The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-04-20
COLE YOUNGER PASSES.
Last of Robber Band Called to Great
Judgment Bar.

Cole Younger. famous outlaw of
border days, died at Lees Summit,
Mo-, recently.
Cole Younger was one of the last
of the members of the notorious rob-
Der bands that infested western Mis-
souri, during and after the Civil war.
He was a member of the Quantrell
band of guerrillas and with his two
brothers took part with the James
boys" in bank and train robberies in
Missouri and neighboring States that
netted the looters more than a hun
dred thousand dollars. The leading
members of these bands are dead.
some at the hands of the law, some
by suicide and others from natural
causes. Younger after a long term
in the penitentiary became law
abiding Missouri citizen.
Cole was the oldest of the three
younger boys"
The father, Col. Harry w. Young
er, came to Missouri from Kentucky
before the war. He was strong
Union man, though STAKEHOLDER. He
settled near Lees Summit, 20 miles
from Kansas City, where Cole was
born in 1914. Colonel Younger was
murdered by one of the bands of law
less guerrillas that infested the Mis-
souri-Kansas border in war times.
The sons said their father was slain
by Kansans for the purpose of rob-
berry. They Immediately took up
arms against the north. They Joined
Quantrell's guerillas and had their
part in the memorable sacking Of
Lawrence, Kansas.
When the war was over they and
the Jameses became outlaws. Among
the notorious robberies of the de-
eade following the war that were laid
at their door were:
The raid on the Liberty. Mo-, bank
in 1866. One bank defender was
shot dead and $4,000 stolen.
The looting of Russellville, KY,
bank in 1858 for $4,000.
The Gallatin, No., bank robbery of
1868 in which the cashier was shot
and killed.
Raids of Lexington and Savannah,
Mo-, banks in 1867.
Ten thousand dollars stolen from
the Kansas City fair association in
1871, while 1000 persons looked on.
The Corydon, La, bank robbed of
$4,000.
A dozen other sensational robber-
les for which the Younger and James
boys were blamed were carried out
successfully before the three Younger
brothers we're captured in Minnesota
after a raid on a bank at NOrthfield,
Minnesota, in 1876, in the course of
which Cashier Haywood was killed.
The Youngers we're shot many times
in battles with a posse but finally
were taken alive after a battle at
Shieldsville, Mimi.
Cole and his brothers pleaded gull
ty and were sentenced to prison for
life. They entered the penitentiary
at Saltwater, Minn., and became
model prisoners Bob died in the
penitentiary in 1889. Cole and
James Younger were paroled in 1901.
The next year James shot himself,
leaving note ascribing his action to
refusal of the parole board to per-
nit him to marry the girl he loved.
After Cole was paroled he was
forced by Minnesota law to live in
that State for three years. Then he
returned to Missouri and settled
down in vine covered cottage which
he bought in Lees Summit, the scene
of his boyhood days. For a time he
was con nected with show and later
went on the lecture platform, and be-
came a good citizen.
In August, 1913, Younger was con-
verted to religion at a revival meet
ing and became an active church
worker
"I've lived an adventurous, turbu-
lent life," he said. 'The war brought
on hate and strife and killing around
here. | have been blamed for lot
of it Of which I had nothing to do.
They murdered my father and I was
launched into a life of shooting and
reprisals and rough riding, winding
up with 25 years in the penitentiary.
I was brought up in Christian home.
Now I'm an old man and I've come
by Gods mercy back to the place of
nv childhood to end my days.
flowers are small and hang in clus-
o11v