She then fried up some fat-back for the men.

She had no coffee, but one of the seven men did. She boiled it up and they ate the food and drank the coffee. As they left, the tall man with the scraggly beard flipped her a twenty dollar gold-piece--the most money she and her husband had at once time since they had sold some shoats the fall before.

When her husband pulled up with his wagon-load of lumber that night, he told her that the Ocobock Brothers' Bank in Corydon was robbed by the Jesse James and his boys. 

She laughingly told him she had breakfast with Jesse and his boys that morning.

Love the kitsch of Outlaw Pizza

my DNA hair offering, left across street
from Outlaw Pizza at the "other" bank

HELL-DEVILTRY-- 1st Successful Train Robbery in the West

July 1st, 1873

The James Gang received word that $75,000 in gold was going to be on the train heading through small town Adair, Iowa from Cheyenne, Wyoming. Four of the James gang hid outside of town, while two tracked down the train. They pried a rail loose and yanked it out when the train approached, causing it to crash, killing the Engineer--Rafferty and a foreman. 

Imagine the surprise when the outlaws found the gold shipment missing from the cargo. It was delayed on another train. Their take was $3000 from train safe and passengers.

Train track and train wheel mark the sign near Adair, Iowa

This is an excerpt from St. Louis Democrat paper about the bravery of the engineer. 

Rafferty, the unfortunate engineer who was killed by the desperadoes on the Chicago & Rock Island railroad, leaves a widow and three children unprovided for. He was shot down while nobly standing at his post and endeavoring to thwart the fiendish purpose of the marauders by reversing his engine. It was first reported that he was killed by the fall of his locomotive; but it is now evident that he was fatally shot before the train struck the misplaced track.--He might have saved his own life by jumping from the engine when he saw the terrible danger ahead, but by doing so he would have imperiled the lives of hundreds, and some would certainly have sacrificed some of them. There is not in the history of railroads a more heroic deed than his. He belonged to a class to whose faithfulness, and courage the public are greatly debtors. Those who travel on railroads little realizing the extent to which they are at the mercy of the man at the throttle valve. In a dangerous crisis he may save them by his pluck, or sacrifice them by his cowardice. Rafferty saved every man and woman under his charge; but he did it at a fateful cost to himself and to those dependent upon him."

Somehow I missed the marker, but
found windmills and cows instead

Of course the day I went, it was pouring rain and I had to film from my car. Luckily there was some cool windmills, fog and cows to add to the scene. 

To add a weird twist to the story--several years ago, a man stole the plaque commemorating the Adair train robbery. It wasn't until the thief's house burned down that the plaque was found in the ashes. Jesse James ghost ensuring that his legacy would never be forgotten?????

my DNA hair offering

Honeymoon Adventures

April 23, 1874, Jesse James married his first cousin Zerelda (Zee) Amanda Mims after a decade long courtship. She had nursed him back to health many times after his gunshot wounds. They honeymooned in Galveston. Jesse who was not content to lie still and relax took advantage of the trip to plan and execute a a stage coach robbery. 

Galveston Beach, 1915

Not much is known about the details except that it was a stage coach robbery in Austin. No one was injured and the take was about $3000. I couldn't find any newspaper accounts with details. It is assumed that Jesse & Frank James, a Younger brothers and Arthur McCoy were the culprits. 

Zerelda must have been a patient woman. I do not think I would be understanding if my husband left me on our honeymoon for a quick trip to Austin to pull off a robbery. Although, she had to know of her husband's business and notorious reputation. Clearly a lover of bad boys. 

The site located on Pine Street near Commerce between 5th and 6th Street had some great murals. 

They look recently painted especially the Til Death Do Us Part and the Covid mask mural. Just around the corner, two masked workers were shredding large bins of paper into a big truck.  

my DNA hair offering

Shopping for Gun Scopes

If you've never been to Cabela's, it's a retail theme park for outdoor adventures--all things fishing and

hunting. The place creeps me out. After unsuccessfully trying to find a suitable gun scope online for my 22 video installation exhibition coming up in August, I realized I had to bite the bullet literally and visit the store. 

The first thing I noticed was that the huge plate glass windows were boarded up. That initially struck me as strange, since the rioting was primarily located in Dallas and not north. 

