A Violent Visit to Columbia or 8202 Miles From Botswana

In 1872, Jesse James paid a violent visit to Columbia, Kentucky. Thus begins the narrative chronicling his misadventures.

Thankfully, my visit was non-violent and did not involve law enforcement. Since I was filming the outside of a bank, I was a bit concerned. Although it is technically legal to film (photographers' rights) on public property, I know plenty of photographers who have been harassed and forced to delete their images. I was standing in the center square of a roundabout, which made hiding difficult. A few cop cars passed and I pretended to be intensely studying the historic markers.

side view of the bank

From the robbery account, "R. A. C. Martin liked his job as cashier fo the Deposit Bank of Columbia. ...often remarking that he would die to defend the money entrusted in his care." 

And die he did.

"Not many people were astir in the small town when five men rode into the square that morning." Frank James shot Martin and the robbers dragged him bleeding and unconscious to the safe. "A trail of blood led from the cashier's desk to the safe, where people found Martin's body after the robbery. Out on the street, the three robbers jumped on their horses and headed out of town amid a fusillade of gunfire."

Original desk in the bank during the robbery.
Plaque commemorates R.A.C. Martin for his courage in
refusing to open the bank's safe.

me hiding in the irises avoiding law enforcement

Did you know that Columbia, KY is 8202 miles from Botswana?
me intensely studying signs avoiding law enforcement

Around the corner from the bank, across from the
abandoned movie theater 

lock of hair buried in the bank's planter

Drugged Out Zombies in Huntington, WV

this is a film still and does NOT represent anyone
I saw in Huntington, WV

After reading the article about drug deaths and drug addiction in Huntington, my imagination went into overdrive. With 1 in 4 folks addicted, I envisioned druggified zombies roaming the streets of downtown Huntington, waiting to prey upon innocent visitors like me. Note exhibit A to the left. While the photo isn't quite what I visualized (of course I knew people wouldn't have blood dripping from gaping bullet wounds or deteriorating flesh), I felt rather apprehensive about walking around the streets and filming.

Despite my attempts at not drawing attention to myself, my black jeans, t-shirt and baseball hat still make me look like a soccer mom. After my first day, I ditched the tripod, since that also draws too much attention.

Original Huntington Bank that the James gang
robbed on September 15, 1875

The good news is that everyone IGNORED me and I was able to get some useable footage.

Here is an excerpt from the robbery account as told by the sheriff and deputy clerk of the county court. Link here to the full article. (I'm omitting specific names for brevity.)

"On September 15, 1875, the robber quartet appeared at noon at a blacksmith shop. Hitching their horses, members of the gang approached the bank. One entered the store and ordered everyone to sit down and remain silent. One bandit stood outside the bank. The cashier cowed at the sight of two guns and gave up $10, 252. Leisurely, the bandits left, mounted their horses and trotted out 12th Street. They flourished their guns, fired a fusillade of shots in the air and spurred their horses. The Sheriff organized a posse. The chase grew so hot, that the bandit gang divided."

Reads like a pulp fiction novel.

Across street from City Hall, the court and
probation center. My primary filming location

Site of the old Huntington Bank, now City Hall

Conscious that it is most likely illegal to film on City Hall property, I set up my camera in the picnic park area surrounding the court and probation center across the street. My guess is that was probably illegal to film there also, but thankfully no one paid too much attention. City Hall was flying flags at half mast due to the recent school shooting in Santa Fe Texas.

Current  Huntington bank--2 blocks from the original location

First Congregational church established in 1872,
3 years before the James gang robbery

at the site of each location, I bury a lock of my hair--
a DNA memento of my pilgrimage

In an alley around the corner from City Hall
A suitcase filled with clothes, cigarettes, human excrement

Memorial Rose Garden up the street
from the downtown square

The Devil is in Huntington

Tomorrow marks the beginning of my Jesse James adventure--Part 1. When researching Huntington, West Virginia, one of the first articles I came across was about how Huntington is the drug death capital of the U.S. and how heroin impacts almost everyone in the community. 1 in 4 residents is hooked. 1 in 10 babies is born suffering withdrawal symptoms. Victims range in age from 18-59. A new catch phrase has emerged in the community--Narcanned--after a brand name for the opioid blocker that reverses overdoes. As in--how many times have you been narcanned?" It's not uncommon for an addict to say 3, 4 or 5 times. The mayor never knows who might overdose, so he carries a naloxone injector everywhere he goes.

What accounts for the large number of addicts? Crumbling economy that caused the factories and coal mines to close down. A scarcity of jobs. Loss of 50 percent of the residents.

What's the solution? The Mayor in Ithaca, New York has opened a free injection center with the hope that there will be fewer overdoes and less contaminated product. I'm not sure how that helps people get treatment, but it will be interesting to see if this model is successful.

Tomorrow I am focusing on filming at the site of the bank that Jesse James robbed..

Ohio River

2 Days Out--The Sordid Family Tree Revealed

FAMILY TREE REVEALED

My aunt visited this weekend and revealed the exact Jesse James connection. Apparently the marriage to William Henry James a.k.a. Billy (who was a first cousin to Jesse and Frank) didn't bode well and my great great grandmother and subsequently my great grandmother forbade any mention of the James brothers or their exploits. The family lineage is confusing and somewhat sordid. I will do my best to recap succinctly.

