Kissing Thru the Bars

[SWMODave]

courtesy Heritage Auctions - link below​

This is part of a letter written by a Benjamin "Ben" Woodson to his wife Annie. Ben, a Missourian, was in jail in Alabama where he had been charged with armed robbery. "Ben" would be acquitted for the crime, and while in Alabama, was treated more like a celebrity, than a suspected criminal. Then again, by the time he arrived in Alabama, his true identify was well known, so he had stopped signing his letters as Ben - and signed them with his real name. Here is another letter from the same guy - revealing his true identity.

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Yes, that is "the" Frank James. For those who like to research this kind of stuff - or just like to collect - a bunch of letters signed by former Civil War soldier Frank James and "Ben", and letters to Frank James are online. Many were sent by John Edwards - a former soldier with Shelby and editor of the Kansas City newspaper, who nearly single handedly turned the James name into late 19th century Missouri Robin Hood's - less the whole stealing from the rich and giving to the poor part.

Here are two sources worth digging into
The letters can be found on an auction site - all sold in 2013 - link here
Much more on Frank James including court documents - link here

Lot of interesting stuff buried on the later site.
More on Ben Woodson here
More on Alabama trial here

The auction site contains photo's and other memorabilia of the James and Younger families, and Custer and Wounded Knee photo's. Scan thru the bar at top to find many other "Wild West" related items.

 

[UCVRelics]

Great Thread.

 

[dixie1861]

Wow, that's amazing! Thanks!

 

[Cavalry Charger]

My translation of what is written above the drawing is:

'Many lips unto one speak
friendships faith repeating
Lips of one alone I seek
with their gentle greeting'

Combined with the image, it presents a very 'sentimental' moment in the circumstances. Nice find.

 

[mofederal]

This is pretty interesting, thanks for posting this one.

 

[Seduzal]

Wow! An amazing and interesting story. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Patrick H]

This is excellent. Frank was quite an interesting character. He was a fearsome guerrilla soldier, for sure. He was extremely well read, having taken advantage of his father's extensive library. He was known to be fond of quoting Shakespeare. I don't know if there's any truth to the legend that he cussed his mules in Shakespearean phrases, but I hope it's true. As far as I know, Frank was never convicted of anything. There is a wonderful exhibit about him at the Friends of Historic Boonville offices in the old, historic Cooper County jail. When I was growing up, the story was that Frank spent time there waiting for trial. In truth, it turns out that he and Annie waited in the Sherrif's parlor and received about a thousand well-wishers there while some of the citizens were busy raising his bond. Then they put him up in the nicest hotel in town. During the trial and several continuances, the prosecutor never could produce a witness to testify against Frank (hmmm?). The judge released Frank on his own honor to go back to the farm and return for each court date, which he did. Eventually, the judge dismissed the case. I think Frank is a far more interesting and likeable character than his little brother.

 

[redbob]

There has always been a local legend that while Frank James was on the run, he masqueraded as a Methodist minister at a Methodist Church in Birmingham, Alabama.

 

[Mrs. V]

Very interesting. I wonder where the "Ben" moniker came from?

 

[Patrick H]

Very interesting. I wonder where the "Ben" moniker came from?

It was just an alias. Jesse and Frank lived under assumed names for a while. Jesse's alias surname was Howard, but I can't remember the first name.