The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1901-04-10

1858 bought large farm near Harri-
sonville, Cass county, to which he
moved. Cole was born in 1914 and
Robert in 1853 while the family was
living in Jackson county.
At the beginning of the war Of the
rebellion the Younger family was re-
garded as a Union one, but notwith-
standing this they suffered terribly
through q raid by the Kansas militia
and from that time renowned their
Union sentiments and joined the guer-
! rilla forces of Quantrell. When Cole
Younger joined this band, it consisted
of but 81 men, and he was in the bitter
fight at the house of John Flannery In
Jackson county oman. 3, 1862.
Throughout the war Cole Younger
was identified with the most desperate
and daring deeds of the guerrillas. but
Bob never acquired any prominence,
even during the persecution of his
mother, though James, his next older
brother, joined the ranks as a full
| fedged guerrilla in 1864. Bob Younger
was also missing up to May l, 1873.
when they left Jackson county and
started out to rob the State Savings
bank at st. Genevieve. From that out
he was always with the band Of out
laws with which his brothers were
connected.
In the Mortified robbery, which was
under the lead of Bill Caldwell, he was
one of the first three to enter the town,
hnft To
ley Pitts. They quickly entered the
bank, leaped over the counter and COW
cred Cashier Haywood and two clerks
with their revolvers. The cashier was
commanded to open the safe, but re-
fused. The outer doors of the vault
were open and one of the robbers
stepped inside to try the other ones
The cashier attempted to close the
doors on him, but was prevented. One
Of the clerks attempted to escape dur
ing this excitement, but was followed
and shot in the back by Bob Younger.
A knife was placed at the cashiers
throat, and he was slightly cut, but he
still refused to open the doors. By this
time the alarm had been given on the
outside, and firing had commenced.
Jesse James was the last to leave after
hearing the warning and as he leaped
over the counter fired at Haywood kill
ing him instantly. Bill Chadwell, the
leader of the band, and Clell Miller
were also killed, and Bob Younger was
painfully injured, being shot through
the elbow. A Norwegian was also shot
fatally on the street. Every man in the
party was more or less seriously wound
ed Jim Younger badly. In addition.
the latter lost his horse, and to save
him Cole dashed back and took him up
behind him.
The chase was hot and the robbers so
disabled that they could not get away
rapidly. They were oyertaken in ra-
vine a few days later. They here made
break. the party separating, Bob and
Cole Younger and Charley Pitts re-
naming together. They were overtak-
en- in a slough on the Watonwan river.
through which they plunged. They
were headed off, however, and the sher-
ifs party began firing into them. The
fight for time was desperate, Charley
Pitts being killed and Cole and Jim
Younger falling with their bones shat
tered. Bob Younger with his right
arm hanging broken by his side, stood
between them. continuing to fire, but
he soon saw it was useless and submit
ted to arrest. Cole Younger had rifle
ball under the right eye, which destroy
ed the optic nerve and which has never
yet been removed.
The devotion of the brothers was
shown in the fight from Northtield
Had the robbers not been incumbered
by Jim Younger, badly wounded, they
might have escaped. His mouth was
so badly shattered and the hemorrhage
was so profuse that it left a trail of
blood that was easily followed. At
last he became so weak that it was
necessary for Cole and Bob to ride be-
side him to support him. By this they
were delayed several days. and in the
| meantime the country was swarmin2
! with their pursuerS. Jesse James OBJ
| iected and remarked to Cole that their
trail could be followed by blind man,
| and as they of course did not want jim
/ to fall into the hands of their pur
suers they had better dispose of him
and end his suffering, as his death
was certain anyhow. Bob and Cole
looked at James and replied, calling
him a cold hearted villain, a monster
with whom they could never associate
again, and added that they would stay
| nv their brother until he died and
would then carry his body as far as
they had strength TO make it possible
] This was the reason for the separa
ton of the party. Pitts remained by
the Youngers and was killed. The
Jameses left and escaped.
WHEAT FIEL DIS DEVASTATED.