May 22, 1938 Northfield That Licked rying a double burden, galloped down the street toward the Minnesotans Still Talk of 5 south. The four other robbers also took to filght. The battle Historic Gun Battle was over. Two of the despera- does lay dead in the street. Their By JOHN A. MENAOGH horses had bolted from the scene. The vanquished robbers, six EVEN crowded minutes, them was Charlie Pitts. Anoth- men on five horses, swept out of packed with melodramatic er was . The third the town, riding toward the vil- S gunplay, sudden death, and is believed to this day, and for lage of Dundas, three miles to the thrills of a hundred life- good reason, to have been Jesse the southwest, instead of west- times, made unforgettable his- James himself. Coolly the y erly across the bridge at Bridge tory in the town of Northfield, tossed their reins over hitching square, which had been the orig- Rice county, Minn., nearly slxty- posts and coolly they sauntered inal intention. It had been a two years ago. to some goods boxes that were part of their plan to stop at the The people of Northfield, now standing on the walk in front railroad station west of the river a prosperous and progressive of the Lee & Hitchcock store, to cut the telegraph wires and city of 4,500 inhabitants, still which occupied quarters in the thus isolate the community, but. talk with traces of pride about northeast corner of the Scriver since they were forced to fiee by how their town, of all towns in block, just north of and in the another route, the wires were the country, was THE town that same building with the bank. left intact. Soon over these licked notorious Jesse James In 1m1tation of harmless folk wires the story of the raid was and his outiaw band. ticking out to the outside world. No day passes even now in Virtually the whole southern NOrthfield that does not hear part of Minnesota was roused mention of the robber raid and Bridg. ~ar •• Northfi.ld. MinD..tak.n at about the tim. of the Jam•• raieL Promin.nt are (1) the road by whic:h .be of the ouUa•• approac:h.d the into action for a great man hunt. the historic battle fought in the bank. obj.ct of the raid: (2) the Cannon dnr; (3) the .quar.: (4) the Dampier hot.L and (5) the Sc:rinr block. hou.mg the bank. Citizens of numerous tow n s business section of the town be- (All pho_, unleu otherwioe c:recIiteclcourt_", Northfield Ne,".) were on the lookout for the six tween the home folks and the the street. He arose and walked fired at , but it was outlaws, and it was said that invading outlaws on Thursday, along the sidewalk across the and tried to close the vault door out, boys; they're killing all our a clean miss. His second shot more than a thousand at one Sept. 7, 1876. street from the bank, and when behind him. The other two ban- men." drilled Miller in a vital spot. time or another were doing duty Although actual participants he saw Miller seize Merchant dits prevented the trapping of The three robbers retreated The bandit tumbled trom his in the lines set to prevent the in that desperate fight no longer Alien he 'Jet up a cry of: their companion, thrust their by the way of the teller's win- horse and died a few moments desperadoes from fieeing the are among the living, there still "Robbery! Robbery!" weapons in the bookkeeper's dow and the front door. As later as he lay on the ground. state. remain plenty of citizens who Miller and Col e Younger face, and warned him that if they we r e leaving Heywood The story is told in Northfield Two weeks to a day after the remember all about it from sprang to their horses. To their he did not open the safe immedi- struggled to hIs feet and stag- that young Wheeler had his vic- raid in Northfield the three hearing the tale first hand over aid galloped the three who had ately he would be slain. gered in the direction of his tim's body shipped to Ann Arbor, Younger brothers and Pitts were and over again. It there is any been left near the bridge. Out "There is a time lock on it," desk. The last of the bandits to where he used it in his labora- surrounded in a thicket along boredom up in Northfield about came their long-barreled revol- Heywood told them. ••It cannot leave the building hesitated, took tory work in anatomy, and that the banks of the Watonwan the bat tie that has been refought vers, and the calm of the lazy be opened now." deliberate aim, and shot the he later preserved the skeleton. so many times the people there afternoon was shattered by One 0 f the robbers then heroic bookkeeper through the He is not available, however, 'to today are skil1ul at concealing sharp explosions. It was the crashed the butt of his revolver head. Heywood, it is believed, verify or deny the story, as he it. After all, it was the two (Jamea broth ••.