ON THE ROAD.

The desperate freebooters had dashed from Northfield with but five horses, one, the brown mare carrying double. They rushed ruthlessly on, taking the entire road, and demanding that those they met should “take to the ditch.” A short distance out of the city an old German farmer with his heavy team loaded with “garden truck,” met them on a narrow road on each side of which were deep gullies. Drawing his pistol the leader exclaimed with an oath, “take the ditch G——d d——n you.” Over the old fellow went scattering his vegetables, breaking his wagon and harness, and sprawling himself in a sea of stagnant mire.

After several hours the frightened agriculturist succeeded in getting to town, and related a wonderful story of being attacked by fifty giants fifteen feet high, mounted on fire breathing steeds, and carrying twenty-five pound cannons in their hands!

THE DASH THROUGH DUNDAS

was made at full speed, causing the greatest excitement. All were now mounted, but a horse taken from a farrier, Empey, near Northfield, evidently found it difficult to keep pace with the trained nags belonging to the robbers.

A short distance out of Dundas the gang stopped at a farm house and borrowed a pail which they took to a spring near by. Here they paused long enough to water their animals, and wash the desperate wound which Bob Younger, (as was afterwards found) had received directly through his right elbow, and which besides bleeding profusely had become almost unbearable, even to a man of his determination and vigor. Throwing the pail by the side of the road, the squad hastened on, little thinking of the pursuit which was being organized in the rear.

As it is now known that the squad, as it now remained, consisted of Cole, Jim and Bob Younger, Charlie Pitts, and probably the James boys, their names will be used in this narrative hereafter, wherever they are known from their own statements to have been.

As the horse taken from the farmer Empey of course wore no saddle, [pg 24] it became necessary for the comfort of its rider that one be impressed. To accomplish this, two of the gang called at the house of a farmer living a short distance from the road, and telling that

THEY WERE OFFICERS AFTER HORSE THIEVES,

borrowed a saddle. This took place at 4½ o'clock, and a half hour before, the landlord of Cushman's Hotel in Millersburg saw the other four pass his house on a gallop. He says that three of them stopped at his hostelry the night before. He saw the other two pass some time later, but did not recognize among the six, the man that made up four whom he had entertained.

Mr. Cushman says the men were extremely well-behaved, using no liquor, and indulging in no profanity or vulgarity. They retired early and arose late. He speaks of one as evidently the leader, he appearing like a man who had never done any manual labor. His horse was cared for by the others, and his quiet directions were promptly obeyed. The men talked but little, saying that they were from Illinois and were civil engineers looking over the country, to decide upon the feasibility of building more railroads in that section. This party had left Cushman's house at 9 o'clock Thursday morning, and had leisurely ridden the ten miles to Northfield.

THE PURSUIT.

In the meantime there had been mounting in hot haste, and detachments in wagons and on horses had started from Northfield to undertake to head off the bandits on what is known as the Dodd road. This road the robbers seemed to have missed, and, notwithstanding their earlier start, they did not arrive at the town of Shieldsville, fifteen miles away, until after a squad of five men had reached that point. These men were in a saloon refreshing themselves and telling their wonderful tale, when the rough riding marauders dashed up in front of the place. The boys were attracted to the door by the noise of the horses' hoofs, and two or three started for the wagon in which their arms had been left. This movement was promptly checked by the leader, and the lads slouched back to the saloon.

The bandits leisurely proceeded to water their animals, and while doing so an inquisitive old party standing by enquired “where they were going?” All laughed at this query and one, pointing to Bob Younger whose arm was still bleeding, replied that “they were going”

“TO HANG THAT D——D CUSS.”

After having watered the horses the desperadoes seemed in no haste, but practiced with their pistols on the pump shattering it to pieces. Soon, however the order was given and all dashed away, going toward Waterville.

The dash and daring of the robbers had electrified the people of the town so that nothing was done, but after they had got well off, the [pg 25] gallant squad of pursuers started on the trail. Soon they were joined by others, augmenting the force to seventeen, and the bandit band was sighted in a ravine about four miles from Shieldsville. The attacking party opened fire from the brow of a hill but their arms consisted of rusty shot guns, and small pistols, hence nothing was accomplished. When the attack commenced the bandits wheeled in platoon and discharged a harmless volley at the pursuers.

The horse of one of the robbers fell, and it was supposed that he had been shot, but he quickly recovered. As the bandit sought to mount him again, he found his girth broken, and in obedience to an order from the chief, he mounted behind his comrade, and the gang moved off at a round trot. The abandoned horse was found to be the one taken from Empey, and the saddle, the one borrowed near Millersburgh.

A BALKY NAG.

