This article appeared in The Bolivar Bulletin newspaper, Bolivar, Tennessee, on April 3, 1882
St. Joseph, Mo. April 3
A great sensation was created in this city this morning by the announcement that Jesse James the notorious bandit and train-robber, had been shot and killed here in St. Joseph.
The news spread with great rapidity, but most people received it with doubts until investigation the fact beyond question.
Then the excitement became more and more intense, and crowds of people rushed to that quarter of the city where the shooting took place, anxious to view the body of the dead outlaw and to learn the particulars.
In a small shanty in the southwest part of the city, on the hill, not far from the world’s Hotel, Jesse James has lived with his wife since some time in November last. Robert and Charles Ford, two of his gang, have made their headquarters at his house, and Charles, it said, has lived with him in that shanty ever since November. Robert arrived about ten days ago and the three have been making preparations for a raiding expedition on which they were to start to-night. James and the two Fords being in the front room together, about nine this morning, the former took off his belt and laid his pistols on the bed, preparing to wash himself, when Robert Ford sprang up behind him and sent a bullet through his brain. The ball entered the back of his head at the base of the right brain, coming out over the eye of the right brain, coming out over the eye. The Ford brothers at once make known what they had done, and gave themselves up. They are under guard at the courthouse.
The body of Jesse James was conveyed to an undertaker’s, where it was prepared for burial, and where a photograph was taken. James’ wife has telegraphed his mother the news of his death. A number of men have identified the body, and there is no question about it being Jesse James. A Herald reporter viewed the body at the undertaker’s when it was being photographed. Jesse was a fine looking man, apparently forty years old, with a broad forehead, and his physiognomy was that of an intelligent as well as a resolute and daring man.
Jesse was in the habit of wearing two belts, with a brace of very revolvers and twenty-five extra cartridges. In a small stable near by were discovered several fine horses, the property of James. The Ford brothers claim that they were detectives, and that they have been on James track for a long time. It is believed they were with James in the “Blue Cut” robbery, and that they were influenced in killing him by the hope of getting the big reward which has been offered for James, dead or alive, by the Government and by the express and railroad companies.
Charles Ford had been an accomplice of Jesse James since the 3d of last November, and entirely possessed his confidence. Robert, his brother, joined Jesse near Mrs. Samuel’s house, last Friday a week ago, and accompanied Jesse and Charles to this city Sunday, March 22. Jesse and his wife and two children removed from Kansas City, where they had lived several months until they feared their whereabouts would be suspected, in a wagon to this city, arriving here November 8, 1881, accompanied by Charles Ford, and rented a house on the corner of Lafayette and Twenty-first streets, where they stayed two months, when they secured the house No. 1318 Lafayette street.
Charles and Robert have been occupying one of the rooms in the rear of the dwelling, and have secretly had an understanding to kill Jesse ever since last fall. A short time ago, before Robert had joined James, the latter proposed to rob the bank at Platte City. He said the Burgess murder trial would commence there to-day, and his plan was if they could get another companion to take a view of the situation of the Platte City Bank, and while arguments were being heard in the murder case, which would engage the attention of the citizens, boldly execute one of his favorite raids. Charles Ford approved of the plan, and suggested his brother Robert as a companion worthy of sharing the enterprise with them.
Ever since the boys had been with Jesse they had watched for an opportunity to shoot him, but he was always so heavily armed that it was impossible to draw a weapon without him seeing it. They declare they had no idea of taking him alive, considering the undertaking suicidal. The opportunity they had long wished had come this morning. Breakfast was over. Charles Ford and Jesse James had been in the stable currying their horses preparatory to their night ride. On returning to the room where Robert was, Jesse said: “It’s an awfully hot day.” He pulled off his coat and vest and tossed them on the bed. Then he said: “I guess I’ll take off my pistols, for fear somebody will see them if I walk in the yard.” He unbuckled the belt in which he carried two forty-five caliber revolvers, one a Smith & Wesson, and the other a Colt, and laid them on the bed with his coat and vest. He then picked up a dusting brush, with the intention of dusting some pictures which hung on the wall. To do this he got on a chair. His back was turned to the brothers, who silently stepped between Jesse and his revolvers, and, at a motion from Charlie, both drew their guns, Robert was the quicker of the two. In one moment he had a long weapon to a level with his eye, with the muzzle no more that four feet from the back of the outlaw’s head. Even in that motion, quick as thought, there was something that did not escape the acute ears of the hunted man. He made a motion as if to turn his head to ascertain the cause of that suspicious sound, but too late. A nervous pressure on the trigger, a quick flash, sharp report, and a well-directed ball crashed through the outlaw’s skull. There was no outcry, just a swaying of the body, and it fell heavily back upon the carpet. The shot had been fatal, and the bullets in the chamber of Charlie’s revolver, still directed at Jesse’s head, could not more effectually have decided the fate of the greatest bandit and freebooter that ever figured in the pages of the country’s history. The ball had entered the base of the skull and made its way out through the forehead, over the left eye. It had been fired out of a Colt’s 45, improved pattern, silver mounted and pearl-handled, presented by the dead man to his slayer only a few day ago.
Mrs. James was in the kitchen when the shooting was done, divided from the room in which the bloody tragedy occurred by the dining- room. She heard the shot, and dropped her household duties, ran into the front room. She saw her husband lying on his back and his slayers, each holding his revolver in hand, making for the fence in the rear of the house. Robert had reached the enclosure and was in the act of scaling it when she stepped to the door and called to him: Robert, you have done this, come back.” Robert answered: “I swear to God I did not.” They then turned to where she stood. Mrs. James ran to the side of her husband, and lifted up his head. Life was not extinct, and when asked if he was hurt, it seemed to her that he wanted to say something, but could not. She tried to wash away the blood that was pouring over his face from the hole in the forehead, but it seem to her “that the blood would come faster than she could wash it away,” and in her hands Jesse James died. Charles Ford explained to Mrs. James that “A piston had accidentally gone off.” “Yes,” said Mrs. James, “I guess it went off on purpose,” and meanwhile Charley had gone back into the house and brought out two hats, and the two boys left the house. They went to the telegraph office and sent a message to the Sheriff of Timberlake County, to Governor Crittenden, and other officers, and then surrendered themselves to Marshal Craig.
When the Ford boys appeared at the police station they were told by an officer that Marshall Craig and a posse of officers had gone in the direction of the James residence, and they started after them and surrendered themselves. They accompanied the officers to the house and returned in the custody of the police to the Marshall’s headquarters, where they were furnished with a dinner, and about three o’clock were removed to the old Circuit Courtroom, where the inquest was begun, the presence of an immense crowd.
Nothing in the appearance of the remains indicated the desperate character of the man or the many bloody scenes in which he had been an actor. Only the lower part of the face, the square cheek bones, the stout, prominent chin, covered with a soft, sandy head, and thin firmly closed lips, in a measure betrayed the determined will and iron courage of the dead man.
A further inspection of the body revealed two large bullet-holes on the right side of the breast, within three inches of the nipple, a bullet wound in the leg, and the absence of the middle finger of the left hand. The inquest will be continued to-morrow.
