Historic 1882 Newspaper Covers Jesse James Killing in Missouri

One thing I've learned over the years studying some of the most famous personalities of the Wild West is the stories tend to become more exaggerated the more time passes. That's why I was thrilled to come across an original 1882 newspaper that spoke of Jesse James death in Missouri just days after it happened.

I found this fascinating piece of Missouri outlaw history on eBay today. It's an original 1882 newspaper from San Francisco, California that talks about the death of Jesse James. Here's a snippet:

Here's how the seller on eBay describes this rare newspaper:

"The product is a rare original newspaper from San Francisco, California, dating back to 1882 and featuring the famous outlaw Jesse James on the front page. This collectible piece of paper history offers a unique glimpse into the past and provides a fascinating look at the sensationalism and reporting of the time."

Several things to note. This newspaper was printed on April 29, 1882. Jesse James was killed on April 3, 1882 by the coward Robert Ford. The paper estimates that "Jesse James at different times killed over fifty men", but history now estimates the total lives that Jesse took was somewhere between 12 and 20 not including what happened during his time in the Civil War. I also found it interesting that their focus was on what kind of disposition he had. They inferred that they had wanted to explore that when Jesse James was alive, but "there was a feeling of reluctance on the part of authorities". Were they afraid that Jesse James would come after anyone who questioned him?

Depending on how soon you're reading this, this Jesse James relic may still be available on eBay. As of this writing, the asking price is around 60 bucks.