An hour or two later the bandits seem to have lost their road, for they called at the house of a farmer named Sager, and demanded a horse, saying they were after horse thieves. Sager is a prudent German, and required to see their authority. They laughed at him and secured his horse, but on attempting to mount him, they found him balky, and were obliged to abandon their plan. They then forced the farmer to accompany them quite a distance to point out the road, first asking the route to Waterville, but finally deciding to take the Cordova road. Sager went with them to the edge of the town of Kilkenny, and left them in a large meadow going towards Cordova.

In this field the bandits resorted to all known means to destroy their tracks, and esconced themselves in the mysterious depths of the Big Woods, where it was impossible to track them, as the thousands of hogs which root up their living there, had almost entirely displaced the sod, and it was not an easy matter to distinguish the footprints of man or beast.

Many have the impression that the bandits were sheltered Thursday night by a notorious character living in the woods on the west side of Kilkenny, but according to the statement of those captured, they lay hidden in the thickets.

THE PURSUIT GROWS HOT.

During Thursday night excited crowds had gathered in all of the towns in the vicinity that could be reached by telegraph. Men of every class volunteered to join in the hunt, and they came armed and mounted in every conceivable style. The great majority had arms of little account, and a large portion of the volunteers were entirely defenceless. There were many intrepid men who joined in the pursuit in an earnest manner, and many younger ones who started as they would in a chicken hunt, for sport and excitement.

The telegrams had summoned the chiefs of police, detectives and [pg 26] several members of the police forces of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and at six o'clock Thursday evening, Chief King, Detective Brissette, Sergeant Clarke and patrolman Brosseau and deputy sheriff Harrison, of the former city, and Chief Munger, Detective Hoy, and officers West, Hankinson, and Shepherd, of the latter place, were on the scene of the tragedy.

Under direction of Chief King, the St. Paul squad followed the trail of the robbers under charge of Detective Brissette, while Detective Hoy and his party proceeded to Faribault intending to start from there and attempt to head off the robber band. Every point of egress from

THE BIG WOODS

was thoroughly picketed during the night, probably two hundred volunteers being engaged. Early on Friday morning Sheriff Asa Barton, of Rice county, who had been up all night arranging the guards, commenced to accept new recruits and dispatch them as rapidly as possible to the front, providing every weapon that would snap a cap, that could be obtained in the vicinity. His labors were arduous and incessant, but his splendid constitution and indomitable perseverance enabled him to endure throughout the three weeks that the hunt continued. The number of robber hunters cannot have been less than five hundred during Friday.

The pursuers dispatched from Faribault were headed by brave, intelligent men, among whom were Col. Williams, J. H. Harding, Dr. Hurd, T. Loyhed, Mr. Baxter, James Hunter and Sam Dunham, chief of police of this city.

Nothing was heard of the bandits during Thursday night, but on Friday, it was found that they had started in a westerly direction. It was difficult to pick their trail, as men and horses shod in every manner had passed over the roads during the night and morning. Rumors of all sorts came in from all points, and the leaders scarcely knew what to do, but they wisely determined to maintain their line of pickets.

It can truly be said that these knights of the road traveled on their reputation, and they were looked upon as such desperate and sanguinary foes that few men would have been willing to meet them except at considerable odds. The pickets had been liberally placed, but the squads were necessarily small, as an area of more than four miles square was guarded. At most places only two or three guards had been placed, and through one of these squads a

WONDERFUL ESCAPE

was made. It was supposed that the bandits would try to break the line at a northerly point, toward Cordova, hence their track to the southwest was unlooked for.

At seven o'clock Friday morning two men called at the house of a [pg 27] Mr. James, on the Cleveland road, and asked his wife, he being away, if she had seen anything of two little black mules that had strayed or been stolen. Being answered in the negative, they asked how far the river was behind the house, and if there were any swamps between. She told them the river was about one-quarter of a mile back, and that there was a swamp which she thought they could pass.

One of the men then inquired which direction was south. Mrs. James informed him, when he said he guessed she was mistaken, but on taking out a pocket compass, he acknowledged that she was correct, and made a polite apology for contradicting her. On leaving, they bade her a pleasant “good morning.”

The gang then attempted to cross the Little Cannon river behind James' house but could not get through the swamp, and returning they took to the road going toward Waterville. After proceeding a short distance they accosted a party of five men working on the road. They said they were in pursuit of the robbers, and asked if the two bridges, one above and one below were guarded. When told they were they asked if there were any fords between. On learning that there were two, they said that they had better take care of them, and immediately started across the fields to the river.

No sooner had the bandits left, than Mr. James, who had been told by his wife of the visit of the men, came up. After a hurried consultation, in which it was decided that the party that had just passed were the robbers, James with three of the men hastened to the upper bridge about a quarter of a mile away, and reported to Major Rogers, who with two men held that point. A portion of the squad immediately started for the fords, James and two others going to the lower, while Rogers and the remainder stopped at the upper one about forty rods away.

