The Old West 6: Gunfighters – Frank James
Frank took part in a brutal attack on Lawrence, Kansas in 1863.
Jesse James’ older brother Frank James was born on January 10, 1843 in Clay County Missouri. In 1861 or 62 Frank joined Quantrills Irregulars. About a year after joining Frank took part in a brutal attack on Lawrence, Kansas in 1863. While the town burned and the bodies of 150 men and boys lay ion the streets the raiders including Frank got drunk.
After the Civil War Frank and Jesse were well accustom to the outlaw life thanks to their participation with Quantrill’s band of renegades. The brothers quickly started a life of crime in 1873. The Pair robbed banks and trains in seven different states. The railroad and the banks acquired the services of The Pinkerton Agency in 1874 when the Pinkerton Agency, had already been pursuing the James boys since 1869 for the crimes committed while with Quantrill,
The Pinkerton Agency came up with a plan for capturing the boys on their home place. Although warned of the flaws in the plan, Pinkerton detective John J. Whicher was going to pretend to an out of work farm hand and go to the farm of their mother and ask for work, hoping to catch the boys there. The very next day Whicher’s body was found with two bullet holes, one in the head, and one in the heart. Frank James was suspected of firing those shots.
Afraid of suffering the same untimely fate as his brother Jesse, Frank turned himself in to Missouri Governor Thomas J. Crittendon. Frank was shuffled through the legal system and acquitted of all charges and retuned home to his wife Annie.
Frank led a crime free peaceful life for the next 30 years, working as a race starter at fairs and a doorman for a theatre. In 1902 Frank and Cole Younger met up again and started the James-Younger Wild West show.
Frank and Annie moved around for awhile briefly settling in New Jersey, Texas, Oklahoma, and New Orleans before finally going back the James family farm in Missouri where in 1915 Frank died.
Liked it