Cabela's pre-riots

The 2nd thing I noticed was that none of the employees and very few of the customers were wearing masks. The majority of the employees were white males. And there was a VERY long line--at least 50 people--all white males waiting to buy guns. 

The 3rd and creepiest part of the store is the weird taxidermy animal dioramas set up around the store. Near the ceiling are heads of lots of animals--the trophy hunter displays. The faux-science dioramas send a message not of conservation, but "hey-- these are all the animals you can kill after you buy your gun and fashion camo attire." What a weird marketing strategy. They even had a large fish tank with native Texas fish. 

Gotta love the designer carry
and conceal handbags

Thankfully since I was looking at scopes, I didn't have to wait in the huge long line. And the salesman did not blink or look at me strange in my pink polka dotted cat mask when I asked him to help me with a scope for an art exhibition. He was very professional and helpful, but did not have anything in my price range. 

Imagine looting a gun store. It would be pay dirt for those who wish to build up their arsenals cheaply. In other states unlicensed guns on the streets might pose a problem, but Texas gun laws make it easy to own guns. 

Q: How long is the waiting period to buy a Handgun / Shotgun / Rifle in Texas?
A: There is no waiting period for purchasing a firearm in the state of Texas.

Q: I just moved to Texas, do I have to register my firearms?
A: No, there is no state registration of firearms.

Q: What is required to purchase a firearm in the state of Texas?
A: You will need a valid state-issued ID.

Q: Can I carry a firearm on my person?
A: Yes, with proper licensing 

Q: Can I carry a firearm in my vehicle?
A: Yes. You can carry handguns, loaded and within reach, so long as you conceal the firearm. Long guns (rifles / shotguns) do not have to be concealed and may be loaded and within reach.

Q: Are machine guns / suppressors / short-barreled firearms, etc. legal in the state of Texas?
A: Yes.

Q: Are “assault weapons” banned in Texas?
A: No. Texas abides by Federal law which at this time has no restrictions on so-called “assault weapons” such as semi-auto AR15, FAL, G3 / HK91 rifles.

  

Murder in the Streets of Gallatin, Missouri

What kind of day was it on December 7, 1869, the day Jesse & Frank James rode into Gallatin, 

robbing the Daviess County Savings Bank, shooting and killing the cashier Captain John

Sheets? 

According to The Booneville Weekly Adventures, it was a "day ushered in by a cloud and mist like a pall hung over the hill and wood. ....dense fog prevailed and an unusual stillness and quiet pervaded from every quarter of the little city."

Captain John Sheets, killed in mistaken identity

County Courthouse across street from bank

The day I visited was similar with dense fog and rain. I found later that most of my film footage was

corrupted. My fated trip continued with rain and technical glitches as my constant companion.

When Jesse entered the bank he asked to change a $100 bill. Frank entered, they conferred and then they both drew their pistols and fired. Jesse's shot hit Sheets in the head and Frank's shot in his chest, causing instant death. 

The brothers thought that Sheets was Union Army Major Cox who killed Bloody Bill Anderson their former confederate guerrilla leader. 

Firing shots in the air, the two brothers mounted their horses. Jesse's horse spooked, throwing Jesse to the ground with one foot still in the stirrup, dragging him a few yards. 

"With bullets whizzing all around them, Frank pulled Jesse onto his horse and the two rode off." 

Amount taken $700.

Jesse's runaway horse was soon captured and a detective hired by the bank soon had proof that the horse belonged to Jesse James. A grand jury convened and both James brothers were indicted for Sheet's murder. This was their first murder indictment and wanted posters began to appear around the state. 

Trip Advisor boasts that the Squirrel Cage Jail is the top attraction in Gallatin. Reviews say that Trudy gives an amazing tour. Due to the rain and my overall poor morale, I missed the jail visit. 

my dna hair offering

Details of the Bloody Affair at Winston, Missouri

 From New York newspaper dated Monday July 18, 1861--

"One of the most daring robberies recorded in the annals...The scene of the bandits bloody work was between Winston and Gallatin, Mo. "

...."The robbers were masked to the extent of having false whiskers and mustaches, but did not have false faces. "

This account is from the Gallatin Missouri paper. 

..."as the train left Winston at 9:30pm, three armed men stepped onto the front end of the smoking car. They fired through the glass in the car door, three men disguised with heavy black whiskers entered the car and fired through the windows in the front end of the car. While thus terrifying the passengers they ordered 'hands up'. Conductor Westfall was in the middle of the car, taking up tickets and was shot in the back."

