Chicken Fried Steak and Jesse James

   Chicken Fried Steak and Jesse James

Suzanne Marsh

I was seated by a lovely young waitress dressed in costume of the 1880’s. This was my first visit to the Stagecoach Inn, Salado, Texas. I have a vivid imagination and had heard about the James Gang being fed here and hiding in caves beneath the structure. The waitress began reciting the menu, when she got to hush puppies and chicken fried steak, I knew I had to have those for dinner, then recommended a “strawberry kiss”. I had never heard of this so like any good reporter I asked:

“What is a strawberry kiss?” The waitress smiled:

“It is vanilla ice cream with strawberry sauce on top, whipped cream and cut strawberries over

the whipped creamed and a piece of cake under it, trust me it is great! Oh yes and it was a favorite of Jesse James” she said with a smile.

I ordered, then took out my notes about the James/Younger Gang, I had read that Jesse James fed his entire gang in one of the caves. There were so many sightings of the James Gang it was hard to determine which were true. I began to read as I waited for my dinner. I had the strawberry kiss and called it a night. I went to bed on a full stomach, that was not the smartest thing I have ever done, it always gives me strange dreams…

“Hey, Jesse how much longer we gonna have to hide here in this cave?” Cole Younger grumbled. Jesse James, his baby face glowing replied:

“As soon as it is clear, I was in the saloon earlier, there is a posse looking fer us. Until

that Sheriff leaves, we are stayin put you got that Cole?”

Cole Younger got it but he was not a happy man, he never was or so the rest of the gang thought. Jesse had not yet told the gang that he was planning to rob not just a stagecoach but also a bank in Waco. Jesse very seldom told the gang what he had in mind until he was ready to execute the plan. Frank James stood quietly listening to his brother, both men had ridden with Bill Quantrill during the second war of rebellion. Quantrill was a great teacher, Jesse was sixteen when he joined, he learned to shoot to kill. He and Frank both survived the war; deciding it was a good idea to rob banks. Most folks did not wish to confront the James/Younger gang members and would have over whatever they wanted. Jesse always hid the gold by himself, when it was time, he would divide the ill-gotten goods, until then the groupings of stolen items remained hidden.

Waco was a bustling town when Jesse began to plan the bank robbery. The streets had boardwalks, posts were installed for tethering horses, boot scrapes were placed outside the saloon, so the odor of the cowpokes was not quite as bad. The bank, stood almost in the center of town, two doors down from the Sheriff’s office. Jesse knew that could pose a problem, but he was more than willing to find a way. Jesse rode into Waco, disguised as a Mexican peon, looking for work. He scouted that bank, made sure of when the Sheriff was in is office or out patrolling the town. He made several trips before he was ready to rob the bank. He had even been inside the bank, where he located the vault, which seemed fairly easy to crack. Actually, one of the new men Bob Abernathy was excellent with dynamite, which would make it much easier to get into the vault.

The plan was simple, Jesse and Frank would ride in, go have a beer in the saloon. Cole and Donny Pence had the job of getting on top of the roof of the general store to cover Jesse and Frank. Bob Abernathy was to meet Jesse and Frank in the saloon. Once everyone was, I place Jesse, Frank and Bob were to enter the bank. Jesse watched intently waiting for Bob to enter the saloon. He wanted to rob the bank just before closing, that was when there was the most money. Bob finally strode through the swinging doors of the saloon; he made eye contact with Jesse. Jesse, nudged Frank, it was time to move on the bank.

The streets of Waco were almost deserted, the sun was just beginning to set. The red ball of fire being transformed into an odd pink and orange hue. Jesse and Frank drew their guns, as they entered the bank. Bob Abernathy followed silently, this was his first bank robbery, once he had his cut, he planned to head to Mexico where he could live his life comfortably.

Their faces hidden by bandannas, revolvers out of their holsters, struck fear into the bank president, a small balding man.

“Put your hands up, open the safe and no one gets hurt.” Jesse stated softly. The bank president, found his voice:

“No, sir, I would rather die, than hand over the hard-earned cash in the bank.”

Jesse, shot the man in the foot:

“Now, you gonna open the vault or you gonna die?” The bank president blanched; his life was more important to him than his depositors' loss of money. His hands shook, as stumbled toward the vault he had just locked for the day. He could not stop shaking, Jesse motioned Bob to blow the safe.

The vibrations from the explosion, brought the Sheriff on the run. Things just did not explode in his town. The sheriff grabbed his shot gun as he ran out the door. Simultaneously, Jesse, Frank and Bob, guns at the ready, five bags of cash in hand, backed calmly out of the bank. The Sheriff began shooting his shot gun. Jesse and Frank jumped on their horses as Cole began to fire from the roof of the general store. They rode at a full lope out of town, guns blazing.

They galloped toward Salado, hiding out in the caves. Two weeks later, the Sheriff gave up attempting to find the gang. Hiding in the cave had been a stroke of genius on Jesse’s part. The gang decided then it was in their best interest to get out of Texas and return to Missouri.

I awoke with a start; had I been riding with the James Gang? Why did I order the hush puppies and chicken fried steak? Was it the strawberry kiss that consummated my ride with the gang? I don’t know if I will ever have the answers but every time I return to Salado, to the Stagecoach Inn, I order the hush puppies and chicken fried steak, for dessert, strawberry kiss, then I dream about the old west and Jesse James.