Jesse James

Jesse James - The Smoking Gun

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Here's an old 'Jesse James' 'Texas Monthly' Article.  Betty Dorsett Duke has come a long way since then...

'Body of Evidence'

"Could Jesse James be buried in Falls County? A Central Texan who claims to be his descendant has unearthed some startling new information."

by Anne Dingus

AUGUST 1997

http://www.texasmonthly.com/1997-08-01/reporter.php

Just when you thought DNA testing had dispelled the age-old rumor that Jesse James lived up to his legend by getting away with his own 1882 murder comes a fresh, new book proving otherwise – Jesse James – The Smoking Gun (978-0615563794, paperback, 344 pages, 6 X 9, $19.00).

Everything you will read in this book will surprise you and the photographic evidence will convince you. Utilizing modern facial recognition techniques and current research Betty Dorsett Duke focuses on recently discovered photographic evidence that did what neither fraudulent 1995 DNA testing nor the famed Pinkerton Detective Agency were able to do – capture Jesse James. The author makes a carefully crafted case that the legendary Jesse James didn’t die by the hand of Bob Ford by painstakingly removing lore and legend and replacing it with scientific facts and hard evidence. Everyone wants the handsome outlaw hero to win in the end, and this book proves Jesse James did just that and died the gentleman farmer in Texas.

What makes this book different is that the author, Jesse James’ great-granddaughter, approaches the story from an insider’s point of view showing her family story and old family photographs coincide with the historically accepted version of the famous outlaw’s life through the Civil War. During the author’s seventeen year quest to determine her true lineage she has published two other books on this controversial subject, Jesse James Lived & Died In Texas (1998) and The Truth About Jesse James (2007). These books are taken so seriously by the “Jesse James powers that be” that they threatened her life, as well as the lives of her family, to protect their vested interests.

For more information about Jesse James –The Smoking Gun or to schedule an interview, please contact Betty Dorsett Duke at 512-515-5685 or visit www.jessejamesintexas.com.

http://www.marlindemocrat.com/news/article_7aef5f42-1ad8-11e1-96b1-001cc4c002e0.html?fb_ref=.TtaYMR31xhY.like&fb_source=profile_oneline

Stephen Caruso, the Deputy Counselor for Clay County during the 1995 exhumation and subsequent DNA testing, told this author and Missourian Greg Ellison during separate telephone conversations that Clay County Judge Vic Howard ordered the James Farm & Museum to hand over the hair and teeth to Prof. Starrs for the purpose of DNA testing, but he instead handed over hair he obtained from the head of John Hartman, Director of the Clay County Park’s Department in 1995. The Clay County Parks Department owns and operates the James Farm & Museum. Caruso claimed he didn’t give them the hair and teeth because it wasn’t right for them to have them..... Read More Here:  http://www.marlindemocrat.com/news/article_8234eecc-b280-11e0-a0b4-001cc4c03286.html

Which Weighs More, the opinion of amateur detractors or qualified experts?

When you’re searching for an answer to an important question, do you seek the advice of amateurs or experts? If you needed to have surgery would you go to someone who has watched a few episodes of ‘House’ or would you go to a trained, professional in the appropriate field of expertise?

The same logic applies when it comes to verifying a photograph; especially one of historical importance. Would you take the word of someone who has merely viewed a lot of photographs or someone who has actually had training and experience in forensic photographic analysis? I think we all know the answer to that one.

That is exactly what Betty Dorsett Duke did when she was trying to verify whether or not her ancestor was Jesse James. She didn’t seek the advice of amateurs; she sought out the expertise of qualified and highly regarded professionals. The DPS forensic lab in Austin, Texas (Texas State Police), the Austin Police Dept Forensic lab and Visionics (now called Identix, world leaders in facial recognition technology).

The experts at the places mentioned above determined with a high degree of certainty that the photos owned by Betty Dorsett Duke of her Great-Grandfather match the historically accepted photos of Jesse James. Statements of recognition are located in Betty’s latest book as well as on her web site: http://www.jessejamesintexas.com

There is now only one question I have for you. Which weighs more; the word of a group amateurs who seem to specialize in nothing but harassment and internet bullying or the word of the three groups of highly qualified, trained, professionals in the field of forensic photographic analysis?

It’s a no brainer.

