This man whose name has become a terror throughout the entire west, was born January 15th, 1844, in Jackson county, Missouri. He was a bright, active lad, and somewhat wild. His education is not such as he might have acquired if he had availed himself of the advantages afforded him in his early youth. He was always full of daring, and was reckoned a keen young chap. He appears to have provoked the hatred of certain officers of the militia under Neugent at the early age of seventeen, and their persecutions, whether just or unjust, caused him to desert his home, even his plan of attending school at a distant place being interfered with.

Early in 1862 Cole joined the famous Quantrell band of guerillas, with whom he remained until late in 1864, when he enlisted in the Confederate army. He became a captain, and remained in the service until the war ended, when he went to Mexico and California, where he stayed until 1866.

Cole now resolved to settle down and redeem the family farm, which had been sadly neglected. His enemies, however, would not permit him to work in peace, and he together with his brothers James and John were forced to go to Texas, where they intended to make a new home for their mother, but she died in 1870, before their plans were completed.

In March, 1875, a preamble and resolution was introduced into the Missouri house of representatives, relating the crimes charged against the Younger brothers, and granting them full amnesty and pardon. It was, however, defeated by a small majority.

Cole Younger possesses talents of no ordinary degree, and his claim that he could never live a reputable life is absurd, as he could have established himself in a distant community or in a foreign land and prospered, if he had so desired. This is proved in the case of his brother James, who, when the Northfield raid was planned, was living and [pg 78] prospering in California, where he had accumulated quite a sum of money and was in a fair way of becoming well off. Money was needed for the enterprise, and after frequent solicitation he was induced to return to his old life and embark his savings in the speculation that has proved so terribly disastrous, and has consigned him to a living tomb.

Cole appears to have early cultivated a taste for the wildest of adventures, and with a ferocity and cruelly almost fiendish, the taking of human life, when it interfered with his plans appears to have been no more to him than the use of hard words among ordinary men. During his connection with the Quantrell gang he was the boldest and bloodiest of the outlaws, and was guilty of many terrible deeds when his passions got the better of his judgment, while at other times he would treat his defeated antagonists with a magnanimity which showed that there was really a heart hidden away somewhere about him. At times he would spare none of his enemies, shooting them down like dogs, even when wounded and unable to defend themselves, and at other times he would himself nurse and comfort his most hated foe.

His statement that he never killed a man except in legitimate conflict, is of course absurd, and none will believe that a man who has had so desperate an experience as Cole Younger can place any high value upon human life. At horse races, in gambling hells, on the prairies, in railroad trains, and in quiet valleys, he has pursued his nefarious profession, and satisfied his revenge or gained money by force of arms, intimidating and killing those who came in his way.

It is told that at a certain horse race he had wagered money on his horse, but one of the crowd, all of whom were enemies of Cole, by a cowardly trick caused his horse to lose. He forbade the stake-holder to deliver the money to his opponent, and when he insisted upon doing so Cole drew two large pistols and as he dashed away he discharged them into the crowd killing three men, and escaping unharmed.

The exploits of Quantrell and his men have been so often published that it is not necessary to rehearse them at this time, but in nearly all of the most desperate and bloody encounters of the desperate gang Cole Younger played a prominent part. He was appointed to lead the most dangerous expeditions, and his success was such that it appeared as if the devil himself were at his elbow.

One of the most sad and cruel murders that Younger was forced to commit, was when, after a visit to his grandmother, he was met on the threshold by his cousin, Captain Charles Younger, who belonged to the militia of the state. The cousins shook hands, after which Captain Younger informed his relative that he was his prisoner. Instantly Cole drew his revolver, and placing it in front of his cousin's face fired, killing him instantly. Although the vicinity was filled with militiamen the guerilla made good his escape with his usual luck.