The swamps and growth had retarded the progress of the bandits, but James had scarcely gained his position when the gang appeared on the opposite bank of the river leading their horses. They were carelessly talking, and made directly for the ford. Just as the leader stepped into the shallow stream, James exclaimed, “Come on boys,”

WE'VE GOT THEM NOW,

at the same time discharging an ineffective charge of small shot at the front robber. At this the leader shouted, “This is too hot, boys, we must take to the woods,” and all hastened back up the bank. But as they moved away, they must have heard the retreat of the pickets, who broke and ran, one leaving his time-honored Prussian musket in the brush, and another losing his valuable set of false teeth, for after moving up into the woods for a distance of not more than twenty rods, they wheeled and crossed the ford in the coolest and most deliberate manner. The alarm was immediately carried to Waterville, and the base of operations were soon changed. In the meantime the St. Paul party, with several active and intrepid [pg 28] Northfield men, had been actively on the trail, and just at dusk a sight of the enemy was obtained as they were breaking across a distant cornfield for the cover of the woods.

TRADING HORSES.

But before this the bandits had visited the farm of Ludwig Rosseneau, in Elysian township, and impressed two horses. The farmhouse is entirely secluded from the road, being nearly half a mile back. When the gang arrived there with their five horses, two of them went to the barn, while four remained at a small bridge near by. Mr. Rosseneau and his son went to see what they wanted, when they asked if he had any horses. One said he was the Sheriff of Rice county, and that he must have two horses and a guide, for he was after horse thieves, showing a large document, which the boy Wilhelm, who had been to school, says was a map of Minnesota. When the old man objected, the rascals drew their pistols and quickly closed the bargain. Two horses were brought from the stable and saddled; one was mounted by one of the gang, and the Rosseneau boy was forced to accompany them on the other. The simple German peasants had heard nothing of the Northfield tragedy, and hence were not particularly frightened, although greatly annoyed. The cavalcade passed from the farm, the leader ordering the boy to guide them through the woods to the old state road. It was a difficult country to ride through, but the boy knew the road and traveled along, talking in boyish style and getting short answers, until the chief ordered him not to talk so loud. On arriving at an opening near the road, a halt was made, and the lad was placed upon one of the robbers' horses, which was disabled by a cruel gall caused by the girth under his forelegs. He was told to remain there until they returned, which would be soon. After waiting about half an hour, another lad came up and told him of the robber raid. Young Rosseneau quickly understood his position and made quick tracks for home. He says that after the robbers left him they dashed into the woods across the clearing, and galloped away as fast as possible. The next morning Rosseneau's horses were found in their pasture near the barn.

ANOTHER HORSE TRADE.

Subsequently it was discovered that during the night of Friday a horse had been taken from the pasture of John Laney, 1½ miles from the village of Elysian, and a handsome sorrel mare badly chest foundered placed in its stead for value received. This farmer made a good trade as did Rosseneau, for his own horse came home early Saturday morning.

The hunted bandits were in a country from which it seemed impossible for them to escape, it being almost surrounded by lakes and swamps. A close guard was kept, and all expected that a capture would surely be effected on Saturday. There were hundreds of men [pg 29] on the hunt, but it is useless to say that the search was thorough, for if it had been they would have been found. Saturday passed and also Sunday, and no sign of them was discovered. Many became discouraged and weary, and as the weather had been wet and cold, large numbers of the pursuers returned to their homes.

However, the hunt was continued by many persistant men from all parts of the Stale. As their labor was unrewarded by any discoveries of importance until Monday and Tuesday, the symmetry of the narrative will be maintained by following the robbers according to their own statements.

SAFE FOR AWHILE.

Up to Friday night they had succeeded in procuring food from farm-houses, at one place going in and helping themselves to the entire cooking of the family. Wild plums and grapes had also contributed to their wants, and they had not suffered much, except Bob Younger whose wound was extremely painful. After trading horses at Laney's, Friday night, they rode to a point in the woods about three miles back of Elysian and a short distance from German Lake. Here, less than one hundred and fifty yards from the road, after turning loose the three borrowed horses, they tied their three remaining horses to trees, and made a rude shelter with their rubber blankets in which they passed the night cold and wretched.

