In 1952 a movie entitled "Montana Bell" was released, starring the lovely Jane Russell as the somewhat unlovely Belle Starr. The slender plot involves Bob Dalton rescuing Belle from a lynch mob and hiding her in the Dalton Cave, where she meets all the members of the Gang who vie for her romantic favors. I'm wondering if Belle actually did meet any of the Daltons. Doesn't Colonel Moody in one of his books (Dr. Jesse?) report her unfavorable opinion of the Daltons? Given that they were all running about pretty much the same places in the same times I would not be surprised had they actually met. But I cannot recall any historical records so indicating. Please refresh my memory should any of you know otherwise.

Thanks,
--meursault

I found the following note in a Fort Smith Criminal Case file at the Fort Worth Branch of the National Archives last weekend and was wondering if anyone could shed some light on the mention of Belle Starr. It appears that the train robbery mentioned is the one which occurred at Adair:

"Muskogee 16[?]
Train robbed last night at Verdigris bridge. Three men shot. 8 men in gang went west between Verdigris and Ark. Rivers. 5 in 1 bunch 3 in other. Parties selling whiskey in Tulsa few days ago are suspected, put officers on alert and telegraph any circumstances of note. Was Belle Starr about Tulsa or Red Fork recently? She denies being there near scene of robbery and murder. Oscar Coulter 6 ft 8 inches high believed to be leading gang. There was one man very heavy blonde beard all over his face, one man about 5 ft 9 in. high with light red hair, one heavy set man very dark beard about 5 days growth, all partly[?] marked. Look out for them.
[signed] [Gant?] Owens" c. 1888

[QUOTE] It appears that the train robbery mentioned is the one which occurred at Adair:
QUOTE]

Hi Diron,
I think you mean not Adair (14 July 1892) but Verdigris (15 June 1888). Verdigris seems to have been the location of a water tank just north of the Ft. Gibson station on the Katy line. My own thinking about this very interesting note is that Belle Starr had attained such a level of notoriety that suspicion would naturally focus on her after any crime of note.

--meursault, who wants to take this opportunity to thank Diron for all the help he's been on my research projects.

This brings up a good point...just how notorious was Belle Starr in her own time. The contention has been made that it was a product of later, "Hollywood-esque" exposure that caused her to be catipulted to the level her memory currently enjoys.

This might just open up a whole new can of worms.

I think part of the credit for Belle's fame can go to S. W. Harman, author of the 1898 "Hell on the Border." On his chapter on Belle he states: "Of all the women ever mentioned by word or pen, none in history have been more brilliantly daring or more effective in their chosen role than the dashing Belle Starr, champion and leader of robbers...about whom more has been said and written (much of the former being false)than any member of her sex in America."
Sounds to me like Belle had a heck of a media reputation before Hollywood exploited her.