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From Outlaw’s Son to Robbery Victim- The Ironic Fate of Jesse James Jr.
The child of one of the most notorious criminals in American history had his own interesting evolution from law breaking to law abiding
19th century bank and train robber Jesse James remains one of the most notorious outlaws in American history, nearly 150 years after his death. He both scared and charmed people around the country with his crimes, which usually targeted big financial scores taken by force. Ironically, years later, his son Jesse James Jr. made headlines for both allegedly following in his footsteps and also being the victim of a robbery himself.
As a young man, James Jr. went by the alias Tim Edwards to escape the reputation earned by his father, who was murdered by an associate in 1882. Unfortunately, in 1898 when he was in his early 20s, he decided to try the family business, getting arrested for a train robbery that allegedly netted some $40,000. Able to secure strong legal representation, he was able to earn an acquittal of the charges when he went to trial.
From there, James Jr. seems to have gotten himself more on track with the right side of the law. He got married, had four daughters and studied the law in order to become a lawyer (he passed the bar in 1906)…
