Part 8
The news that a special train was _en route_ had been kept so quiet, that on arriving at Faribault, no persons were at the depot except the officers of the road and Mr. Case, with several omnibuses. It had been arranged that only a select few should visit the jail with the detectives, and but eight persons, including the writer were admitted, the remainder of the party separating and seeking a lunch before they interviewed the outlaws.
During the entire day there had been a constant stream of visitors from the adjacent country, who came in all sorts of conveyances, the citizens of Faribault giving way to them and awaiting a quieter time to call on their distinguished guests.
The jail was surrounded by men and women when the chosen delegation arrived, but by an arrangement with Sheriff Barton, the crowd was restrained, and the St. Louis gentlemen, Mayor Maxfield, Chief King, Captain Macy, Dr. Murphy, Messrs. Lincoln and Merriam, and representatives of the St. Paul dailies were admitted.
On entering, Bob Younger was found sitting near the corner of the cage, quietly smoking a cigar with a newspaper on his lap. Cole was lying on a pallet at the end of the twenty foot jail outside the cage, with a cigar in his mouth and a daily paper before him. The lazy bandit was being fanned by a boy, and seemed wonderfully comfortable. The third man was lying on a cot just inside the bars, and was evidently suffering severely from the wound in his mouth.
Cole Younger was found communicative as usual. Chief King, showed him pictures of the two James boys, taken eight years since, and he immediately knew them, but said nobody would recognize them from those pictures now. On looking at his own picture he acknowledged it as one of the best he ever had taken, but when he looked at that of Charley Pitts, he said he knew no man of that name. Chief King said: “But you know this man as Wells,” when Cole responded, “There are Wellses in every part of the country.”
At this time Mr. Ames, of Faribault, came up and asked what part he took in the affair at Northfield. He declined to tell. Mr. A. then said he thought he rode a white faced horse, and was the man that shot the Swede. Cole denied this. Ames said that man was observed as the best horseman of the crowd. Younger then said one man was as good a rider as another. He was raised on a saddle, his father having been a herder and stock man, and besides, he had served several years in the cavalry. The gentlemen then spoke of the killing of Heywood as a cowardly act. Cole said it was the result of impulse, as they did not intend to kill anybody. Their plan was to accomplish their ends by dash, and boldness, and to do the robbing while men were frightened. This was denied by the Northfield man, who claimed that they tried hard to kill Manning. Cole then said that they did not try to kill him, using his name as if he knew all about it, but fired all around him. Mr. Ames said that could not be true, as shots were found in the railing of the stairs behind which Manning stood. Younger denied this, and said they desired to kill no man, as it would be of no use to them. Ames then said he believed they had killed a hundred men, when Cole said he had no time to talk with such a man, he had been captured by brave men, and was being treated better than he deserved, that he did not fear death, but hoped to be prepared for a better world. He said he was tired and needed rest. At this, an impulsive gentleman standing by said he wished he would soon take his long rest. Cole seemed offended at this, and said it was “of no” use to talk to illiterate people, they could not
“APPRECIATE A SUBLIME LIFE!”
Cole said he did not ride his fine horse up here, but bought the one he rode of French, of St. Peter. When told by a visitor that they did bad shooting, he said if they would prop him up at the side of the road he would plug his hat with his left hand at ten rods every time. He said he was the man that took the pistols from the dead man at Northfield; and said he took his handkerchief out of his belt as he took it off. He declined to tell the name of the dead man, as it was understood none should tell about another dead or alive.
Col Merriam sat by the side of Cole, and said, “Younger, I am not certain, but I think I have seen you before.” “Where was this?” said Cole. The Colonel said it was at Gad’s Hill three years ago when the raid was made on the train. This, Cole denied, and said that at that time he was in St. Clair county, in Southwestern Missouri, where his uncle, Judge Younger resides. He said he would refer to his uncle, who is a judge, and was a member of the legislature, and also to a minister there. He further said that on the day of that raid he and his brother Robert were there, and that he preached in the afternoon, commencing at four o’clock.
Col. Merriam feels sure that Cole was there, judging from his figure, his hair, and particularly by his voice. Mr. Lincoln is also certain that he was one of the men on the train at that time, although he wore a cloth with eye holes over his face. Master Merriam, who was also on the train, is not certain, but thinks he has seen the villain.
Bob Younger was asked if he was in the Gad’s hill raid, but denied it, saying he was in Louisiana at that time, thus contradicting Cole. Bob says he is a novice, and has only been in a few scrapes.
While some of the visitors were talking with the boys, Mr. McDonough, his aid, and Dr. Murphy, were examining the prisoners for marks of identification, and no trouble was experienced in placing Cole and Bob Younger, but the identity of the one that claimed to be Jim, was doubted by the detectives, as James was badly wounded in the hip on the 7th of July last, and they thought he could not possibly be able to stand a campaign like this at present. They were of the opinion that he was Cal. Carter, a Texas desperado, and one that has seldom worked with a gang until lately.