Saturday morning they broke camp, and after tying their blankets around themselves with their bridles, they abandoned their faithful steeds, and started forth on foot, leaving five saddles behind them. They moved slowly and cautiously, and during the forenoon they discovered a sort of island which proved an excellent hiding place. In the center of this little-explored tract, they found a pretty pond of water, and feeling secure they established a regular camp, making a good fire, and taking comfort generally. So safe did they feel that they shot a hog and a calf, but not succeeding in killing them the first time, although the shots went straight through their heads as they aver, and as the animals made good time in escaping, they lost a savory feast, not daring to fire more shots. During the most of the time the bandits had proceeded on foot leading their horses through the woods, and their feet had become terribly sore while their stockings were entirely worn out, and while resting here they dressed their

LACERATED EXTREMITIES

and bound them up in socks improvised from their underclothing. But they dared not rest here too long as the corn fields and potato-patches on which they depended for subsistance were at an inconvenient distance, and their hunters might flush their camp at any moment. Saturday night they again took up their tedious march, and about daylight went into camp a mile from the German Catholic church in Marysburgh, the bell of which was plainly heard by the robbers when [pg 30] it rung for early mass. They concluded not to attend church that day, contrary to the usual custom of Cole Younger at least, and a luxurious breakfast of roasted corn and baked potatoes was prepared. This camp was within a few rods of the edge of a clearing, showing the remarkable boldness of the gang. Here two small boys saw three of them walking just outside the woods, and reported it, but little faith was placed on their story, as the general impression was that the bandits were still in the woods behind Elysian or had made a break on their horses to the Minnesota river, and hence to parts unknown. Their camp of Friday night had not then been discovered; and it was supposed that they were still in possession of their horses.

In all the time intervening between Thursday afternoon and Monday morning, the robbers had made but about thirty miles, and although surrounded at times by

AT LEAST FIVE HUNDRED MEN,

they would not have suffered at all except for the cold and rain. In the Sunday camp a portion of a bloody shirt gave evidence that Bob Younger had been compelled to again dress his wounded arm.

Slowly the robbers proceeded, and their next camp was some four miles directly south of Marysburgh on the banks of Lake Madison in Blue Earth county. From here a bold strike was made directly west nearly nine miles, to a point but about 2½ miles back of the city of Mankato, where, finding an empty house in the woods on the Kron farm they slept comfortably Monday and Tuesday nights. During the most of this time they had lived on fodder corn uncooked, hazel nuts, grapes and wild plums, but Tuesday morning they made a requisition on a German farmer and procured a good breakfast. At the table they sat with their overcoats on, and their

BOWIE KNIVES BY THEIR PLATES.

They were uncommunicative, inoffensive and polite, and paid liberally for the hospitality shown them.

The hunt had continued while the bandits were escaping as above related, a reward of $1,000 offered by Governor Pillsbury, $700 by the Northfield bank, and $500 by the Winona and St. Peter railroad inciting many to action. The state reward was afterwards increased to $1,000 for each man dead or alive. However all were off the scent, the objective point of the pursuers being the woods back of Elysian from which the pursued had quietly passed. The headquarters of the robber hunters were made

AT JANESVILLE.

On Saturday, Sept. 9th, a party consisting of A. A. Keller, Russell M. Church, F. Martin and W. Rhine started across the country from Northfieid to Faribault, and catching there the train, proceeded to [pg 31] Owatonna, where they were joined by a party of some thirty well armed citizens.

Telegrams were sent to Waseca for a special train to carry them to Janesville. Finding a case of needle guns at Owatonna for Brisette, they took them on with them, arriving at Janesville at one o'clock. They found Brisette and his men there. They had been on the track of the gang from the first, often getting sight of them, and never for an hour losing their trail till Saturday, when they failed to see them during the whole day.

Early in the morning the party was divided into companies and took to the woods, determined to hunt the villains up. Besides the parties sent out in squads to the woods, other parties were out in each direction up the Winona and St. Peter R. R. on hand cars.

The whole country around Janesville was alive, and hundreds of volunteers were rushing about in search of arms to join the pursuers. By noon on Sunday there were at least three hundred men on the war-path, seeking for the fugitives and anxious to secure some portion of the reward offered for their capture.

The telegraph was kept in lively operation, and every rumor was sent from point to point, and mounted messengers carried the news along the lines of outposts, keeping the men well informed on the events of the day.

At about 3 o'clock a messenger came riding up to headquarters, his horse reeking and foaming, and the man's manner portending news of the utmost weight and importance. Hurrying in to the depot he handed the telegraph operator a paper containing the information that the fugitives broke cover near Elysian and were making for Waterville. To inquiries he answered that three of the robbers were seen and one was riding a cream-colored horse, and that the police were hard on their track.

Telegrams were at once sent to Eagle Lake, Owatonna, and other points, repeating the exciting tale and asking that the posts along the line between Waseca and Janesville be made especially strong—the supposition being that the thieves would try to cross somewhere between those two points. In prompt reply to these telegrams a special train was dispatched containing over one hundred men, well-armed, from Northfield, Winona, Rochester, Owatonna and Medford, and these were left in squads often between Waseca and Janesville, twenty-two of them coming up for instructions and news.

