rewardposter

The Silence of Frank James in 1882 can be attrubited to his surrender and preparations for trial after his brother Jesse James was shot and killed. Assassination of Jesse James on April 3, 1882 gave rise to much speculations and unanswered questions. The Press as
other publications were feeding upon a frenzy after Jesse James became victim of death from the young Ford boy. The act of assassination which limited any knowledge to Frank
James or the James gang, as he prepared his fight within the courts.

From Frank's return to Missouri before the Liberty bank was robbed in 1866, until his surrender in the fall of 1882, no insight or knowledge existed outside the internal deeds of the James Gang. Many dime novels, News publications, and Book writers had rushed to press capitolizing on the assassination, the James gang, and the trials of Frank James as misconceptions arose to interpret incorrectly the working's of the James gang. Many
fables and folklore rose as the Leader and Organizer of the infamous James Gang went to trial. Much folklore that evolved into a generally accepted version as Frank James continued to remain silent before, during, and after his trials. Silence that allowed other unknown members of the James-Younger to remain free at large.

Others have suggested that Frank James was indeed the Leader of the infamous James gang. The well organized James gang eluded lawmen after the liberty bank robbery on February 13, 1866 as any knowledge of a "James" participating in any robbery remain unknown for three and one half years. Free to come and go as he pleased, Frank James traveled near and far. Severely wounded while returing home with a bullet lodged in his lung, hardship of the winter months continued its duration and needed care by others, as Jesse continued to remain in serious condition. Lacking the medical knowledge of these modern day times, Phycians were limted with their ability to do much for a lung wound as Jesse remain in the care of family members. Frank continued to ride near and far as Jesse's inability to ride was due to his extream condition. Cole Younger aware of the lung wound, gave insight to the severness of this condition after Jesse James assassination when reflecting upon "Evidence" which could be found during an autopsy of Jesse, as Cole Younger elaborated on the length of time this condition lasted.