Every point of identification as given by Hobbs Kerry, was discovered on the Younger boys, even to the ragged wound on Bob’s hand, where the thumb had been torn off and badly attended to.
Dr. Murphy said none were dangerously injured, and “are sure to get well unless he doctors them.” He made a careful examination and said they had only flesh wounds, and that the men could be about in a few days. None of the prisoners were shackled, and as the writer came out (he being the last one of the visitors), Cole Younger got up from his bed and walked across the jail as lively as he.
When the robbers were captured their clothes and boots were found in a bad state. The three living robbers had each five dollars in their pockets, and the dead one had one dollar and a half. According to the statement of Bob Younger, all of the money, watches and jewelry they had was given to the two robbers that escaped, as they felt that their chances of getting away were much the best.
IMPRISONMENT AND TRIAL.
Great fears were entertained that the Rice county jail at Faribault, would not be of sufficient strength to hold the three famous bandit brothers, of whose great desperation and accomplishment in the art of prison breaking, the most wonderful and exaggerated stories were circulated throughout the State. Sheriff Ara Barton, however, did not hesitate to accept his distinguished boarders, and probably a thought of their escape from him never entered his mind. He had the bandits in his care, and he proceeded in the most systematic manner to provide for their remaining with him. No effort was made to strengthen the jail, but a series of guards was arranged so that the inside and outside were both constantly under the eye of watchful guards. The only fears entertained by those having the robbers in charge, were that there might be efforts made from the outside, either by a mob who would seek to lynch the brigands, or by their own friends, who would undertake to liberate them. For both cases, Sheriff Barton was prepared.
A COMPANY OF MINUTE MEN
was formed by citizens of the city, and the bell of an adjacent engine house was connected with the guard room of the jail by a wire. In case of any attack, these fifty men, armed with repeating rifles, were to rendezvous at a certain point from whence, under their captain, they would proceed in order to the jail. Another wise precaution taken by the Sheriff was in the locking of the doors of the jail, which are about 18 inches apart. He kept the key of the inner one himself, while the guard inside retained that of the outside door. At a private signal, the guard would reach through and unlock the outer one, when the Sheriff would find use for his key on the inner one. Several guards kept constant watch night and day around the jail, and at its entrance, a cannon loaded with a blank cartridge stood, ready to give a general alarm. As an instance of how perfect the arrangements were, it may be stated that on one occasion when the fire bell sounded, in less than three minutes the jail was surrounded by men, some carrying guns, some bludgeons, and some farm tools. Any party foolish enough to have undertaken the rescue of those
THREE BANDITS,
would have been made short work of, while a mob, with the intention of disposing of them unlawfully, would have been met with a determined opposition, for the entire male population of Faribault were determined to support the Sheriff, and bring the murderers to trial.
Notice of the arrangements about the prison were published, and all people were warned from approaching the jail in the night time, but one man, belonging to the police force of the city, thought he was so well known to the guards that he could safely visit them, and one evening he walked toward the prison. One of the guards challenged him, but instead of replying, he raised his hand to his coat, to make his silver star visible, and at the same moment, the guard mistaking the movement and supposing that the man was reaching to his breast pocket for a pistol, fired, inflicting a wound that proved fatal soon afterwards. Thus was another tragedy added to the list, and the horror of the affair was intensified.
Thus for a month everything moved quietly along about Governor Barton’s hotel, and he remained unmoved by the hundreds of threats and propositions he received. He is a brave man made of stern stuff, and when a proposition was made to him to remain neutral while a posse that was being organized, opened the jail and took the bandits out to
THE NEAREST TREE,
he coolly told their messenger, who was a prominent man in the State, and a personal friend of his, “that if they came, no matter who they were, they would be shot down like dogs.” This remark was repeated to the party who proposed the lynching, by Mayor Nutting, and people began to think it was best to abandon the project of anticipating the law, while the Younger boys remained in such hands. However, there is no doubt but that a summary disposal of these bloody cut-throats would have been widely endorsed by the best men of the State, as the feeling existed that no villians ever merited death more than they, while under the law of Minnesota, they could escape with a life sentence, with the possibilities of escape or pardon.
INSIDE THE JAIL.
Under the best of medical care the Younger boys rapidly recovered from their wounds, and in less than two weeks, Cole and Jim were up and about, looking as well as ever, except that Cole had suffered a partial paralysis of the right eye, which had a wild, rolling look, and which was forced forward to an unpleasant prominence, caused by the buckshot that still remained in his head, and which he refused to allow the Doctors to remove, as he said they did not incommode him.