• photos from N. H. R_.) down on Heywood's head. The died instantly. The slayer is died in Grand Forks, S. D., eight James brothers, the three J•••• Jam•• at ag. of 17. B.low: Th. man sank to the fioor dazed. thought by most authorities to years ago, after many years' Younger brothers, and three po ••• that Unfortunately for him, he was have been Jesse James, although practice of medicine. lesser wild and woolly despera- the country over, they started c:aught the not completely out. Had he reo there are some who contend that The third cartridge that the does who really first centered whittling on the boxes. YoUDg.r broth- young student had carried to the ••.•• Left to mained on the fioor he most like- Pitts fired the fatal shot. wide attention upon Northfield, window with him fell to the fioor A few moments later two right, S h • ri f ly would have saved his life. Let us now return to the which today has come to be cele- more of the band, GII.pin. M u r • The bandits tried to make movements of the first heroes of and spilled its contents of pow- brated in .a totally different and Clel Miller, rode up Division phy, Bradford. Brunker and Wilcox open the the day, Allen and Wheeler. der. As he started downstairs manner as the site of two insti- street from the south, and about Ric e, Vought. for more ammunition he met a tutions of learning, Carleton and the same time the three other Pom.roy, S.y- hotel employe coming up with St. Olaf colleges. members of the ban d, Jim • ~n. a few more cartridges . The general layout of North- Younger, William Stiles (a ror- Frank Jam•• field's downtown is as it was on mer Minnesotan), and Frank • • • the fateful September day. It James, clattered into the town is true that there are many new from the west and brought their In the meantime Allen's out- business buildings. The old horses to a halt in the Vicinity crtes had attracted the attention wooden and iron bridge that of the bridge, to guard and keep of Anselm B. Manning, a bust- once spanned the Cannon river, ness rival who operated a hard- Jo•• ph L. H.ywood. .lain h.ro of open the way of retreat. The the bank raid. which bisects the city, has been band had planned, when it met ware store in the same block supplanted by a modern stone early that morning in a woods with Allen. "Get you r gun, Manning! river near the town of Madelia, structure. Concrete pavements five miles west of the town, that Minn., about sixty - five miles have replaced the dust and mud it would make its getaway by They're robbing the bank!" Allen shouted. southwest of Northfield. Seven of 0 the I' days. But Bridge riding west over the bridge and volunteers from the posse that square, the public plaza just east out of town. Manning stepped into his own store, reached into his display surrounded theJl1- Col. T. L. of the aforementioned bri4g~,. . Wh~n. Cole. Y:ou.ngeI:and. Mil- Vought, Sherif James GUspin of still is there. Division street, in ler, both garbed in dusters, a·p. window for a repeating rifie, ob- tained a box of cartridges from Watonwan county, Capt. W. W. which the citizenry outfought peared in the street the trio of Murphy, Ben M. Rice, George A. the bandits, still is Division first arrivals arose from their his desk, and rushed into the street to take part in the fray. Bradford, C. A. Pomeroy, and S. street, running north and south perches on the goods boxes, On coming within sight of the J. Severson-rushed the robbers. along the eastern edge of Bridge walked a few steps south, and When the shooting was over all square. And the bullet-scarred disappeared into the bank. Mil- outlaws he was fired upon. Un- perturbed,Manning, perhaps the of the bandits except Bob Youn- old Scriver block, on the west ler and Cole Younger then dis- coolest man in Northfield that ger were down. Pitts had been side of Dtvision street and fac- mounted, the first marching to Allen, after his alarming en- day, drew bead on the head of killed and the Younger brothers ing on Brtdge square, the stone the door of the bank, which he purpose of the five desperadoes safe, but the two said that they could not unlock it. As a matter counter with the brusque outlaw all were badly wounded. building in which the First Na- closed, and the second