A Voice of Reason

Charles

Last week, as I was getting Marianne's ghost story post ready, I went to the Archives to retrieve the Express Gazette she describes. While I was thumbing through these ancient issues, I kept running across stories that were contemporary then, but legend now. It always amazes me that stuff we understand as timeless, once had a time of its own.

The Gazette from 1882 comments on the death of the famous outlaw Jesse James.  James was killed April 3, 1882 by his confederate, Robert Ford.  James had a certain heroic status by the time of his death; afterwards, he became a legend. This is due in large part to a fascination with the Wild West that Americans had in that era. (Outlaws in general have commanded a certain interest. ) But for many, including the editors of the Express Gazette, the greatness accorded such miscreants as Jesse James was deplorable.

"The public peace and safety, as well as respect for the law, alike demanded the annihilation," intoned the Gazette. "No law abiding citizen will shed a tear over the death of the most desperate and fiendish of modern criminals."

In a later issue, the Gazette lamented the popularity of Frank James  upon his surrender to authorities, and the inexplicable sentiment that suggested forgiveness for James' violent past. "There should be no amnesty," the Gazette declared, calling for life in prison.

We today have a romantic, "Wild West" memory of guys like the Jameses. We think of them as part of a rascally past, one of the "hits" of our national heritage. But they were robbers and killers, whatever the motivations behind their acts, a reality of terror for anyone who was a victim.

The Express Gazette was bucking the James Gang legend, which won out. But their forgotten call for accountability over 125 years later is actually the responsible position.