After 15 years of Jesse James research and two books, Betty Duke of Central Texas stumbled upon a rare photograph of James that... Read the Full Article here:  http://www.tdtnews.com/story/2011/1/20/71795

PRESS RELEASE

EBAY PHOTO SOLVES JESSE JAMES MYSTERY

For as long as Betty Dorsett Duke can remember she has heard family stories that claim Jesse James was her great-grandfather. The story goes that he assumed the name of James L. Courtney (an ex-Union soldier), hightailed it to Blevins, Texas in 1871, faked his April 3, 1882 death, (despite reports that 1995 DNA testing proved he died as history reports) , and lived to tell his great-grandchildren about his amazing exploits. In 1995 Duke began a quest to either prove or disprove the family story and determine her true heritage. She's written two books on what proved to be a very controversial subject: Jesse James Lived and Died In Texas (1998 and The Truth About Jesse James (2007). Duke says she's presented strong supporting evidence indicating that her family story and findings from her research are correct, but that none of her evidence is as compelling as a photo of Jesse James and his family that was recently up for auction on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lot-23-Jesse-James-Ephemera-Photos-gang-members- 130454817614?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item1e5fb6

Greg Ellison, a Missourian and owner of the Ellison Collection (http://www.theellisoncollection.com/, Historical Images of the Jesse James Family And Gang and Other Historical Figures), is familiar with Duke's family story and alerted her upon seeing the photo. Upon seeing it he told his wife, "Here's Betty Duke's proof." Duke agrees.

The Ebay picture's provenance is excellent. St. Joseph, Missourian Lee Starnes (now deceased) obtained it from Arch Nicholson (Frank and Jesse James' nephew), and when Mr. Starnes died his sister inherited it. After her death his collection was put it up for auction and Illinoisan Cathi Basler won it and then put it up for auction on Ebay. Then through a stroke of good fortune, Duke won LOT 23 of the collection which included the James family photo.

This photo appears to be Frank James' 1875 wedding photo and appears to have been taken at Blevins, Texas for several reasons: the house in the Ebay picture matches the house of Duke's great-grandfather in old family photos; and Josiah Zachariah Jackson, Jesse James AKA James Courtney's neighbor , known for his hatred of traveling, is in the picture. The following individuals have been identified: Frank James, (seated on the ground far right wearing white suit); his new bride Annie Ralston (in between Frank and Jesse); Jesse James (tall man with dark mustache); Mary Ellen Barron (small woman seated behind Jesse); Frank and Jesse's mother Zerelda James Samuel (with missing arm); their step-father Dr. Reuben Samuel (standing on back row far left); and Josiah Zachariah Jackson (standing on the back row to the far right). The woman seated on Zerelda's right has been tentatively identified as Caroline Quantrill, Confederate Guerrilla leader William Clarke Quantrill's mother. Using an old typewriter Lee Starnes typed the following caption along the edges of the photo: "PICTURE REVERSED ... believed to be a sister of Frank...the tall man with dark mustache, seated [on] her left is supposed to be JESSE JAMES..."

Learn more about the Lee Starnes Collection by clicking on the link below:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QkwrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=itQEAAAAIBAJ&dq=mrs%20 jesse%20james&pg=1379,867628

Informative online posts regarding the Ebay picture may be read at the following links:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/Zeke1/messages?msg=538.57

http://forums.delphiforums.com/Zeke1/messages?msg=538.57

http://forums.delphiforums.com/Zeke1/messages?msg=524.1

Several weeks before the Ebay picture surfaced Texan Dallas Hunt found a picture of Duke's great-grandfather attending the 1921 Quantrill Men Reunion proving that he was not a Union soldier but rode with Quantrill.. just as her family story goes:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/Zeke1/messages?msg=468.1

To learn more about Jesse James and to view the Ebay photo click the following link:

http://www.jessejamesintexas.com/

New article by Texas author Betty Dorsett Duke

'Who's in Jesse James Grave?'

http://jessejamesintexas.com/Wood_Hite.pdf

Kevin M. Smith with The Kearney Courier out of Kearney, MO had a nice little article regarding Jesse James on MySpace.  Here's the link:

'Even Jesse James has a MySpace page'

http://kearneycourier.com/200904303344/entertainment/entertainment/even-jesse-james-has-a-myspace-page.html