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