PART 3. HUNTSVILLE, HOME, PARDON, AND BEYOND Jesse spent the next two years in the infamous Walker Unit at Huntsville, Texas’ State Prison. This historic prison had been in operation since 1849. It had…a reputation. The following is Jesse’s official prison record, his “service record.” BY SEPTEMBER, 1939, AFTER 18 MONTHS, JESSE WAS HOME FOR HIS GOOD BEHAVIOR James family members never spoke of Jesse Gs’ time at the Walker Unit that I ever heard or that Mom or Dad ever shared. I knew from the general history of the Walker Unit, that it was, to be kind, a tough place. The only comments I ever heard about grandpa’s time there was from my mom, June Pike James, Jesse G’s Daughter-in-law. She told me that […]
Jesse Garfield James
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Skeeter Klaus and “Red” Berry were two who gambled and ran cock fights in in the San Antonio area. Red Berry had a ranch over off Rigsby Street and ran all the fights on the east side of San Antonio while Skeeter ran the fights on the southwest side. In the early 1930’s Dad (Jesse Garfield James) got into cock fightin’ with Skeeter. The two were practicing with the chickens by holdin’ them and making them peck at each other to see if they were any good. Dad was out there in the chicken pen with Skeeter. Each had chickens in their hands when Dad got the idea to make the chickens peck at my (Jesse Columbus James, age 8) duck. They’d hold my duck […]