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Home » Adopt a Piece of History » Donald, Jay. “Outlaws Of The Border: A Complete and Authentic History of the Lives of Frank and Jesse James, the Greatest Bandits the World Has Ever Known.” 1882.

Donald, Jay. “Outlaws Of The Border: A Complete and Authentic History of the Lives of Frank and Jesse James, the Greatest Bandits the World Has Ever Known.” 1882.

Jay Donald. Outlaws Of The Border: A Complete and Authentic History of the Lives of Frank and Jesse James, the Younger Brothers, and Their Robber Companions, Including Quantrell and His Noted Guerillas, the Greatest Bandits the World Has Ever Known. Chicago: Coburn & Cook, 1882.

A salesman’s sample book, advertising a history of Frank and Jesse James. While the reader might be drawn to this book for its sensational narrative of these famous outlaws, the publishers claimed a higher motive. Contrary to other such books that represented the James brothers as romantic heroes, this book strives to “reveal the true character of these brigands, and show to the youthful mind that an evil course of action is always sure to bring its own reward, and that the glamor of apparent success cannot compensate for the bad results of a vicious career.” Lavishly illustrated with wood engravings, and including title page, table of contents, and sample pages. The red pictorial cover includes a spine sample on the back and an alternate sample in blue cloth inside the back cover. The blue cloth version could be ordered for $2, while the red cloth with marbled edges would have cost $2.50.

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William Clements Library Adopt a Piece of History Bookplate

Jay Donald. "Outlaws Of The Border: A Complete and Authentic History of the Lives of Frank and Jesse James, the Younger Brothers, and Their Robber Companions, Including Quantrell and His Noted Guerillas, the Greatest Bandits the World Has Ever Known." 1882.


Adopted by

Joan Knoertzer