Volume 18 , Issue 17

1948 - Jesse Is Alive In Lawton, Oklahoma

It was in The Lawton Constitution, Lawton, Oklahoma, dated 19 May 1948, Wednesday, page 1, that big headlines read: "Jesse James Is Alive! In Lawton." Centenarian tells tale of historic ruse, written by Lindsey Whitten, Constitution staff writer.

Found on Newspapers.com

As reported in The Constitution in Lawton, Oklahoma, in May 1948, Wednesday, Jesse James, the famed Missouri outlaw, was still alive and riding the trial again. The two-fisted, gun-slinging Robin Hood of the post Civil War era was revealed to be officially alive and residing in Lawton.

History must blush with shame at it terrible mistake. It must record a retraction for the error it made more than a half century ago (1882) when the man who was believed to be Jesse James was killed and buried. Fate made it possible for the Missouri outlaw to experience one of the most unusual roles ever lived by any man. he sang at his own funeral, sounding off with his handsome baritone voice, which even today (1948) was something to be proud of.

The location of his residence in Lawton was withheld from the public. It was realized by his close companions that when his identity was revealed, the world would surge to his side. Officially, Jesse James was killed in 1882 by Bob Ford, a member of the gang, although not fully accepted. But actually it was Charley Bigelow who met his death at the hands of the gangster. Old Man Jesse laughs with a keen twinkle in his eyes when he recalls the episode of his official demise. He enjoys even more when he remembers that even his own mother at first would not go along with the plan. It took his brother, Frank, to convince her that she should identify the body as that of her beloved son, Jesse.

History records that Mrs. Samuels, their mother, at first stated that it was not the body of her son. But later sho said it was, and the body was buried in her front yard.

For the benefit of those who wonder why he wad decided to reveal his identity, Jesse recalled his pact with the members of the gang. "We won't reveal our identity until all of us are dead or past the age of 100." The leader was 100 on September 5, 1947. Jesse himself chose Lawton as the pint where he would reveal his identity. It was the center of his activities since his young manhood when he was on the "owl hoot" trial. He also felt the influence of Joe Hunter, of Lawton, to come up the trial.

The trail led throughout Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas and on up into Montana. But the Wichitas were his first and last love, the scene of many an experience which would put fiction to shame. It was here that he wrestled with nature, used her for a cloak of protection and battled with the bad men of the west who thought they had a chance against the magic of his draw and the accuracy of his aim.

The outlaw leader, although admittedly an operator outside the law, re-affirms the age-old axiom that "crime doesn't pay." He hangs his head aiwth remorse when he considers the men who met their doom at his hands. In fact, he declines to discuss the accounts of him many encounters with death, which resulted in the defeat of his adversaries.

Jesse, always the spokesman and the leader of any group he was with, doesn't talk about he many cries which have been credited to his bands. But he assures this interviewer that most of those atrocities were handed to him and his gang on a silver platter by desperadoes who were unwilling answer for their own crimes.

It was true that Jesse and his brother, Frank James, Killed. But Jesse likes to remember that it was always in self defense.They carried the code of the west on their hips. And like the brave pioneers who served as forerunners of law and order, they weren't afraid to use it.
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