The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-05-08
ELKINS HELPED EN-
West Virginia Senator's Life Once
Saved by Cole Younger.
IT'S A VERY ROMANTIC YARN
Naturally He Is Pleased to Learn
That They May Be
ParOIed.

Special to The Journal
Washington, May Stalk of the parole
of the Youngers brings UP an interesting
incident in the career of Senator Elkins
of West Virginia. The Elkins family
lived in Missouri at the beginning of the
civil war. The father and one son Joined
the confederacy, while Stephen went into
the Union army and was captured by the
Quantrell gang, of which the Youngers
and James boys were members. Guam
treH ordered him turned over to a squad
and taken to the rear" by which he
meant execution. On the way to 1.-The
rear the squad met Cole Younger and
Frank James. both of whom knew Elkins
we'll.
When James and Younger found out
what was about to happen, they tried to
prevail upon the guards to turn him over
to them At first the guards refused,
stating that Quantrell had ordered Elkins
taken to the rear" Finally James and
Younger, promising faithfully to be re-
sponsible for the prisoner to Quantrell
succeeded In prevailing upon the guards
to turn him over. While the company
was riding along leisurely with Frank
James, Cole Younger and Elkins well to
the rear, a bugle was blown and the
horsemen were soon in gallop.
What does that mean?' asked Elkins
are going into a fight, Steve" In a few
minutes more the entire company were
in full gallop. Then it was that Cole
Younger turned to Elkins and said:
about half a mile further on we are
going to come to the forks OF the road.
We will take the right hand. You put
spurs to your horse and take the left or
you are a dead man as sure as your name
is Steve Elkins'' Elkins needed no fur
ther encouragement. When the parting
of the ways was reached, he lay down fiat
on his horses back, plunged spurs in and
got we'll out of danger before he was
missed. An engagement followed soon
and Quantrell was under the III preston
for q long time that Elkins had been
killed.
Elkins never forgot the service rendered
by Cole Younger and Frank James. After
the Youngers had been sent to prison for
life he was ever ready to aid them in
any possible way. When he got up in the
world and became power in politics, he
tried many times to secure their pardon.
He has made many trips to St. Paul to
intercede with the governor of Minnesota
for them. 1t is related that not long
ago, before the present state administra-
tion went in, he visited St. Paul and called
on Governor Lind and begged hat Cole
and James be pardoned.
Don't you think they have been pun
ished enough?" asked Elkins. Yes" re-
piled the governor, land 1 would pardon
them in a minute if should yield to my
impulses. But they are such notorious
men that if 1 were to pardon them, it
might become dangerous issue in state
politics.. After Van SAINT was inaugur-
ated, Senator Elkins renewed his efforts.
The Youngers themselves are not more
delighted at their prospective release than
the senior senator from West Virginia.
This is the story as Senator Vest re-
lated it to Senator Culberson and as re-
peated later to Senator Culberson by SEN
ator Elkins himself.