These twenty-two were under the command of C. Runnels. Many were

VETERANS OF THE WAR,

and they seemed to be under good discipline, all obeying their leader's orders with alacrity. This party it was thought better to use as a [pg 32] company of patrol, who were to visit the outposts between this section and Waseca.

THE ST. PAUL POLICE

and the five Northfield scouts came in about 9:30 o'clock Saturday night, and to the surprise of numbers of people waiting for news, reported that they had no news to tell. They knew nothing of the dispatch which had awakened such lively interest.

The party had been out all day, having left Janesville at 8 o'clock with four wagons and some on horseback. They proceeded first to Elysian and passing round the lake then proceeded on to Marysburg, within four miles of which they fell in with Hoy and

THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE,

when all started by different routes to Eagle Lake, from thence they came to Janesville after spending twelve long hours on the road, but throughout their whole course they saw and heard nothing of the robbers.

Subsequent developments proved that the news brought in by the mounted messenger was a canard founded on the fact that some of the robber hunters had been amusing themselves by “playing robbers.” The false alarm, however, did no harm, and only stirred men to double diligence, and the writer who spent the whole night of Sunday in visiting the outposts and guards along the Winona & St. Peter railroad found them all on the qui vive, and he is confident if the bandits had shown themselves that night, they would have fared badly.

The alarm telegraphed to St. Paul brought out again Chief King and another body of police and citizens among whom was Hazen, of Cincinnati, who thought he recognized in photographs of the two dead bandits, Bill Chadwell and Charles Pitts.

FINDING THE HORSES.

Monday night, a party, headed by Sheriff Dill and Brissette, and including the St. Paul police, and several determined men from Northfield, after a tedious hunt arrived at the house of John Dehn about a mile from the place where Brisette had lost the trail on Friday night.

The detective was in a quandary not understanding how the horses at least could have got through the line of pickets that had been maintained. One of these animals was of a dun color, or as the country people called it “a yaller hoss,” and would have been noticed among a cavalry regiment.

The mystery was soon to be solved however. A portion of the squad took refuge in Dehn's hay loft for the night, and at daylight Tuesday morning as Mr. Mills Church, of Northfield, an old war veteran, was peeping from his roost, he saw two hard looking horses, peering over the farm gate, evidently envying the inviting stack of oats within.

Church immediately went to them, and found they were two of the robbers' horses without doubt. One was a bright bay with white face and three white feet, and the other was a handsome brown mare. Both were very thin and showed marks of exposure, and deep rowelling on their sides. The brown had large galls each side of her back bone made by the saddle, and these were covered by thick scabs that had been forming at least three days. Both wore halters, that of the bay being without a strap, while a piece about a foot long hung to the halter of the brown, it having been chewed off by the wearer.

The nags were well cared for, and their trail was immediately taken up while their tracks were fresh, but the horses had stopped to graze so often thus doubling and changing their course, that it was almost a fruitless task. Feeling that Dehn's house at which they were found was probably the first one the horses saw, a

LONG LINE OF SKIRMISHERS

was formed, and a thorough search of the woods made. At about 7 o'clock the left of the line came upon the last camp where the robbers were in possession of their horses. Dr. Hurd of Faribault was in advance, and as he came to the spot, the noted buckskin horse whinned and stamped showing most unmistakable signs of delight at again seeing a human form. The camp was located so near the road that it is a wonder that it had not been discovered. At each of three saplings a horse had been tied, the yellow one in the middle. They had been given as long range as possible, but there was no feed for them except the bark and wood of the trees to which they were tied. These were eaten as high as the horses could reach and deep into the roots. The ground around was stamped hard, and there were evidences that the poor animals had made desperate efforts to escape. At a short distance away pronged stakes were found which showed that the fleeing men had found shelter in a most uncomfortable manner. They had probably thrown blankets over the frame and stopped to dress the wounded man. There was no trace of eating or sleeping. Behind a log near by, all the saddles of the five laid in a pile, an old russet-leather saddle, much defaced, at the bottom of the pile, very wet. This showed two shot marks, from one of which a medium-sized pistol bullet was taken. Two others on the pile were black, solid-seat saddles, one new, open, black McClellan, one new russet McClellan. The black McClellan was marked underneath, at the front, $8.50, with the cost mark above: two old blankets and three old gunny bags were found. The robbers carried away all the bridles and good blankets.

The horses at Rosseneau's and Laney's were then procured and the entire five were delivered to Commissioner Scott of Rice county, it being the feeling that that community should have the benefit of what was recovered.

EXCITING NEWS.

