Crime history - James brothers robbery leads to Pinkerton pursuit
By: Freeman Klopott
Examiner Staff Writer
July 2, 2009
On this day, July 3, in 1871, Jesse and Frank James stole $45,000 from a bank in Corydon, Iowa. The robbery by the famed duo led the bank to hire the Pinkerton Detective Agency, kicking off agency founder Allan Pinkerton’s vendetta against the James brothers that culminated with Pinkerton detectives setting fire to the James family homestead.
Following the July 3 robbery, the detectives were able to track the James brothers into Missouri, where they engaged in a gunfight and wounded Frank. The duo escaped, however, and Jesse wrote a letter to the Kansas City Times proclaiming his innocence and blaming pro-Union Republicans for suggesting he was a criminal.
Pinkerton and his agency stayed on the bank robber’s trail, but were continually frustrated in their efforts.
In 1875 the detectives threw an incendiary device into the James family homestead, finding the home with the help of former Unionists. The blaze killed James’ younger half brother Archie and the blast blew off the arm of his mother, Zerelda Samuel.
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