The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-12-30
BANDIT RAID TACTICS
HOW OUTLAWS RODE INTO TOWNS
AND ROBBED BANKS.

dozen men to ride into a small town
like Northfeld. Mimi, rob a bank and
ride away?" asked a Sun reporter OF
a man in New York who knew the
| Younger brothers and the James boys.
The question came up in talk
about the report that Cole and Jim
Younger are to be paroled from the
Minnesota Penitentiary, where they
have been since 1876.
"Such a thing" was the reply. could
not be done so easily now as in 1876.
Bank robbery requires nerve OF a PEE
culiGr order never engaged in the
business myself. but at one time in my
! life | knew men who did. I was per-
sonally acquainted for instance, with
tho Youngers and the Jameses. Left
to themselves, the James boys would
never have been successful in bank
robbery. They were better at holding
uo stage coaches and railroad trains.
But to answer your question directly,
the Northfeld Bank affair will illus
trate the method.
"The gang that rode into Minnesota
did not plan any particular robbery.
1t was a sort of bandits outing party.
They rode into Minnesota leisurely.
The party was composed CT Cole, Jim
and Bob Younger. Frank crd Jesse
James. Charley Pitts, Bill Chadvell
and Clell Miller. They were well
mounted.
"The Youngers were the brains Of
the party. They were always men Of
good presence. Bob was as handsome
as q well-trained athlete. lie always
Impressed women favorably. jim was
the politician Of the trio. lie could
talk to men and get their confidence.
Cole was more reserved but he could
have Joined any church Oh his frst ap-
pIication. His early training w1s IN
religious direction.
"Thesa three visited some Of the re-
eort5 in Minnesota before the North
field affair came off. They learned 4
good deal in their visits about towns,
about the people for you must renem-
Der they were away eff their compass
when they were in Minnesota. That's
why they touched elbows with the pee
pic at the resorts. When the season
was over they knew the best place to
strike. They knew how to get into
Northfield and how to get cut Of it.
"Northfeld had about 2000 people.
Il was a quiet towr. They didn't dash
into it, as some people think. That
isn't the way raids on banks were
made in those days. Bob Younger,
Jesse James and Charley Pitts rode
into the town first, very leisurcly.
They had no intention o. creating any
suspicion by doing anything else. 1t
was a common occurrence for men to
ride into town as they did. They tied
their horses to a rack near the oank.
They stood on the corner, as country
men do IN a small town. ard talked
politics as you and 1 would.
"At the same time, they were takirG
note of the people. They tarricd on
the corner at the hour Of noon, aud af-
ter, for that was the tine when people
in a town like Northfeld were ct din
rer. They eat dinner in such towns at
noon. There were fewer people asdr
then than at any other hour
while they were talking the ether
members OF the gang. having unGoubt-
cdly had some sort OF signal, came
whooping and shouting down tle main
street These were Jim and Cole
Younger, Bill Chadwell and Clell Nil
ler Every one of them had been with
Quanrell, and as they rcde they ut
tered the rebel yell. 1t was new in
Minnesota. Naturally it startled the
few people on the street. Ill venture
to say that if man should gallcp
down Broadway at its busiest hour
and fire q pistol and yell, il would star
TIC the crowd.
"As sool as Bob Younger ard his
two friends saw that thc people on the
street were confused they added to the
confusion by running about shouting,
Get of the street, You know how
easy it is for one nan to co1t-ol .
palic-stricken crowd. Ee can either
mcLc 1t run like scared animals. o.. he
can. if he is cool, rounG it " to a
standstill. You have seen instances Of
10th kinds here il New York.
THE cry Of Get Of the street. was
a new cIe in that quiet town. That it
was uttered by strangers made no diff
ference. People il a panic don't re-
son. If they did there would be 10 IA
talities. Bob Younger Enew tni5. uc
Grd Cole nd jim planned the whole |
thing il advance. Get the people |
scared ard they would run t. thei-
houses.
"The nonent Bob Younger saw the |
people on tic run he snd Pits ard !
James ruslsd into the bank They |
lad. however. flushed the game. The |
scare outside had penetrated the bank.
The cashier Haywood, had time to
fatlor the situation. He slammed |
the inner Coor OF the vault. shut and |
locked It. Ee must have been an un-
usually cuick man mentally as well as
physically.
''IIis Gct disconnected even such men |
cs Bob Younger and Jesse James. The
latter lest his head. lie drew 4 knife /
across Haywood's throat TO scare him
and make him COcn the safe. Pay /