On this day in 1866, Jessie James got blamed – or took credit – for a robbery, one of the few he most likely didn’t commit.
For certain, five members of what became known as the James-Younger gang held up the Alexander Mitchell Bank in Lexington, Missouri. It was their second daring daylight hold-up. But many latter-day historians believe the fledgling outlaw Jesse and brother Frank were nowhere around. Little Arch Clement, (right) a particularly vicious member of Quantrill’s Raiders, was thought to be responsible.
While storming the countryside with Quantrill’s vigilantes, Clement became known by his enemies as its leader, William “Bloody Bill” 
Anderson’s “scalper and head devil.” (Right, Bloody Bill) He was implicated in a number of brutal raids including the Centralia Massacre in 1864 in which Anderson’s men killed, scalped and mutilated 22 unarmed Union soldiers returning home after the Battle of Atlanta.
When Robert E. Lee was defeated in Virginia, Clement and his followers refused to end the fight, demanding that the town of Lexington surrender. By the Spring of 1865 the federal government’s promise of amnesty finally convinced most of the guerillas to give up. Clement and 
Jesse James chose to shoot it out with a group of Union soldiers. The encounter left Jesse seriously wounded. (James, circa 1865)
Clement and his supporters, hoping to re-litagate the Civil War, began robbing banks owned by officers of Union militias. The first in Liberty, Missouri, netted Clement’s gang $58,000, nearly $1 million today,
Lexington was next. It had been headquarters for Quantrill’s Raiders during the war and the site of two of the largest battles in the West. The first was September, 12, 1861, and the second three years later on October 29.
Newspaper depiction of the First Battle of Lexington
Clement was reportedly not content to just take Yankee money. He continually harassed Missouri’s Republican, pro-union officials. Just a month after the Lexington hold-up, Clement brazenly led 100 former “bushwhackers” into Lexington, intimidating voters at the poles and most likely costing the Republicans the election.
In response, Thomas Fletcher, the Republican governor, dispatched a platoon of state militia led by Major Bacon Montgomery. Clement and company retreated only to return in December, insisting they be allowed “enlist” in Montgomery’s platoon. To avoid blood shed in the streets, the major let them sign up.
Clement reportedly repaired to the local saloon to enjoy his little joke. Montgomery, however, got the last laugh, sending a detail to arrest Clement on a warrant issued for the Liberty holdup. Clement didn’t go quietly. In the gunfight that followed, he was mortally wounded. Desperate to escape, Clement rode up the main street and was shot from his horse by a detachment of Morgan’s troops stationed at the courthouse. “I did what I said I’d do – die before I’d surrender,” he reportedly told one of the soldiers. He was buried in the Arnold Cemetery at Wellington.
His death left room for Jesse James to become Missouri’s most notorious outlaw. For more than a dozen years, he and his gang terrorized citizens in six states, robbing banks, holding up trains, murdering bystanders in the process. James apparently relished the attention, writing letters to newspapers attempting to position himself as an oppressed citizen and a Midwestern Robin Hood. His death on April 3, 1882 at 34 in St. Joseph at the hands of Robert Ford didn’t end the controversy over his life and legacy. Today. however, history has tilted from victim to villain.
The Jesse James Bank Musuem, Liberty, Missouri, is located on the town’s historic square. It is the site of the nation’s first successful daylight bank robbery, February 13, 1866. Attributed to the James gang, the bandits were never caught. Appearing just as it was that day with authentic period 
furnishings, a vintage Seth Thomas clock is set for the time time and date of the crime and original photographs and docuemnts are on display. The musuem store has a variety of historic books, period toys and games. Operated by the Department of Clay County Historic sites, its open Monday through Saturday from 10 to 4, closed Sunday. Admission is $6.50 for adults, $6 for seniors, children 8 to 15, $4 and under 8 free. For more information go claycountymo.gov, call (816) 736-8510 or write The Jesse James Bank, 103 N. Water, Liberty, MO 64068.
© Text Only – 2017 – Headin’ West LLC – All photos – public domain.