The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-01-26
JUDGE MOL STORY.
How the James and Youngers Made
Sc. Peter Their Rendezvous.

81. 1etel, jan. g III al eiic SoiuihhS
that have been written of the Mortified
bank robbery, mention is scarcely made
OF the fact that st. Peter was the town
chosen by the bandits as their place
of rendezvous when planning their dar
ing raid. Although visits were paid to
many other cities, different members of
the James and Younger gangs going as
far north as Minneapolis and as far
east as Redwing, while the preliminary
arrangements were being made, it is
true, nevertheless, that they were of
tener here than elsewhere and that all
of their excursions were directed from
this place. Some contend that the banks
here were threatened, but those who are
better informed insist that there was
never real danger of an attack and that
the town received the attention it did
merely because of the Importance of its
strategical position
This is the opinion of Henry Mol,
Judge of probate of Nicollet county, and
his accurate knowledge of the early
operations of the robbers would indi-
cate that his reasoning is sound. In
1876, the year the crime was commit
ted, Judge Mol was engaged in the
harness business III this city, but he also
held commission as a deputy sheriff
and in the absence of the regularity
elected official, was the acting sheriff of
the county.
| Several weeks before the robbery, as
Judge Mill was returning from a quest
for a stolen horse, he encountered a
band of six mounted men, and subse-
quent developments proved that the
horsemen were Cole, Jim and Boz
Younger, Charley Pitts, Clel Miller and
Bill Caldwell Jesse and Frank James
never came to this place, but remained
at Mankato, where the former was seen
and recognized Although he sought in
| formation, Mr.. AIoll could learn nothing
of value, the strangers giving out the
impression that they were agents OF
the government engaged on official bus
mess.
In the weeks that followed two Oh
more of the gang were constantly in st
Peter. Once the entire party rode out
on the Fort Ridgeley road, presumably
to familiarize themselves with Il route
of escaEe into South Dakota. On severa
occasions the men entered Mr.. MOll'
shop and chatted pleasantly with him
and few days before the robbery h'
sold saddles, brides and other accoutre
ments ana equipment to Cole Iounge
and Charley Pitts.
When the tcle9hapr brought the new
of the brutal murder and the manne
in which it was averaged by the peo
ple of Mortified, Judge Moll recogniz
ed the descriptions of the bandits and a
once suspected that they would Ell
deavor to escape through st. Peter. Tha
he had a comprehensive grasp of the sit
uation is shown by the fact that the,
headed directly for this city and travel
ed almost west until intercepted a
Shieidsville and compelled to abandon
their route by the skirmish which fol
lowed. Following it they avoided al
highways and slowly made their wa,
on foot through the heavily woode
tract in lie Sueur and Blue Earth coun
ties.
The night after the attack Judge Mol
posted guards on the bridge across tn
Minnesota river, but the following da,
this OUTPOST was withdrawn and the ST
Peter man and his posse joined in tn
general pursuit. a few days later the.
found an abandoned camp that had bee
occupied by the fugitives, stumbling up
on 1T while the ashes were still warm
and thus securing the first trace of TIL
desperadoes after they broke throug
the picket line at the Little Cannon river
1t pointed to the general direction o
the flight and thereafter the men wer
pursued reientlessly until their captur
near Madelia.
During the exciting two weeks
chase, during which Miller, Chadwel
land Pitts were killed and the Younger
taken, Judge Mol exerted himself t
the utmost, AMI he was on board th
special train bound for Madelia whel
the pursuit ended When he visited tn
confined prisoners they easily recogniz
ed him, and only recently, when Col
Younger was released from the peni
Tertiary at Saltwater, he called upol
Judge Mol and reminded him of tn
purchases made nearly thirty years be
fore.
Senator Eberhart HOnored.