In James’ case, what was hanging on the wall was the painting he was putting up. The pistol was in the pocket of his former partner-in-crime and supposed friend, Bob Ford, who proceeded to shoot him in the back and claim the reward money…
“That dirty little coward, who killed Mr Howard, and laid poor Jesse in his grave”
Hey, I know that song. “It was Robert Ford, that dirty little coward. I wonder how he did feel. For he ate Jesse’s bread, and he slept in Jesse’s bed, and he laid Jesse James in his grace.”
“Now Jesse had a wife, to mourn for his life, 3 children and they were brave. That dirty little coward, he shot Mr Howard, and laid poor Jesse in his grave!” 🙂
I learned that at folk evenings in the Cwamne Tavern pub in Wales when I was an undergraduate. We had a guy with a banjo who used to play lots of the American classics. “Howard” was the assumed name Jesse and his family were living under in St. Joseph MO when Bob Ford paid his visit. Every time we drive past the sign to St Jo en route to St. Louis I think “one day I’ll go there and see the Jesse James Museum. The James brothers also robbed the Rock Island train just a few miles from where we live in SW Iowa, in 1873. The sign there claims it was “the site of the first train robbery in the West”.
I don’t subscribe to the Jesse James as noble Robin Hood tale, but I do find it hard to have any sympathy with anyone who invites themselves to the house of a friend and then shoots them in the back for a pardon and the reward money…
Wasn’t part of the rationale of some of the Western bandits that they were Civil War soldiers taking the fight into the West, standing up not so much for truth, justice, and the American way, but to beat back the Man in the form of greedy bankers and railroad tycoons?
“After Appomattox, they was on the loosin’ side, so no amnesty was given, and as outlaws they did ride”
– Warren Zevon, Jesse James
Some truth there- the James brothers were Confederate raiders during the Civil War, and some of Jesse’s letters seem to indicate he felt he was getting his revenge on the North (and Northern industrialism) after the War.
American history thru the medium of popular songs – its fun, ain’t it?
Hurrah! Who is the portrait of? He looks western to me. No doubt I’m way off.
Nevermind. I found it.
Pure gold.
It should have been Booth, alas.
I wonder if we couldn’t start a meme of our own. This one is a fun one though.
I believe that is a picture of none other than Jesse James, who knew a thing or two about firing guns.
In James’ case, what was hanging on the wall was the painting he was putting up. The pistol was in the pocket of his former partner-in-crime and supposed friend, Bob Ford, who proceeded to shoot him in the back and claim the reward money…
“That dirty little coward, who killed Mr Howard, and laid poor Jesse in his grave”
I want to make one of these…
Hey, I know that song. “It was Robert Ford, that dirty little coward. I wonder how he did feel. For he ate Jesse’s bread, and he slept in Jesse’s bed, and he laid Jesse James in his grace.”
“Now Jesse had a wife, to mourn for his life, 3 children and they were brave. That dirty little coward, he shot Mr Howard, and laid poor Jesse in his grave!” 🙂
I learned that at folk evenings in the Cwamne Tavern pub in Wales when I was an undergraduate. We had a guy with a banjo who used to play lots of the American classics. “Howard” was the assumed name Jesse and his family were living under in St. Joseph MO when Bob Ford paid his visit. Every time we drive past the sign to St Jo en route to St. Louis I think “one day I’ll go there and see the Jesse James Museum. The James brothers also robbed the Rock Island train just a few miles from where we live in SW Iowa, in 1873. The sign there claims it was “the site of the first train robbery in the West”.
I don’t subscribe to the Jesse James as noble Robin Hood tale, but I do find it hard to have any sympathy with anyone who invites themselves to the house of a friend and then shoots them in the back for a pardon and the reward money…
Have you seen the movie, “The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford?” Remarkable film and (I think) fairly accurate.
Wasn’t part of the rationale of some of the Western bandits that they were Civil War soldiers taking the fight into the West, standing up not so much for truth, justice, and the American way, but to beat back the Man in the form of greedy bankers and railroad tycoons?
“After Appomattox, they was on the loosin’ side, so no amnesty was given, and as outlaws they did ride”
– Warren Zevon, Jesse James
Some truth there- the James brothers were Confederate raiders during the Civil War, and some of Jesse’s letters seem to indicate he felt he was getting his revenge on the North (and Northern industrialism) after the War.
American history thru the medium of popular songs – its fun, ain’t it?