The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-03-08
BANDITS ARE
IN Big LUCK.
Younger Brothers Are About 10
Receive a Pardon.
LAST RAID OF THE ROBBERS.
BatiIs al The hsrtAdeId Bank Twsniy-Fuur
Years Age Outlaw, Mads a Msst
Rluudy Fight.
LAST RAID OF THE ROBBERS

Bob and Cole Younger. members of the
Jesse James gang, who were sent TO
prison nearly n quarter OF a century ago
Northneld, MINI. are to be liberated by
an act of the Minnesota legislature.
The Mortified bank robbery was the
most sensational affair in which these
famous bandits ever participated. and at
tracted worldwide attention even az a
time when similar raids by the James
Younger band were OF almost weekly oc-
currence.
II marked the beginning OF the end OF
the reign OF terror which the bandit gang
had instituted. Previous to the Northneld
raid the James and Younger boys had
plundered banks aud railway and ex-
press lines at WIN. their presence seem
ing TO inspire a terror which prevented
opposition.
At Northheld. however. the citizens
fought them 10 the death. and three OF
the Younger brothers-Bob. Cole and Jim
were captured after six days running
fight They were given a trial at Fair
bault, Mimi, and sentenced to penal SER
vitude for life.
Later Jim Younger died in prison. and
then the friends OF the surviving broth
ers began an. agitation for their pardon.
A petition signed by every member Of
the Missouri legislature. by the state Of
fcers. and by men of national reputation
was turned down by the executive OF
Minnesota.
The plea that the Youngers had been
amply punished was met by the assertion
that TO free them would be an encourage
ment TO other men TO engage In similar
crimes.
Year after year the effort TO secure their
release was renewed, and In time IL cre-
ated a friendly sentiment which bas
found expression in the passage of an
act by the Minnesota legislature provid-
ing for their freedom.
FIRST RAIDS BY YOUNGERs.
There were six Younger brothers, one
of whom died In boyhood. They were
the sons OF Colonel Henry w. Younger.
n Southern man, who moved to Cass
county. Missouri. In 1880. The Ave boys
who lived TO attain their majority were
Richard, Thomas Coleman. Robert James
and John Younger.
During the war they. like the two
James brothers. were irregular or guer-
rilla troops. who stole as often from one
side as the other. After the war they
became bandits.
The first robbery OF the kind with
which the Youngers were later identified
was that OF the Commercial Bank OF Lib
erty. Mo, on Feb. H. 1866. when $4,000
was obtained. The robbers followed the
same tactics which we're employed after
ward time and time again. and which al
cd fho AL trsh
berry.
The party. well mounted and heavily
armed rode into the town firing and
yelling I'm the streets. and terrorized tho
citizens, while two OF the gang dismount-
ed and, with cooked revolvers, forced the
cashier TO hand over the banks funds.
The Younger boys were first known 20
be with the James brothers in the bank
robbery at Columbia. Ky. The cashier,
refusing 10 give up the money, was killed.
The scene of the next raid was in Iowa.
At Corydon, Iowa. they succeeded In rob-
bing q bank OF $4,000. On May q. 1873.
the 81. Genevieve Bank was robbed of
sa6o
In 1873 they began 10 rob railway
trains. The Chicago, Rock Island and
Pacific suffered first east OF Council
Bluffs. Next the cash box of the Kansas
City Fair association was robbed or it's
days receipts.
This was followed by the holding up OF
the Malvern and Hot Springs stages i'm
January. 1874 Then the band attempted
another train robbery at Gad's Hill on
the Iron Mountain railway.
KILLING OF JOHN YOUNGER.
The Youngers and the Jameses then
separated for a while. ns heavy rewards
were offered for their arrest. Many at
tempts were made TO capture them. In
one OF them John Younger was killed.
~ times the detectives were hunters. and
then again they would be hunted.
In December. 1919. two parties were or
ganized for robbery. one. consisting of
Jesse James. Bob Younger and James
Younger. stopped a train at Muncie. Mo,
and robbed the express safe of $4,000
Another party. consisting OF Cole
Younger Frank James and the Millers
robbed n bank at Corinth. Miss. Later
the James brothers. the three Noungers.
Charles Pitts and Glenn Miller robbed a
Missouri Pacific train at Otteryille. Mo.
securing si75oO.
la 1876 thoy decided To rob the bank AZ
Northneld. MINI. on Sept & The band
consisted Of Bob Cole. and James Youn-
ger. Bill Chadwell. elem Miller. Frank
and Jessie James. and Charley Pitts
They rode directly 10 the hank. where
Frank and Jessie James and Cole Youn-
ger dismounted and entered once inside
they ordered J. L. Hayward. the cashier,
Ito open the safe or die He refused and
was shot
While this was going on there was n
Wild scene In front of the bank. a. W.
Wheeler. who occupied the second-story
room opposite. got rife and ehot Char
los Pitts and Bnl ChsdweIi. Then Other
citizens began firing. The robbers fed
ana were pursued for six days by hun
Grcds of men.
Finally. the bandits separated colo.
Fob. and Jim Younger and elem kept to-
gcther The James bovs escaped after
being repeatedly wounded and suffering
untold hardshlps
CAPTURE OF THE BANDITS.
on sept. Il tho four others we're sur
founded in the swamrs OF the Watonwsn
river Niller aud che three Youngors
were wounded before they surrendered
The YounEers were arraigned in court
early Ia October at FsJrbsult. where. be-
Ing advised that they could no, be SON.
fenced 20 death " they pleaded guilty.
they did so. and were sentenced 20 penal