Sarah Louella Prevette McCracken with 3rd Husband James Melvin McCracken
my great great grandmother

When Sarah Louella was a young child, her parents brought her to Texas in a covered wagon. She was an angelic beauty with blond hair and blue eyes. When the wagon came to town, a shop owner named Wes McCracken saw the sleeping Sarah Louella in the back of the covered wagon. He was so overcome by her beauty that he asked her father if he could come calling. Within a couple of weeks, he was a regular visitor to the household, having dinner and bringing Sarah Louella presents of dolls and toys. He asked her father for her hand in marriage. When the father exclaimed that she was just a child, Wes McCracken said he would wait. She married him as soon as she biologically became a woman. Accounts vary on her exact age (12, 13, 14??)  Are you creeped out yet?

Have you noticed that husband 3 and husband 1 have the same last name? That is because they are brothers! I don't have a photo of the pedophile husband #1, but his brother looks much closer in age to Sarah Louella. Despite the age difference between Sarah Louella and Wes, she professed to loving him more than any of her other husbands.

Husband #2 is where the James family connection is first made. Hubby 2--William Henry James (Billy), whose father was named Cyrus was the first cousin to Jesse & Frank. My great great grandmother didn't like the business dealings and comings/goings of the James' clan and divorced Mr. James in 1887 after 9 years of marriage due to lack of support for her and her son Thomas Leslie James (my maternal grandmother's father).

Mary Beulah McCracken (James)
James Melvin McCracken's daughter
Married Thomas Leslie James

Thomas Leslie James,
son of Sarah Louella Privette McCracken
& Hubby 2 Mr. James 

Mary Beulah McCracken (my great grandmother) married Thomas Leslie James (her stepbrother), thus continuing the James lineage. This sounds like a Shakespeare comedy or tragedy, depending on your perspective. But at least she didn't marry her first cousin, which was quite common for the time. 

I am not sure what the correct term for my bloodline to Jesse James. 4th cousins thrice removed? 

3 Days Until the Adventure Begins--Brad Pitt Makes a Fine Jesse

We watched the Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) last night. View the trailer here. The cinematography is magnificent. The use of shallow depth of field using a Diana camera style of lens (blurred areas/edges for the non-camera folks) provided beautiful shots of the landscape. Brad Pitt masterfully embodied the character of Jesse. Casey Affleck is convincing as the naive young Robert Ford who idolized James only to be spurned by him and subsequently killing him.

My step-dad complained that it was the most boring movie ever. For someone looking for a lot of action or a traditional Western, this is not the film for you. It's a drama--about history and relationships. About consequences to actions. The narrative doesn't drive the story--we all know what is going to happen, but the film does offer insight into the complexities of the characters and their respective motivations.  It is on the long side--over 2.5 hrs, so don't forget to take the ADD meds before you watch it.

I recently finished reading the book and the film stays true to the story (historical fiction or fictionalized history?) by Ron Hansen . The book was nominated for a PEN/Faulkner Award. It read like a novel. (high praise from me, who tends to stay away from non-fiction historical accounts)

One reviewer said that the main theme of the film is fate. No one is beyond reproach or understanding. No one simply "gets what's coming to them." There are no simple villains or heroes. ...Life and the actions taken and the echoes of those actions. It transcends any petty ideas of justice or even legend. It takes a full snapshot of a beautiful and grim reality and lets us take it in--like a corpse on ice.

4 Days Out.... Jesse James at Comican

 I should not be surprised that the "Bandit Chieftain of the Wild West"was a popular subject for comic books. Boasting of prison breaks, deadliest deeds, gun-toting trap of terror and death to the gringos, I can see the appeal for youngsters who buy into the mythology of the cowboy bandit.

I wondered if these vintage comics made a resurgence at Comicans that are so popular around the country. When googling Jesse James at Comican, I discovered a Jesse James Comics located in Glendale, Arizona who regularly shows at various Comicans.

Are you experiencing a twilight zone moment? Click for the great sound effect.

Can it be a mere coincidence that Jesse James comics is based in Glendale and one of Jesse James' most notorious crimes was the heist of the Glendale Train? I found a rare newspaper from 1881 that details the event. Notice not only their names and cities match, but the train robbery occurred in 1879 and Jesse James comics was formed in 2009. Could the comic book hero have come to life as a comic book owner? Or perhaps the outlaw was reincarnated as a comic book owner? That seems like a bit of a stretch, but stranger things have happened.

 

Less than a Week--Musical Renditions of The Ballad of Jesse James

The rosy colored cheeks are a nice touch to the otherwise serious portrait of the baby-faced outlaw.

I knew there was a song about Jesse James. I had no idea it has been recorded by so many famous musicians and like his films has achieved cult status. The song was first recorded by Benton Ball in 1919. It's been awarded one of the top 100 Western songs of all time.

