Northfield --
Cole Younger Captured;
Jesse James Escapes

When Frank and Jesse James, Cole Younger, two of Cole's brothers and three other men attempted to rob the First National Bank at Northfield, Minnesota, the citizens resisted, armed themselves and opened fire on the gang as it attempted to make it's escape. Two of the robbers were killed in the streets and at least one other was wounded. A manhunt of epic proportions followed as hundreds of men turned out to hound and pursue the notorious bandits. What follows are excerpts from an article that appeared in the The New York Times on Sept. 22, 1876, describing the capture of the Youngers and the flight of the Jameses into the Dakotas.

THE MINNESOTA BANDITS --*-- CAPTURE OF THREE OF THE NORTHFIELD BANK ROBBERS -- AN EXCITING CHASE AND DESPERATE RESISTANCE -- ONE KILLED AND THE THREE CAPTURED WOUNDED St. Paul, Sept. 21 -- The Pioneer-Press has a special from Madelia, Watonwan County, Minn., announcing the capture of four of the Northfield bank robbers. The four captured are those who were lost track of in the timber around Mankato, and two of whom are supposed to be the notorious Younger brothers. The dispatch says the four missing robbers went to a house at 7 o'clock this morning, about seven miles north of here, bought some bread and butter, and started west on foot. News was sent in as fast as a horse could travel, and forty or fifty men were after them as soon as horses and arms could be procured. They drove the robbers into a slough about eight miles north of this place. Then having them on the prairie they opened fire, which the robbers returned, but kept working their way toward the river, at last reaching there and hiding in the bush. At this time the pursuers were all together and surrounded the bush. Firing became general, our men advancing all the time. At last the robbers saw there was (no) use and gave up. One was killed and the other three are wounded. One is wounded in the arm; one, supposed to be Cole Younger, is wounded in the belly in the hand and back, and the other has a bad wound in the jaw and shoulder. It is thought that one, perhaps two, will die of their wounds. One of them has an old wound in his arm, and is supposed to be one of the wounded at Northfield. Capt. Murphy was wounded in the side, and George Bradford's arm was scratched, but they are only slight wounds. The Pioneer-Press special dispatch from Sioux City says that the two robbers who were chased into Dakota were overtaken by a citizens posse six miles about Yankton. The robbers when sighted turned and fired, wounding one of their pursuers' horses, and then took to the woods and were again lost sight of. The hunt is being continued, and it is thought will certainly end in running the bandits down. Governor Pillsbury has telegraphed the local officers at Medelia (sic) to at once send the wounded robbers and the body of the dead one to this city. They will be here to-morrow (sic) morning. The wounded robbers have confessed to the Sheriff having them in charge that they are the Younger brothers, but refuse to give the name of their dead comrade.

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