Volume 18 , Issue 17

1948, Story Behind the James Story

It was in The Lawton Constitution, Lawton, Oklahoma, dated 19 May 1948, Wednesday, page 8, that we ran across this story headlines: "The Story Behind The James Story."

As written in the Lawton Constitution, "The story of Jesse James defies imagination. The fact that The Constitution, in this edition, is scooping the world on a story destined to be carried to the far corners of the earth within the next few hours is, in itself, the realization of a newspaperman's dream."

Found on Newspapers.com

The fact that The Constitution was able to accomplish this feat was no accident. It was a strange series of circumstances that led to the story of Jesse James. It started, strangely enough, on "leap day," February 29 (1948), when Constitution readers were treated to an exclusive story of a 15 year search for buried treasure by Joe Hunter and party of Lawton.

It was the consensus of the Constitution staff that this story would lead to further developments. But a month passed and no major additional stories developed.

During the heat of a busy Saturday afternoon in early April, Emmett L. Keough, managing editor received a wire from a Texas newspaper reporting that "an old man; 100, who says he is J. Frank Dalton is enroute to Lawton to ride the old trail agains." Immediately staff members linked the old man to Joe Hunter and his search for treasure. Investigation proved their deductions were correct. Lindsey Whitten, reporter, discovered the whereabouts of Mr. Dalton and soon believed "there was more to this story than an old man riding an old trail."

Enlisting the advice of Frank O. Hall, telegraph editor who was a native of Missouri and a student of the post-Civil war era, Whitten soon discovered that "Colonel Dalton" was Jesse James. Extremely doubtful, but clinging to that thread of possibility that leads newsmen to thorough investigation, Hall and Keogh listened to Whitten's story. They visited Colonel Dalton and were taken into the confidence of Mr. Hunter and Lee Howk, Jesse James' most intimate associate. After several hours of checking evidence, they, too, were convinced, that the chances of a hoax were indeed remote. Hours of library research, checking fact against legend, revealed that odds were good that Jesse James was still alive today (19 May 1948).

But this was more than a month ago. Why had Constitution readers been denied the privilege of reading this story for these many weeks?

Like the outlaws of Jesse James' hey-day, newsmen, too, had a code. No newsman worthy of the name would violate a confidence. All information told Constitution staff members was in strictest confidence, "Until Jesse James himself was ready to release it." Days dragged into weeks; weeks into a month or more, but the "story of a lifetime" remained unwritten. Written, Hall, Keogh and Robin Broun, staff photographer, considered ti of such major import that they declined to even discuss it with their associates of the immediate members of their families.

There were many trying moments. Jesse James had some contact with other Lawtonians. He had to be shaved by barbers. He was visited by doctors. Lawyers were taken into confidence of the James' party. Telephone calls were made . Statements were sworn before local notary public officials, documents were placed on file in the court house. All were possible news leaks.

But Constitution members refused to break the trust of men who had played the game squarely with them, placing explicit confidence in their word.

Finally Tuesday night all arrangements were completed. Constitution staff members were given the green light. This action came about 10 p.m.

The stories you were reading, and the pictures you were viewing back then in 1948 were turned out by staff members who worked all the night before while other Lawtonians were sleeping.
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