Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-10-23
jim YOUNGER
KILLS HIMSELF
FAMOUS Ex-BANDIT DISAPPOINT
ED IN LOVE.
LEAVES SOME WILD NOTES
Members of QuantreII and Jesse
James Gangs, Made Insane by
Wounds, Bad Health, and Refusal
of Law to Allow Him to Marry Girl
He Loved, Commits Suicide.

st. Paul, Mimi, oct, 20.-Jim
Younger, Quantrell raider, member OF
Jesse James gang, who with his
brothers, Cole and Bob Younger, was
sentenced to lie Imprisonment in
1877 for the Northfeld. Mimi, bank
raid and the murder Of Cashier Hay
ward, committed suicide yesterday in
the Reardon hotel in this city. He
was insane.
The dead ex-bandt was found with
a revolver clinched in his right hand.
He had used his left hand to steady
the revolver when he held it to his
temple. His clothes were neatly
folded, and everything in the room
showed he had made careful prepare
tions to end his life. On the table in
the room the. following note was
found:
1T is all due to politics. That W. J.
Bryan was the greatest man on earth,
and that there is no personal God"
On a bureau in the room was found
a long manila envelope, on one side
of which was written:
"To all that is good and true l love
and bid farewell. Jim Younger"
On the other side Of the envelope
were these words: 20, LESSEE, good-by.
All relatives, just stay away from me-
No crocodile tears wanted. Reporters,
be my friends. Burn me up.
Jim Younger
of letters that had passed between
Younger and a woman with whom he
is said to have been in love- The
woman, who is prominently connected,
is said to have reciprocated his affec-
ton, and it was reported at one time
that they were to be married. Hel
relatives raised objections, and a
further obstacle was the fact that it
was pointed out that a paroled pris-
oner could not legally contract a mar
riage.
The couple determined to disregard
the objections OF relatives and all
effort was made to overcome the
other obstacle to their marriage by
securing from the state board Of par
dons a full pardon and restoration to
citizenship. This effort failed, and
this. it is thought, had much to do
with Younger's determination to end
his life.
On July 10, 1901, Jim and Cole
Younger were released from the state
prison on parole. Bob died many
years ago. After Jim's release from
the penitentiary he was employed by
a firm of tombstone cutters of this
city, and with Cole, who was in the
employ of the same firm, went
through the state soliciting orders
On one Of these trips Jim was thrown
from his wagon and hurt his head
badly, aggravating an old wounu he
had received in the civil war He left
the firm in a few months and was
clerk Of cigar stand in one of the
largest grocery stores of the city.
James Younger was the youngest OF
the three brothers, who between the
years of 1866 and 1878 gained great
notoriety through their ASSOCIATION
with Jesse and Frank James. The
: band was charged with many rob
berries Of banks and railroad trains, in
! the execution of which many desperate
encounters took place, and a number
of men were killed. The members OF
the band had served through the civi
war, fighting on the side OF the con
! federacy with Quantrell and his guer
rillas
The scene Of most of their uepreda
tons was Missouri, but in September
| 1876, the band entered Minnesota
| traversing the state as far as North
| field, in Rice county. There, on Sept
| T. after terrorizing the people on the
! street an attempt was made to loo
the First National bank Cashier J
l. Haywood made a fight and was
shot and killed, not, however, until he
had wounded several Of the raiders.
The citizens of Mortified started
in pursuit of the desperadoes, who mac
mounted their horses and were at
tempting to escape. A battle ensued
in which three Of the members or thf
gang were killed and the three
Younger brothers were captured. Jesse
James and the remainder of the out
laws succeeded in making thei
escape.
All of the three Younger brother
had been wounded. The prisoner