Jim’s wounds on the outside of his face healed finely, and he proved to be a mild, pleasant and inoffensive fellow, appearing entirely incapable of such bloody work as that in which he had taken part, and strengthening the belief in the story that he had been prevailed upon contrary to his inclination. All of his back teeth had been carried away by the shot, and the roof of his mouth shattered, causing him much inconvenience in talking and eating, but his appetite was good, and he managed to do full justice to the liberal rations his hospitable host provided.
Bob enjoyed perfect general health, but the wound through the elbow of his right arm promised to incapacitate him, as it was rigidly stiff. The surgeons decided on a severe operation, and Bob carelessly submitted while the joint was broken and re-set. Then a hinge-like holder was placed around the wounded limb, and by slightly moving the joint each day, the arm was saved, and he is now able to make himself useful at light work in the State prison.
The bandits occupied the jail with a number of other prisoners, and were kept inside a series of strong iron bars that divided the cells from the corridor. Manacles were kept upon their legs, and the eye of a guard was never off them. They occupied their time in reading and writing, and Cole devoted himself almost constantly to reading the Bible, taking occasional instruction from the revised statutes of the State, relating the punishment of murderers. All were humble and patient, except that the independent Bob, when the subject of hanging was under discussion, would boldly claim that “they could not hang him for what he never did.”
IN COURT.
On the 7th day of November, the district court of Rice county convened in Faribault. Judge Sam’l Lord presiding. The first duty of the sheriff, was to present the names of twenty-two grand jurors, which he did on the 8th inst.
The Younger brothers had engaged Mr. Thomas Rutledge, of Madelia, as their counsel, and had subsequently associated with him, Messrs. Batchelder and Buckham, of Faribault, two of the most eminent lawyers of the State. The prosecution was in the hands of George N. Baxter, Esq., the county attorney of Rice county, and he had woven a strong chain of evidence about the prisoners, having traced them and their comrades through all their journeying from the time they entered the State until the raid was made.
The prisoners’ counsel had long interviews with their clients, and it was generally understood that, in case they were indicted for murder in the first degree, they would plead “not guilty.” This was taking a risk, as in case they were found guilty, the death penalty could be inflicted at the option of the jury, and it would have been difficult to find a jury but that would have quickly pronounced a doom so much in accordance with public sentiment.
The county attorney, Mr. Baxter, drew and presented four indictments for the consideration of the grand jury, one charging them collectively with being accessory to the murder of Heywood, a second, charging them with attacking Bunker with intent to do great bodily injury; a third, charging them with robbing the bank at Northfield; and a fourth, charging Cole with the murder of the Swede, and his brothers as accessories.
When Cole Younger read the last named indictment, he appeared greatly affected, and said that he had not expected such a bill, as he did not kill the Swede. He said it had probably been done by accident, as none of them shot to kill. From the time the indictments were read by Cole, he became low-spirited, and studied the statutes and consulted with his lawyers more than before. Bob kept up, and declared that he would not plead guilty in any case.
THE GRAND JURY
that had been summoned included twenty two of the best men in the county, but the prisoner’s counsel reduced it to seventeen, by challenging a number who had too freely expressed their ideas in regard to the affair. There is no doubt but that by continuing the same line of questioning the grand jury could have all been found wanting, but it was not the intention of the defense to delay the trial by reducing the number below the legal minimum, but simply to refer the bills to as few men as possible, feeling that the chance of their finding all of the indictments could be materially lessened.
It took the jury but a very short time after they commenced their work to find four true bills against the prisoners, and the evidence given by the witnesses that testified before them, was but a recapitulation of what they were entirely familiar with. In the case of the Swede, whom Cole Younger was charged with killing, evidence was given by a man and a woman, both of whom testified that they saw Cole shoot him coolly and deliberately.
IN THE COURT ROOM.
On the day after the court convened, the sister and an aunt of the Younger boys arrived in Faribault. The sister, Miss Henrietta Younger, is a very pretty, prepossessing young lady of about seventeen years, and she conducted herself so as to win the esteem of all who met her. Mrs. Fanny Twyman, their aunt, is the wife of a highly respectable physician practicing in Missouri, and appears to be a lady of the highest moral character. These ladies passed the greater portion of their time sitting with their relatives, behind the iron bars, reading, talking and sewing. On Thursday, the 9th of November, the grand jury signified that they had completed their labors as far as the cases of the Younger boys were concerned, and the sheriff was instructed to bring the prisoners to hear the indictments read.