Excitement had again subsided, and after the capture of the [pg 34] robbers' horses in a state indicating that they had been abandoned for several days, the opinion gained ground rapidly that the robbers had made tracks on foot and were many miles away. The hunt had virtually come to an end, was the thought of many, and a general movement was made by the pursuers toward those homes to which of late, they had become strangers. The St. Paul police had started for home, and the Minneapolis force was already there. The indefatigable and energetic sheriff of Winona, was even contemplating an abandonment of the chase when news was brought into Mankato, which at once aroused excitement to its highest pitch. A farmer had been captured by the bandits, and with arms tightly bound behind him, compelled at the muzzle of a revolver to accompany them on the road to pilot the way beyond Mankato. Hearing that this unfortunate was the man in charge of Mr. Shaubut's farm, the writer sought out the man

DUNNING,

who told him that about six o'clock on Wednesday morning the 13th, he started from his house in search of the cows. He had scarcely passed the barn going towards the woods when six men came upon him. They were for the most part powerfully built men, well dressed, with linen dusters and blankets strapped up in bridles. The men came up to him and said they were

LOOKING FOR ROBBERS,

and guessed he was one of them. He protested that he was not, when one said they would take him with them anyhow, and proceeded to bind his hands behind him with a bridle rein. They then insisted, upon his showing them the way past Mankato, so that they might strike the Minnesota above, asking him questions as to whether they would be likely to find any boats upon the river, and if it was possible to ford or swim across. Dunning begged them to let him go, when they told him they were

THE NORTHFIELD ROBBERS,

but if he would show them the way and keep a silent tongue in his head they would send him a handsome present. He still begged to be released, stating that he had a delicate wife and young children, and if he should be away from the farm he would lose his situation, and then what would his family do during the winter? The robbers thought he seemed a good sort of a fellow, and if they could only trust him, perhaps they might let him return, but could they trust him? Dunning protested by all that was sacred that they might, and promised if they would only let him return home, he would not breathe to a living soul that he had seen there and he expressed a hope that they would get through safe and sound without being captured. The [pg 35] robbers held a short consultation among themselves, in which Dunning thought he heard proposals of shooting him on the spot. It was to him

A MOMENT OF DREADFUL SUSPENSE,

and he shook with very fear, but to his inexpressible relief one of the men said that they had agreed to let him return home—they did not want his family to suffer for them. They then asked him his name and postal address, which they carefully noted down, repeating their former promise of a handsome present if they got safely off, and if he kept his faith with them.

One of the men asked if they could not get to the river from where they were by leaving the timber and crossing the level open flat, and if they could not swim the river easily. To which Dunning replied that they would be discovered almost immediately if they attempted to leave the woods, advising them to keep under cover as much as they could. With this they released his arms and set him free, they the while seating themselves upon the ground and watching him till he got out of sight. He at once ran home, and after getting his breakfast, he crossed over from his house to the residence of Mr. Shaubut, and told him the whole story.

MR. SHAUBUT,

who is a banker in Mankato, brought the news to town, which set the whole city into commotion. Men of all classes hurried about for arms. The telegraph wires called up from Janesville the few men who still lingered there reluctant to give up the chase. The same lightning messenger brought men from Winona, Waseca, Owatonna, and Faribault. St. Peter, and Le Sueur sent in their quota of armed citizens. The message found the redoubtable Hoy at the Nicollet hotel, where he was narrating to an admiring throng his exploits at Elysian, and brought him back to the regained trail; the same message arrested the St. Paul police on their homeward journey at Blakely, and, in an incredibly short time

A THOUSAND EAGER HUNTERS

crowded into the streets of Mankato seeking information and anxious for orders. The ubiquitous Dill was there with his disciplined men. Baxter was there and Sheriffs Finch, Davis, Barton, Long and Harrison, Mayor Wiswell and Captains Holmes and Owens. Thus were the counties of Winona, Blue Earth, Rice, Waseca, Faribault and Ramsey represented by their sheriffs and men. The five Northfield boys, who had never for an hour given up the hunt, were there and ready again to guard, mount and scour the woods.

Davis, of Winnebago, whose story of the robbers' appearance the evening before at Indian Lake, was so little heeded, was now almost lionized, and it was surprising how many were all at once found who believed in the famous horse thief catcher from the first.

It was necessary that some system be pursued; accordingly General [pg 36] Pope, of Mankato, was appointed generalissimo of the forces, and that gentleman at once set about a plan of organization. Bridges must be guarded, cross-roads and by-paths watched, patrols sent out, and skirmish lines established. One would think by the measured tramp of armed men, the bustle, the eager excitement, the groups of mysterious gossips, that Mankato expected a seige from the combined forces of all the hostile savages paying allegiance to Sitting Bull, rather than that the men were called out to capture six fugitive robbers.

But the people seemed determined. Their looks seemed to say that they were tired of playing this game of hide and seek, and were for once in downright earnest and bent upon bringing this thing to a quick and decisive close.

