Frank James

Frank James was an American soldier, guerrilla and outlaw and the older brother of the more famous outlaw, Jesse James. They were brought up on a Missouri farm, and shared their family’s sympathy with the Southern cause and supported slavery when the American Civil War broke out. Frank originally enlisted as a Confederacy soldier and became an outlaw after the end of the war. The gang robbed banks from Iowa to Alabama and Texas and began holding up trains. They also preyed upon stagecoaches, stores, and individuals. The James gang was nearly destroyed while trying to rob the First National Bank at Northfield, Minn. Of the eight bandits only the James brothers escaped death or capture. After gathering a new gang, the James brothers resumed robbing. The Missouri governor offered a $10,000 reward for their capture, dead or alive. Following the death of Jesse, betrayed by a member of the gang, Frank gave himself up. He was tried for murder and robbery and armed robbery but found not guilty on all the cases for want of evidence, and released. A free man, he retired to a quiet life on his family’s farm doing odd jobs. He is less celebrated of the two brothers as he surrendered to the authorities preferring a long peaceful life to violence and possible imprisonment.