This summons had been expected, and the boys were ready, dressed neatly, and looking wonderfully well after their unaccustomed confinement that had continued for more than a month. They quietly stood up in a row ready to be shackled together. Cole in the middle, Bob at the right, and Jim at the left. The shackles were placed on their feet; Bob being secured by one foot to Cole, and Jim by the other. When the handcuffs were placed on Cole, he remarked, that it was the first time he had ever worn them. The prisoners showed signs of nervousness, evidently fearing that the crowd outside would think it best to dispose of them without due process of law. However, nothing occurred except some almost inaudible mutterings among the spectators, but which were quickly quieted by right-minded citizens. Slowly the procession passed to the temple of justice, the prisoners seeing the sun and breathing the pure air for the first time in thirty days. In advance of them was an armed guard, led by the captain of the minute men, then came the sheriff by the side of his prisoners, the chief of police of Faribault, and his lieutenant, and finally another squad of minute men with their needle guns. On reaching the court-house, the guards broke to the right and left, and allowed none to enter except those known to their captain.
The cortege passed to the court room by a rear stairway, and when the prisoners arrived in front of the Judge, the court-room was thoroughly filled with people, all gazing with the greatest curiosity on the three
BLOODY BROTHERS.
The shackles having been removed from the arms and legs of the prisoners, they were ordered to stand up while the indictment charging them with killing Heywood, was read to them by the county attorney. As their names were read, the Judge asked them if they were indicted by their true names, to which all responded in the affirmative. During the reading, Cole Younger never moved his sharp eye from the face of the attorney, in fact, his gaze was so intense, that Mr. Baxter appeared to feel it, and to be made somewhat nervous thereby. Bob did not appear to take great interest in the matter, and he gazed coolly about on the crowd.
The sister and aunt of the boys were by their sides during this scene, and they walked with them as they returned to the jail under the same guard that escorted them forth. Until the following Saturday had been taken by the prisoners’ counsel to plead to the indictment, and during the interval of three days the subject of how to plead was discussed for many hours. Bob was as independent as ever, declared he would not plead guilty, but the persuasions of sister and aunt finally prevailed, and when taken into court on Saturday in the same manner as before, each responded
“GUILTY,”
when the question was asked by the clerk. Judge Lord then, without preface or remark, sentenced each to be confined in the State Prison, at Stillwater, at hard labor, for the term of his natural Life. After the dread words had been uttered, the sister broke down and fell sobbing and moaning on the breast of her brother Cole.
Thus these bloody bandits escaped the gallows where their many crimes should have been expiated, and in a few days from the time they were sentenced, they were on their way to Stillwater, under a strong guard, but no attempt was made to molest them, although large crowds were collected at each station on the railroads by which they traveled. Sheriff Barton knew well the citizens of his State, and he had no fear that he would be interfered with while discharging his duty. The bandits were accompanied to their final home in this world by their faithful relatives, who left them within the prison walls, taking away as mementoes the clothes which the wicked men had worn. The robbers were immediately set at work painting pails, a labor which called for no dangerous tools to prosecute, and a special guard was set upon the renowned villains, as it is not intended that they shall escape to again terrify the world by their wicked deeds.
[JOSEPH LEE HEYWOOD.]
JOSEPH LEE HEYWOOD.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
JOSEPH LEE HEYWOOD,
the brave victim of the desperate raid, was born at Fitzwilliam, N. H., August 12th, 1837. He left home when about twenty years of age, and passed the better part of a year in Concord, Mass., and then changed his residence to Fitchburg, remaining there not far from a year. At the age of twenty-three, or in 1860, he came as far west as New Baltimore, Mich., and for some twelve months was occupied as clerk and book-keeper in a drug store. Moline, Illinois, then became his home for a short time, but the war of the rebellion raging, he went to Chicago and enlisted for three years in the 127th Illinois regiment. This was in 1862. Soon after he was ordered to the front and saw not a little of hard service on the march, and on the field of battle. He was present at the unsuccessful attack on Vicksburg, and also at the capture of Arkansas Post. Not long after, his health giving way through exposure and over exertion, he was sent first to the hospital, and then sent, more dead than alive, to his friends in Illinois. A few months later, recovering his health sufficiently to do light service, he was detailed as druggist in a dispensary at Nashville, where he remained until the close of the war, and was discharged in May, 1865. The next year was spent, for the most part, with friends in Illinois, and then we find him, in the summer of 1866, in Minnesota, and in Faribault, and the year after in Minneapolis, in a drug store again. In the fall of 1867, he removed to Northfield to keep books in the lumber yard, for S. P. Stewart. Four years since he accepted the position in the bank which he held till all earthly occupations came to a sudden and untimely end.
He was a man whose integrity and honor were never impeached, a good citizen and neighbor, a friend to be sought, and a loving and loved husband and father.
THE CAPTORS.
The following sketches of the intrepid captors who risked their lives in the bush to attack the desperate outlaws, was supplied by W. H. H. Johnston, Esq. for the _Pioneer-Press,_ from which it is copied:
SHERIFF JAMES GLISPIN