Judge T.R. Shouse, After 56 Years, Explains Why Jesse James Was Killed
Aged and Respected Clay Countian Turns Over to Jewell Mayes and Elmer L. Pigg the Secret Statement of His father, J.W. Shouse, Who planned to Capture But Not to Kill Jesse James- A Dramatic Yet True Account of the Final Breaking-up of the James Gang.
(RAY COUNTY CHAPTERS)
(No. 458, In the Missourian of January 23, 1939, being the third and final number of the T.R. Shouse Chapters about the passing of Jesse James. See The Missourian of next Monday for a different history topic)
Today, “Ray County Chapters” present to you herewith the third and final Chapter from the manuscript bearing his signature of Judge Thomas Riley Shouse, as edited with his full approval by Elmer L. Pigg and Jewell Mayes, adding to the known history of the James boys in Clay and Ray Counties telling the true story of the why and wherefore of the killing of Jesse James.
These three Chapters prove that the thoughtless torturing of the Ford youth in trying to force him to tell of the whereabouts of his uncle, Jim Cummins, was the real cause of Bob Ford killing instead of capturing Jesse James, again demonstrating that blood is thicker than waters.
The Shouse manuscript is where completed as follows:
BY T.R. SHOUSE
My father had never approved of the detectives’ blundering attempts to capture Frank and Jesse. He was particularly resentful of that master blunder when the detectives surrounded the James home on the night of January 15th, 1875 and threw a bomb through the window of the James homes.
The exploding bomb killed Archie Peyton Samuels, Jesse’s eight and one-half year old half-brother, and tore off his mother’s right arm. Frank and Jesse were not at home that night or there would have doubtless been several more detectives killed.
My father had associated with him in his “plan”. William Wysong, James O Shouse, Joseph T. Pettigrew, William O. Dollis, William Dagley, Riley Henderson and Dick Little.
The plan was submitted to Governor Thomas T. Crittenden of Missouri, who approved every detail and armed the men for mutual protection. Jesse James was not to be killed, but to be over-powered and turned over to the officers of the law.
For several years every sheriff of Clay County had done his best to capture these outlaws. Sheriff James Timberlake, his deputy James Reed and Henry H. Craig. Police commissioner of Kansas City knew of the organizations and rendered every service possible.
This was about the middle of February, 1882,. The few meetings which this group held were at night under the utmost secrecy. It was so secret that few, very few at the time or to this day knew anything about it. No one has ever known before, prior to this statement made today, the names of the men associated with my father.
After all details were agreed upon, the next thing to do was to locate Jesse James. No one had heard of him for many weeks.All of these men lived near the James farm, and kept a constant watch for Jesse.
For some unknown reason, Jesse had decided to kill Jim Cummins, one of the neighbors and his associated. I am of the opinion that one cause of the trouble between Jesse and Jim Cummins was due to Jim accusing Jesse of killing Ed Miller. Jim always did a lot of needless talking and bragging.
In the fall of 1881, Jesse James and Dick Little gave Cummins a hot chase from some point in Arkansas, up through Missouri to William Ford’s farm. William Ford married Artella Cummins, and was a brother-in-law of Jim Cummins. The Ford farm, which was the original Cummins farm, was located in the southwest corner of Washington township, two miles south of my father’s farm, and three miles southeast of the James farm, and about four miles west of Excelsior Springs.
Tags: 1381 Lafayette Street, Albany Missouri, Andy MaGuire, Andy McGuire, Archie Peyton Samuels, Artella Cummins, captain john, Captain John W, charles ford, Clay Countian, Clay County, Clements, Cox, Crittenden, Dan Ascue, Dan Asene, Dick Burns, Dick Little, dollis, Ed Miller, frank and jesse james, Gallatin, guerrillas, half brother, Hankins, Henry H. Craig, Independence, J.W. Shouse, J.W. Whitcher, james gang, James O Shouse, James Timberlake, Jim Cummins, john thomason, Joseph T. Pettigrew, Judge T.R. Shouse, judge thomas, Kansas, Kearney, Lexington, Liberty, Liddel, Liddell, Missouri, missourian, northfield, Old Albany, orrick, pettigrew, ray county, Riley Henderson, Shelby, Sheriff Timberlake, shouse, T.R. SHOUSE, thomas riley, Thompson McDaniels, William Dagley, William O. Dollis, William T. Anderson, William Wyson, William Wysong, Wysong
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