The State of Missouri v. Frank and Jesse James

Secretary of State Robin Carnahan announced recently that her office has put a collection of court cases related to notorious outlaws Frank and Jesse James online. The collection of the James brother’s court records is part of the Missouri Digital Heritage Initiative website, a statewide effort to make millions of historical documents from institutions across the state available online.

The court documents show that the James brothers were indicted for crimes ranging from grand larceny to murder. Visitors to the website can view scanned copies of arrest warrants, witness subpoenas and pleas for bail from these cases as part of the "online Frank and Jesse James Collection."

"I am pleased to make this historical collection about Missouri’s most notorious outlaws available for all to see on the Missouri Digital Heritage Initiative website," said Carnahan. "These newly uncovered court cases will help further piece together the history of Frank and Jesse James for future generations of Missourians."

One case in the collection involves charges for a murder that occurred during the robbery of the Daviess County Savings Association in Gallatin, Mo., on Dec. 7, 1869. It is believed that during the hold up, John Sheets, the bank owner and cashier, was murdered by Jesse James. Another case, which is the only known civil case filed against the James brothers, claims that they stole a horse while fleeing from the scene of the same robbery.

The James brothers denied the charges, claiming they were not in Daviess County on the day of the robbery. Frank and Jesse James never served time for the murder, and there is no record that they paid the penalties assessed for the stolen horse. However, the horse that Jesse James abandoned at the scene of the robbery is believed to have been given to the plaintiff as compensation.

Sue Bird Daviess County Circuit Clerk provided the Missouri State Archives, a division of the Secretary of State’s office with all county records related to the James brothers for conservation. In addition, the American Bar Association Journal ran an article in March 2008 about the discovery of the court cases.

This collection is available at www.missouridigitalheritage.com.Those wanting to learn more about the making of the Missouri Digital Heritage website may view a video about the project at www.sos.mo.gov/mdh/MakingOf/. For other questions regarding the initiative and how to place your local historical records online, please e-mail [email protected] or call (800) 325.0131.