The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-17
GAME FROM GOOD STOCK
YOUNGER BROTHERS ARB DIES.
CENDANTs OF LIGHT HORSE
HARRY LEE
THEIR FATHER WAS A JUDGE
Col. John II. Crisp Writes of Early
Days of the YounGers and
Gives Their Family
History.


nesota legislature bill which will make
possible the parole of the Younger broth
ers has aroused. renewed interest in the
careers of the two men who for thirty
years past have been inmates of the
state penitentiary at Saltwater. Col.
John l. Crtss, a MisSourian, who knew
the elder members of the family very
we'll, and who has worked assiduously
during the past decade to secure their
release, gives All interesting account of
the early career of the brothers to the
Kansas City Times, which reads as fol-
lows:
My acquaintanceship began with the
Younger people in my early youth, and
IN the early days of the settlement Of
missouri. l could not have been more
ttlan seven or eight years old when I
nrst saw Judge Harry Younger, who was
the father of the YoungerS now at Still
water, and many other children. The
meager histories of the United States
which read when quite a boy impressed
upon my mind the character Of Light
Horse Harry Lee, of the Revolutionary
war Among the curious things taught
me when first saw Judge Harry Young
er, was that he was iineal descendant
OF that same Light Horse Harry Lee, OF
the revolutionary times, of whom every
student of American history knows some
thing, II not a good deal.
Il became intimately acquainted with
MS son, Richard Younger, at Chapel Hill
college, which was located then in the
southwest corner of Lafayette county, Mo-.
and was more or less associated with him
for three or four years there. His father
was educating him for the ministry I
Well remember, in the Cumberland Pres
byterIan church, under whose auspices
that college was being conducted He was
a very model young man, exceedingly
popular among all his SchoolfelloWS, who
numbered from 100 to 200 There were
with him at the time two of his sisters,
Miss Belle and Miss Josie Younger. These
were celebrated beauties ana accomplish
ed young ladies. They were devout mem
neFs OF their church. [ went to California
In 1856 and before my return, after about
three years. sojourn there. Richard
Younger had died, and his sisters had
married and gone IF 1 ever saw the
Younger brothers who are now impris-
oned at Saltwater, Mimi, I do not re-
member it.
81 presume am as familiar as anyone
with the circumstances of their going to
minnesota. l have never cared to say
much about this, for 1 have felt that it
would 40 them no good and would simply
pc gratifying morbid curiosity. They
nave been in prison, however, so long
that l feel that all the facts. at least as
know them, should be stated The gen
eral impression is that they will remain
IN prison for the balance Of their lives.
ana know that 1 am going over and
haSmuch as nearly all of my comrades
nave or are passing over the river be-
OA1N nv " COIuG Ddck again. al frank
statement of all 1 know about them and
their Minnesota episodes might be poui-
tfclng to their feelings and helm them
while away the last hours of their lives
Win the pleasing reflection that there are
LnoSe In the world who would not have
forgotten them in their former Missouri
home
THE Youngers belong to a race of peo-
PIE VINO would not fear the stake if 1t
stood between them and the performance
OF selfish act. 1t was very well under
stood and always talked, Immediately af-
ter their apprehension and incarceration
ana Tor some time, too, that the Young
ers and their associates were conducted
to the place where they met their Water
100. by MinneSotan, who represented
that these vast sums of money for which
they went belonged to Jews; and Jews
who had no real friends in the country.
Bes1des, the person who made these rep
reservations expressed himself as disiik-
ing them for other reasons.
AS everybody knows the Youngers
were outlaws They lived anywhere and
everywhere. 1t may not be amiss to give
bl1ef statement as to how they be-
came outlaws.
1T took a great deal of courage for a
man in jackson county, Missouri, in the
terrible period between the closing of the
year yea :. lSeQ and the beginning Of the war IN
1851 to take sides with the Union, more
popuIarly known then as Lincoln and
the Abolitionists, but, characteristic of
everything Judge Harry Younger did, he
IOOh SlOCo WIFI lie. ana was
known by everybody as a stanch Union
man. So high stood he in the estimation
or all substantial people, and there were
none others in Jackson county at that
time, being all solid planters and farm
ers. that no one ever called into ques-
ton by word, look or manner, his right
to take that side. He was such a promi-
nent man that the fact was known and
noted everywhere.
Early in the war. do not remember
the exact period, for the Southern COM
mands to which belonged were driven
back southwark early, Judge Harry
to be Union soldiers, and wearing the
federal uniform, somewhere between
Kansas City and Harrisonville. HART
sonville. in Cass county, was then his
home town. The understanding was thas
he was murdered for a large amount of
money which was supposed to be upon
his person The murderers did not get
the money. 1t was very obscurely and
undiscoverable SeWed into the Innings Of
his under and overcoat, so the history
goes.
''Following this, and shortly after
wards, other Union soldiers at least,
claiming to be Union and wearing federal
uniforms, burned the house which shell
tered his wife, and in a terrific snow
storm the wife and children sought shell
ter in the houses of neighbors. These
Younger brothers were not then Of age,
being yet boys, as l understand it. All
these things naturally would have kin
Ol0Q resentment II. anybody, ana 6SDe-
cially persons Of their high breeding
They did what many other young men
who had kindred experiences, did; they
felt the proper thing for them was to
join any command that killed and that
did not wear federal uniforms. They
were as noted guerrillas, perhaps, as any
of the men who associated with Guam
trell. Todd Anderson, Clements, Halter,
Gregg and others too numerous to men
ton.
''There were three of the Youngers.
The youngest was known as ''Bob," and
he was badly wounded about the time of
their capture in Minnesota and after
wards died in prison. The authorities of
the prison allowed his body to be brought
home. believe, and buried among those
of the family who had preceded him. Two
Of them remain. They have many
nepheWS and nieces all over the country.
Mrs. Kit Rose is one Of these. Mrs. Hall
another, has a numerous family; Judge
Jones, formerly of CaSS county, but now
Of Texas, has numerous family.
81 suppose everybody knows why the
Youngers are locked up They robbed
I do not believe that of the half dozen
and more who were concerned in 1t the
killing of the man has ever been fixed
upon any member of the band, but sure
criminis to it. For this they were lock-
ed up, being obliged to surrender on ac-
count of the inability of their youngest
brother to ride in the saddle. They sur
AO1ittCASSl, SOAllC0oCu d1lO were sent TO the
penitentiary for life.
II believe in the doctrine of restitution.
believe that the Youngers should have
suffered the penalty for their crimes
against the great commonwealth of Min
nesota, not only of robbing the bank in
conjunction with others, but also in kilt
ing one of the officers of the bank who
was trying to defend his property
believed all the time, and 1 believe vet.
that every demand Of the law governing
matters of that kind should have been
fully satisfied. I believe that the Young
er brothers themselves thought so. Surely
they have never taken part in nor en-
couraged those who too soon after their