During his time with the guerrillas, he dressed as a young girl
According to Jesse James, Jr.'s narrative, Jesse James rode up to this house on horseback while dressed as a young girl and summoned the mistress. He lived nearby, that he was a girl who enjoyed exploring new places, and that he would want to visit the house that night with two or three neighbor girls "to have a nice time." The purported girl on horseback said he and the other girls would be there that night, and the mistress of the home gave her approval.
Four fresh girls would be staying at the mistress's residence that night, so she immediately notified the federal agents in Independence of this.
After riding up to the home after dark, Jesse James and the other guerrillas dismounted, snuck up to the windows, and peered in. There were twelve federal officers inside with the women. No sentinels or guards were on duty. It was safe for the Federals. Five women and twelve males were present in the same room. On the hearth of the vintage fireplace, a joyful fire flared and crackled.
Jesse James went to a window with five other males. With five men, Bill Gregg went to another. In the shadows beyond, each of the nine guerrillas chose his man. Nine revolvers fired at once at a signal that had been established, creating the sound of a single gun. Nine of the Federal soldiers died at that first volley as a result of the glass shattering into a thousand pieces and crashing to the ground. The other three died a split second later. The rebels mounted their horses and rode off.
