Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-09-01
Copyright by Edgar W. Nye.l

RoBBING INNOCENT PASSENGERS.
entire book carefully because l did not
desire to judge it unfairly My atten-
ton was especially called TO it because
l had heard so much of the devout spirit
manifested especially by Coleman Young
er, both before and since his incarcera-
ton.
1t is only fair that the world should
know the truth about both the Youngers
and the Jameses, and that while they
were ut times unconventional and almost
rude they were really at heart refined
and devout. Coleman Younger or Cole,
as he was called by his publishers, who
of course naturally feel most intimate
with him, having no doubt often ex-
changed ideas with him as to methods
of working that would be profitable
without involving too much risk or
brain flag, was the son of Henry Wash
ington Younger, n native of Kentucky,
who afterward moved to Jackson county
Mo. Mr.. Younger, ST., never did much,
aside from becoming the father of the
Younger brothers, that would serve to
pass his name down in history Having
by request of many citizens. The elder
Younger, if such a term be proper,
began to WELD a lasting influence
over his sons, however, before his
death; for while Cole was at school he
was quite rude, and sometimes fatally
injured his playmates in thoughtless
glee, and as a result of pure animal spir-
its which he carried almost constantly
concealed about his person. As a result
of this the teacher threatened to whip
Coleman. The elder Younger then in
formed the little pallid tutor that if
he did so he, the elder Younger, would
whip the little pale teacher Many boys
with parents like that have grown up,
gone into society, and at last put on the
beautiful tennis suits worn so extensively
at Sing Sing. Later on, growing heated
over a discussion with the teacher re-
garding the question whether "pollena"
was or was not the correct photography
of the style of overskirt then being largely
worn i'll Clay county, the Younger broth
ers inserted the tutor III the river, head
first, through hole in the ice, and left
him there i'll a most compromising posi-
ton. This was the origin of the express
sion getting a man in hole" which
has since comeinto popular favor, having
been used by Undertaken Merritt this
summer when DIR. McGOnigal brought
him the body of Annie Goodwin at a.
m. in his gig, and asked him to kindly
bury it for him.
The tutor was pulled out by spectators
finally, and he said then to those about
him that if the Younger boys didn't do
different" they would come to bad
end, possibly several of such.
Cole Younger has become such an earn
est, consistent Christian since his incar-
ceration in the penitentiary that his past
ought not to be raked up here, except it
be, perhaps, to show that he has had
great deal to overcome in trying to lead
a Christian life in a penitentiary, where
there are so many temptations to be friv-
olous ana gay.
Some years ago there was a robbery
on the Rock Island road, about fourteen
miles east of Council Bluffs. Cole
Younger and Jesse James planned to
"thrOw" the east bound train at this
point. 1t was in the drowsy dawn of
beautiful summer Sabbath that these
now kindly and gentle natures pried up
the rails and let the flying engine pillow
into the cut and wreck the train. Itwas
the sunrise Of that Sabbath morning
when poor Rafferty,, the engineer, with
ashy face and staring eyeballs turned
toward the quiet sky, lay dead beneath
his engine. He lies in an unknown grave
today because he foolishly tried to reverse
his engine and save his train; whereas if |
he had been engaged in wrecking it |
people would have come for thousands |
OF miles to see him and hear him tell how |
he found salvation and helped himself !
to it.
The boys now had the train to them |
selves. They began to feel in the pockets |
OF comparative strangers, and get the |
time of day from people with whom
they could have had but a slight acquaint-
ance. Sometimes lady who had never
been robbed at all before, and who had
not read the etiquette of the thing, would |
shrek, but before she could |
apologize Mr.. Younger, who it is said !
carried a Bible with him through all his
Iraln roDDlnS career, and always had
good voice for exhortation, said: "Sit
down, damn you! Keep still or you'll
go to hell!' These are the words testi-
he'd to by those present. Mr.. Younger
always read one of the Psalms Just be-
tore robbing train, and one of his
prayers, it is said, would have sounded
well evenin the house of representatives.
After the Rock Island train robbery
the Youngers and Jameses scattered in
order to avoid detection. Each took a
peach basket full of gold watches, SO that
ne would know what time it was. and
started off in different directions. Curl
ously enough, four of them came to-
gether, viz, Cole, Jim and John Younger
and Moore
The four outlaws had halted in thick
grove of trees to rest their horses, swap
and pray, when late in the af-
ternoon two deputy sheriffs and con-
stable who were looking for the train
robbers suddenly came upon them. In
an instant Cole Younger took in the sit
uation, and revolvers were drawn and
ieyeled on the officers, says the nara