pretend- to drive every one off the street; one of the robbers. Just as he Miller, raced toward his place of was ready to press the trigger But where were the other two tional bank had its headquarters ing to tighten the girth of his to terrorize the whole town so of fact, it was riot actually locked at all, although the door business, shouting at the top of the target vanished behind a bandits, Who, according to every during the time of the outlaw saddle. that their three comrades within was closed and the bolts were his lungs. When he reached his horse. Manning shifted his aim bit of evidence, were the James raid, still stands. Perhaps the strangers ap- the bank could work without store he began passing out shot- slightly and shot the horse. The brothers, J e sse and Frank? peared too indifferent. Perhaps molestation. Although their first shot into place. The eombtna- tion dial, however, had not been guns and rlfies from his stock, animal reared and fell dead. They had stolen through the • • • Cole Younger overplayed his fusillade dropped an innocent bystander, poor Nicholas Gus- turned. Trying to frighten Hey- loading these weapons as he Manning ducked back behind lines set by the posses and es- Sept. 7, 1876,gave every prom- part in his saddle girth act. tavson, in his tracks, mortally wood into arising and opening handed them to citizens who the corner to reload, but the caped to Nashville, Tenn., there ise of being another sleepy day There was something, anyway, wounded, the Missouri bad men the safe, Pitts leaned over and were eager for a chance to shoot hand lever of the rifie stuck and to go into hiding. . in Northfield. Most of the bust- that aroused the suspicions of failed to achieve their purpose. fired his revolver beside the the robbers. Elias Stacy accept- he rushed back to his store fO\' The Younger brothers were ness was restricted to Saturday several citizens. J. S. Allen, a bookkeeper's head. Bob Younger ed a shotgun, and it was he who a ramrod, with which he ejected. sent to the Minnesota state prts- hardware merchant whose store Instead of int1m1dating the afternoons and nights, and Sat- townsfolk with gunfire, they finally forced Brunker and Wil· drew the first blood of the out- the empty shell from the breech ott at Stillwater. Bob died there urday still was two days away. was located around the Lee & cox to crawl under the counter. laws. He peppered Miller in the of the weapon. Returning to the in 1889. Jim and Cole were re- Hitchcock corner and west of found they had stirred up a hor- Merchants sat abo u t their Brunker tried to edge toward a face with a charge of birdshot. scene of action, he fired again, leased on parole in 1901. Jim the Scriver block, walked to the nets' nest. stores; a loafer here and there shelf under the teller's window The bandit fell from his horse, wounding Cole Younger. His committed suicide in a St. Paul bank door and was about to • • • idly whittled to pass the time. on which lay a little pistol, but but rem o u n ted immediately. next shot, fired at a distance of hotel the next year. Cole died Some one remarked about the enter when he was seized by The three robbers within the Pitts pocketed the weapon. Among 0 the r citizens armed ·eighty yards. killed Stiles. in his old home at Lee's Summit, presence of several strangers in Miller, who roughly ordered him bank and behind its closed door Brunker arose. To him Bob with fowling pieces were James By this time the three robbers Mo., in 1916. Jesse James was the town during the morning, to stay on the outside. Allen at this time had no intimation Younger said: and some one else recalled a tore loose from the bandit's of what was transpiring on the "There's money here some- outside. The y had entered, where outside of the safe. Where drawn their revolvers, climbed is it? Where's the cash till? " over 'the counter,' arid .ordered The teller pointed to the cur- the bank employes-Joseph Lee rency box lying on top of the Heywood, bookkeeper; A. E. counter. Younger opened this Brunker, teller, and F. J. Wilcox, and from it poured into a wheat assistant bookkeeper-to throw sack that he had taken from be- up their hands . neath his linen duster a handful ••We're going to r 0 b this Or two of currency. Right be- bank," said one of the despera- neath this box was a money Jim Young.r Bob YoUDg.r Col. YOUDger Charli. Pitt. William Stile. CI.I Mill.r does. "Don't any of you holler. drawer containing $3,000in bills, We got forty men outside." the presence of