TWO mentions of WHISKERS!!

restored train station depot, Winston, MO

..."Everything looks as it was the work of the James boys or their gang. Westfall was the conductor on the trian which carried the Pinkerton detectives to Mrs. Samuels (James brothers' mother) the time her boy was killed and she lost her arm by the explosion of the shell which the detectives threw into her house. The James boys swore they would kill him, and they or their gang have done it."

"Tuesday, Mrs. Samuels, the mother of the James boys, was in Kansas City. She talked freely with the reporters about the robbery. She says Frank and Jesse James are both dead and could have had nothing to do with the robbery unless their ghosts were there."







Two deaths an the take was under $4000. I had a difficult time finding this location, because Winston isn't much of a town anymore. It has a population of 259. It was pouring down rain and the GPS coordinates took me to the post office which also served as the town hall and police station. It was closed. Just when I was about to give up, I drove around the corner and saw the station house. Filmed in my car during the heavy downpour.

 It is interesting that the townsfolk decided to restore the station and celebrate Jesse James days each summer including re-enactments. I left my hair offering in the windowsill of the station house. 

1971 James Brothers re-enactment

1991 James Brothers re-enactment

First Successful Daylight Bank Robbery (during peacetime) & a Dose of Dark Tourism with Good Coffee and Yoga

Main Street, town square. Terrific coffee shop called
Hammerhand and a yoga/massage studio, Serenity on the Square.
I took advantage of both.

A part of me has always liked dark tourist sites, before dark tourism even became a thing and Netflix made it into a series. One aspect that fascinates me is what motivates people to visit sites of death and destruction. There's not a simple answer, but a spectrum that ranges from a need to memorialize to prurient entertainment. Of course, proprietors of such venues are motivated by money.

While the majority of my stops were to places that did not recognize the James' brothers nefarious acts, a few did. The Clay County Savings Bank in Liberty, Missouri is now a museum dedicated to tours with the mission of "historical education." In Liberty's defense, the site does bring in a lot of tourist dollars, boosting the economy in this small mideastern town.

The booty gathered during the robbery including gold, silver, paper currency and government bonds totaled $60,000 would be worth over $1.8 million today. Not a bad take even divided by 12.

This is an account from the Tribune February 14, 1866.

Our usually quiet city was startled last Tuesday by one of the most cold-blooded murders and heavy robberies on record. It appears that in the afternoon some ten or twelve persons rode into town and 2 of them went into the Clay County Savings Bank, and asked the clerk, MR. WILLIAM BIRD, to change a 10 dollar bill, and as he started to do so, they drew their revolvers on him and his father, MR. GREENUP BIRD, the cashier, and made them stand quiet while they proceeded to rob the bank. 

After having obtained what they supposed was all, they put the clerk and cashier in the vault, and no doubt thought they had locked the door, and went out with their stolen treasure, mounted their horses and were joined by the balance of their gang and commenced shooting. MR. S. H. HOLMES had 2 shots fired at him and young GEORGE WYMORE, aged about 19 years, son of WM. H. WYMORE, one of the most peaceable and promising young men in the county was shot and killed while standing on the opposite side of the street at the corner of the old Green house. The killing was a deliberate murder without any provocation whatever.

The town was soon all excitement, and as many as could procure arms and horses, went in pursuit, but up to this writing, nothing is known of the result. Our citizens exhibited a commendable willingness to do all they could to assist in the capture of the robbers and their booty.

Thus has our city and people been grossly outraged by a band of thieves and murderers, and that, too, when the people thought they were in possession of permanent peace; and a worthy young man murdered, one of our most successful and ably managed monied institutions, and many private individuals, have been heavy losers. We hope to God, the villains may be overhauled, and brought to the end of a rope. Indeed, we can not believe they will escape.

An interesting tidbit is that a few days after the robbery, the family of George Wymore received a letter of apology from Jesse James saying that it was not the robbers' intention to kill anyone. Like that is supposed to bring grieving parents a modicum of comfort????



In all my excitement, I forgot to leave a hair offering. Such a shame, because it would have been perfect to leave it in the bank vault. I did pick up a copy of this book in the gift shop. It was a disappointing read, despite the feminine perspective.