It was a miserably wet morning, the rain descending in a continuous shower, and the air was filled with a damp chilliness, which rendered out-door vocations particularly disagreeable. The streets and roads were filled with slimy mud—griming and sticking, to the intense misery of pedestrians. But the rain and the mud and the cold could not deter the excited populace, and even women caught the infectious fever of excitement and dared the elements in search of news. All the city was on the tip-toe of expectancy, but the hours glided slowly along and no news was brought in from the skirmish lines or outposts. Reports, it is true, were rife, and many a thrilling tale of manly courage and sanguinary encounter was whispered by mani-tongued rumor. At one time the robbers were all slaughtered, at another, a brave citizen was sacrificed, but enquiry proved them to owe their existence to fertile imaginations. Evening at last closed in upon a miserable day, and the tired, wet and hungry hunters began to return. The Clifton house was filled with them, the congenial host doing his best to appease their ravenous appetites, after which the weary men stretched themselves at length upon the floors of the parlors, offices and halls to snatch a few minutes' refreshing slumber. Meantime a strong guard was placed at every point around the city, and mounted men patrolled the streets all night.

At about midnight some of the men on guard heard peculiar whistles at different points, which seemed to be replied to, the call resembling the low note of the quail, and the answer, the high note of the same bird. Report was made of the circumstance at “Headquarters,” and while a discussion was progressing as to whether the men were not mistaken, and their ability to distinguish between the veritable bird call and its its imitation, a mounted messenger came dashing in with the news that three of the robbers had

CROSSED THE BRIDGE,

over the Blue Earth river and had escaped toward South Bend. The news spread like a prairie fire, and in an incredibly short time the streets were alive with armed men hastening down toward the point at which the fugitives had broken the line of outposts. Sheriff Dill, who, [pg 37] had retired but a few minutes to the well-deserved comfortable bed put at his disposal at the Clifton, was soon up and away with a posse of men. Other leaders were equally alert, but all mentally, and some physically, too, cursed the blundering guard, which had permitted itself to be caught napping. Enquiry soon ascertained the fact that

SOME ONE HAD BLUNDERED.

It appears that General Pope in arranging for the night guard had provided for a strong body of men being placed upon each of the bridges over the Blue Earth, this being considered the vulnerable point in the line, but a telegram coming to him stating that the railroad bridge would be specially guarded by the railroad officials, he removed his guard from that structure, and, as it proved, opened a direct way for the brigands' escape. The railroad authorities had placed two men and a boy on the bridge to guard it, and about two o'clock they saw three men approaching in single file. The guard stood on one side and the men advanced and walked deliberately on to the trestle work and passed over, the heroic guard being too much frightened to even breathe. As soon as the fugitives had got fairly past, the boy rushed down to the covered bridge and alarmed the guard there, who at once sent a mounted messenger into the city to tell the miserable tale. Nothing during the whole hunt had such a humiliating effect upon the people as this fiasco, but they were doomed ere long to receive as great a disappointment.

The night was one of almost Egyptian darkness, and men could do little good tramping through muddy lanes and through dripping woods without a trail to guide them. The resolve, therefore, was to await the break of day, when at the earliest hour of dawn a close hunt and hot pursuit would commence. Accordingly with the gloaming, Hoy, of Minneapolis, with a number of Mankato men and others, started out and they were soon shown

A TRAIL

which led across the railroad bridge along the Sioux City line into a melon patch, back to the road and on across the Garden City road. The engineer of an incoming train motioned the pursuers toward the thick woods covering the slopes of Pigeon Hill, some two hundred yards from the State road. But on went the chattering, noisy trail-hunters, chasing each other up the line. Quickly they came to a halt and found they had overrun the trail. Doubling upon their tracks they came back several yards and found the foot-prints turned off into the woods. Their attention was now attracted by a strong smell of burning feathers, and looking up toward the beautifully wooded acclivity, they saw a thin, pale column of smoke issuing from the luxurious foliage and spreading itself out like a hazy film.

At this point there seems to be conflicting statements as to what was done, some asserting that Hoy at once made a dash toward the [pg 38] campfire; others say that he spent several minutes consulting and ordering his own men back to Garden City road to surround the camp. One man, Mr. Hansen, of Mankato, says that he actually saw one of the robbers and wanted to fire, but Hoy would not let him, stating that he might hit some of the pursuers instead of the pursued. Both Cole and Bob Younger afterward stated that Hoy did not charge into the camp at all. Be this as it may, the camp when entered was found to be deserted. When the writer entered the