which the rob- Gregg, Ross Phillips, and J. B. who had failed to loot the bank killed in 1882 in St. Joseph, Mo., Heywood, besides being book- bers that day never were aware. Hyde. Postmaster H. S. French, w e r e on the outside. Bob by Bob Ford, a young hoodlum keeper of the bank and treas- Their only loot was that little Jus tic e Streater, and Elias Younger, whose horse had been whom he had befriended. Frank urer of Carleton college, which yield of the currency box. Hobbs, being without weapons, killed by Manning, was afoot. James, who had been acquitted had been founded ten years be- When Younger had emptied threw rocks at the robbers. He and Manning were maneu- after surrendering, died in 1915 on his Missouri boyhood farm. Th. Smy.r b10c:k.a lat.r pic:tur. taken aft.r the roof had b•• n r.model.d. fore, was acting cashier at the the box he turned to Brunker Wheeler, upon learning the vering for a shot at each other, Th. bank loc:ation I. indic:at.d by the arrow. time in the absence of G. M. and ordered him to get down purpose of tlie mysterious horse- when the robber jumped behind Phtllips, who had gone to Phlla- under the counter again. Brunk· men, dashed into his father's an open stairway at the side of • • • little later that five horsemen grasp and lit out for his store, delphia to attend the centennial . er, however, made a dash for lib- pharmacy on the east side of the building in which the bank from other parts had partaken shouting: celebration. It was he upon erty. He was nearly to the rear Division street to get his shot- was located. Wheeler, at his There are citizens today in of a noontime meal in a restau- " Get your guns, boys! They're whom the robbers first centered door of a nearby building when gun. Not finding the gun there, window in the hotel, saw this. Northfield who can point out rant on the west side. The whole robbing the bank! " their attention. Pitts, standing outside the bank's he ran back through the store Only the right arm of the robber the spots where Miller and Stiles place was wrapped in its custo- It was from this moment that "Are you the cashier?" one rear door, let fiy a shot. This and across an open space to the was visible. But Wheeler took fell. They can tell all about the mary midweek midday somno- clocks began ticking off the of them asked. took Brunker in the right shoul- Dampier hotel, which stood diag- careful aim and fired, shat- famous fight, as the writer lence when at 2 o'clock in the crowded seven minutes which When Heywood replied in the der. He kept right on going and onally across the street from the tering Younger's arm at the learned on a recent visit there, afternoon fate cantered into Di· gave Northfield undying fame. negative the other two employes did not stop until he reached a bank. In the hotel the young elbow. The bandit shifted his from the stories handed down vision street, from the west In the meantime Henry M. were s1m1larly questioned. Their physician's office on the other medical student found an old pistol to his left hand and kept by their fathers and mothers. through Bridge square, in the Wheeler, a 22-year-old medical denials enraged the robbers, side of the block. Civil war carbine and three on trying to get a shot at Man· The Northfield News, of which form of a trio of horsemen. student of the University of who then attempted to .force Pitts returned to his eompan- paper cartridges. ning. The latter, however, dls- Carl L. Weicht is editor, has pub- These three, riding splendid Michigan, home for vacation, Heywood to open the safe, which ions in the front part of the Racing up the stairs of the appeared for the moment. lished in booklet form what is animals and attired in long linen had been observing the move- stood near by in an open vault. bank just in time to hear one hotel, Wheeler took a place at Jesse James' outlaws had had accepted as an accurate account dusters, as was the fashion of ments of the robbers from a Pitts, one of the robbers, ran to of the robbers on the outside of a window on the second fioor enough by this tim e . Bob of the seven' crowded minutes in Northfield nearly sixty - two overland travelers of that day, chair in front of his father's the vault door and stepped In- the building shout: and went into action with his Younger sprang up behind his were nonchalant indeed. One of drug store on the east side of side. Heywood sprang after him "The game is up! Better get war relic, His first shot was brother Cole, and the horse, car- years ago.