Patrick Meguiar: Tells us of an incident where a detective encounters Jesse James, this incident is talked about in Ted Yeatman's book on Jesse James.
The Story of Yankee Bligh: Delos Thurman Bligh, better known as "Yankee Bligh" was born in Franklin, New York on March 19th, 1823. Bligh worked as a laborer, and bricklayer, but eventually became a night watchman. During the Mexican war he served with the Louisville Legion and was wounded in service with Zachary Taylor's army in northern Mexico. He returned to Louisville and by 1858 was a member of the cities "day watch" a forerunner of the Louisville Police force. When a formal police force was established in 1861, Bligh became one of its first members.
Bligh specialized in investigating con artists and forgers and bagged a number of these criminals during his early years on the police force. Bligh had his first encounter with Missouri outlaws in 1868 in the Russellville bank robbery and was responsible for the capture of outlaw George Shepherd. In 1870 Bligh was made Chief of Detectives in Louisville and established a reputation after arresting J.M. McDonald for three-million-dollar forgery. On August 31st of the same year. Jesse James wife Zee had given birth to Jesse Edward James. Jesse, Zee and the baby moved in November, and they relocated to Baltimore, Maryland. It was probably during this move that Bligh came into contact with a bearded man at the Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad depot at fourteenth and Main in Louisville. In one account the stranger recognized Bligh, and the stranger claimed to be a tombstone salesman and asked Bligh if he was still pursuing the James brothers? Bligh replied that "yes he was indeed." a few days later, Bligh received a post card from Indianapolis or Baltimore (different versions cite different cities) signed by Jesse James and expressing regret at not having revealed his identity at the depot. -Ted Yeatman Frank and Jesse James
Patrick Meguiar on the Bligh / James incident:
To prove my point that there is evidence in plain view that Jesse Woodson James used pictures of other men to conceal his true identity is found in Ted P. Yeatman's book. Ted P. Yeatman in his book on page 161, Frank James And Jesse James The Story Behind The Legend cites a story that took place in a Louisville Depot. Yeatman states that Delos T. "Yankee" Bligh, a Louisville Police Detective was approached by a man claiming to be a tombstone salesman who by one account recognized Detective Bligh asked Bligh if he was "still after the James brothers". Bligh said indeed he was in their pursuit. Days later, Bligh received a postcard stating that Bligh had said he would be ready to die whenever he saw Jesse James and Jesse wrote in that postcard you can go ahead and die because you saw Jesse James, the man who claimed to be a tombstone salesman at the Depot in Louisville.
Why didn't Bligh recognize Jesse Woodson James when he was approached by him? Is it possible that Bligh had seen pictures that he was told that were of Jesse James that made him believe Jesse James looked different than the man he spoke with at the Depot? Bligh was a Louisville, Kentucky Police Detective who was hired by the Pinkerton National Detective Agency to capture or kill Jesse Woodson James should have known exactly how Jesse Woodson James looked if he had seen a real picture of Jesse Woodson James, but he obviously failed to recognize him at a Louisville, Kentucky Depot!
The greater question is why was Jesse James so confident that Bligh would not recognize him? Jesse James clearly wanted to approach Bligh to taunt him for sure, but he clearly didn't disguise himself that would have called attention to himself in the presence of a Police Detective like Delos T. Bligh. There is obviously a reason why Jesse Woodson James would not be recognized and it goes much further than his using alias names to conceal his true identity! He obviously used pictures of other men to conceal his identity as well!
If that isn't proof enough that Jesse Woodson James used pictures of other men to conceal his true identity just as he did by using alias names to satisfy the majority of people, GOD forbid that anyone not convinced ever be on a jury!
Patrick Meguiar is a well known antiquarian and collector from Portland Tennessee. Patrick is the keeper of his families photographic collection which consists of hundreds of photos that date from 1855 - 1920's. The photo consists of multiple formats including Daguerreotype's, ambrotype's and modern film formats
I have several boxes, I have my 4th great grandfather's daguerrotype. Ambrotypes of my 3rd great grandfather Meguiar and his 2nd wife. The ambrotype of Jesse Woodson James. Tintypes of my great-grandparents and several uncles and aunts. I have CDV's and cabinet cards. I have given some of them away, but I have hundreds of them still. -Patrick Meguiar
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