Performances include Woody Guthrie, Bob Seger, Pete Seeger, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Cash, The Kingston Trio (this one is funny) and the Celtic punk band, The Pogues. Click on each to hear the various renditions.

Composer Dallin B. Peacock is creating an original sound composition inspired by the original ballad.

Jesse James was a lad that killed many a man
He robbed the Glendale train,
He stole from the rich and he gave to the poor,
He'd a hand and a heart and a brain.

Well it was Robert Ford, that dirty little coward,
I wonder how he feels,
For he ate of Jesse's bread and he slept in Jesse's bed,
And he laid poor Jesse in his grave.
(chorus)
Well Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life,
Three children, (now) they were brave,
Well that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard,
He laid poor Jesse in his grave. 

Jesse was a man, a friend to the poor,
He'd never rob a mother or a child,
There never was a man with the law in his hand,
That could take poor Jesse down.

Jesse was a man, a friend to the poor,
He'd never see a man suffer pain,
And with his brother Frank he robbed the Chicago bank,
And stopped the Glendale train.

It was on a Saturday night and the moon was shining bright,
They robbed the Glendale train,
And people they did say o'er many miles away
It was those outlaws, they're Frank and Jesse James
(chorus)
Now the people held their breath when they heard of Jesse's death,
And wondered how he ever came to fall
Robert Ford, it was a fact, he shot Jesse in the4 back
While Jesse hung a picture on the wall. 

Now Jesse went to rest with his hand on his breast,
The devil will be upon his knee.
He was born one day in the County Clay,
And he came from a solitary race. 

the blue eyes give him a creepy supernatural look

8 Days & Counting--Monsters & Heroes--both real and imaginary

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

9 Days Out--James Literature

 Just as Jesse James' researched his potential hits, I hit the books months ago, learning as much as I could about the man and his exploits. Although our research methodologies differ--he conducted multiple site visits prior to the actual event,  I conduct research online in the safety of my home (and never on horseback). However, we both had/have to rely on a lot of luck and chance that providence shines in our favor on our respective fated journeys. We know how it ended for him.

From my research, I gather that Jesse was very methodical, anticipating obstacles and potential liabilities. As his fame and legend grew, so did his pride. As the author of Proverbs so annoyingly reminds us, "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."  Whoever that author is--HE is probably snickering and saying, "I told you so!", his words echoing through the celestial ether and into the fiery lava-filled pits of hellfire and brimstone.

In terms of bang for the buck (bad pun intended) and time invested vs R.O.I. (return on investment for the non-financial readers), J. Dennis Robinson's book for young readers provides a great overview without excruciatingly long descriptive passages. It proffers a moral lesson--the MEDIA lies. Apparently fake news was happening in the 1860's. Not a new phenomenon. One reporter in particular was responsible for cultivating Jesse's Robin Hood status. The book also has GREAT illustrations and pictures. Always a bonus.

I must apologize to author T. J. Stiles. I feel so guilty about not reading his book. His book is the DEFINITIVE book on Jesse James. I tried to read it a few years ago and stopped. It is daunting in its detail. It is on my bedside night table, where it has taunted me for months.

 SHOT ALL TO HELL is my favorite book so far. How you can you go wrong with a title like that in all RED caps? It reads like a novel and for the readers who like gratuitous violence and action, it does not disappoint.

I'm about half-way through Ron Hansen's book that focuses on the events leading up to the assassination of Jesse James. John Irving (The World According to Garp and A Prayer for Owen Meany) gave it a big thumbs up. Since I already know the ending, it is a bit anti-climatic. But determined to finish before the road trip begins.

10 Days Before the Adventure Begins

Jesse James, age 17
Platte City, Missouri
July 10, 1864








I've been thinking about this project for seven years. As with much of my work, the universe sometimes aligns, providing me with the right combination of inspiration, time, & the 3 C's--creativity, courage, and craziness.

My fascination with Jesse James stems from childhood family lore---tales of our blood kinship to the notorious outlaw Jesse James. While some girls bragged of their pedigreed ancestral lineage to the  Daughters of the American Revolution, I could usually bring conversations to a stuttering halt when announcing my consanguinity to the daring outlaw.

In 2015, I traveled to Paris--a pilgrimage of sorts, searching for clues and similar characteristics about my namesake--the author Colette. I embarked upon a performative journey into the literary history of Paris and more specifically into the fictional stories of Colette. I filmed at the sites where she lived and wrote, imagining her life, her struggles and her triumphs. The resulting exhibition Becoming Colette shown at The Reading Room in Dallas (January 2016), featured five video book sculptures and a series of prints embodying visual and textual palimpsests. The work simultaneously revealed and obscured the aspects of both the woman and the writer, as well as her connection to place.

 Album Cover from 1960 of Colette reading
Composer and musician Dallin B. Peacock created an original sound work fusing his music with a 1960 recording of Colette reading excerpts of Gigi, Chéri and Flore et Pomone in French.

Solar Plate Etching

Chino Colle

Linocut Intaglio Relief

So while I knew that My Jesse James' Adventure would involve another performative journey---one that spanned many days and miles, for he was quite a prolific outlaw, my quest goes beyond the personal connection of a namesake or literary heritage.   To be continued....