ROBBER'S CAMP,

a bright, clear fire was burning, in front of which, toward the railroad, a long pole was wedged in between some saplings, over which had been hung the coats and blankets of the band. The front part of a shirt was found, stained with blood. One wristband was wanting, but that found at the camp discovered on the previous Sunday, exactly corresponded with it. The shirt was of good quality and had evidently never been laundried. Bob Younger afterwards told the writer that the garment belonged to him. A blood-stained handkerchief (new) with border torn from two sides was found, with a large blue weather-proof coat, a brown linen duster, nearly new, a piece of drugget about two yards square and two bridles. One of the bridles had a very severe Mexican bit, and was afterwards recognized by a Mankato man as being one that he had exchanged at St. Peter for a milder one. Near the fire were two fowls and a chicken skillfully dressed and jointed ready for broiling, and several cobs of corn, some of it partially roasted, and some of it showing marks of teeth, as though some of the men were too hungry to wait till breakfast was ready. At the back of the camp fire the hill ascended precipitously, and in the dead leaves were distinctly seen the trail of the disturbed bandits. Reaching the summit of Pigeon Hill, they crossed the Garden City road and entered the heavy timber and dense underbrush leading down to the Blue Earth river. The whole of this wood was filled with men, a party of about two hundred men forming a skirmish line about three paces apart and marching completely through it down to Jones' ford. It was now about mid-day, and it was thought the outlaws had doubled on their track and were concealed somewhere in the thick coverts of

BEAUTIFUL MINNEOPA.

Accordingly toward this lovely spot were the forces concentrated, and all the afternoon the wide space fronting the Rev. D. T. Rowland's residence was filled with armed men. Although this delightful spot is well known to pleasure-seekers, it is doubtful if ever before it was the scene of so much bustle and animation, and the two beautiful daughters of the reverend gentleman were kept busily employed attending to the wants of their countless guests.

The whole neighborhood was thoroughly searched, the deep and shadowing glen, the rocky chasms, the towering heights were all [pg 39] searched through and through, not a thicket nor a cave, nor a gloomy recess in the tortuous course of the serpentine Minneinneopa escaped the ruthless tread of the pursuers. No one could form an adequate idea of the number of men engaged in the hunt if they remained themselves with one party or in one place. As the writer was taken from one point to another, along highways and by ways by a spirited span of colts, supplied by Mr. B. D. Pay, he was astonished at the number of skirmishers he met. There were men of

ALL AGES AND ALL NATIONALITIES,

mounted and on foot, shadowed by every tree and covered by every bush. Could it be possible for an escape through such a formidable line!

Driving up from Rush Lake towards evening weary and hungry from the day's exertion, the writer was hailed by three men hastening across from heavy timber to the right of the Garden City road. Halting, he was told excitedly that the three men crossing from Garden City came upon a dense thicket overhanging the Blue Earth river where they heard voices. They stopped and listened when they distinctly heard a voice.

“There is a good shelter here, why should we move.”

It was raining at the time. The men from Garden City waited and watched, but they saw nothing. After some time they fired off their shot guns, but no response was made. For four hours the men kept guard over the place, and as night was coming on they thought they would go out in search of help.

The writer at once alighted from his buggy and being joined by some dozen armed men, they approached the spot indicated. The cover was almost impenetrably dense, and it was impossible to see a dozen yards in any direction, and the hunt ended in failure, some of the party believing that the three men from Garden city had given way to a strong imagination. But at

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE YOUNGERS,

at Madelia, the writer was told that after leaving the camp at Minneopa Falls, the band went in a south-easterly direction to the Blue Earth, and then followed up the river for half an hour where they lay in a dense thicket all day. The men in concealment heard the pursuers, heard the shots, and saw one at least of the party within easy pistol range of them. At nightfall many of the hunters returned to Mankato, but still more remained out all night performing picket duty after an arduous day's march through the woods and over a rough country.

THE LINE ADVANCED.

The search of Thursday having proved fruitless, as night approached the line was thrown some five miles in advance due west, and a cordon [pg 40] of pickets was stretched from Judson, on the Minnesota river, to Garden City, on the Watonwan river, a distance of at least thirteen miles. The line passed through the village of Lake Crystal, the pickets being liberally disposed at all of the roads, crossings, fords and ferries. Brissette, Harrison and Clark, aided by W. Erwin, of St. Paul, (a most admirable organizer and active commander,) and Baxter, of Faribault, having charge of the arrangements, and acting under the orders of Gen. Pope, who had changed his headquarters to Lake Crystal. The town board of that place responded with the most commendable promptitude to every expressed desire of the leaders, providing provisions for a large number of men and horses, and furnishing transportation for the pickets to their several locations.

At an early hour in the evening the picketing was completed, and the commander-in-chief with his aids watched through the night, momentarily expecting the arrival of

COURIERS WITH NEWS,

everything being arranged to mass a great number of men at any point from which tidings of the bandits should be received. Shortly after midnight startling news was brought in, and it transpired that the wily bandits had again selected the weakest place in the line, and succeeded in passing a stupid crowd of sleepy pickets.