Charles Ford

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Charles Wilson Ford (July 9, 1857 – May 6, 1884) was an American outlaw and a member of the James Gang. He was the lesser known older brother of Robert Ford, the killer of Jesse James. Charley Ford was introduced to Jesse and Frank James by Wood Hite and joined the gang in 1881 at the same time as his brother. By the spring of 1882 Jesse James had moved with his family to a house in St. Joseph, Missouri, and invited the Fords to live there with him. He recruited Bob and Charley to help with a planned robbery of another bank in nearby Platte City, Missouri. Governor of Missouri Thomas T. Crittenden offered $10,000 for the capture of James, and the Fords secretly met with Crittenden to negotiate the reward. On April 3, 1882, Charley was present when Robert Ford shot and killed James in James' home. The Ford brothers were convicted and sentenced to be hanged, but were pardoned by Crittenden the same day. Afterwards, the Fords capitalized on their notoriety by re-enacting James' murder on stage as part of a touring show. Charley heard a rumor that Frank James was searching for both with plans of mortal revenge. Two years later, after a period of deep depression following James' death, terminal illness from tuberculosis, and a debilitating morphine addiction, Charles Ford died by suicide on May 6, 1884.