Frank and Jesse James, the infamous brothers from Missouri, rode with marauding Confederate guerrillas during the Civil War. Having learned to kill and raid without compunction, they easily transitioned from rebels to outlaws after the war, robbing stagecoaches, banks and trains in Missouri and surrounding states. It was a botched bank robbery in Northfield, Minnesota, followed by an improbable escape through the Dakota Territory and Iowa, that elevated the James brothers from notorious criminals to legendary figures of American history and folklore.

Wayne Fanebust is the author of books on a variety of topics including the history of the American West, the Dakota Territory, historic true crime, and the Civil War. A retired attorney, he lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Wayne Fanebust

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 244
Bibliographic Info: 22 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2018
pISBN: 978-1-4766-7067-6
eISBN: 978-1-4766-3189-9
Imprint: McFarland

Preface and Acknowledgments 1

1. Pen Pictures of the James Brothers 5

2. A Long Way from Home 20

3. Deadly Debacle at Northfield 33

4. Six Men on Five Horses 45

5. The Two That Escaped 60

6. A Ride for Life 73

7. Dakota and Devil’s Gulch 83

8. A Wild State of Excitement 98

9. Northfield Avenged: The Capture of the Youngers and the Killing of Charlie Pitts
111

10. Missouri Outlaws Face Minnesota Justice 126

11. The James Brothers Go In and Out of Iowa 136

12. The Dark River 151

13. A Desperado Dies 165

14. A Gathering of Death Deniers and Myth Makers 182

15. Outlaw Stardom 194

Chapter Notes 215

Bibliography 229

Index 233