The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Bob Ford shot Jesse James primarily due to a combination of resentment and self-interest. After initially idolizing Jesse, Bob's admiration soured when Jesse mocked his blind devotion at dinner and after learning that his cousin Albert Ford had been brutally attacked by Jesse. Additionally, Bob had already betrayed Jesse by assisting in the capture of Dick Liddil for a bounty and pardon, making him desperate to prove his loyalty to the authorities before Jesse could discover his betrayal.

Foreshadowing: Bob's resentment was foreshadowed when Jesse taunted him about his admiration at the Bolton dinner, calling him a coward to his face.

• bob ford
• jesse james
• assassination
• betrayal
• motive

Governor Thomas T. Crittenden offered a bounty of $10,000 for Jesse James, along with a pardon for Bob Ford regarding the murder of Wood Hite. However, after killing Jesse, the Fords only received $500 each instead of the promised amount.

• bounty
• reward
• governor crittenden
• ten thousand dollars

Jesse James gave Bob Ford a polished nickel-plated gun as a gesture of trust and goodwill after inducting him into the gang. This gesture proved tragically ironic when Bob used that same gun to shoot Jesse in the back of the head while Jesse was distracted reading a newspaper about Liddil's arrest.

Foreshadowing: Jesse's trust in Bob was notable given his suspicious nature, as he had previously prevented the Ford brothers from being alone together.

• nickel-plated gun
• trust
• gift
• irony

Wood Hite was shot and killed by Bob Ford at the Bolton farmhouse. The confrontation occurred when Wood, who was having an affair with Liddil's stepmother, came to the Boltons to confront Liddil. Bob, acting instinctively to protect Liddil, shot and killed Wood. Bob and Liddil then hid the body in the woods to keep Jesse from finding out.

• wood hite
• bob ford
• liddil
• murder
• shot

Bob Ford was called a coward because he shot Jesse James in the back of the head while Jesse was distracted, unarmed, and not expecting an attack. The assassination occurred on April 3, 1882, when Jesse was cleaning a dusty picture instead of watching Bob. This betrayal from behind, rather than a fair confrontation, earned Bob the infamous label and public condemnation despite the bounty on Jesse's head.

• coward
• back shot
• betrayal
• public perception

After Jesse's death, Charley Ford was wracked by guilt over his role in the betrayal. He wrote countless letters to Zee James (Jesse's widow) seeking forgiveness but never mailed them. Unable to cope with his remorse, Charley committed suicide in May 1884.

• charley ford
• suicide
• guilt
• letters
• zee james

Jesse James killed Ed Miller in a fit of rage after Miller inadvertently revealed that Dick Liddil was plotting to betray Jesse for a bounty. The murder showcased Jesse's volatile temperament and his extreme reaction to perceived disloyalty within his gang.

• ed miller
• jesse james
• murder
• rage
• liddil

After Jesse's death, the Ford brothers embarked on a theatrical tour in Manhattan where they reenacted Jesse's assassination on stage. The tour was an attempt to profit from Jesse's notoriety. However, public sentiment shifted during the tour, with audiences viewing Jesse as a legend and Bob as a coward. The performances ended when Bob assaulted an audience member who mocked him.

• theatrical tour
• manhattan
• reenactment
• stage performance

Bob Ford went to Kansas City Police Commissioner Henry Craig to offer his knowledge of Jesse James' location. He did this to prove his loyalty to the authorities and secure a deal for himself after learning about the bounty being offered. To further prove his allegiance, Bob assisted in capturing Dick Liddil, whose confession led to the bounty deal with Governor Crittenden.

• kansas city
• police commissioner
• henry craig
• betrayal
• bounty

At dinner at the Boltons' home, Jesse James mocked Bob Ford about his blind admiration and idolization. This mocking, combined with Bob learning about his cousin Albert Ford being attacked by Jesse, significantly deepened Bob's resentment toward Jesse and contributed to his eventual betrayal.

Foreshadowing: This moment of mockery directly planted the seeds of resentment that led to Bob's decision to kill Jesse.

• mockery
• dinner
• resentment
• bolton
• idolization

Bob Ford's betrayal of Jesse began when he went to Kansas City Police Commissioner Henry Craig to offer information about Jesse's whereabouts. To prove his loyalty, Bob assisted in capturing Dick Liddil, who had been plotting to betray Jesse. Liddil's confession led to a deal with Governor Crittenden offering a bounty and pardon for killing or capturing Jesse within ten days.

• betrayal
• liddil
• confession
• governor crittenden
• bounty deal

Jesse James attacked Albert Ford, a young relative of Bob and Charley, in a fit of rage after failing to find Jim Cummins, who was also plotting to betray him for a bounty. Jesse's violent attack on an innocent family member demonstrated his volatile and paranoid nature.

• albert ford
• jesse james
• attack
• rage
• Cummins

Bob Ford was shot and killed on June 8, 1892, by Edward O'Kelley in Ford's saloon in Creede, Colorado. O'Kelley was eventually sentenced to life imprisonment but was pardoned in 1902. Ford's death came ten years after he killed Jesse James, and he was haunted by his past actions throughout his life.

• bob ford death
• edward okelley
• creede colorado
• shot
• killed