the efforts of the detectives to capture the outlaws seemed to be chiefly confined to the south-western states, and learning this the bandits, after remaining within the seclusion of their undiscoverable haunts for a few weeks, grew tired of the inactivity such life imposed, and as bill chadwell was well acquainted in minnesota, it was decided to send bob younger out to find him, and through him to perfect a plan for raiding one of the banks in that state. the means of communication between the bandits was such that chadwell was soon found and brought into conference with the other members.
the purpose of going into minnesota could not have been merely because of a supposition that a mere ample booty might be secured in that state, for there were many richer banks much nearer.
one of the prime motives of the outlaws was undoubtedly to make a stroke in the far north which[pg 93] would confuse the officers in pursuit of them, and thereby draw the attention of the detectives away from the favorite haunts. aside from this, no sufficient reason for the strange determination of the brigands is assignable.
a decision was soon reached, and it was decided to make an examination of the country, and raid the bank which gave promise of the largest reward with the least chances of surprise or capture. cole younger and chadwell were accordingly despatched as a reconnoitering party, and were to ride three days in advance of the others, take observations and make report by leaving certain pre-arranged signals along the route decided upon. those engaged in the intended enterprise were the two james boys, cole, jim and bob younger, charlie pitts, clell miller and bill chadwell. the expedition started for minnesota about the 3d of september, 1876, proceeding by railroad directly to mankato, the place appointed for a meeting with the two bandits sent in advance. a second consultation, held at that place on the 6th of september, resulted in a decision to strike the bank at northfield, rice county, a town of 2500 people, on the i. & m. division of the milwaukee & st. paul railroad.
on the afternoon of the 7th the eight desperadoes entered northfield at a furious pace, discharging their pistols and by direful threats endeavoring to so intimidate the citizens as to prevent resistance.[pg 94] they rode direct for the bank, which was located fronting the public square, and stopping in front of the institution. frank and jesse james and bob younger quickly dismounted and entered the bank while the other robbers were left to guard against attack from the outside. j. l. haywood, the cashier, a. e. bunker, teller, and frank wilcox, bookkeeper, were the only persons in the bank at the time of the entrance of the bandits. jesse james drew a pistol and presented it at the cashier's head and commanded him to open the safe. haywood promptly refused, and the next instant he lay dead at the bandit's feet, his brain pierced with a bullet. at this bunker and wilcox fled out at the back door, but as they reached the step a bullet from frank james' pistol plunged through bunker's shoulder, but it did not impede his flight. the robbers were left alone in the bank, but beyond a small amount lying upon the counter no money could be found, and the bandits, hearing firing in the streets, rushed out just in time to see bill chadwell fall from his horse, his heart pierced with a musket ball, and in a few seconds after clell miller received a bullet in his breast, and with a groan tumbled mortally wounded to the ground while his horse galloped riderless up the street.
by this time the citizens came rushing to the attack and the firing became general. jim younger was shot in the mouth and a horse was wounded.[pg 95] the effective shots were fired by dr. henry wheeler from a second-story window in the damphier house, facing the bank. the six unharmed bandits rushed for their horses and rode at their highest speed out of town, followed in fifteen minutes afterward by fifty well mounted citizens. then succeeded a flight and pursuit which for persistency, endurance, courage and results is without a parallel.
information of the murder and robbery was telegraphed in every direction and each hour the pursuing force was augmented by volunteers who sprang up in the pathways of the robbers and guarded every highway and bridle path. the chase led through shieldsville and from there into leseur county where, being pressed closely too, jesse and frank james insisted on killing jim younger, the blood from whose wound was furnishing a trail for the pursuers. this proposition resulted in a separation of the outlaws, jesse and frank james remaining together and the younger boys and charley pitts, (whose real name was sam wells), remaining in a body. the country was fairly filled with resolute men determined upon the death of the bandits. it was very soon discovered that the robbers had separated and the pursuing parties were divided and put upon the two trails.
about one hundred and fifty miles south-west of northfield, near a place called madelia, the youngers and charlie pitts were surrounded in a swamp,[pg 96] and captured after a desperate fight with the citizens' posse pitts being killed and all the youngers receiving fresh wounds. pitts was buried, and the youngers, always under guard, after months of suffering finally recovered. after their recovery they pleaded guilty to the charges against them and were sentenced to prison for the term of their natural lives. they are yet in the minnesota penitentiary at stillwater. jesse and frank james were more fortunate; although so closely pressed that a hundred times they could see and hear the voices of their pursuers, yet they were not discovered. day and night the james boys continued their flight, unable to cook anything, subsisting on green corn and raw potatoes; never daring to show their faces, swimming streams, and confining their route to the least accessable sections of country. extraordinary cunning, a knowledge of men and adaptability to circumstances, after ten days of a most remarkable pursuit, covering their tracks by wading for miles in streams of water, jesse and frank james eluded their pursuers and regained their secure haunts in jackson county.
